Hiace Lowering

[mum's car]

I hope someone might have had some experience with lowering a Hiace coach, mine is a '95 LWB 3 litre turbo 5 speed and is coil sprung on the rear. I would like to drop the Hiace 50-75mm at the rear, front end is no trouble, just wind down the torsion rods and re-align. Any advice would be gratefully received. I'm in New Zealand.

The van is going to be set up for Motocross bike transport.

[chrisandhiace]

Have no experience of lowering...though guess shorter rear springs would be in order....

I do know that if you wind down the torsion bars the ride will get very bouncy...so you may need firmer front shocks.....just measure everything carefully before you start in case you wish to restore it to its former settings

[mum's car]

Thanks C & H, I have already lowered our previous '88 Hiace but it had leaf springs on the rear and we just fitted 75mm lowering blocks and longer u bolts. The coil springs on the coach are a little more complicated as under NZ regs the coils must be retained in their holders firmly when the vehicle is jacked clear of the ground with the suspension hanging down on it's own weight. If you cut the coils you run the risk they will be loose in their retainers and the cut coil will be at an angle. The lowering of the front doesn't make the front 'bouncy' as the spring still works at the same rate as before, only lower, what can happen if you go too low is that the van will bottom out on the bump stops quite harshly.

There are about 45-50 Hiace vans in our local Motocross club with lowered suspension, mags, body kits, etc, etc, but none with coils, frustrating eh. :( :(

[chrisandhiace]

Well.....people report bouncy rides when torsion bar lowered over here (uk).....maybe the bounce comes from the bump stop, or possibly the reduced travel on the dampers?? Wouldn't know myself as have never meddled....however my back end is sinking a bit....what do you think is best.......new dampers (hoping the gas pressure will hold it higher) or lower the front torsion bar?......I guess new rear springs may hold it higher, but don't want to spend the dosh if there is another way.....

Would a shorter damper solve your problem on the rear?

[mum's car]

The shock (or dampers) don't actually hold the vehicle up, (unless they are air type shocks), the best way for you with your vehicle's saggy rear, would be to drop the front end to match the rear, makes the vehicle look less like it's dragging it's bum along the road.

I would suspect if your super custom is sagging in the rear because of it's age/use then your shocks(dampers) are probably stuffed as well, lowering your front end and replacing the dampers should even out your vehicle without any 'bounce'.

Stu