Lowering a rear beam - 205 GTi

[sniff petrol]

I've put the 309 GTi beam on my 1.9 gti. Looks a fair bit higher than before. I want to go lower and stiffer at the front and would need the rear lowered to match. How do I go about this?

[Mikey G]

2 ways to do it, ones the right way the other is the quick way.

In simple terms. The torsion bars need to be removed and reset with the radius arm in a lower position (higher as you look at it jacked up). You have a system of offset washers and bolts used to hold them in place, you then use a large slide hammer to pull the torsion bar out. I think each spline works out to around 25mm either way on the height of the car, before removing the torsion bar the distance between the centers of the shock absorber bolts needs to be measured, some people make a dummy adjustable shock which you can wind up or down to get the desired height before refitting the torsion bar.

The quick way involves removing the shock absorber and anti-roll bar, undo the inner torsion bar mount and beating the radius arm off, move it up a 'notch' and beat it back on. But you disturb the bearings and failure can happen after a while.

Do a search on GTidrivers as a better explanation may come about.

[Simes205]

There is a handy article on how to do this on the main site at www.205gtidrivers.com. Bear in mind you may want/need to refurb it at the same time.

[RT106]

If you release both ends of the torsion bars you can set the ride-height exactly where you want; there are different numbers of splines on each end so the system works like a vernier. Lowering by 'a spline' is the bodged way of doing things, regardless of how you take it apart.

[number2301]

Supposedly the 'right' way of doing it - http://www.306gti6.com/forum/showthread.php?id=803...