Lowering the front of my OMNI

[Reeves]

I want to lower the front of the OMNI some this winter to help with air drag underneath. The 25" slicks have raised the car along with the skinnies and stiff suspension in the rear....I don't like the new ride height.

What are my options?

I was thinking of cutting the front springs, but I don't know how much can be cut off without 'unloading' the strut (spring floating when strut extended).

What is up with the coil over stuff? Anybody got a killer system for not too much $$$ ??

If I do go coilover, what's a good springrate for mostly 1/4mile WOT at a time?

I'm currently working on limiting the upward movement of the front end...I have to get the ride height where I want it first...

Thanks!
James Reeves - Reeves Racing
OVC - SDAC "Our Sh*t Rolls!"
86 GLH-T - 10.971 @ 128.31
87 Shelby Z - 14.16 @ 96 Dad's
88 Shelby Z - 13.5 @ 102.4
89 Dodge Caravan SE
91 Sportster Hugger 74" S&S
99 Neon SOHC - 15.1 @ 90Andrea's
01 Neon R/T
03 SRT-4 - 12.98 @ 104.5 Mom's
05 Dodge Ram Turbo Diesel
ovc.shelbydodge.org/ovc_james.html

[Russ Jerome]

I cut 1.5 coils from the Omni before going coilover, no complaints
here it worked fine.

I beleive I used a small cutoff wheel to slot the strut base so
I could use a hose clamp to keep spring seated on perch's. Just
a slot big enough to slide hose clamp thru so it does not make
a racket or come offcenter on launch.

[Russ Jerome]

I'm currently working on limiting the upward movement of the front end...I have to get the ride height where I want it first...

l

Skip my comment on clamp James

My 60's with stock springs were never bettered by coilovers,
if anything the adjustable Koni's/coilovers were worse. Cut a
lot of 1.9's on stock cut springs/street rubber, few if any with
the coilovers (tires were older but felt ok).

[Keito]

James,

In the for sale section, Super60dodge has a front pair
already cut for $25 shipped.
Might be a good set to try first.

Keith

[Reeves]

Thanks for the heads up on the for sale springs....I inquired about them.

Russ,
I currently have a hose clamp on each side holding the bottoms of my springs onto the perches as they used to shift around a lot. I just drilled a hole through the perch close to the spring and ran a little hose clamp through the hole and around the spring.

So 1.5 coils should lower it about maybe 1.5" or more? This is the cheapest way, and also works better for my plans of upward movement limiting.
Did you like it alright?

[Russ Jerome]

Russ,
So 1.5 coils should lower it about maybe 1.5" or more? This is the cheapest way, and also works better for my plans of upward movement limiting.
Did you like it alright?

Yup worked fine at track and daily driven. That was a full summer
of WI streets and 12.7/107's with no issues drove fine.

[Russ Jerome]

Thats them done, count your coils it was at least 1.5 from
memory...you know my memory maybe 2 full coils..



You still need to try the above tactic, $27 air shock in Omni.

[GLHNSLHT2]

James do you have a GLH airdam on the car? It's been a while since I've seen a pic of your car. If so you might want to go to the J-yard and grab an airdam off a mid 80's to early 90's Chevy S10 truck/SUV. Then bolt it to the bottom of your GLH grill. I did so on my GLH and it makes a huge difference in cooling and in limiting airflow under the car. It creates such a vacuum effect that my GLH looks almost like a LeMans Prototype car going down the Mulsanne Straight in the rain with a huge rooster tail coming off the back. A buddy drove his GLHS in the snow and rain around here and doesn't have to use his rear wiper hardly at all. My GLH driven in the same weather and you can't even see out the back window at even just a hint of moisture on the road.

[Reeves]

I may try two coils. I want to go much lower. I have a set of spare GLH springs here already. We are working on the needed fender mods now.

Airshock may be coming.....

[Reeves]

James do you have a GLH airdam on the car? It's been a while since I've seen a pic of your car. If so you might want to go to the J-yard and grab an airdam off a mid 80's to early 90's Chevy S10 truck/SUV. Then bolt it to the bottom of your GLH grill. I did so on my GLH and it makes a huge difference in cooling and in limiting airflow under the car. It creates such a vacuum effect that my GLH looks almost like a LeMans Prototype car going down the Mulsanne Straight in the rain with a huge rooster tail coming off the back. A buddy drove his GLHS in the snow and rain around here and doesn't have to use his rear wiper hardly at all. My GLH driven in the same weather and you can't even see out the back window at even just a hint of moisture on the road.

Is this bolted to the original GLH airdam underneath, or do you remove the GLH airdam and add this one? I still have all the original stuff on. It's all stock..you know?

[GLHNSLHT2]

it's bolted to the bottom of the GLH grill. I just drilled some holes just big enough to thread bolts into the plastic. Holds well. I'll try and get a pic of it up on the net sometime tonight. I've got one bolted onto my ShelbyZ like the TurboZ's had. I've got one on my mom's acclaim and some buddies have them on their vans and tona's too.

[Reeves]

Makes me anxious to see a picture!

[Clay]

You have another option which I want to try on my GLH. Check out what the boys over at Boostedmopar.com are doing with neon front struts. You can lower the front around 2" by bolting in 1st gen neon front struts and springs.

Or you can buy the cheap coil over kits for the 1st gen neon and go that route with the neon struts.

RUSS - what did you do to lower the back end of of your GLH? Or did you have it stock in the back with cut coils in the front?

clay

[turboshadow]

Spring clamps could be a cheap and easy fix. And if you dont like it you can just unbolt them no damage done.

[Russ Jerome]

RUSS - what did you do to lower the back end of of your GLH? Or did you have it stock in the back with cut coils in the front?

clay

Think I clamped the rear springs on black car before coil overs.
On the blue car I cut lower retainer free and made a collar to
secure lower on shock. Will look for pics.

[Keito]

You could look into the Tercel coilovers.
There was a how to on the other forum.
Also, I added spacers underneath the rear springs to
stiffen it up.

[R/T]

Answer: Shelby Charger springs.

I hear they are 1" shorter to start with.

And as said above, spring clamps from Autozone are about $8 a set.

All our cars here in the family have front clamps... For that smoove, Phat, and tite look, Boyeeee!!!

[Johnny]

Instead of hose clamps, how's this for an idea....

[Mario]

http://boostedmopar.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2845

[8valves]

Reeves, have you ever corner scaled the Omni? Contrary to popular belief, Lowering the front of the car will put more initial weight on the rear. Also contrary to popular belief, suspension movement does NOT cause weight transfer, it simply directs where/and in what direction the weight is transferred.

I know what you're trying to do to stop the front from rising, but just the right combo and setup of parts in the rear of the car will do this. But of course, this is the more expensive route to take. I'll be interested to see what effect this has on your short times.

I had a brief discussion about this with Ken at Turbopalooza for a minute. It's a tough concept to explain over the internet unfortunately.

Aaron Miller