what does this do?
turboty - February 15th, 2013 at 10:03 PM
Hey guys ,
As I am a green horn, what does a narrowed beam do? And do I need one?
Thanks
MISS VDUB - February 15th, 2013 at 10:11 PM
Not unless you want to really lower your car, then no, you don't need one.
Doug Sweetman - February 15th, 2013 at 10:13 PM
Narrowing the beam means cutting the front torsion bar housing shorter, which reduces the front track (distance between the front wheels) and puts the
font wheels further inside the guards.
I'm not a big fan of them, it's a mod done pretty much solely for looks and doesn't (in most cases) add any functionality. In extreme cases,
sometimes the beams are cut down to the point when the shock towers are removed - no front shocks is dangerous.
Having said that, done well it can look pretty good on the right car.
psimitar - February 16th, 2013 at 10:56 PM
A narrowed and lowered beam can also give tyre clearance issues meaning you have to fit thinner and lower profile tyre than std.
Only real reason apart from looks is for LP beams running brake disc kits. These increase the track depending on the kit bought and so narrowing the
beam helps rectify this.
Birdman - February 16th, 2013 at 11:24 PM
And they turn your car into a tricycle!
vlad01 - February 18th, 2013 at 09:00 AM
| Quote: |
Originally
posted by Birdman
And they turn your car into a tricycle!
|
yup and they roll over easy.
57 oval - February 18th, 2013 at 12:52 PM
So in answer to your question " do I need one" No you don't, that is unless you are going super low but the boys in blue frown on that look
nowadays.
empi - February 18th, 2013 at 01:15 PM
| Quote: |
Originally
posted by vlad01
| Quote: | Originally
posted by Birdman
And they turn your car into a tricycle!
|
yup and they roll over easy.
|
Try doing one before you comment Vlad..
empi - February 18th, 2013 at 01:19 PM
| Quote: |
Originally
posted by Doug Sweetman
Narrowing the beam means cutting the front torsion bar housing shorter, which reduces the front track (distance between the front wheels) and puts the
font wheels further inside the guards.
I'm not a big fan of them, it's a mod done pretty much solely for looks and doesn't (in most cases) add any functionality. In extreme cases,
sometimes the beams are cut down to the point when the shock towers are removed - no front shocks is dangerous.
Having said that, done well it can look pretty good on the right car.
|
Most narrowed beams will have a shock tower and new end plates, if you do choose to do one my advice is get a scratch built one.
vwo60 - February 18th, 2013 at 02:40 PM
Make sure any mods for your vehicle are legal and engineer approved, a lot of people have cars fitted with a narrowed beam but it is not legal to
narrow the track, i just removed a narrowed beam from my ghia and there is very good improvement in the handling and ride department. i think the
lowest ride height allowable is 100MM
psimitar - February 18th, 2013 at 11:36 PM
| Quote: |
Originally
posted by vwo60
Make sure any mods for your vehicle are legal and engineer approved, a lot of people have cars fitted with a narrowed beam but it is not legal to
narrow the track, i just removed a narrowed beam from my ghia and there is very good improvement in the handling and ride department. i think the
lowest ride height allowable is 100MM
|
I believe, from memory of reading the NCOP, that the track cannot be modified by more than 25mm in either direction. Been a while so could be
something else it related too but fairly certain was the track width 
Lowering cannot be more than a third of the distance between the top of the bump stop and it's point of impact on the chassis or suspension
component. Tho the minimum ride height is 100mm to lowest point on vehicle.