Low Adventra - the mum's bus

[GM Slave]

VY Adventra. A work in progress. These pics are of 'stage 1'.

The wife had a WRX and was used to a car that went well, handled and stopped well. Then we swapped the WRX for the Adventra and straight away she was unhappy with the stopping power. So better brakes were on the menu. And nice brakes were not about to fit under the factory 17" wheels so I bought a set of 20" HSV Pentagons although I couldn't bring myself to put them on a car that was so high off the ground. So on went a set of Pedders Extreme XA coil over shocks.

All she said before the suspension went in was that she didn't want the car to end up too low. I had a VTII v8 wagon which was waay low so the precedent had been set - this car was not to be as low as my last wagon.

I figured that if we removed the 30mm spacers from the rear of the wagon and put in some wagon coil overs that the car would come down just enough. I wanted coil overs as I have GTS struts in my VY Monaro and when I was running 35 series tyres I'd still get tyre scrape on the struts. I didn't want that to happen to her car so I setted on coil overs.

But the car came down a long way.... too far for her liking..... although I don't mind it at all.

I put the 20's on the car put they scraped the front caliper abutments - bugger. So the original wheels will have to stay on until the Avalanche brakes come through.

Here are the before and after pics of the suspension mods.

Before
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk263/GM-Slave/LS1%20Forum/high1.jpg
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk263/GM-Slave/LS1%20Forum/high2.jpg

After
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk263/GM-Slave/LS1%20Forum/low1.jpg
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk263/GM-Slave/LS1%20Forum/low2.jpg

[hsv andrew]

looks better stock height i think! its to low now in my books,you put 20's on that and its gonna look on the ground and for an everyday driver it will get a yellow sticker on the front window!!!

[macca33]

I'm kinda with you Andrew. It is sitting too low now and looks 'not quite right,' especially in the back.

I love these rigs, but reckon that they are very good as they come from the factory.

Good luck with it though GM Slave.

[monaro327]

i agree they look good as they come bit soccer mum ish but now it's like seeing a bumped landcruiser... whats the point?

[Mega76]

I don't mind it mate. Whack the 20s on & let us have a look.

[bigdogdazza]

I don't mind it mate. Whack the 20s on & let us have a look.

+1 drop it on its guts!:goodjob:

[hRTHSV]

I can't see the point in buying an awd wagon then lowering it, might as well have brought a VY SS wagon, they use less fuel.

Have you put shorter stabiliser bar links on it, I think they have a problem the the stabiliser bar and driveshaft area when lowered.

[Mungrel]

Pre VE's all have potential issues with the driveshafts when dropped too low.

I quite like it lowered, Slap the 20's on :D

[hRTHSV]

Pre VE's all have potential issues with the driveshafts when dropped too low.

I quite like it lowered, Slap the 20's on :D

I'm talking about the front driveshafts not the rear, I have personally seen the issue on a lowered Adventra.

[QIKMIK]

Could you use any parts from the Coupe4? I was reading in Australian Muscle Car that some of the parts in Coupe4 are simply Adventra items installed upside down (or made that way). Might be worth a look to do a "properly" lowered AWD Commodore.

Mick

[GM Slave]

I was a bit worried after the first posts that everyone would be a bit negative about the ride height and I'd have to hide this thread from the missus :)


but now it's like seeing a bumped landcruiser... whats the point?

I don't think that comparing this car to a landcruiser is really comparing apples to apples. I'd say a better comparison would be against something like a Forrester.... and I've seen a number of dumped Forresters with big wheels getting around. Granted its a look that you either love or hate.

One thing thats for sure this car provokes a reaction. That alone is not a bad thing when so many modifed cars look so understated. I mean I grew up in a time when people made their HG vans look like VK Commodores! And many other questionable looking mods. People went out of their way to be a bit different. Not a bad thing just different.

I'd also suggest that its now one of the best handling Adventra's out there!

I'll whack the 20's on and take some pics.

[hRTHSV]

As long as you like it mate that's the main thing I suppose, but you are right they really need some decent brakes, having owned one for a while that's the only downfall I found apart from the standard tune.

[bonners]

Nice Slave. I'm one of the few with you. I had an Adventra a few years ago (when they first came out). I remember seeing one that Starr had done some work one. It was lowered with larger rims and had massive power.

As for not seeing the point.... RS6 wagon anyone. I know it wasn't what Holden intended but I think an AWD wagon looks great lowered.

[Psyrg]

Hey Slave,

Was there any problem with the coilovers and the Cross Track AWD system in the front? It would be interesting to know if they would fit an HSV Coupe 4. Not that I have one of course...

[GM Slave]

Psyrg, it's only a guess but from what I understand there's not a lot of difference between the Coupe 4 and the Adventra front end. There's still some height adjustment left in the front coil overs so the front end could come up a bit yet. It's wound down so that it sort of matches the rear end height wise.

Being honest the rear in the Adventra is dumped too low for the missus but I like it. If I did it all over again I'd leave the 30mm spacers in the rear and that would then let me play with the height adjustment in the coil overs.

But why I'm saying all of this is that I always expected that the rear coil overs would work (as the rear end is [when unmodified] essentailly a wagon rear end with spacers to jack the car up), and really if worse comes to worse I have the 30mm spacers to put back in the rear of the car. For me the mission was to get the front end functional, because that's where the problems were going to be if there were any. So whilst the rear is low it could be raised if needed, to me it's more important the the front coil overs went straight in and seem to have caused no immediate problems. The car has been driven to the snow 3 times now so that's a far enough to find any inital problems out.

Whilst I'm not the expert I can't see why there would be problems getting these coil overs installed into a Coupe 4. Just be prepared to do some R&D and work with your mechanics. I was lucky that the people I used did an amazing job and put a lot of heart and soul into the job. I'm just not sure if I should list who did the job because the manuafacters of the coil overs don't seem to happy that they have been installed in a car that their product has not been intended to be used in, and I don't want anyone having problems for what has so far been a great result.

[brenten88]

Wagon is looking great mate, I dont think you will have any problems with the hight your at I have had mine at that hight for quite a while now nothing has gone wrong but Im prbably gonna lift mine around 20-30mm just to get it up a little (ride is a bit to rough)
here is mine if you would like to have a look http://forum.streetwagons.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=7276

[LS1_Wagn]

i think i can speak for a few of us when i say i'd love to see it on the 20s mate :)

[RAVENLS1]

looks nuts mate, just how i'd have it!

[GM Slave]

Well the brakes are on the way (so the front wheel will then be able to fit) but the brakes are a bit a mission... so in the mean time here are some pics of the 20's on the rear of the car.

http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk263/GM-Slave/LS1%20Forum/a1.jpg

http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk263/GM-Slave/LS1%20Forum/a2.jpg

[brenten88]

hey mate what brakes are you putting on it?

[Dav0]

It will look sweet with the 20's on it i reckon, i like the tubbed back wheel look

[QIKMIK]

Looking great. It's very easy to forget just how much a 20" wheel fills the guard of a VT-VZ, even one with the flared guards of the Adventra.

Mick

[worknssv]

Very nice Mate,

I love the stance. and those wheels look the goods. :goodjob:

[Toddler78]

no I like it with the 20s on it. I just have to close my right eye so I cant see the front wheel

[MrSuave]

Looks great, but I bet that the ride would be pretty harsh

[GM Slave]

hey mate what brakes are you putting on it?

I've thought long and hard about the brakes over many beers. Ended up deciding that I had better not go over the top with the brake setup, I'm in enough trouble with the car as it is :) So with that in mind I've settled on a set of L76 VZ 6.0 Calipers on Avalanche spec DBA rotors.

The Avalanche caliper brakets have apparently been in the mail for nearly two weeks now so fingers crossed they turn up at the dealership soon.

I decided on the VZ Holden calipers (as opposed to the HSV ones or the VZ Monaro / HBD) as they are the same as the HSV Avalanche calipers but come unpainted - so less bling and therfore easier for the wife to live with.

Crazy thing is the VZ calipers are cheaper than the equivlent calipers are selling for in used condition on Ebay!! And were also in stock at the Holden dealer. Its a little known fact that the VZ 6.0 cars had PBR calipers that clamp 32mm thick rotors.

So its a front brake upgrade only and not that expensive.

92188700 RH Caliper ASM
92188701 LH Caliper ASM
05A-032704 HSV Avalanche adaptor RH bracket
05A-032703 HSV Avalanche adaptor LH bracket
DBA 42022SL / 42022SR rotors
Plus bolts and lines.

[warlobo]

I lowered mine 3" but ride was too harsh (first pic with 18" GTO rims), like the usual lowered vehicle, raised it to 2" and much much better (second pic with 20 x 8's), keeps the original ride just firmer and without the bodyroll, great at high speed and never bottoms out at speed on bumpy country roads. Third pic is 20 x 8's and 20 x 10's with 315/30's which are 12.5" wide. Used fully adjustable coil overs, height and ride adjustable through wide range of settings.

http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n152/adventra/B.jpg[/IMG]

http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n152/adventra/Minamramp.jpg[/IMG]

http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n152/adventra/P3210030.jpg[/IMG]

[luke05]

heres my wifes car http:/i688.photobucket.com/albums/vv247/luke05/P1030780.jpg

http://s688.photobucket.com/albums/vv247/luke05/?action=view&current=P1030780.jpg

[GM Slave]

Luke, that's nice - how did you lower it?

Well the new brakes are now on and so are the wheels - been a wait.

Brakes ended up being Avalanche HSV units.

So far so good!!

http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk263/GM-Slave/LS1%20Forum/IMG_0523.jpg

http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk263/GM-Slave/LS1%20Forum/IMG_0526.jpg

http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk263/GM-Slave/LS1%20Forum/IMG_0524.jpg

[68LS1]

Very nice :goodjob:

[boss383]

that looks so good, i wouldnt be bringing that up any higher,

just look how sexy it looks :)

[iloveholden]

Looks fantastic mate, rims really suit it and ride height is good :goodjob:

[jozza87]

Looks great with the pentagons on now. Definately keep it at that height!

[HDT253]

Love the look of a low Adventra

Cool ride.

Cheers

Mick