Rough ride

[nathan89]

Lately my trucks been real rough the last couple of months it's a 2012 st

Mods are iron man 2" lift with 25mm spacers to level it out after it sagged and some extended ball joints ( waiting on performance suspensions uca ) to fix camber issue

The mods have only been done for a few months and lately it's giving me the shits cause everything in the car is starting to rattle

Big drain bumps or bridges are fine it's the small little corrugated bumps that shake the car around

I can barley get the suspension to move if I shake or push down on it

When I installed it I no the front spring were the same length as the standard ones I thought they would be longer not just harder to get the lift and yes I've double checked that the springs are the 0-300 kg springs in the back and no load for the fronts

What's everyone's thoughts is iron man just crap or is something not right there no clunks or bangs just feels like I'm driving a busted commodore on bump stops

 

[Cobez]

Most cars will shake around over corrugations. Do you mean it feels like you have constant load gear when its just the normal performance lift stuff?

Spacers wouldnt help with that. I have 15mm in mine on top of IM performance lift. It feels a bit stiff over the rough stuff but nothing major.

Do you drop your tyre pressures when proper offroading? Driving with road pressure tyres it will bang and bump like crazy.

 

[nathan89]

That's what I Mean it feels as if it has constant load springs I don't have a bull bar and never carry heavy loads. I've Checked the numbers on the spring with ironmans website and they should be just the peformance ones.

It's fine off-road I do change the pressures when I need too

I've compared it to my mates which was spacers and shackles and his is a much smoother ride but then again it has standard suspension with a bullbar and steel tray

 

[Old.Tony]

I'm wondering it it's just too stiff a suspension.

Try this just as an exercise (and exercise you'll get doing it too) - put 4 bags of cement in the back. Take it out. How does it feel with the extra weight? If it's better, your springs are too stiff.

If it's still just as bad, I'd wonder if your shocks are compressing. Stick a trolley jack under an axle and lift it. It should compress the shock a bit before the car starts to lift.

 

[Cobez]

I think he means more up front as opposed to the rear (correct me if im wrong!).

 

[nathan89]

Yeah mainly up the front

 

[Cobez]

It might be the shocks. If so id recommend upgrading to something like Toughdog or the like.

 

[big zetor]

take the sway bar off problem solved, there are overated dont need it if you are on the dirt a lot.

 

[nathan89]

Problem is it spends 90% of the time on the road more then I'd like

 

[Old.Tony]

I got thrown by the shackle bit then. Still wouldn't mind seeing how the car behaved if it was a bit heavier than usual.

Instead of jacking up the rear axle, jack up a front wheel and see if the shock absorber compresses while you're doing it. If the shaft is bent, it won't work too well.

I'd also pay a little attention to clearances in and around the front axles, steering linkages, bump stops - see if the thing is riding too close and maybe impacting on something. Once you get enough lift, you need to look at the UCAs. About the most you can get is something like 45-50mm.

 

[nathan89]

I don't think it's hitting anything I'll double check.

But what you mean by compressing the shocks on the front by lifting them wouldn't that extend them

 

[Cobez]

No, just lift ONE tyre. It will be like your car is flexing so to speak. The shock behind the tyre that is lifting will compress. Even drive one corner up onto a gutter or similiar if you can.

 

[Old.Tony]

If you jack the wheel (not the frame, the wheel) it will compress the shock before the car starts to lift. You should be able to get a trolley jack under the wishbone. If not ,place the tynes of a forklift close together and give the tyre a lift!

I've seen someone use a hook attached to a chain on a high-lift jack to do it, but I think that was a steelie not an alloy rim.

 

[nathan89]

I no it flexes well at the back but not to much in the front properly because of the big ass sway bar

 

[nathan89]

I'll disconnect the sway bar and give it ago this arvo

 

[nathan89]

 

[nathan89]

How much down travel should I have in the front ?

 

[Cobez]

Navara's dont flex that well up front anyway. But not testing for flex, just lift the tyre enough to see if the shock compresses.

 

[Cobez]

And as for down travel, i think ideally about 60 or 70mm

 

[nathan89]

Are k I no it compresses cause when I hit a cause way or something it's fine doesn't bottom out and feels smooth