Suspension Upgrades

[biggazza]

I won't be doing a lift aido,so yeah i'll just have to have good shop around,thank's for the advo mate.

 

[Aido]

Lift kits...... Hmm dont get me started Heath.
Spend 10 minutes lying under the front of your vehicle tomorrow and even if you have an elementary grasp of geometry then you will see how it works.
"Lift Kits" are based upon the rear springs and the static sag / curve of the springs. Most aftermarket springs through design raise the rear end and to keep castor angle and the attitude of the vehicle correct then the front must be raised.
Problem there is that the usable down travel in the front control arms is lost and the ride is harsh over rough surfaces at speed (60kph plus) as the arms bottom out on down travel.
Lift Kits are marketing speak. I have fitted rear leaves that gave 2" of lift at rear (now sagged back to standard height) and the front was raised to suit but after the first dirt track I reset them to standard ride height because of the minimal downtravel and subsequent "thunk" of the upper control arm bottoming out.
IFS vehicles cannot be raised or lowered without consequence to handling ability because of the way the arms work.
Everything I have done has been by the book and what drives me nuts is that everything is crap when it comes to suspension.......If I could get this bastard of a vehicle to drive in a straight line and ride as smooth as a new vehicle I would be over the moon. Maybe I am too picky and a Massey Ferg will never be a Ferrari but damn I'm trying.

 

[heata]

Lift kits...... Hmm dont get me started Heath.

sorry mate, I mostly ask, because I'm researching how to 'get back' to orgional front height since bullbar & winch fitment, mine is approx 40mm lower.

Spend 10 minutes lying under the front of your vehicle tomorrow and even if you have an elementary grasp of geometry then you will see how it works.

spent some time today doing that, and its bloody complex at the front.
"Lift Kits" are based upon the rear springs and the static sag / curve of the springs. Most aftermarket springs through design raise the rear end and to keep castor angle and the attitude of the vehicle correct then the front must be raised.

ok got that
Problem there is that the usable down travel in the front control arms is lost and the ride is harsh over rough surfaces at speed (60kph plus) as the arms bottom out on down travel.
Lift Kits are marketing speak. I have fitted rear leaves that gave 2" of lift at rear and the front was raised to suit but after the first dirt track I reset them to standard ride height because of the minimal downtravel and subsequent "thunk" of the upper control arm bottoming out.

I take it the upper control arm hits that oval shaped thick rubber 'thing' mine has about 8mm gap at rest, and seems to 'thunk' too often, since I intalled BBar and winch, Its really this I'm trying to stop.
IFS vehicles cannot be raised or lowered without consequence to handling ability because of the way the arms work.

Accepting this, returning to origional level should be doable, infact, preferable?
Everything I have done has been by the book and what drives me nuts is that everything is crap when it comes to suspension.......If I could get this bastard of a vehicle to drive in a straight line and ride as smooth as a new vehicle I would be over the moon. Maybe I am too picky and a Massey Ferg will never be a Ferrari but damn I'm trying.

sorry to hear it, I've come out of an EL falcon, in which everything was fugged, so maybe its all relative...
oh and thanks for the explanation, of 'lift'

 

[RustyNav09]

Lots of shocks u can choose but u need to match it to the springs. Like comfort shocks with comfort springs and hd shocks with hd springs. I'm guessing it standard so u would just go with comfort shock. Send a pm to zordo and ask. He does a lot of suspension stuff

 

[Aido]

Lots of shocks u can choose but u need to match it to the springs. Like comfort shocks with comfort springs and hd shocks with hd springs.

Therein lies the problem. Like Public Enemy said "Dont believe the Hype!" all suspension components are a rough fit for purpose with generic valving and spring rates built to production budgets and made to fit all vehicles. "Buy this! Its Great!"
None of the marketeers can give you specific spring rate figures and there is not a single shock absorber with damping tuned to specific valving based upon load carrying values. It is all Generic baseline stuff where the same valving is used in the shock body that is suitable for a Patrol is also the same valving for a Suzuki Vitara.
Bring on adjustable valving and preload adjustment that is not $20k from OHLINS.

[YT]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aCLrPieciJo[/YT]

 

[biggazza]

Lots of shocks u can choose but u need to match it to the springs. Like comfort shocks with comfort springs and hd shocks with hd springs. I'm guessing it standard so u would just go with comfort shock. Send a pm to zordo and ask. He does a lot of suspension stuff

thanks rusty,mine sounds the same as your's just looking for comfort not heavy duty i'll check zordo out.

 

[mkirkby]

Up grade springs

Hi.
I tow a caravan and the back drops 40mm, some one said it is better to upgrade the rear springs at ARB cost is $1640, Pedders said I only need to put another leaf in cost $484 as this gives a good ride when not towing.
Any help would be great as is this the way to go.
Michael

 

[ben1229]

awsome just put the 3 inch snake raceing lift on my 06 str love it

 

[pubby04]

I have just fitted ironman 2inch lift to my 06 dual cab.
Took a day to do, had some trouble getting torsion bars out full of dirt and slight rusting pays to keep underbody clean after each trip.
ended up pulling out cross member heating and punching out cut off bars cleaned up allright was easy to put new ones in.
have done 1000kms bedded leaves in and about to retorque nuts.