Rear suspension lifts - discuss......

[The Lovely Boyo]

OK - so I've been researching (actually, I been obsessing because I'm gonna refit my compressor and fit an air adjustable rear, but that's another story).

Question - 2'' to 3'' rear lift. What's the best???

Extended shocks or just s t r e t c h the existing?

Longer springs? Heavy duty springs? Spring spacers?

Drop brackets? Extendable panhard rod? Or cut and weld existing?

Cut the bumper stops? Lose the anti roll bar? Or fit drop links?

What is the collective wisdom. Answers please.

Ta from down 'ere in the noodle mines.

[Woodzie]

OK - so I've been researching (actually, I been obsessing because I'm gonna refit my compressor and fit an air adjustable rear, but that's another story).

Question - 2'' to 3'' rear lift. What's the best???

Extended shocks or just s t r e t c h the existing?

Longer springs? Heavy duty springs? Spring spacers?

Drop brackets? Extendable panhard rod? Or cut and weld existing?

Cut the bumper stops? Lose the anti roll bar? Or fit drop links?

What is the collective wisdom. Answers please.

Ta from down 'ere in the noodle mines.

The way i am going is 2" extended springs then i have a set of danno 2" coil spacers to go in when i get some longer traveling shocks probably ES9000's
Then wind up the front torson bars

[Apache]

See inline

OK - so I've been researching (actually, I been obsessing because I'm gonna refit my compressor and fit an air adjustable rear, but that's another story).

Question - 2'' to 3'' rear lift. What's the best???
<apache> Mine is around 3". I guess you could get away with the original shocks with a 2" lift.

Extended shocks or just s t r e t c h the existing?
<apache> extended, from my experience so far. My standard ones top out on slight bumps so I'll change them for extended ES3000s.

Longer springs? Heavy duty springs? Spring spacers?
<apache> I would guess that the options would give different effects. The longer, stiffer ones I have would probably be the cheapest option, aside from keeping your own springs and fitting spacers.

Drop brackets? Extendable panhard rod? Or cut and weld existing?

Drop brackets must be the easiest, but an adjustable bar would be the most elegant.

Cut the bumper stops? Lose the anti roll bar? Or fit drop links?
Pass!

What is the collective wisdom. Answers please.

Ta from down 'ere in the noodle mines.

[Wild Thing]

OK - so I've been researching (actually, I been obsessing because I'm gonna refit my compressor and fit an air adjustable rear, but that's another story).

Question - 2'' to 3'' rear lift. What's the best???

Extended shocks or just s t r e t c h the existing?

Longer springs? Heavy duty springs? Spring spacers?

Drop brackets? Extendable panhard rod? Or cut and weld existing?

Cut the bumper stops? Lose the anti roll bar? Or fit drop links?

What is the collective wisdom. Answers please.

Ta from down 'ere in the noodle mines.

I put 20% stronger springs from milners on and 2" spacers from Danno then wound up the front bars, just need to put es 9000 extended shocks on now as the stock ones bottom out

[Apache]

Do your fronts top out too, or just the back ones? My fronts still seem to have some travel, so that probably means I have a bit more lift available if yours top out.

[The Lovely Boyo]

The way i am going is 2" extended springs then i have a set of danno 2" coil spacers to go in when i get some longer traveling shocks probably ES9000's
Then wind up the front torson bars

2'' springs and 2'' spacers?

I thought you just done either. Or are you looking for a 4'' lift.

See, this is why I asked the question.

[Wild Thing]

Do your fronts top out too, or just the back ones? My fronts still seem to have some travel, so that probably means I have a bit more lift available if yours top out.

No just the back ones, you shouldn,t go to far with the fronts or you'll put to much stress and wear on the CV joints and gaitors, I only took the fronts up by 1 1/4 inches

[Wild Thing]

2'' springs and 2'' spacers?

I thought you just done either. Or are you looking for a 4'' lift.

See, this is why I asked the question.

Apparently the 2" longer springs start to sag after a short while, which brings you back down to standard height

[The Lovely Boyo]

Apparently the 2" longer springs start to sag after a short while, which brings you back down to standard height

Hence the 20% stronger jobbies!

I see, said the blind man.

Actually it's becoming clearer!

[BUSHWHACKER]

OK - so I've been researching (actually, I been obsessing because I'm gonna refit my compressor and fit an air adjustable rear, but that's another story).

Question - 2'' to 3'' rear lift. What's the best???

Extended shocks or just s t r e t c h the existing?

Longer springs? Heavy duty springs? Spring spacers?

Drop brackets? Extendable panhard rod? Or cut and weld existing?

Cut the bumper stops? Lose the anti roll bar? Or fit drop links?

What is the collective wisdom. Answers please.

Ta from down 'ere in the noodle mines.

I think it would be easier if you just tell us how you want your truck to look, and will your budget cover it.

[laser_jock99]

I reckon the way forward is a 'combination lift'.

Fit some new 20% stronger coils or 2" lift coils (whatever you call them they won't lift the car 2" and they will sag with time) to restore original ride height.

At the same time fit 2" coil spacers to gain your actual rear lift. Crank the front torsion bars up as far as your dare (1.5 to 1.75") - your CV joints were about due for replacement at 150,000km anyway so don't worry overmuch about wear!

Next job is the 2" body lift.....thus paving the way for BIGGER 33" TYRES!

That is route I followed.

Before-n-after (EDIT after-n-before going left to right!)


Parked next to a standard Surf (which I believe has since been lifted!!).

[Woodzie]

Hence the 20% stronger jobbies!

I see, said the blind man.

Actually it's becoming clearer!

We just put milners 20% springs and Es9000@s on lurch's truck and the rear has greatly improved

[BUSHWHACKER]

[QUOTE=laser_jock99]
Before-n-after.


That looks suspiciously like a cut and shut job to me!

[jaky cakes]

I fitted 20% stronger springs and 2" spacers from 4crawler USA, then wound up the front 1.5". kept standard shocks although rear seem to run out of extend travel on speed humps.

[MattF]

Apparently the 2" longer springs start to sag after a short while, which brings you back down to standard height

It's the Roughtrax ones that do that. The Milners 20% springs are far more capable
under load.


With regards to the springs, Milners Surf or LC 20% springs with/without spacers.
Depends upon how much lift you require.

Panhard rod. Drop bracket, (like the one Vince makes), are the easiest and most
straightforward. If you're wanting utmost adjustability, however, then adjustable
is obviously the way to go. You can tweek it to your hearts content.

Sway bar. Tough one. If you're just going for a couple of inch, I'd probably say
just remove them. If you're going above that, I'd personally go for long
disconnects. The amount that you'll be altering the basic centre of gravity above
2" might make the handling a bit shirty without them.

With regards to shocks, if you're going above 2" on suspension alone, don't
forget you may(?) have problems with them binding on something due to the
amount by which the chassis/axle have been displaced. It may require other
alterations. Someone who's done a big suspension lift should be able to say for
definite in that regard.