Squirming surf after suspension lift..causes??

[bboy02]

Hi guys,
I have the roughtrax +2 inch springs fitted to the rear of my surf. Since fitting I have found that the vehicle often feels like the rear is trying to squirm away from the front...not a very good description, sorry, but its the only way I can describe it!
Do you think this is due to panhard misalignment or maybe just a coincidental knackering of other suspension components?? Anyone else experienced this after sus lifts as 2 inch is not that drastic!?
Thanks.

[slobodan]

Are the anti roll link bushings OK?

[bboy02]

Yeah, I had a look at them today, don't seem to be split as far as I could see.

[Maverick]

Did you fit +2" shocks? It could be that your shocks are overextended.

I fitted a 2" lift Kit about four years ago, and as yet have not adjusted the panhard, so I wouldn't have thought this is your problem.

[surfenstein]

panhard rod wont need adjustment after a small lift like 2" you cant adjust the panhard rod anyway,unless you have a custom adjustable one.it wont be the shocks either unless one of them is knackered,the standard shocks will just about cope with a 2" sus lift,but they will need sorting eventually.if you wanna do any serious off road stuff. if you used roughtrax springs did you fit them to the correct side .i.e im pretty sure they are handed to cope with the extra weight of the fuel tank on one side,there should be some identifying letters stamped on the coil.if not then the longer coil of the two goes to the fuel tank side.check your radius arm bushes top and bottom and make sure they have not perished.check your arb brackets havnt snapped allthough you would hear them clanking as you drove over a pot hole,and whilst your there just check your prop ujs. apart from that theres not a lot else that can account for a sloppy back end.

[Predictable Bob]

apart from that theres not a lot else that can account for a sloppy back end.

I have no comment to make EXCEPT that Rodders made a comment about your back end being exceptionally sloppy once (or was it seventeen times ?) ...

[lord_flashart]

It's normal, because you have raised the suspension above standard and now the geometry for the panhard rod is now out, rather than sitting flat, it's at an angle.

If the panhard rod was level and you drove over a speed bump you would get compression and extension of the springs and the panhard rod would be pulled (for instance and ease of explaination) 1" to the side undercompression then back to the middle and then 1" to the side again (same side) and then back to the middle when the suspension settled.

Due to the fact that now your rear axle is not centred you will be pushing the rear axle further before it becomes level and then back again. Using the same example, albeit still simplified, you will be pushing the axle 1.5" under compression, back to the middle, 0.5" under extension and then back to the centre.

Those figures are for ease of explaining it and it's not that dramatic in most cases (and would depend on the travel per compression and extension amongst other things) but that's been my experience of a few trucks with the +2" springs and no panhard rod drop bracket.

The adjustable panhard rod does not fix the geometry, it only shifts the back axle to the centre at the settled height, you will need to drop the end of the panhard rod by the same amount as the suspension lift in order to make it flat to regain the corect geometry and centre the rearaxle in one go.


I know what I'm trying to say but I think it may be a bit garbled!
Hope fully someone will be along with pictures or a simpler explaination!!


Thanks,


Ray.

[bboy02]

I think you got it ray. Squirming is most noticable when on rougher roads, not purely in cornering!

[Rustinho]

Hi guys,
I have the roughtrax +2 inch springs fitted to the rear of my surf. Since fitting I have found that the vehicle often feels like the rear is trying to squirm away from the front...not a very good description, sorry, but its the only way I can describe it!
Do you think this is due to panhard misalignment or maybe just a coincidental knackering of other suspension components?? Anyone else experienced this after sus lifts as 2 inch is not that drastic!?
Thanks.

What have you done to the front?

[bboy02]

I would say the torsion bars have been wound about an inch buy the previous owner and that's it.

[BUSHWHACKER]

It's normal, because you have raised the suspension above standard and now the geometry for the panhard rod is now out, rather than sitting flat, it's at an angle.

If the panhard rod was level and you drove over a speed bump you would get compression and extension of the springs and the panhard rod would be pulled (for instance and ease of explaination) 1" to the side undercompression then back to the middle and then 1" to the side again (same side) and then back to the middle when the suspension settled.

Due to the fact that now your rear axle is not centred you will be pushing the rear axle further before it becomes level and then back again. Using the same example, albeit still simplified, you will be pushing the axle 1.5" under compression, back to the middle, 0.5" under extension and then back to the centre.

Those figures are for ease of explaining it and it's not that dramatic in most cases (and would depend on the travel per compression and extension amongst other things) but that's been my experience of a few trucks with the +2" springs and no panhard rod drop bracket.

The adjustable panhard rod does not fix the geometry, it only shifts the back axle to the centre at the settled height, you will need to drop the end of the panhard rod by the same amount as the suspension lift in order to make it flat to regain the corect geometry and centre the rearaxle in one go.


I know what I'm trying to say but I think it may be a bit garbled!
Hope fully someone will be along with pictures or a simpler explaination!!


Thanks,


Ray.

Yep, you are 100% correct, excellent explaination too.