3rd Gen Daystar Lift kit fitted ...... finally!

[Morr]

Well i finally got round to fitting my 2.5" lift kit at the weekend, having bought it about 18 months ago!

Its a Daystar spacer kit, I also got a full set of ES3000 procomps to go with it.
i had intended doing a proper write-up on it, but forgot to bring my camera with me (done in a mates garage), anyway there are plenty of US write-ups covering it.

As its the first major(ish) work I've had to do on the Surf, it brought it home to me just how heavy these things are, all my tools are suited for regular cars, so my ball-joint separators wouldn't fit and my spring compressors were bending on the front springs!
The kit goes in easy enough, altough their suggestion that the rear springs may have to be pryed back in was an understatement, I had to pry they out, and use the compressors to put em back with the spacers above.
Those rear shocks are a bit of a pain too as many have no doubt discovered, tight access plus you've gotta get the motors for the adjustable suspension off first!
it also doesn't help that the procomp rear dampers don't have enough threads to successfully allow for the uncompressed thickness of all supplied washers and bushes!

I've only done about 20 miles driving since fitting, but initial impressions are that it has made little difference to the road manners, no doubt the slightly stiffer dampers helping offset the increased roll tendency due to the extra height.

Now to fab a panhard rod drop bracket and save for some 33" BFG A/T's....

PS: Rick, I've made me fotos's a bit smaller this time

[da SLUG man]

how much did they cost??


i found when doing my springs, compress the suspension, then clamp the spring... raise the car and the spring come out easy!...

helps with 2 big strapping lads to jump about!!

[Morr]

how much did they cost??


i found when doing my springs, compress the suspension, then clamp the spring... raise the car and the spring come out easy!...

helps with 2 big strapping lads to jump about!!

Can't honestly remember what they cost, think it was around US$160 inc carriage from the states, won them for a song on ebay!

If I were purchasing again, I'd probably tend more towards longer springs, but at the time I couldn't see any availability of longer springs this side of the pond, plus as i say, I got em cheap (at least compared to the retail!)

[TonyN]

helps with 2 big strapping lads to jump about!!

Perv.

[JimL]

2nd pic looks great Maurice, as they say at OCC 'thats gonna look ridiculous' with 33's

[da SLUG man]

Perv.

sounds better than fat gits!

[Delboy]

Looks great Maurice. Do you have a before pic to compare. Not sure if you're gonna fit 33's under there though. Looks kinda tight. May have to remove your running boards and a bit of cutting. Or maybe a body lift. Then again, i could be wrong!

[laser_jock99]

it also doesn't help that the procomp rear dampers don't have enough threads to successfully allow for the uncompressed thickness of all supplied washers and bushes!

I've only done about 20 miles driving since fitting, but initial impressions are that it has made little difference to the road manners, no doubt the slightly stiffer dampers helping offset the increased roll tendency due to the extra height.

Now to fab a panhard rod drop bracket and save for some 33" BFG A/T's....

PS: Rick, I've made me fotos's a bit smaller this time

Looking good!

My only advice with the Pro Comp shocks would be to re-check the top fastening bolts after a few week. The puny little thread size (smaller than a metric M10) and the lack of actual threads means the things are liable work loose, letting the entire shock fall out- as happened to me a few weeks after install! I'm surprised Pro Comp don't supply these with Nylock nuts at least?

Slug Man's advice about using the weight of the car to compress the springs is good. No need for heavy mates though. Put a jack under the axle of the side of the spring your changing, lift the axle up into the body, clamp the spring to be removed with spring compressors. Now put the chassis on blocks then lower the axle away (watch the brake line in the centre as it's liable to stretch when doing this (if in doubt it can be disconected)). The old spring should fall out (be careful when removing the spring compressors!). The new spring (or spring spacer + old spring in your case) should pop right in. For even more space jack up the other end of the axle- but don't tip the car off it's blocks!

You can buy the panhard drop down bracket from Pro Comp UK (about £30). I also think you might need a bit of body lift for 33" tyres.

Sorry if our advice on compression is a bit late!

Nevillef

[Morr]

Yea, I had similar thoughts about the nuts on the dampers and will certainly be rechecking them again.
If I ever need to go at the rear springs again, rest assured I'll follow Neville and Matt's advice to compress and clamp the springs first.

Longer brake line is already on the shopping list, as I cannot currently allow the axle to droop 100% on both sides or it'll put strain on it.

I figure if I'm gonna have to dig out the MIG to weld on a bracket I might as well just make it up while I'm at it, plus was a little less than impressed with procomps attitude, so although their dampers are probably great products, I'm in no rush to give them more business.

Fitting the 33" might be a squeeze, but from the reading over on yotatech I may get away with them with a little pinch weld pounding under the arches, and as Del suggests removal of the running boards, neither of which is a problem. If that doesn't suffice I had figured on a 4Crawler (Roger Brown) body lift ........ but it seems they may be a solution available soon that's a little closer to home hmm.... keep up the prototyping Neville!

Help, its started, a suspension lift, plans for bigger tyres and now talk of body lifts, help, I may be starting down a rocky road I can't afford

[AndyLala]

Isn't that why we are all here?


andyL

[miketilley]

Nice lift

Does anyone know what the spacers look like or have pictures? Are they something that could be made if one just happened to have access to a lathe & milling machine ?? I'm looking to lift mine by an inch or two and If I could make the spacers it might save me a bit of money that I don't have.

Cheers

[Morr]

Nice lift

Does anyone know what the spacers look like or have pictures? Are they something that could be made if one just happened to have access to a lathe & milling machine ?? I'm looking to lift mine by an inch or two and If I could make the spacers it might save me a bit of money that I don't have.

Cheers

Pity I never thought to take any measurements, coz they would be very simple to make on a lathe too! Plus a small bit of milling on the lower of the front spacers.
A 1 inch lift would be even simpler as to achieve the 2.5" lift this kit type uses 2 spacers per front strut, 1 inside the spring pack assy and 1 on the top, with a 1" lift you could omit the 1 inside the pack, leaving only a lathe required to make up the parts.

[andy]

Some here but not sure if they are the correct type.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...spagename=WD2V

[Delboy]

Some here but not sure if they are the correct type.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...spagename=WD2V

And if you dont like his spacers, you can buy "Polynesian Beautiful Lauhala Fabric with free Bluejays"

[miketilley]

Pity I never thought to take any measurements, coz they would be very simple to make on a lathe too! Plus a small bit of milling on the lower of the front spacers.
A 1 inch lift would be even simpler as to achieve the 2.5" lift this kit type uses 2 spacers per front strut, 1 inside the sping pack assy and 1 on the top, with a 12 lift you could omit the 1 inside the pack, leaving only a lathe required to make up the parts.

Hmmmm...interesting, I might have a search around and see if I can find measurements