Ride improvement help required

[the silver surfer]

Buenos dias amigos,

Advice required please. As some of you know my Surf is in the garage awaiting repairs following a crash in France. What I'd like to do is make the most of the motor being in the garage and get a mod or two done while it's being stripped down.
I live out in the deepest off road territory in rural Spain. The tracks are full of deep potholes, rutts, undulations, adverse cambers and slippy slidey clay, oh and of course, the odd boulder in the road!
I want to improve the ride and ground clearance so I don't bottom out and give myself a spinal injury. We also have to go to a mountain spring to collect our drinking water, so that often involves carrying up to 200L, plus 30L of fuel for the genny.
What would be the best thing to do, in one opperation, to best protect the car and passengers?

[stormforce]

2" body and suspension lift and fit some 33" AT's

[Albannach]

Helicopter?

[the silver surfer]

WOULD LOVE ONE MATE, sorry for caps!

[the silver surfer]

Thanks Stormy, where's the best place to acquire the kit?
Also, what's the difference between a suspension lift kit and a body lift kit?

[stormforce]

a body lift is basically what it says.It just lifts the body up from the chasis
The suspension will lift the complete truck and then with bigger tyres that will lift the truck also.
You can get the +2" shocks from roughtrax
http://www.roughtrax4x4.com/?doc=11&cid=170
but i'm not sure if they do the springs aswell yet or no.

not sure about where you will get a bodylift for the 3rd gen tho but i'm sure one of the other guys will say where to get it from though.

If you can't get stuff sent to you then you are welcome to have it sent here then i can send it to you for what the p&p is
edit the above
Roughtrax do the complete 2" suspension kit
http://www.roughtrax4x4.com/?doc=11&cid=180

[the silver surfer]

Thanks mate. Price on that kit seems pretty reasonable but forgive my ignorance, what is the point in a body lift if the suspension lift gives you 2"?

[TonyN]

that way you get 4" overall, without the epic cost of a 4" suspension lift.

[the silver surfer]

Isn't there a whole heap of extra things that need to be modded in conjunction with a body lift though? I'm trying to keep it fairly simple so as not to have too much of a labour charge from the garage.

[Smego2]

Would be easier to just move to somewhere with running water, and piped electrickery

[the silver surfer]

Possibly easier, but then I wouldn't have 25000M2 of land, 360 degree uninterupted views of the hills and snow capped mountains, nor the peace and tranquility of the nearest neighbour being 1km away. Ormaybe just being able to jump onto my KTM and ride for hours through the hills, rivers and valleys without even touching a road.
Can't think what I'm missing :rolleyes

PS. I have solar too, genny fuel is for the cement mixer.

[the silver surfer]

Ok, so I think I'm going with the 2" suspension kit recommended by you Stormy, from Roughtrax. Is there anything else that needs to be modded on the Surf in conjunction with this kit being fitted? Or is it a straight forward retro fit?

Also, currently have original Surf alloys and tyres, can I put a bigger tyre on the standard rims once the kit is fitted? Will I notice any benefit from a larger tyre?

[the silver surfer]

Found another lift kit here http://www.explorerprocomp.co.uk/aca...ms_Toyota.html

Is it any different to the Roughtrax one?

[jeff.fn02jwa]

yes get rid of the front and rear anti roll bars to will let the Axel's move better and keep more rubber on the muck just don't toss it in to the corners when you are on the road i have a 2 inch body lift and 2inch suspension get a front Axel spacer it drops the angle of the front drive shafts and stops CV joints and the CV gators from the ware and tare from the increased angle of turning up the front torsion bars 10 turn to the right or up grade them from 24 mm to 26mm ones. its procommy es9000 thats what i have on my surf its on a j plate a 94 its the same kit as i can see its down to the price now

[TonyN]

Found another lift kit here http://www.explorerprocomp.co.uk/aca...ms_Toyota.html

Is it any different to the Roughtrax one?

Explorer UK the importers of Procomp stuff are now out of business, that why Roughtrax stopped selling Procomp stuff and switched suppliers.

The 2" Procomp kit was nice on a 3rd Gen, but the new stuff i've fitted so far for 2nd Gens has been good to.

It would work well for you, i'd assume you not want to loose normal road manners to much, and just stiffen up the suspension and gain a little ground clearance.

A simple 2" suspension lift would be fine IMHO, and leave the rest alone.