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new suspension - shocks and springs

AndyCook

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Noticed the other day that front drivers side is sitting lower than passenger - and no i dont eat too many pies!
today i measured round and front drivers side is 2cm lower than passenger side, measure top of wheel rim to wheel arch
tyre pressure same.
back drivers side is a bit lower than passenger.

So I am guessing springs have sagged, no sign of broken coils.

I fitted OME rear dampers last year. so this may be a good excuse to fit new OME springs all round to give a suspension lift and get some new OME dampers for the front.

have people needed to get camber/castor adjusted at front after a suspension lift?
 
No Andy. 40mm is well with tolerance. Doesn't drive any different.

Chris
 
Chris said:
No Andy. 40mm is well with tolerance. Doesn't drive any different.

Chris
I've got a 3" lift at the back and a 2" at the front, I was getting a 'vague' :? feeling on the steering at anything over 50mph, Julian V fitted CC bushes for me, problem solved :D
Chas
 
Like I said 40mm is in tolerance. 2" is 50mm. Not in tolerance.

Did you fit a diff drop as well? CVs must be getting to quite an angle with a 2" lift.

Chris
 
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Tonka's recent MOT had an advisory that the rear springs were looking corroded along with the zorst...
As the latter fell off last night, I figured I might get a new suspension kit under there so this thread is a help...
2" is a lift fraught with issues then Chris?  I haven't looked at whats available in any detail yet but would be good to know what I might be faced with...

Cheers
 
I think that you'd have to get some special bits to make a 50mm lift on a Collie, Gav. Most is stock stuff - OME, Koni etc at 40mm. You run into trouble on the front wishbones. They hit the springs! All depends what you are after. You can stay standard length and go with a strut lift and rear spacers. That way you can get 33" rubber on more easily. Cheaper too!!!

Chris
 
As Tonka is the wifes DD, I'm looking for a nice subtle lift of an inch or so - most kits seem to go +2, +4, +6 etc etc so if I can do sommat with standard stuff & a few other bits, great.Laptop now on a 10 minute warning so might go dark soon...Ah, I seem to be still here so can carry on for a
 
For a 90? 2", 4", 6"??? Where you been looking? For a suspension lift? Hmm, don't think so. Body lift typically 40mm, suspension typically 40mm. I would not do more than that on a 90 without getting into corrections - starting with wheel spacers probably. Lift on a DD. Really?

Chris
 
Nope, you're right. Not for a 90 - haven't looked into the 90 equipment yet as I mentioned earlier in the thread... All my experience is based around what I've done with MUX & those lifts are common kits for the 80. Just putting it out there to find the best way for slightly oversize tyres etc etc before I start cutting up all the plastic wheel arches...

Chris said:
Lift on a DD. Really
Why the heck not :cool:
 
new OME dampers and springs ordered for front and new springs for back (already got UME dampers at back)
so my colorado will be rising up in the world by 40mm soon.
Got uprated springs at the front to cope with the "accessories" i have just purchased from our own Chris, once my brother collects them from him and brings them upto Scotland.
 
Fitted the new springs on rear last night.
No problems
rather than unclip brake line and undo panrod, I used spring compressors to get the new springs in. I got the old ones out fine without any help.
also used a bottle jack to push the axle down.

Fronts more a hassle. Of the 3 bolts on top of tower, the far one you cant get a hex socket on... unless you have a body lift...
so when i used even a good fitting 14mm ring spanner, it rounded the nut off.
so i used a stud extractor on a 21mm ring spanner to remove it.
Then once i removed the whole assembly from vehicle, i couldnt undo the top shock bolt, rounded off with a 17mm ring spanner, I have the end of the shock, the flat tip in a vice.
so used a nut-cracker on that.

then ran into something chris mentioned on old forum. got the new springs and shocks assembled, after hassle with spring compressors. then discovered I havent got them lined up properly....
when i did my subaru's rear suspension the other week i was able to twist the shock round, (and there were alignment marks on the system to remind me! )with a lever in the lower shock mount hole
but this assembly is too tight for that s0 will have to get the spring compressors out again...
 
Well Andy, there is a little dodge that you can do if it's not far out. I bolted the strut back in an used a bar in the bottom eye to twist it round a bit.

If I ever have to do coils again, I am gong to buy one of those workshop compressors. Like a tower with a foot pedal and a ram. They come in at just over £100. I could sell it afterwards! Screw spring compressors are just awful things.

Chris
 
cheers Chris - i will take a look later, but i think its about 30-40 deg out...so compressors need to go back on,
at least i will be prepared when doing the other side now and will mark things up for alignment
I used cordless impact wrench to help with tightening the spring compressors, taking care not to go too far
I would love a workshop compressor also, like you, but there are many other tools higher up on the waiting list - which would be used more often
but buying to sell it afterwards a neat idea, cheaper than renting!
 
Bugga - my insurers having kittens when i phone up about the mods.
I explained i use the vehicle for going onto farmland when shooting.
they asked about greenlanes - none in scotland, so I don't do that, and I dont goto pay and plays...

they are insuring it, but for additional £200, doubling the premium

so... time to give Adrian flux insurers a call!
 
Flux will be cool with the mods. But they won't insure you for your original £200 I wouldn't think. But when you add more stuff, they won't get jumpy about it.

Chris
 
well, now with Adrian flux
rattled through mods no sweat! no question asked, she ticked them off in seconds!
unlike holding on phone for 10mins in privelege for each mod! as he checked with another department
they ended up only £10 less than privlleges new price, BUT excess is £250 opposed to £800 with priv
and sounded like priv wouldnt insure me next year with a modded vehicle.... which they deemed unsuitable for a daily drive (5miles to train station...)
and offroading covered standard, and they even mentioned greenlanes covered as standard - so if i ever offroad south of border i'm covered

thanks for recommendations on here!
 
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