drop boxes

[jear bear]

After doing an 80mm lift I started having real problems with the handing of my truck(gq safari swb), especially at speed. I had put in some castor correction bushes that were suppose to have been up to the task, I was wrong, after only 1 trip they had fallen to bits (I had been warned they wouldnt last long) so I decided it was time for drop boxes. After pricing them up I decided they were a bit pricey so a mate found some plans for some of the net. (he also owns a gq safari) He had the the 10mm plates cut out with a cutter (cant remember the name)
and we got them welded up. I put new bushes all round (no more nolathane) and OMG, its like a new truck. Any way he has enough for 2 more sets of drop boxes, they still need welding up but he will be happy to sell them made or as they are.

If you are interested PM me and I can pass on his details, we are also letting people in our club know so 1st in 1st served.

Thanks

Jeremy

[darinz]

FYI You can now get rubber castor correction bushes that 'should' be better but have yet to see the proof.

[muskie]

i made mine by the taking measurements process, took me a couple of weekends with a grinder and welder but the result was awesome, they just corrected everything, it now drives as good as it did without any lift. one job that really makes a difference.

[jear bear]

Yeah, I heard they now do them in Rubber, but by the time you spend $300 on them and fluff round putting the damn things in.. well I dont know. when you have a bush thats off centred like that it can never be as strong or last as long, I was gutted as they wernt cheap! and fell to bits.

I agree, if you have some no how and acces to the gear then they are pretty strait forward to make. and it brings everything back in line. best thing I did since lifing it ...well as far as making it good to drive goes anyway.

[darinz]

The problem is drop boxes are designed for 4" of lift so when you are in the 2" to 3" range they actually increase castor angle from factory.
No easy solution.
I used standard bushes for 2" and 3" I've done and at 2" I wouldn't bother doing anything and at 3" i think you need something but I haven't tried anything with the increases a drop box gives so can't give any feedback that is worthwhile.

[DaveM]

I only ran castor bushes due to the fact that I didn't want to get a cert for the truck, but soon realised the error after about 4 weeks and having torn them apart.

I ran a 3" lift with boxes, worked well, went up to 5" with same boxes, still ok, but settled back to 3"

[coxsy]

well my EFS bushs are still in nick

[JONO250]

The problem is drop boxes are designed for 4" of lift so when you are in the 2" to 3" range they actually increase castor angle from factory.
No easy solution.
I used standard bushes for 2" and 3" I've done and at 2" I wouldn't bother doing anything and at 3" i think you need something but I haven't tried anything with the increases a drop box gives so can't give any feedback that is worthwhile.

Hi do you know if I can get away with standard panhard rods with a 3inch lift??

[DaveM]

I ran standard panhards with a 3" lift on both the GQ and GU shorties with no problem.

[JONO250]

did you get bad driveline vibes with the 3inch lift??

[coxsy]

a little at 90 kph at first , was not keen on the body 25mm over to one side , fixed that

[JONO250]

a little at 90 kph at first , was not keen on the body 25mm over to one side , fixed that

did you change the length of your panhards??

[JONO250]

can I pm you a few lift questions coxsy?? dont want to hijack this thread.

[darinz]

I ran 3" with no driveline vides BUT I did fit new uj's to the driveshaft. That should fix most problems.

[jear bear]

I had to run a spacer under the gear box mount, but that fixed it strait away.
Its funny, it seems no 2 Safaris are the same! you can have 2 identical trucks with the same mods and they react differently! I suppose it depends what day the truck was made! haha

[darinz]

It is a very hit and miss thing but the cause is normally uj wear so new uj's 'should' solve the problem. The problem with a gearbox packer is it adds stress to already weak engine mounts. The left hand mount has a habit of tearing the rubber in half! So while the gearbox packer works it does cause other problems. (and most drop boxes are a gearbox packer as well)

[Mud Hog]

Just seen superior engineering have bought out some new rubber caster bushes which are supposed to let the radius arm flex more Will be interested to hear feed back on them. $180 aus. for a set of four.

[JONO250]

Do you require longer brake lines for a 75mm spring lift? I am debating on weather I go for a 3 inch or 2 inch spring lift.

[Mud Hog]

Do you require longer brake lines for a 75mm spring lift? I am debating on weather I go for a 3 inch or 2 inch spring lift.

Yes you will for a 75mm lift.

[coxsy]

put a new long rear line in, the front seems ok so far

[JONO250]

yep pretty keen on going with the 3inch lift as I'd rather do it once do it properly. did you get away with running the standard panhards coxsy?? running caster correction bushes or drop boxes?

[DaveM]

All depends on the brand of coils you get. Some 3" lift give around 2" others are higher.
I had to extend front and rear brake hoses, and ran drop boxes, longer lower trailing arms but got away with the standard panhards (which were going to be the next item replaced if I kept it)

Castor bushes are shite, unless you buy some rubber ones from oz

[JONO250]

All depends on the brand of coils you get. Some 3" lift give around 2" others are higher.
I had to extend front and rear brake hoses, and ran drop boxes, longer lower trailing arms but got away with the standard panhards (which were going to be the next item replaced if I kept it)

Castor bushes are shite, unless you buy some rubber ones from oz

Looking at getting 75mm dobinsons.

[DaveM]

I ran the dobinsons. I'd get longer brake lines front and rear, but leave the shocks until the coils are in, and then measure the length you need with the vehicle on a hoist.
If a shorty, you'll need gearbox packers, and possibly longer lower trailing arms (if you run drop boxes, these double as a gearbox packer at the same time)

It all depends on how much you want to spend.

[coxsy]

yes ran standard panhards for awhile but body was 25mm off centre on the righthand side felt funny on drop offs now have superior ajustable front and remade the re twice till was happy with the centreing
oh with g/box packers did in my fan and shroud with the engine tilt

[darinz]

Do you require longer brake lines for a 75mm spring lift? I am debating on weather I go for a 3 inch or 2 inch spring lift.

Get a longer one for the rear and fit the standard rear hose to the front.
The restriction on front travel is the shocks so unless you raise the shock towers you will still have pretty poor front travel. Raise the front shock towers by 60mm and fit shocks designed for an 80 Series LC with a 2" lift. This will be about the perfect spring to shock length for a 75mm lift. However dependng on spring rate you may need to extend bumpstops with a 75mm lift. Some will coil bind and other won't. If you don't raise the shock towers then you'll defenitely need to extend bumpstops or shocks will bottm out.
If you fit the above shocks (and shock tower extension) and 2" springs then you'll have an overall better performing truck than going with a 3" lift. You then don't need to worry about panhard rods but I'd still do the brake lines.

[JONO250]

cheers for that info. pretty cetain im going to go with a 2" lift now as I think a 3" will just get too expensive. went to autolign to price up a 50mm lift kit but they can only supply a 40mm kit

[coxsy]

Well with info off Patrol forum refitted rear swaybar the 33's don't rub the rear inside of the guards any more,and the front suspenion works better,

[JONO250]

Hi I just lifted my safari up . I bought some springs that were supposed to be for a 2inch lift (old man emu 412 & 415). But they ended up lifting my truck up an extra 40mm. Will the springs settle back down after a few km's??

[Pedro]

Hi I just lifted my safari up . I bought some springs that were supposed to be for a 2inch lift (old man emu 412 & 415). But they ended up lifting my truck up an extra 40mm. Will the springs settle back down after a few km's??

so i take it they arrived up there ok, i assume you mean the kit lifted the vehicle 90mm not 50mm ?? they may settle a little but not 40mm, what can be done by a spring maker is to scrag them down which is fully compress them, and release, if that does not do it they could be heat treated, scragged down and tempered,
i am surprised at the height?? are they sitting in the spring seat properly??

Cheers

Pedro