D.B's GQ Shorty

DieselBoy · Post by **DieselBoy** » Tue Mar 15, 2005 8:46 pm

Fresh off the well used car yard

theres some stuff missing off the start of the thread like when the bumpers got pulled, fitting flexi flares, making the winch mount more ergonomic cutting the quarter panels, but this is whats left.....

It was either spend $$$ on panel beating the dents, or spend $$$ on fixing the problem once and for all

So yeah, i've lost the plot

Sand blasted, etch primed, gloss black two pack finish coat, mounted with tubes this time round :wink:

Rear bars up next, they are all ready to weld up, but its just a waiting game, i really need to add a little arc welder to my collection very soon :evil:

[/quote]

Any way, BUMPERS

Fingers crossed my mud flap material will show up from Palmside in Chch tomorrow, then the jobs done. Well, i still have to put some more support at the front of the rear bumper ends so i can jack of them.

Hurry up Genie4x4, i want my springs!!!!!

A week goes by................ :lol:

WTF, the front is at standard height, I havn't put the front coils in just for a comparison for ya all, so you can see my concern first hand!!!
The front has dropped by 15mm due to the angle placing the load on the front, but 15mm is not much.
So what is up with the height of the back, it measures at 100mm increase in height!!!!!
This is trouble, i need new shocks now. Will it still fit in the garage. How much do i need to pack out transfer case.
Argg, not what i had in mind!!!!

Post by **mike** » Tue Mar 15, 2005 8:50 pm

Hmm the saying

If it aint broke don't fix it

springs to mind :lol:

good luck guess youll be needing it. Might have to take a ladder up north for the woman to get in the truck :shock:

Mike

DieselBoy · Post by **DieselBoy** » Tue Mar 15, 2005 8:55 pm

They were seriously supposed to be 50mm lift coils!!!!!
:shock:

DieselBoy · Post by **DieselBoy** » Wed Mar 16, 2005 10:47 am

After a few worried phone calls this morning, i have confirmation they are the correct coils. Seriously WTF??? :shock:

My current shocks, which i have had verified by Munro as being the 50mm extra travel shocks they supply, don't even reach between the mounting points.
So Genie4x4 is going to cut me a deal for the foam cell tough dog shocks.
$150 each. This is getting very expensive very very fast!!!!
Holiday budget getting seriously low.
Before:

After:

SupraLux · Post by **SupraLux** » Wed Mar 16, 2005 3:49 pm

Where did you get the coils? $150 for foam cells? shite! you can almost run Rancho 9000x's for that money.

Coils are often over-sprung like that because they settle in the first month or two of use - but it does seem a little excessive - but hey, it also looks good

...even if you do need a stepladder to get in

Steve

DieselBoy · Post by **DieselBoy** » Wed Mar 16, 2005 3:57 pm

The shocks retail for $190.
They are the next one up from the gas charged shocks. His supplier, Mike, the guy who drives Sherman, that yellow Safari in all the winch challenges etc, will not import the gas charged ones as they do not take the punishment. They would retail for $130.
They better be bloody good for that money!!!!!!!
Anyone want to buy a 1989 DT200R?? Its water cooled and disks front and rear

DaveM · Post by **DaveM** » Wed Mar 16, 2005 4:03 pm

Looks about the same height as mine, although my coils have settled slightly.

I wouldnt use Rancho's, mainly because I have heard too many horror stories from people using them in heavier vehicles, and I'm pretty happy with the foam cells.

Dave

Post by **mike** » Wed Mar 16, 2005 4:03 pm

I'll give you $150 for it :wink:

Well now you didnt need to chop those back panels did you?

Mike

SupraLux · Post by **SupraLux** » Wed Mar 16, 2005 4:06 pm

yeah, the gas charged shocks are good for reasonable offroading and onroad use - but the ranchos are pretty good at taking punishment and retail around the same price. They also have 9-way rebound adjustment.

Just a bit shocked as I've never looked at the Foam Cell prices before... I generally supply Rancho for serious use and thought they took the prize for being the only rediculously expensive shocks - I was wrong

I would expect those springs to settle a bit tho... although be careful with longer shocks, as if the springs do fully compress they can bottom out the shocks first - and thats a bad way to trash $600 worth of shockies...

Steve

SupraLux · Post by **SupraLux** » Wed Mar 16, 2005 4:09 pm

every brand has horror stories - I've sold Ranchos and run them in my truck for nearly three years and never had any problems with them. I've heard horror stories about foam cells too - although I have never run them so I don't have first hand proof.

I prefer to go on experience rather than other peoples second hand stories...

Steve

DaveM · Post by **DaveM** » Wed Mar 16, 2005 4:32 pm

Have to agree that every brand has its horror stories, as TD's are known for blowing seals, but in saying that, 2nd hand stories can at times be useful.

My RS9000s on my old Bighorn couldnt handle the pace, so I tended to believe the "dont use on heavy trucks" theory.
Of course I havent run the new 9000's which may be fine.

Dave[/quote]

DieselBoy · Post by **DieselBoy** » Wed Mar 16, 2005 4:47 pm

Don't like Rancho's from first hand experiense, all though my Rancho steering stabiliser is behaving its self.

At $600 I'll be keeping my reciept for the TD's thats for sure!!!!

I'm going to measure the compressed length of the shocks, and then the distance between the bump stops. From there i can work out how much i need to space out the bump stops. He reckons they will be ok as is, but it will deffinatly pay to check.

DaveM · Post by **DaveM** » Wed Mar 16, 2005 4:58 pm

Any chance of posting the measurments, and model numbers when you are finshed? Forgot to measure mine before I put them in, and have to figure out if I can get away with 3" coils on my current shocks (should be the same as yours but I'll compare part #s).

$150 ea sounds ok, I got my set on Trade Me, 4 shocks,coils and steering damper for $900 unused.
You now have the same problem as me, all this extra room under the guards but no 33's to fill them :cry:

BTW, I had to put in 2x6mm transfer case packers to get rid of the driveshaft vibration, but there is still the slightest hint of it when feathering the throttle.

Dave

DieselBoy · Post by **DieselBoy** » Wed Mar 16, 2005 5:10 pm

I have 10mm packers in, but my drive shafts in at the work shop getting doctored, and i have not shocks so i can't tell what its like yet.

Front TDC - 732L
Rear TDC- 734HL
Distance between the center of the mounting points for the rear shocks:
615mm
At the front:
515mm

Shocks fully extended:
Rear: 660
Front: 540

Not alot in it at the moment, but that will increase as the springs settle with a bit of use. Just gotta take it easy, don't want to rip the shock mounts off.

By the way, its 115mm higher than it was at the lowest point in the center of the transfer case cross member before i put the packers in. Thats good, it might save me from having to attack the gear box guard with a ballpeen hammer to get the dents out as often. Its a bastered to put back on when its all twisted and mangled :wink:

NJV6 · Post by **NJV6** » Wed Mar 16, 2005 7:57 pm

HI, looks good Pete, but she mighn't be as grand on the road any more! With these springs, is there any need to have a different length or adjustable panhard rod? I'd imagine with 110 mm the centre of the axle would not be under the centre of the vehicle. Is this right?

Good luck. you'll be hoping they settle a little, I do have a few concrete posts lying about the farm im sure you can have, a few of them will lower it nicely.

DieselBoy · Post by **DieselBoy** » Thu Mar 17, 2005 7:48 am

Yeah, i might take you up on that!!!

DieselBoy · Post by **DieselBoy** » Thu Mar 17, 2005 7:51 am

Shocks arrived this morning;
Rear FC41206
Compressed length 410mm extended 660mm
Front FC41047
Compressed 310mm extended 520mm

Going to give the mechanic a hurry up, i need my drive shaft back so i can go for a spin.

Well, i could just go front wheel drive, but i just want to give those slack westcoast bastards an ear full. Two days to replace a greese nipple they broke off when putting my gear box back in.
He had the cheek to try and tell me the universals were shot, and i should replace them. All he was trying to do was get out of replacing the greese nipple at a cost to him by charging me for the installation of two universal crosses. Theres a fair bit of life in those universals yet.
Cheeky bastard.
Arrg, its 8:30am and I'm pissed off already :lol:

Better get busy putting these shocks on.
Working on the old girl is the best therepy out there

Pete.

DaveM · Post by **DaveM** » Thu Mar 17, 2005 3:49 pm

You will probably find that it handles well with those coils, as I found mine actually handles better, due to getting rid of saggy coils/crappy shocks.
Mine lifted about the same (100mm) after I fitted the kit, which goes to show how much the old springs had sagged.

Are you keen on giving a measurment from the top of the wheel arche to the ground?
Might show how much the coils will settle when I compare mine, as I have the same lift kit, and tyres....

Dave

DieselBoy · Post by **DieselBoy** » Thu Mar 17, 2005 4:14 pm

Stand by, i'll do it now, back in a minute

DieselBoy · Post by **DieselBoy** » Thu Mar 17, 2005 4:18 pm

Bareing in mind i have rubber flexi flares, i took the measurements from the steel lip of the guard/body.
Rear 1.02m
Front1.0m

DaveM · Post by **DaveM** » Thu Mar 17, 2005 4:42 pm

Mine measures 98cm front, and 97cm rear, to the top of wheel arche.
I am guessing your measurement is to the point on the guard about an inch above arch, so there is probably less than an inch in it?

Dave

DieselBoy · Post by **DieselBoy** » Thu Mar 17, 2005 5:01 pm

Umm, not sure i understand :lol:

If you are still runnng your factory flares, its the lip that the fares bolt onto. If you reach inside the gaurd you can feel it. Thats were my flares are bolted to, so i measured from that point.
It would illiminate any discrepancy caused buy the different flares hanging down into the guard area. Or somthing like that.
Anyhow, they are roughly the same!!!
I hope they do settle a bit.
Any how, off for a test run :lol:

DaveM · Post by **DaveM** » Thu Mar 17, 2005 5:07 pm

I see where you mean now :roll:

Mines to that point too, so yeah, there isnt much in it, but yours will probably sag faster than mine, as I carry lighter loads (due to little off roading :cry:

) and havent got a winch mounted yet :cry:

Dave

DieselBoy · Post by **DieselBoy** » Thu Mar 17, 2005 6:31 pm

Hey, just got back from the test drive, got a couple of niggles:

Need to get a wheel alignment, i wonder how it affected that.
Might need to take the rear sway bar off completely, preventing full artic
Still got a fair bit of driveline vibration, so 20mm spacers made up tomorrow.
Other than that, the rides awesome, and it artics as good as before, just gotta look into the sway bar thing.

DaveM · Post by **DaveM** » Thu Mar 17, 2005 6:51 pm

So you dont have the swaybar disco?
I took mine off for a while, but just about pooped myself when cornering with it for the first time, but will be taking the front sway off soon.

Mine had a lot of vibration, but after greasing the driveshaft, it went away.
Could be the slip joint also.

Dave

DieselBoy · Post by **DieselBoy** » Thu Mar 17, 2005 9:15 pm

Mines one of the real early GQ's with the steering stabiliser from the crossrod to the chassis, later that year they went to the panhard rod in stead.
It didn't come out from the factory with a front sway bar. Some of them don't for some reason.
It has the rear dissconnect, but looking at what it was doing when articulating, the rod that goes between the chassis and the sway bar is now to short. Buy the looks of it, even with the dissconect working, the sway bar pulls straight, or as close to straight as its going to get, with locating rod, preventing the axle from dropping any further.
It may not be by much, i will have to check, but the sway bar has deffinatly run out of travel now.
Its hard to describe!!!!

I have greased every thing on the drive shaft before i put it back on. I have 10mm worth of packers in there at the moment. I dropped round to have a look at a mates one which he imported as a damaged vehicle for $2000 to see how much they packed his one out in Japan.
16mm.
I have made a template up, and I'm going to see what the engineering shop can do for me tomorrow. If i can get two single piece packers made at 20mm i will be happy.

Figured out the wheel alignment too. The crossrod is now at a steeper angle, shortening its length, there for putting it out of alignment.

Lots to do tomorrow still!!!

SupraLux · Post by **SupraLux** » Fri Mar 18, 2005 7:40 am

Driveshaft spacers shouldn't fix vibration - if anything they will make it worse.

Vibration after a lift is generally because the angle of the UJ is now steeper, and they should in a perfect world run at no angle at all - the other thing to make sure of is that if you have 2 UJ's they are both at the same angle - this is not a problem if you have a CV/UJ driveshaft.

The problem is that UJs do not spin true unless they are running dead straight, they spin in an eliptical arc which gets worse with higher angles - I won't explain the maths because its early and I've had no coffee yet

Big lifts generally mean you should probably change to a CV at the T/C end, and have the axle rotated to have the pinion pointing directly at the CV so the UJ runs with no angle.

Hope this helps

Steve

Jafa · Post by **Jafa** » Fri Mar 18, 2005 8:14 am

http://www.4x4wire.com/toyota/tech/driveline/
Full explaination here...even with pics1 :lol:

DieselBoy · Post by **DieselBoy** » Fri Mar 18, 2005 8:55 am

Or you can just do what most SWB Safari/Patrol owners do, and lower the transfercase by putting packers between the chassis and the crossmember, altering the angle of the transmission, bringing it back more in line with the diff, and largly restoring you UJ angles. Its just a matter of playing around with jack and steel ruler. :wink:

Interesting reading in that article!!! Cheers for that, answered a few q's i had being trying to reason out my self :lol:

SupraLux · Post by **SupraLux** » Fri Mar 18, 2005 10:28 am

Does that not alter the ground clearance under the truck? I've had little to do with Nissan - but on a toyota the crossmember is low enough as it is without packing it down further...

Have you got any photos of the underside, I'd be keen to see where you pack it and the effects it has

Steve