Offroad-Express

Hey fellas, just wondering if anyone could offer some lift advice for my 70 series MWB landcruiser.

I'd like to do the odd 4wd weekender type mission, fairly serious mud and I also use it on-road for towing to motorsport events. Talking with a few people who would say an MT/R tyre would give me a good balance for onroad/offroad.

Budget is around 2.5k stretchable to 3..

Cheers.

Hi Tank
reset springs will generally sag again within a year unless they put in an extra 'helper' leaf. Unfortunately this stiffens up the vehicle and will cause it to ride harsh and to cross axle sooner
I am a big fan of Old Man Emu, I used to sell and fit them and feel they have the best backup and range in NZ.
They have poly spring pads between the leaves which aid movement, greasable shackles etc.
That said you 2.5k will probably be stretched
J Top

The budget option would be the MaxiTrac range - having said that I think they perform really well for the price... you can buy a full set of 50mm lifted springs and long travel shocks for under $1200 for a cruiser. Be wary of some of the brands out there tho... used to sell some Ironman stuff and had nothing but trouble with it... it might be better now, but this was only a year or so ago...

Tyres - 33 x 12.5 BFG muddies would be my pick - or even the same size Goodyear MT/Rs... both good wearing and good performing tyres. I wouldn't go anything more serious tread-wise if you tow with it and do a lot of street work. Expect to pay more for your tyres than your suspension... from memory the 33 inch BFG is around $350/tyre (+ rims, + fitting etc)

Steve

And the most budget option of all is to grab ten nylon spacer blocks. 50 mm high, 50 mm dia and a 12 mm hole in the middle.

Unbolt the body mounts down one side and lift the body up. Put blocks into the body mounts and replace some of the body mount bolts with longer ones where needed. Then do the other side. This will give you enough clearance for your tyres. You have still got your steering angles and all that as factory which is good for handling. Only the body has been lifted up and you have kept the mass of weight ie. the chassis and engine and gearbox, at the original height.

Things to watch. Brake lines all cope, fuel filler pipe stays with body. too easy.

undo the slip spline joint on the steering shaft to allow for stretch. You will possibly have to cut a bit out of radiator shroud. Last but not least is making sure the gear levers don't touch the body work. Stick in vice and bend if needed.

I did all this for a six pack of DB export on my 60 series years ago. Thanks for the blocks and bolts klompy.

Could buy a locker instead. Or maybe a winch and bull bar.

Cheers
Jungle

Could try Old man emu Dakar springs a bit cheaper, just recently released so not sure of longevity of springs.

Watch out a body lift will require cert ($400ish) whereas the springs route doesnt (strange as this would have more effect on driving angles etc).

Heath

I've been out of the loop for a while. All my trucks have lifted bodies and I haven't certed the body lift. I thought you could go to 50 mm with no hassles.

If I have to cert them then please forget that any of my vehicles are lifted. It was just a rumour.

G

rumour has it that the rules will be changed to allow up to 50mm (this was some time ago) but so far I havent heard anything (got mine certed anyway so havent tooked too hard). Best to talk to a certifier for the proper word on this one.

Heath

Can't find anything about body lifts ...

Certification Thresholds:

http://www.lvvta.org.nz/CertThresholdSc ... il04V3.pdf

Vehicle inspection requirements manual - In-service certification

WOF & COF Guide

http://www.ltsa.govt.nz/publications/vi ... index.html

cames under the guise of body fitting (ie because you have modified how the body is fitted to the chassis - blocks - it needs to be certed) and because the CoG is changed.

Heath

Knew I'd seen it somewhere... dont think my brain was in cert mode yesterday

SOA and second hand wheels! Hurry up and do it allready!

A-HA! Now I know who we're talking about.

Hurry up and do whatever you decide before you go and get all married... cos that puts a dent in toys bigtime... and before you know it there'll be little rugrats draining the toy fund...

If you really want to tow with it then SOA is probably not the right move... although a coil conv might be. Come down to the shed sometime and have a beer... we can throw some ideas around.

Steve

Jeeez he better hurry up then, he's getting married tomorrow

mine tows good with soa..
I did my 50mm body lift. $10 from briscoes..
2 chopping boards. hole saw. rejigged how the factory blocks sit. used the chopping board where the factory ones were.. all good for 2 years now..

Buy new springs, much better than reset ones. dont get ironman. still crap. TWL can do koni adjustables for $100 a corner.
I still think you can push the max 49mm lift before cert rule.. just pick where you get your wof

where is your shed steve.. i feel like a beer..

callum007 wrote:where is your shed steve.. i feel like a beer..

Christchurch


The rules are flexible about suspension lifts, as long as they use factory mounts for the springs and the shocks you should be fine.... but a body lift is a definite cert issue.

Also, I would be wary of the Briscoes bodylift... its all good till you have an accident. The shear strength of chopping board polyethylene will be very low, which could see the body part company with the chassis. The product I use is ultra high molecular weight polyethylene, which has a very high impact and shear strength... this is what most body lift blocks from most manufacturers are made from, other than the ones that use Ali rod.

Steve

dont worry steve.. its not going to break.. did a little more than just my cheap blocks.. i just not giving away all my secrets

i used solid alloy tubing and machined out the 10 or 12mm bolt hole.. (cant remember which thickness). 3 inch lift on 'old rusty'. made them at in the workshop at work..

not a reg or wof truck though so be aware..

good luck..