Shock absorber settings

[Sixty's Guy]

Any shock absorber Tech Gurus here?

How effective would it be to install rear shocks off a GQ onto a 60 series LC (both front and rear)?

I know the lengths are different as well as the mounting configuration, but lets say the mounts on the 60 are modified , the lengths are correct and the shock mounts are the same.

Taking into account that the weight of the vehicles should be comparable, how much would the rebound and compression settings be different for coil vs leaf suspenion?

Would getting adjustable shocks like Rancho ot ToughDog get around this issue?

Bring on the answers.

[Sixty's Guy]

Bump.

Anyone? There must be some shock gurus here, surely?

[Zute]

Leaf springs have some built in dampening due to the friction of the leafs on each other. So they may not need as much rebound as coil springs.
The shocks will work, but they may not be as good as shocks set up for the other car. You also have to take into account the spring rates, ie heavy duty or soft.
Try and see, that's what testing is all about. Than post your results.

[Sixty's Guy]

Thanks for that. I'd love to test it all out, but at $1100 for 4 Tough Dog Shocks shocks it is an expensive exercise! I could go with 'normal' shocks, but I thought the adjustables would help to sort out any issues.

[Gwagensteve]

Thanks for that. I'd love to test it all out, but at $1100 for 4 Tough Dog Shocks shocks it is an expensive exercise! I could go with 'normal' shocks, but I thought the adjustables would help to sort out any issues.

That's a myth.

Coil spring cars need much stiffer valving in both compression and especially rebound than leaf spring cars.

It is possible, even with the "800% adjustment" in Rancho RS9000's to end up with a shock which is incorrectly valved if used "out of application"

As an example, the "best fit" for my G wagen, Rancho RS9009, has to be run at position 5 (9 on the new version) to get anywhere near the valving of the stock bilstein mercedes fitted. It's still about 15% too soft even fully turned up.

I have seen/been in heaps of leaf sprung suzukis that have terrible handling because the RS9000's are the wrong fitment, mostly guys chasing longer adjustable shocks.

You have a common car - just buy the shock of your choice in the right fitment. I was forced into weirdness by my weird car, and I had the Rancho's dynoed to find out if they would be right or not.

Steve.

[Sixty's Guy]

I have been considering modifying the mounts to get longer shocks, to enable better flex. Guys on IH8Mud have done this to good effect. Rancho seems to be the popular chopice in the US, but I thought by using the TD 45mm adjustables I could get bigger shocks in while I was at it. Maybe it's not that good an idea afterall.

[badger]

due to the built in dampening effect of leafs i doubt you would need a large bore shock like a toughdog.
if i were you id be looking at efs or something similar.
preferable something valved for a 60 series or very similar vehicle.
eg big leaf sprung wagon. not coil sprung as they will be too stiff.

what lift, springs etc do you have in the 60

[Sixty's Guy]

I have OME springs - +2" front and +3" in the rear.

[badger]

why not just use ome shocks then?
they are a good shock, and a 60 with lifted leafs willnot flex enough to need long long shocks. unless you add long shackles and the right shackle angles

[Sixty's Guy]

I need to check this out to see if the shcoks do restrict travel. According to some guys on IH8Mud they do. I'll have to check it out. I'll probably add shckles to the front as well.

[Gwagensteve]

Yes, the shocks will "restrict travel" at almost exactly the same point as the spring packs start to fan open and the shackles start to invert. 60's already need anti inversion shackles because the shocks are technically too long.

Here's the tip - a company already makes the perfect length shocks, specifically valved for you springs. They pay lots of engineers lots of money to make sure all this tuff works properly, they offer a warranty and they're even cheap........ They're called OME

You can put longer shackles in the front.... but only if you think your car handles far to well now. Longer front shackles screw with caster and stuff your steering response. I know this because I run them.

Don't be influenced by the guys that buy shocks based on length or run adjustable garbage (I know, I own them) You already own the best springs, now go and buy the right shocks for them.

Steve.

[Sixty's Guy]

Steve I take on board what you are saying.

I have anti inversion shackles fitted. I did have extended anti inversion shackles in as well as the required castor shims, but took them out. I didn't notice any difference in handling, but the steering is better without them. I think though that this is caused by flex in the shackle. I am intending to out them back in with a bar welded between them to stop them from flexing.

That gets me onto the next point about why I am putting them back in. I bought the OME Dakar springs beacause they have a good name and they are cheap. Now I think that they are just cheap. The front OME Dakar HD springs lift the vehicle 2". The rear OME Dakar HD springs lift the vehcile 4" (not the adertised 3"). I'm not complaining about the extra lift, but now the 60 is tail high and it looks a little odd. Henace why I am considering putting the extended shackles back in. Also the sleeves on the front springs slip out of the spring eyes. They still haven't got the rear springs right either. I had to install the drivers side spring on the passenger side and vice versa as they don't appear to have the spring heights correct yet. From what I can understand this is an issue on the Dakar HD springs. As far as warranty goes, ARB replaced the drivers side spring for another passenger side spring, but this didn't help and I still had to do all the hard yards, changing the springs. Maybe OME should get their engineers to focus on this!

Anyways, this is staring to sound too hard. Maybe I will end up buying the OME shocks - as long as they don't change them for cheap imported units and sell them 'cheap'!

[Gwagensteve]

"HD" springs are intended for load carrying. If you have excessive lift, you don't have enough load to warrant HD springs. either go to medium duty springs or take some leaves out of your HD springs. with 4" of spring lift you will have no droop in the rear end at all and it must ride like crap.

Happens with suzuki's all the time - people go HD and wonder why it doesn't flex and is super tall.

Matching leaf springs to the vehicle is not an exact science unless you are willing to play with the number of leaves in the pack yourself.

There are so many variations in load and how it is distributed that I would be very reluctant to blame the springs- they're just made to a rate and camber.
ARB tend to run the drivers side taller "to compensate for the weight of the driver" IMHO they always overdo it and the car sits out of whack.

Steve.

[Sixty's Guy]

Steve you are a wealth of information and I really appreciate the benefit of your exeperinece.