SJ80 front shocks

[Farmz]

Hi all,
I have a '98 SJ80 Samurai, with a 2" body lift and a suspension lift from Suzisport, which consisted of coil springs and front and rear shocks.
I am looking to increase the length of the shocks and put in some coil spacers, but am having difficulty finding suitable front shocks.
The SJ80 front suspension has the shock mounted inside the coil spring, and the shock has a platform attached to the bottom for the spring to sit on.
Has anyone with an SJ80 modified their suspension set up, and what have you done?

[oozuk]

no body makes extended travel front struts for the SJ80, i had a custom set made last time for somebody but wouldn't do it again

cut it all off and graft a jimni front end under there if you wanna be serious about some lift under your car, as you've reached your limit on the suspention side of things so now it starts to get expensive

[spamwell]

i agree, jimny mounts are the best plan.

best thing i have ever done to my car. i only have an after shot and a progress shot but they don't show much.




but if your not to worried there would be a few places who would make you up some you just have to be willing to spend the money and make sure they use a decent shock.

I think you best bet would be to supply the shock and coil seat to a shop who can machine out the coil seat and are willing to weld it to the shock, choose a shock with a thick wall like a pro comp or something because You really need to have a shock with something like 3mm thick walls to weld it without stuffing the shock i can't remeber if anyone makes them lol.

if you go this way you can just weld the seat further up the shock to make up fo spacers, normally this would be silly because it would effect up travel but so do coil spacers so who cares.

[Podge]

There is a longer than standard front shock for the SJ80 on the market, albeit only 20mm longer but is availbale. The brand is Ultima and if you wanted to go down this path I can get pricing and/or information for you.

Podge

[spamwell]

i would be keen on this information aswell mate just so i know.

[lay80n]

I think RBzook had Trailwin front struts in his coily before he went lux diffs? You could try PM'ing him, but sold his rig and started building Mardi Gras floats now, something about getting his work in-line with his lifestyle

Layto....

[saffrett]

i have the ultima ones and there not much better they are still way to small and the back ones are realy realy bad

[Farmz]

thanks for the inof guys.
I came across some Rancho's that seem to be a solution, but I am no expert by any means, so give me your opinions.
http://www.gorancho.com/html/products/s ... 0x_tx.html

[spamwell]

depends on what lengths you can get mate, if they can supply some with the right travel they would be perfect. They look more suited to IFS but yeah check the lengths you might be in luck.

this could be a revolution for coily owners lol

sam

[Sean]

how hard is it to make a separate spring/shock setup?

What tools and skills do you need?

Cheers,
Sean

[Farmz]

Hi Spamwell.
I see the spring, but where did you relocate the damper?

[Gwagensteve]

how hard is it to make a separate spring/shock setup?

What tools and skills do you need?

Cheers,
Sean

This is going to sound terrible, but if you need to ask, you don't have the skills.

This is a major fabrication project that means you need to be able to weld onto the chassis competently, measure and fabricate accurately, and have a decent knowledge of hardware, shock and spring function, and heaps of other stuff.

The consequences of a chassis failure don't bear thinking about.

It will also require an engineers certificate to be legal. The engineer will be VERY interested in anything that involves chassis welding.

[Farmz]

How about using a coil over sleeve which fits over the shock tubing and allows the coil spring to perch.
http://store.summitracing.com/partdetai ... toview=sku

[spamwell]

using the coilover sleeve should work.

the shock sits behind the spring exactly the same as a standard jimny, i made the lower mounts and used jimny upper mounts.

can you see the shock in this photo.



i don't have any pics of the lower mount , it is basically the strut mount rotated to the rear of the diff, i used vitara rear diff coil seats but if you are lucky enough to find a jimny diff they would be better to use the mounts off or even swap in.

[spamwell]

how hard is it to make a separate spring/shock setup?

What tools and skills do you need?

Cheers,
Sean

This is going to sound terrible, but if you need to ask, you don't have the skills.

This is a major fabrication project that means you need to be able to weld onto the chassis competently, measure and fabricate accurately, and have a decent knowledge of hardware, shock and spring function, and heaps of other stuff.

The consequences of a chassis failure don't bear thinking about.

It will also require an engineers certificate to be legal. The engineer will be VERY interested in anything that involves chassis welding.

yeah you need to be absolutely sure of what you are doing, i don't do the work myself because i don't have any skills in reguards to welding or fabrication. My dad on the other hand has had over 30 years experience in both of those feilds so we work together.

[Bajan Tim]

was thinking of doing something a bit different....

was looking at fabricating a perch which would fit over the current shock mount and the spring would sit on that, then i would use a shock of the apropriate length which tould use the original shock mounts but would not have the rest for the spring (it would still go thru through the spring). I would then adjust the upper shock mount to suit.

my main concern is the tube of the shock touching the lower spring perch when the axel moves/rotates when flexing.

[gman79au]

spamwell what have you done with your leading and trailing arms? there not stock? or are they apio heavy duty arms or something.

[Sean]

how hard is it to make a separate spring/shock setup?

What tools and skills do you need?

Cheers,
Sean

This is going to sound terrible, but if you need to ask, you don't have the skills.

This is a major fabrication project that means you need to be able to weld onto the chassis competently, measure and fabricate accurately, and have a decent knowledge of hardware, shock and spring function, and heaps of other stuff.

The consequences of a chassis failure don't bear thinking about.

It will also require an engineers certificate to be legal. The engineer will be VERY interested in anything that involves chassis welding.

Steve that is a fair enough statement, i appreciate people being bold and not beating around the bush.

Cheers,
Sean

[Gwagensteve]

Thanks for taking it the right way.

Steve.

[Farmz]

Yeah Spamwell, your leading and trailing arms, what's the deal?

[mud4b]

Yeah Spamwell, your leading and trailing arms, what's the deal?

he also makes these up.

[spamwell]

yeah they are of my design if there is enough solid interest i might be able to get some organised for people.

sam

[Bentzook]

How about using a coil over sleeve which fits over the shock tubing and allows the coil spring to perch.
http://store.summitracing.com/partdetai ... toview=sku

If I had a coily I`d be doing this style of thing



but I`d be using the Dobbins coil-overs



I`m putting a set under the Gravitron

[Farmz]

Too much fabrication for my liking.
I'm trying to keep it relatively simple.

[spamwell]

to expensive for me