Long shocks, soft flexy coils and poly airs?

[dano80]

Howdy,

My GQ 3" lifted, currently runs 695mm long rear shocks and Ex heavy duty coils, the ride is obviously harsh when not laden,

Would like to do the longest possible shocks with my already fitted 2" longer bumpstops, also fitting soft 3" flexy coils then some poly airs for load carrying for the trip up to the cape in June 09.

Any thoughts on this setup would be great

Cheers, Dano.

[bogged]

Howdy,

My GQ 3" lifted, currently runs 695mm long rear shocks and Ex heavy duty coils, the ride is obviously harsh when not laden,

Would like to do the longest possible shocks with my already fitted 2" longer bumpstops, also fitting soft 3" flexy coils then some poly airs for load carrying for the trip up to the cape in June 09.

Any thoughts on this setup would be great

Cheers, Dano.

Unless they have changed, polyairs wont work properly with long springs. I had a set in the GQ, and once I lifted it, the bags were nowhere near the body part.

[dano80]

Cheers Bogged, wasn't sure if this was the case. So no such thing as a 3" lift poly air.....what good is that

Anyway it was just a thought, that way you could get the best of both worlds.........as in flex and load carrying when you need it, without the harsh ride empty.

Cheers, Dano.

[SuperiorEngineering]

Poly air sell spacer blocks to allow for the larger lift coils.
Have a talk to the guys at "airbag Man" in Warner Brisbane 4500
We fit polyairs in up to 5 inch coils without a worry.

[bogged]

Poly air sell spacer blocks to allow for the larger lift coils.
Have a talk to the guys at "airbag Man" in Warner Brisbane 4500
We fit polyairs in up to 5 inch coils without a worry.

wish I knew that 4yrs ago :(

[dano80]

Cool, will definately look at this when the time comes


Cheers, Dano.

[love ke70]

Poly air sell spacer blocks to allow for the larger lift coils.
Have a talk to the guys at "airbag Man" in Warner Brisbane 4500
We fit polyairs in up to 5 inch coils without a worry.

thanks for that info, last poly airs bloke i spoke to said they didnt do anything for more than a 2" lift.
then i saw the 2" kit just had a big poly block that it sat on, so thought it could be done to any lift.

good to hear though.

do you get any issues with pinching bags or dislodging them or anything with a flexy truck?

cheers, andrew

[SuperiorEngineering]

If the pinion is set up correctly so the coils are running straight up as they should be than you wont have any problems.
I have seen issues when the pinion is not corected and the polyairs are rubbing more on one side of the coil/ mounts and this wears the bags faster.

The new poly airs have a hard poly plate that mounts under the top coil tower and the "spacers " mount on the diff.
The spacers are a hard poly and they interlock into each other.
Flex will not be effected as the polyairs will just float inside the coil during articulation, providing they have minimum air in them.

[love ke70]

so with a 4" lift in a gq ute, just a 16mm longer lower arm will do the job for correcting pinion angle will it?
or are uppers and lowers required to get it right?
good to hear about the spacers, i might have to add them to the birthday/christmas list

last thing, cant really run polyairs with coil drop outs can you?

do you guys do supply of the poly airs, how much would you be looking at including the spacers?

cheers, andrew

[Suspension Stuff]

Howdy,

My GQ 3" lifted, currently runs 695mm long rear shocks and Ex heavy duty coils, the ride is obviously harsh when not laden,

Would like to do the longest possible shocks with my already fitted 2" longer bumpstops, also fitting soft 3" flexy coils then some poly airs for load carrying for the trip up to the cape in June 09.

Any thoughts on this setup would be great

Cheers, Dano.

You can get normal duty 3" lift flexy coils and heavy duty 3" lift flexy coils. I wouldn't call them soft. If you are unloaded most of the time then get the normal duty flexy coils and as you say run the air bags for the big load north. You could use the extra heavy duty rear flexy coils but you would sit high in the back when you come back from your trip.

Shane

[currentlyoffline]

If the pinion is set up correctly so the coils are running straight up as they should be than you wont have any problems.
I have seen issues when the pinion is not corected and the polyairs are rubbing more on one side of the coil/ mounts and this wears the bags faster.

The new poly airs have a hard poly plate that mounts under the top coil tower and the "spacers " mount on the diff.
The spacers are a hard poly and they interlock into each other.
Flex will not be effected as the polyairs will just float inside the coil during articulation, providing they have minimum air in them.

This is the set up I have been running for a short time now and I couldn't be happier.
I just air the bags down to 3psi (just enough to hold their shape) when I want flex.
For touring, and with my dive gear and camper on board, I air up to about 15psi and it does not drop as I load it up.
I was going to go full airbag (no coils) but couldn't find enough positive info.
I was also worried about full airbag on a tourer.
At least if the polyair lets go, it is not sitting on the bumpstops.
I don't think I will ever run a heavy duty coil in the rear again, when this works so well.

[love ke70]

Howdy,

My GQ 3" lifted, currently runs 695mm long rear shocks and Ex heavy duty coils, the ride is obviously harsh when not laden,

Would like to do the longest possible shocks with my already fitted 2" longer bumpstops, also fitting soft 3" flexy coils then some poly airs for load carrying for the trip up to the cape in June 09.

Any thoughts on this setup would be great

Cheers, Dano.

You can get normal duty 3" lift flexy coils and heavy duty 3" lift flexy coils. I wouldn't call them soft. If you are unloaded most of the time then get the normal duty flexy coils and as you say run the air bags for the big load north. You could use the extra heavy duty rear flexy coils but you would sit high in the back when you come back from your trip.

Shane

shane do you have spring rates for your springs?
i know the kings in mine are supposedly 11.1kg/mm.
whatever it is ive still had it loaded to the bump stops in the past, weighed in at nearly 4.4 tonne, but thats an exception, rarely carry any serious weight over 500 kg or so...

[Suspension Stuff]

Howdy,

My GQ 3" lifted, currently runs 695mm long rear shocks and Ex heavy duty coils, the ride is obviously harsh when not laden,

Would like to do the longest possible shocks with my already fitted 2" longer bumpstops, also fitting soft 3" flexy coils then some poly airs for load carrying for the trip up to the cape in June 09.

Any thoughts on this setup would be great

Cheers, Dano.

You can get normal duty 3" lift flexy coils and heavy duty 3" lift flexy coils. I wouldn't call them soft. If you are unloaded most of the time then get the normal duty flexy coils and as you say run the air bags for the big load north. You could use the extra heavy duty rear flexy coils but you would sit high in the back when you come back from your trip.

Shane

shane do you have spring rates for your springs?
i know the kings in mine are supposedly 11.1kg/mm.
whatever it is ive still had it loaded to the bump stops in the past, weighed in at nearly 4.4 tonne, but thats an exception, rarely carry any serious weight over 500 kg or so...

Nah I don't know. Officially they are variable but in practice the variable bit doesn't have an affect because they are fully closed under normal conditions. They just flex out when you flex her up off road. As you may know, theoretically depending on the weight on the variable coils the spring rate changes.

I estimate that the spring rate of the normal 3" lift rear flexy coils to feel like about 290lbs and the heavy duty to feel like about 330lbs.
I will have to ask more customers you have had both to give me a comparison.

Shane

[love ke70]

mm, thats cool if you dont know, usually a progressive spring has a reading for its softest and its hardest points.

its probably something you are not asked very often, thanks for the info though.

[Suspension Stuff]

This is a Nissan section and most Nissan people go with the advice of the supplier but if you owned a Range Rover every 2nd customer asks what the spring rates are.

Yes they would have a spring rate reading from the softest to the hardest points but the soft figure would be misleading because the soft turns fully close up before you reach the weight of the vehicle so in pratice the soft part of the spring isn't worth measuring. It springs to life when you flex her up off road.

Dobinsons have helped me a lot with these flexy coils that are only available to Suspension Stuff. I have over 20 different flexy coils so I am not going to ask Dobinsons to measure the spring rate for me because I would be pushing my luck. I had to twist some arms to get these things made because they take up more wire and are more expensive to make.

When I get around to it I will work out the actual spring rate but for now I am asking my customers. Is it too soft or too firm and how does she sit front to rear left to right.

I do change the coil designs and listen to my customers because I strive for a perfect product. I feel I am getting closer to this with all vehicles, so I would like to say a big thank you to my customers for all the fantastic feedback and Dobinsons for putting up with all my requests and for making a product that is head and shoulders a better product than its competitors.

[Suspension Stuff]

Oh and I would like to thank Superior for also making better products then its competitors and for a better price. I have not had one customer complain about a Superior Engineering product and I sell a lot of it.

Between Superior Engineering and Suspension Stuff, yes you can get better products for better prices with no down side.

Sorry Dano, went off on a tangent there.

So what do others think about what Dano has planned.

[dano80]

No worries Shane,

Do you think this is the best setup for what I want to do? (flexy coils, poly airs and loooong shocks)

Just looking at "Super Flex" thread........Do you think airbags are tough enough for touring? Or at least a trip to "the Cape"?

And what price would I be looking at for the bags, and controllers (happy to go with the manual in cab "paddles"...........to keep it simple-no solinoids or switches.

Cheers, Dano.

[Suspension Stuff]

Yeah I think they are tough enough.

I sell Boss air bags for up to a 5" lift but they are not designed for big flex. $600. If you are after big flex then they are not going to suit. The in cab kit including compressor is an extra $350. You don't need the in cab kit though. These prices include freight.

I can't remember how much the Firestone bags go for including the brackets but they are not cheap, but they do give good flex. Nearly as much as the flexy coils. Let me know if you are keen to find out how much.

You then have the polyairs with spacer blocks which would cost about $350.

[dano80]

Thanks for the reply Shane. I will probably go for the Flexy coils, and poly airs. What's the longest lenghth shock I can get in it. I have 2" longer bumpstops and would like to keep them in aid of longest possible shock length.

Cheers, Dano.

PS Do you sell the poly airs or do I speak to someone else to get them?

[Suspension Stuff]

Polyairs are $330 for the Patrol.
800-820mm shocks are normal for the 5" flexy coils.
If you run drop out cones or tie them in then Procomps come in 895mm long extended.

Shane

[dano80]

Its only a 3" lift Shane, Do these sizes still work?

If so what sort of dollars for the 3" Normal Duty Flexy coils?

And those Shocks $$$???

Cheers, Dano.

[Suspension Stuff]

Ok, my bad 3" lift flexy coils run 745mm or 750mm extended length shocks on the rear or you can run 800mm or more with drop out cones.

Price is $340 for coils and $480 for Procomp shocks if you buy separately. I have one set of rear normal duty flexy coils and one set of shocks left.

You could run EFS Extremes for about $800 or Boss adjustables which will be about 735mm extended for under $800.

Shane

[love ke70]

Ok, my bad 3" lift flexy coils run 745mm or 750mm extended length shocks on the rear or you can run 800mm or more with drop out cones.

Price is $340 for coils and $480 for Procomp shocks if you buy separately. I have one set of rear normal duty flexy coils and one set of shocks left.

You could run EFS Extremes for about $800 or Boss adjustables which will be about 735mm extended for under $800.

Shane

is that all 4 corners?

cheers, andrew

[Suspension Stuff]

Ok, my bad 3" lift flexy coils run 745mm or 750mm extended length shocks on the rear or you can run 800mm or more with drop out cones.

Price is $340 for coils and $480 for Procomp shocks if you buy separately. I have one set of rear normal duty flexy coils and one set of shocks left.

You could run EFS Extremes for about $800 or Boss adjustables which will be about 735mm extended for under $800.

Shane

is that all 4 corners?

cheers, andrew

Yep

[dano80]

Cool, looking like I'll take some springs for now and maybe get the shocks in a few weeks.....(sigh) when the finances allow .

800mm shocks with my 2" extended bumpstops If so thats prolly what I'll end up taking when the coin is there to play with.

Where abouts are you situtated at the moment Shane? Just reading previous threads on GC scene stating you were moving....closer to the coast???

Cheers, Dano.

[Suspension Stuff]

I am in Loganholme for the next week or so. I was going to move down the coast and even had a contract on a house but now I have decided to open a shop at Slacks Creek. It should be open for business this month.

For the next week or 2 I will be at 22 Batehaven St, Loganholme. I am nearly always here but phone before you come.

I suggest you call me tonight (up till midnight) or tomorrow because I have one set of normal duties left and 2 sets of heavy duty rears left. Having said that I have a pallet arriving tomorrow so there could be more on the way.

Shane
0409 593 414

[dano80]

Thanks Shane, they're as good as sold......that last pair of normal load flexy 3" coils.

Will call shortly.

Cheers, Dano.

[chunks]

Shane are you opening a suspension workshop?

[Suspension Stuff]

Shane are you opening a suspension workshop?

Yes I am. At the moment I just stock suspension and I will be displaying all the different kits I sell in a show room. When this is all setup I will then start the workshop side of things for fitting the suspension.

I have a lot of work ahead of me. So far I have concentrated on suspension but I will have to start stocking all the other accessories and goodies that we like to check out when going into a 4WD store. I am not sure where to get all this stuff from yet.

Shane

[chunks]

Good stuff all the best!