Best donor for coil convesion on a lux.

[ferrit]

Im toying with dropping coils under my leaf sprung lux, using the stock lux axles and donor coils and links from another toyota.

What would be the best source for a donor? 80 series? Bundera? Surf/Prado/4Runner rear end? Full Custom?

Im just over the ride you get from leaf springs

[booflux]

IMO the easiest would be 4 runner rear and 79 series front setup or Bundeera depending on cost.

[toaddog]

Wouldn't it be cheaper to just go and buy something else?

[craz3d]

But your missing the point, it's the fact that he's keeping a lux

[ferrit]

But your missing the point, it's the fact that he's keeping a lux

not to mention this aint a 2.8D lux, its sporting about $13K into it already (3.0TD, barwork, lockers etc)

[Ryan_006]

Depends on your budget, mine are standard lux diffs that have been shaved of all the leaf spring brackets etc.. with all the brackets for the nissan links and custom a-frame mounted on it. works well something different and its all mod plated.

Hence when you do this no donor is necessarily any easier than another one because your mounting all the donor links, brackets etc on the lux housing anyway. So IMHO your better off getting the longest standard links arms etc,(in my case on the rear i used gq lower arms and a custom a-frame) this way if you ever bent one you only have to find a standard length arm to replace not a huge long custom job which will cost heaps.

As for the front you will need to address the steering set up as well(cross over steer), but same as the rear set up you can use all the standard arms, brackets, shock towers etc etc. No need to go custom links i reckon.

Also if you havent already and your keeping with the lux diffs, id go an IFS rear housing for the extra track and disc brakes, before you go modding a drum brake lux rear for coils. I made that mistake kicking myself now.

Hope that helps

[ferrit]

im toying with getting a prado rear axle- as they use the same 8" diffs as the lux, but run a coil/disc brake assembly

[Mr DJ]

What would be the best source for a donor? 80 series? Bundera? Surf/Prado/4Runner rear end? Full Custom?

80 series may be too wide unless your keen to do some serious panel work/flares and/or cut them down to size (front uses 8" HP centre).

78/79 series front would work, and I think they have similar/same size CV's and axles as 80's (front uses 8" HP centre).

Bundera does work tho axles & CV's size are same as lux (length of axles are diferent tho) (front uses 8" HP centre).

Early-mid 90's 4Runner/Surf have same 4 link + panhard rear with coils and drums.

Prado and late Surf (available in Oz) rear are exactly the same with coil overs and disc rear I thought.

If you want to go hard and not worry bout the drive line, grab some 60 series axles F&R, put the coil gear on and throw them in !!

Anything can be done, how big is your budget ??

Have you considered a TG leaf setup from Locktup ??

[ferrit]

i was going to retain my stock hilux axles and housings, and just replace the leafs with coils.

my current issue is my front end flexes quite well, but the rears are way too stiff so i can actually carry a load.

Plus i shook a filling out on some bad corrugations yesterday and now im in agony till the dentist opens again on tuesday :(

[Mr DJ]

OK, depending on how much/often carrying you do, 2 options "spring" to mind ...

1 - cheaper option - take out 1 or more load leaves from the rear pack for flex and add an air bag setup for loads (if can be done with leaves).

2 - weld in a std 4Runner rear link setup + air bag. could connect it up to a compessor to pump it up on the run if you wanted to

Engineering may be an issue, so check if they will allow rear coils with leaf front set up in "crow eater" country.

Your going to need all the bracketry and stuff anyway, so why not just buy a housing with part of it already setup for you , e.g. rear chassis 1/2 cut ??
The bonus is she will be slightly wider and more stable and widening the front to match is easy as. I did it to mine.

[booflux]

Have to agree with Doug there go a softer rear setup and airbags for when its loaded.

It will cost a lot to coil it and if ride is the only issue I dont really see the point ?

[ferrit]

tried removing leaves, didnt really improve things all that much I just dont think the OME packs flex all that well.

Follow an 80 series around on rough tracks and you get very jealous of 4 corner coils very quickly

[booflux]

tried removing leaves, didnt really improve things all that much I just dont think the OME packs flex all that well.

Follow an 80 series around on rough tracks and you get very jealous of 4 corner coils very quickly

Not on Trail Gear spring syou dont
You would need airbags for loads though, but the TG springs and an inverted rear setup make a huge difference, and they flex fantasitic.

[DIRTY ROCK STAR]

if you want to keep your diffs mate, surely you can just get some coil mounts and chassis mounts fabbed up for cheaper.
throw some 80 springs under there and you are away.

but remember that buying or makin links etc all adds to the cost and hassles.

[ferrit]

yeah, and from what ive heard, Engineers love to see factory stuff, esp if you keep it the same manufacturer.

The way its sounding, buying a surf or prado rear chassis cut, and a bundeera front chassis cut is sounding like the best way to go.

Im just not sure which way to go- spend more money trying to make the leafs work better, or bite the bullet and go coils front and rear.

This trucks gotta be a daily driver, tourer and toy, so that plays heavily into consideration

[Outer Limits Hilux]

I have a extra cab lux on surf chassis and replaced the ifs with 4 link coil setup up front. all i did was get 80 series coil and shock towers. 80 series radius arm and mounting post. gq front control arms (but cut off front most bolt hole) beefed up and extended the standard hilux front diff anti roll bar for the 4th link. 100 series standard coils.

Cut off the leaf crap on a lux diff and welded on new mounts for coils, shocks etc. welded on the 80 series coil towers etc to the chassis.

Costs were;

GQ control arms $40 each
80 series coil and shock tower, radius arm and post $170
100 series standard front coils $50
6mm plate from scrap yard $20
Engineer $200
i put ifs hubs on lux diff so had to get new seals.... $80
80 series front shocks, 5 inch lift $250

The engineer loved the fact that i used factory coil and shock towers and it wasn't too hard to weld up.

It drives like a dream, no shakes or rattles all the way to 160 (max speed) The flex is also really amazing. i hope this helps!!!

P.S i want discs on my back diff (standard 94 surf diff) not sure how to go about it... any help???

Cheers.

[flyinwall]

have you ever concidered removing all bar 2 leaves and running a coil spring on top of your leaf that way the only thing that the leaves are really doing is locating your diff so that you would get the flex of the coil but still retain the low cost simple approach

[midi73]

Wouldn't it be cheaper to just go and buy something else?

typical bloody responce.

[booflux]

Outer Limits Hilux check out www.locktup.com.au they have a kit to fit discs to the rear, I will be fitting one to mine in the future also.

[hillbilliywheelchair]

Outer Limits Hilux check out www.locktup.com.au they have a kit to fit discs to the rear, I will be fitting one to mine in the future also.

they also have a weld in 4 link set up for the rear of the lux that u just weld in

[joeblow]

Outer Limits Hilux check out www.locktup.com.au they have a kit to fit discs to the rear, I will be fitting one to mine in the future also.

they also have a weld in 4 link set up for the rear of the lux that u just weld in

what do you do with the tank?

[ferrit]

yeah- by the look of that, it wont play nicely with my long range fuel tank!

[-Nemesis-]

I would start with the rear and leave the front as is for now, as you said the Lux front can work quiet well.

I sold a Surf chassis to a guy on here (bradchlux or something???) and he did the rear link conversion in a weekend.

All I would suggest to revise on the rear end would be use 80 series trailing arms as opposed to the short Surf/Runner ones. This will soften the arc of the diff's movement and make it more comfortable again, plus easier flex (not that the Runners are bad)

You'll be amazed the ride difference with a coily rear, can't even feel it working off road

[-Nemesis-]

Bog stock 4Runner rear with long shocks:

Follow the sill line to see how far the 33" tyre is below it

[ferrit]

I would start with the rear and leave the front as is for now, as you said the Lux front can work quiet well.

I sold a Surf chassis to a guy on here (bradchlux or something???) and he did the rear link conversion in a weekend.

All I would suggest to revise on the rear end would be use 80 series trailing arms as opposed to the short Surf/Runner ones. This will soften the arc of the diff's movement and make it more comfortable again, plus easier flex (not that the Runners are bad)

You'll be amazed the ride difference with a coily rear, can't even feel it working off road

yeah- and if i do the rear end, i can get around the weight carrying issue (if it appears) by fitting airbags into the springs, which will kill two birds with one stone. I can have a soft, comfy driving car for day to day and playtime, and harden the coils up if i need to carry a decent load- and an onboard compressor makes that easy!

[bj on roids]

i was going to retain my stock hilux axles and housings, and just replace the leafs with coils.

my current issue is my front end flexes quite well, but the rears are way too stiff so i can actually carry a load.

Plus i shook a filling out on some bad corrugations yesterday and now im in agony till the dentist opens again on tuesday :(

Just take a few leaves out and run airbags over the leafs for when you are carrying a heavy load..

You won't flex any better with a factory coil setup then you do now, except for maybe the steering arm bind up... (I.E. go crossover)

I just saved you thousands and 6months without a car.

You can thank me later

[ferrit]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DXSdwUUgEk

Anything has to flex better than the rear end of it at the moment

[-Nemesis-]

I think bj is talking about front end only

[joeblow]

i was going to retain my stock hilux axles and housings, and just replace the leafs with coils.

my current issue is my front end flexes quite well, but the rears are way too stiff so i can actually carry a load.

Plus i shook a filling out on some bad corrugations yesterday and now im in agony till the dentist opens again on tuesday :(

Just take a few leaves out and run airbags over the leafs for when you are carrying a heavy load..

You won't flex any better with a factory coil setup then you do now, except for maybe the steering arm bind up... (I.E. go crossover)

I just saved you thousands and 6months without a car.

You can thank me later

and by taking a few leaves out be prepared for springs bending under torque loads if no control arms are used.

[ferrit]

yeah... i dont see the springs lasting very long if you cut them back to 2 leafs and feed a turbo motor into them. and if your then going to the effort of designing and installing track rods to stop axle wrap, then why wouldnt you just buy the arse out of a factory coiled truck and just weld that on instead?