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wobbly 80 series

Tech Talk for Cruiser owners.

Moderators: toaddog, Elmo, DUDELUX

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Posts: 8
Joined: Sat Feb 13, 2010 7:37 am
Location: melbourne

wobbly 80 series

Post by pcorro »

can someone please help me.
most of the last 25 years i have driven luxes and patrols and never had a problem with road handling,they were just like driving a car.
i have recently bought the 1990 80 series and it seems to take a lot of concentration to keep it on the road,particulary at speed though curves on highways and sometimes on the straight.i recently got a 2 inch lift done and put new tyres on and new steering damper ,none of these have helped the handling.
off road, it handles great.
PS-HAD WHEEL AND FRONT END ALLIGNMENT DONE AS WELL.
DESPARETE
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Post by crankycruiser »

When u did the lift did u put any castor correction on it?

For every inch u go up u should ad 1deg of castor (as a rule of thumb)
80 xtra cab
Supercharged LS1, Locked n shit

80 Wagon, TD Tourer, locked, Interco 35s, G turbo
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Post by 80's_delirious »

crankycruiser wrote:When u did the lift did u put any castor correction on it?

For every inch u go up u should ad 1deg of castor (as a rule of thumb)
x2 except for every inch it is something like 1.7deg caster correction needed. Without crrection, it will wander all over the road, especially when braking hard.
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Joined: Sat Feb 13, 2010 7:37 am
Location: melbourne

wobbly 80 series

Post by pcorro »

thanks--suspension city in melb didnt mention any thing about this,i will go to local 4x4 specialist and get this checked
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Re: wobbly 80 series

Post by crankycruiser »

pcorro wrote:thanks--suspension city in melb didnt mention any thing about this,i will go to local 4x4 specialist and get this checked
if they did it, they would of put offset bushes in the diff end of the radius arms
80 xtra cab
Supercharged LS1, Locked n shit

80 Wagon, TD Tourer, locked, Interco 35s, G turbo
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Post by Kitika »

Power steering pump maybe on the way out and not pumping enough pressure? Mine seems to wander alittle bit now with the v8 commo steering pump as I don't think it pumps enough pressure for the cruiser box.
More Suzuki parts going to the big Suzuki Heaven in the sky!
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Post by crankycruiser »

Kitika wrote:Power steering pump maybe on the way out and not pumping enough pressure? Mine seems to wander alittle bit now with the v8 commo steering pump as I don't think it pumps enough pressure for the cruiser box.
Ive also noticed mine sometimes when parking and stuff it doesnt seem to work to good..... maybe a smaller pulley on it might help?

completely off topic :D
80 xtra cab
Supercharged LS1, Locked n shit

80 Wagon, TD Tourer, locked, Interco 35s, G turbo
Posts: 8
Joined: Sat Feb 13, 2010 7:37 am
Location: melbourne

wobbly 80 series

Post by pcorro »

i forgot to mention earlier, and not sure if it ties in with the same problem that driving on a straight road,if the surface is uneven.this also causes the car to veer l or right, and at speed on curves, can feel at times that the rear of the car swings out so slightly.
dont know if im starting to imagine things now or not. :?: :!: :!:
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wobbly 80 series

Post by pcorro »

need to get it right befor the 5 ltr holden v8 goes into it and back on the road
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Post by 80's_delirious »

yeh, its a classic symptom of not enough caster angle. Sounds like no caster correction bushes were used.

there is very little that can be changed by doing a front wheel alignment on an 80series. Caster can only be changed using caster correction bushes, or caster plates. Camber is fixed, cannot be adjusted.
Toe in/out is about all that can be changed by wheel alignment.

If the caster is wrong it will do exactly as you describe. Another thing they tend do is dart left or right when you brake hard. I have driven an 80series that would change lanes by itself if braking hard on an uneven surface. Scary :shock: :shock:
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wobbly 80 series

Post by pcorro »

ITS BOOKED IN TO GET CASTER DONE, WILL LET YOU KNOW HOW IT WENT.
THANKS AGAIN :) :) :) :) :)
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Post by mike_nofx »

The wheel alignment would have given a castor angle report?

Also, 95% of people with a 2" lift dont bother with castor correction. They dont all experience this.

Something else is wrong, not just castor being slightly out.

Make sure everything to do with the steering is tightened!
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Post by TheBigBoy »

It could be a combination of things adding up. Bad/warn mud tyres or tyres with sharp sidewall edge that tracks in the truck grooves combined with a sloppy tie rod end/panhard rod or steering box. Maybe lose front hub bearings. Welcome to the world of lifted 4x4's. But now you have an excuse to get intimate with your 4x4 and know every nut and bolt (or is that just me :).)
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Post by davids »

mate i have a 92 model 80 with 4inch lift drives fine so i would be also
checking the upper/lower control arm bushes.
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Post by TheBigBoy »

It could be a combination of things adding up. Bad/warn mud tyres or tyres with sharp sidewall edge that tracks in the truck grooves combined with a sloppy tie rod end/panhard rod or steering box. Maybe lose front hub bearings. Welcome to the world of lifted 4x4's. But now you have an excuse to get intimate with your 4x4 and know every nut and bolt (or is that just me :).)
Posts: 20
Joined: Tue Sep 23, 2008 7:38 pm
Location: BRISBANE

Post by davids »

mate i have a 92 model 80 with 4inch lift drives fine so i would be also
checking the upper/lower control arm bushes.
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Joined: Mon Aug 21, 2006 8:40 pm
Location: Albany, WA

Post by Kitika »

Kitika wrote:
Power steering pump maybe on the way out and not pumping enough pressure? Mine seems to wander alittle bit now with the v8 commo steering pump as I don't think it pumps enough pressure for the cruiser box.

crankycruiser wrote:
Ive also noticed mine sometimes when parking and stuff it doesnt seem to work to good..... maybe a smaller pulley on it might help?

completely off topic Very Happy
Glad i'm not the only one that has noticed that the steering is alittle different with the LS1! I thought I must have got a stuffed pump or something on mine.
Sorry for going off topic :lol:
More Suzuki parts going to the big Suzuki Heaven in the sky!
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Post by mada1234 »

my old 80(98) model deceased, :( took a lot of effort to keep straight as well... i kind of dismissed it as tyres after i got some decent ones. It was only 2in lift with25odd ml spacers in front springs..not as high as u lot talkin..
But a million times nicer with a second set of road tyres, heaps easier on blacktop, easier on driver too i felt.... my two cents worth anyways
Waitin tilll wednesday till my NEW "broken 80" comes out of the shop.... ahhhh toys....
"98 HZJ80 WITH HAIRDRYER, 2INCH LIFT, 6 STACK PIONEER C.D, 7'' IN DASH D.V.D WITH DIGITAL TV, 500W SUB, 40CH U.H.F BULLBAR,SCRUB BARS N SIDESTEPS, BEER FRIDGE!!!
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wobbly 80 series

Post by pcorro »

LOOKS LIKE IM UP FOR A FEW BUCKS TO FIND THE CAUSE,(I BETTER GET THE BANK STATEMENTS BEFORE THE MISSES ).
Posts: 8
Joined: Sat Feb 13, 2010 7:37 am
Location: melbourne

wobbly 80 series update

Post by pcorro »

the mechanic who is putting the 5ltr in,said he will check every thing,should have it back on the road ready for our easter trip.(FINGERS CROSSED). :lol: :lol: :lol:
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