More Flex out of my 80 series

[nic80]

I have a 97 model 80 series with a 5" lift.
It has dobinson springs, EFS Extreme shocks, superior upper and lower arms, superior panhard and 6" braided brake lines.
No swaybars.

The car flexes well but not as well as it should.

Any ideas for improvements and what would be causing it not to flex???

Thanks

[TheBigBoy]

Are your front arms superflex? And you might need longer shocks with custom set ups.

[DGS4WD]

G'day Nic80. EFS don't make a long enough shock for a 5inch lift or above. The longest they sell is a 690mm front and 695mm rear. Your shocks would most probably be maxing out.
My mate has a Dobinson 4inch lift and is running 750mm fronts and 770 rears. I have a 6inch Dobison lift and run 846mm shocks all round.
I would be starting with longer shocks and then if you wish to get a lot more flex out espically in the front as the front is restricted to the way it is set up, I would flip your radius arms as that makes a massive differance. Ill try and get some pictures up to show you what I mean.
Im assuming your vehicle with a 5inch lift is no longer a daily driver?

[nic80]

Thank for the feedback!

I dont Drive the Cruiser everyday anymore, it cost a fortune to run!!!

I still have the standard Radius arms with castor correction plates.

What are the best shocks to buy?

Interested in the radius arm flip! Can you do this with the Toyota arms?

Thanks

[DIRTY ROCK STAR]

Undo your shocks at the bottom mand flex it up.
see if they can reach or if theyre too short.

bottomline how much do you want and how much you want to spend mate its all relative.
and besides flex is ok, lockers are better.

Xlink or similar seems to work a treat on the trucks showcased on here previously.

[BadMav]

I have a 97 model 80 series with a 5" lift.
It has dobinson springs, EFS Extreme shocks, superior upper and lower arms, superior panhard and 6" braided brake lines.
No swaybars.

The car flexes well but not as well as it should.

Any ideas for improvements and what would be causing it not to flex???

Thanks

Hi nic80, try removing the passenger front radius arm bolt on the diff, if that doesn't work, you DO need longer shocks!!!!

Works well on my mav...5inch spring, 2 inch body on 36's and no lockers, yet

[Triple B]

Been told dobinson shocks are the best for cruiser 4 to 6 inch. But then you may need to like at you extending bump stop if you go longer shocks so you don't over compress your shocks.

I'm interested in the flip radius

And also with undoing the front bolt on the diff. Can you still drive on road or at speed and does it change the hadling of the car?

[BadMav]

Been told dobinson shocks are the best for cruiser 4 to 6 inch. But then you may need to like at you extending bump stop if you go longer shocks so you don't over compress your shocks.

I'm interested in the flip radius

And also with undoing the front bolt on the diff. Can you still drive on road or at speed and does it change the hadling of the car?

Put it back in when on the road, trust me.

[DGS4WD]

I have done a quick write up on another forum with some pics and yes you use the factory arms.

http://www.offroad80s.com/dgs4wd-now-si ... 36-15.html

[Auto-Craft]

G'day Nic80. EFS don't make a long enough shock for a 5inch lift or above. The longest they sell is a 690mm front and 695mm rear. Your shocks would most probably be maxing out.
My mate has a Dobinson 4inch lift and is running 750mm fronts and 770 rears. I have a 6inch Dobison lift and run 846mm shocks all round.

On an 80 running 846mm long shocks, the collapsed length would be 500mm minimum, meaning a bump stop spacer of at least 110mmm meaning the actual length of stoke/travel is 345mm minus the bump spacer, is only 225mm travel from that extra long shock, in reality, which will look like its drooping more, but wont up travel as far.

200mm of stroke is close to a standard shock.

If you moved the top mount up 100mm [means cutting a hole in the rear floor] you would get 100mm more up travel, need only a 20mm bump spacer, and use all of the 846mm shocks stroke.

Ideally, you would work out the correct spacer for tyres size to fit, then make your shock compressed length fit to this measurement, or alter the mounts to suit, to maximise droop from that point, whilst having compressed length almost fully when bump stop compressed.

This is how we got our Slinky long travel kit lengths worked out, with a 3" lift, and 40mm spacers for 35's to not rub, we were then able to get 300mm of shock stroke to work using 700mm and 740mm shocks, so on standard mounts, they actually have more stroke travel than 846mm shocks which need the 120mm bump spacers.

[plowy]

http://www.outerlimits4x4.com/ftopic837 ... ight=xlink

mate have read threw that link on page 4/5 has pics of my 40 series with 80 series diffs n stock coils no sway bars with pics of the xlink fitted after the build up

[oldmate]

Been told dobinson shocks are the best for cruiser 4 to 6 inch. But then you may need to like at you extending bump stop if you go longer shocks so you don't over compress your shocks.

I'm interested in the flip radius

And also with undoing the front bolt on the diff. Can you still drive on road or at speed and does it change the hadling of the car?

Put it back in when on the road, trust me.

yeah you will get massive body roll and maybe steering wobbles depending on the current state of your front end. heavy braking will be affected too as the diff will try and roll.

throw a couple of spanners in the back the bolt is easy to remove and tighten back up by hand for the casual offroad trip.

[Triple B]

G'day Nic80. EFS don't make a long enough shock for a 5inch lift or above. The longest they sell is a 690mm front and 695mm rear. Your shocks would most probably be maxing out.
My mate has a Dobinson 4inch lift and is running 750mm fronts and 770 rears. I have a 6inch Dobison lift and run 846mm shocks all round.

On an 80 running 846mm long shocks, the collapsed length would be 500mm minimum, meaning a bump stop spacer of at least 110mmm meaning the actual length of stoke/travel is 345mm minus the bump spacer, is only 225mm travel from that extra long shock, in reality, which will look like its drooping more, but wont up travel as far.

200mm of stroke is close to a standard shock.

If you moved the top mount up 100mm [means cutting a hole in the rear floor] you would get 100mm more up travel, need only a 20mm bump spacer, and use all of the 846mm shocks stroke.

Ideally, you would work out the correct spacer for tyres size to fit, then make your shock compressed length fit to this measurement, or alter the mounts to suit, to maximise droop from that point, whilst having compressed length almost fully when bump stop compressed.

This is how we got our Slinky long travel kit lengths worked out, with a 3" lift, and 40mm spacers for 35's to not rub, we were then able to get 300mm of shock stroke to work using 700mm and 740mm shocks, so on standard mounts, they actually have more stroke travel than 846mm shocks which need the 120mm bump spacers.

Just woundering if anyone has done the cut through the floor nd modify there shock mount if so i would love to see some pic front and back. thanls

[plowy]

It does not matter what size coils or length shocks or even putting the shocks in a new position ,
the problem still remains that the control arms restrict movement

its like a giant sway bar [ the diff and two control arms ] thats why when u remove a bolt from the control arm it allows one arm to move wich gives flex, with a x link it allows the both arms to move

[BadMav]

It does not matter what size coils or length shocks or even putting the shocks in a new position ,
the problem still remains that the control arms restrict movement

its like a giant sway bar [ the diff and two control arms ] thats why when u remove a bolt from the control arm it allows one arm to move wich gives flex, with a x link it allows the both arms to move

Amen to that

[Triple B]

It does not matter what size coils or length shocks or even putting the shocks in a new position ,
the problem still remains that the control arms restrict movement

its like a giant sway bar [ the diff and two control arms ] thats why when u remove a bolt from the control arm it allows one arm to move wich gives flex, with a x link it allows the both arms to move

I realise that. And to be honest I’m not at that stage yet.

At the moment I have a 4inch efs with 5/6 inch efs shock. Which i could be wrong but I believe are the best shock for not compromise your up travel. That these shocks are the longest stroke shocks that still give you full up travel. This was my aim when I put the lift in. I run 36 super swampers f+r locks, 2inch body.

But now I would like more flex. I think the back is straight forward. put 5inch flexy coil with retainers and long shocks but I would still like to get as much up travel as possible which i know is not going to work out due to long shocks so I’ve been thinking about moving my mount. maybe has simple has cutting the shock hole bigger and trying to bolt a gu front top shock bracket which should give me 4 more inches to play with my shock length. Just looking at ideas to plan my next lift.

For the front. At the moment my fronts flex the whole shock length. Just by about 20mm. I've thought the same setup as the back but with surpoir flex arms. Mainly because it rather simple it works and bolt on, but I don't beleive the flex will be awesome but better then what i have now and being off the shelf product is able to sell it later down the track when I’m chasing even more flex. but at the moment looking at surpior test they've done, to get the full drop from these arm I will be loosing lots of up travel which I don't really want, so even if i do go an x-link or similar (which be awesome ) I will still have the same issue, loosing to much up travel. But the front shock top mount is f**kin in place good, big bracket plenty of weld but would be very easy to cut it out and make a higher mount. But I do have to admit if I do it I would like to get it right the first time.

I believe to keep you car balance it’s just has important to maintain as much up travel as it is to get drop. So far my shock measure at 400-695. I do have a set of boss shocks which i got at a good price there 460-740 the longest compressed shock that I’m happy to run. Without changing something.

If this all make sense and other can relate would love to hear ideas. If I’m talking complete sh*t let me know and i'll stop talking.

Would also like to hear idea’s and thought between front end setup (flipped arms, flex arm, x-link) prob not so much (5link or A-link setup ECT) that over my heard.

Well Thanks.

[pinkfloyddsotm]

xlink works better with the arms under the diff ive noticed after doing mine with flipped arms, also you get a bit more body roll on road since you've free'd the arms up, but you get used to it

[Auto-Craft]

On my old 80 the original shock mount plate was cut out larger and a box with a top welded in it was put on the chassis, coming up through the floor, so the shock mounted to the new top 150mm higher above the chassis.

We then fabbed sheetmetal boxes that liooked like shoe boxed with a drop on lid. The lids were Duez fastened on, and sealed, but could be removed to get to the top shock mount.

When I put some drawers in the back to holiday in that truck, I just shortened up the drawers, and the top went out over the boxes to hide them.

The boxes were bigger than one shock though,a s this truck had twin shocks all round.

On the front, the easiest way would be get 2 more front shock mounts cut and join them to make them longer, with a gusset down the back.

On my old one we ran one beside the other to get twin shocks.

The slinky coils we have made to suit longer shocks stay captive with at least 14"of stoke. This leaves no "unsprung" weight to transfer, if a coil is completely dropped out of its seat.