coily vs leaf

[suzi-fan-22]

what is better for mud and hills but also like to know on the reliablitiy and cost and bassically all of the pros and cons about both. thanks in advance

[Gwagensteve]

*Sigh*

Why is it so hard to ask a question that can be answered without having to ask a heap more questions of the OP?

Are you asking if a factory coil sprung sierra is better for mud and hills than a factory leaf sprung sierra?

Stock, there's nothing in it. Both cars have the same ground clearance and wheel travel.

Cost? Everything costs more for a coiler. They are dearer to buy. Every part costs more and pretty much all the parts are unique, even stuff that shouldn't be unique, like the water pump. (yes, really)

That's one of the cons of the coiler.

Here are the others:

The front "coilover" arrangement is a bollocks up. Suzuki knew this, that's why the Jimny doesn't use the same retarded setup. It has no redeeming features. Shocks are too short, too small in diameter, bolts are around the wrong way, the top mounts break, and it has 5" of travel.

The roll stiffness is terribly mismatched front to rear. If you look at a coiler funny, it will throw a front tyre 5 feet in the air. They desperately need a rear sway bar, less front roll stiffness (both?) and that's a fabrication project.

The suspension brackets break. Most of them. Eventually.

The front end has insufficient caster if you add suspension lift. If you fix it by adding urethane caster bushes (as most poeple do) the front roll stiffness gets even higher and the stiffer bushes lead to more frequest failure of the suspension brackets.

The axles, front diff centre, knuckles, spindles and every freaking thing else in the driveline is unique to the coiler. You're stuck with one diff ratio, unless you want to do all sorts of fab work on the front end.

The transfer case is chain driven, so you have to swap to a gear driven case from a leaf sprung car to fit reduction gears.

If you buy a soft top, the windscreen frame in integral to the body. ( it isn't removable). Have a flop and you've totalled the car, instead of just finding another windscreen frame.

There's more problems with the coiler, but that's a start.

Pros:

They're nicer to drive on the road.

The dash is sexy.

They have a centre console with a cup holder

The front clip looks nice and allows more tyre clearance.

The fuel tank will accept a vitara pickup with EFI fuel pump.

Leaf:

Cons:

The stock springs are too short to allow decent wheeltravel.

The ride is choppy on and off road in stock form.

The steering isn't the best. (vague and slow)

Pros:

Everyone has done everything you'd every want to do with a leaf sierra. There's plenty of heavy duty parts available.

It's easy to add wheel travel.

Roll stiffness is well matched front to rear (more so with narrow track spring spacing and RUF)

There's lots of leaf cars to choose from.

You can get a LWB leaf car.

I'm a huge fan of coilers

Steve.

[suzi-fan-22]

wow dude you know a VERY big amount of info on zooks and i also love the very sexy front clip of the coil thats why i wanted to know is there any way to put a coily front clip on a leaf zook?

[Gwagensteve]

There's photos around of what a coil clip looks like on a leaf car.

They do fit, but you have to use the bonnet from the coiler as well. The coil bonnet isn't a great fit because the cowl is a different shape on a coil sierra - the trailing edge of the coil bonnet doesn't line up with the leaf sprung cowl, so they look a bit hack.

Steve.

[V.W.Dave]

If your wanting a daily driver and only go off road to camp or fish on the beach the coily is good.

If you want to have a real toy look for a leafy.

They can both be chopped up and maid to order but its just easier and much cheaper to start with a leafy.

I have yet to find anyone that has liked there coily without having to do a LOT of work to it. They are thousands of leafy lovers out there from stock to tuff truck crawlers.

I have seen plenty of leafy's with 2"bodylift 2"springs 31s and a rear locker out drive much bigger rigs. All that then you have gears you can add to go further.

[mrRocky]

my back likes riding in a coily more

[built4thrashing]

Comfort in a leafy is easilly fixed. do a RUF and some decent seats and problem solved.


B4T

[suzi-fan-22]

Can I do a ruf with out extended shackles and will the springs not invert cause I want it to be pretty much legal

[built4thrashing]

If you redrill the rear mount for the front springs (25mm back and 10mm up) and run a longer shackle you can. But drilling the mount may not be legal. Doing it this way will leave the diff in its stock position.


B4T

[grimbo]

But leaving the duff in the stick position kinda defeats the whole purpose of a RUF. You want it moved forward as it changes the way it flexes and rides

[joeblow]

But leaving the duff in the stick position kinda defeats the whole purpose of a RUF. You want it moved forward as it changes the way it flexes and rides

you been to NZ lately or something?

[grimbo]

Choice bro.


Stupid predictive text on my phone

[built4thrashing]

RUF can be used for more than just extending the wheelbase. I did it to soften up the ride. Plus an added benifit is longer springs flex better giving more articulation. Noteveryone is as confident with a welder so chasis extension is not always an option.


B4T

[mrRocky]

my ruf did help comfort and flex a lot, i used 2" boomerang shackles, 1.5" front tailshaft spacer and a 3 pack of rear efs 2" lifted springs, this keeps it nice and low (add another spring for more lift) , you will have to cut off or mod the bumper mounts, no other drilling or welding necessary.

[Neofitou]

Can I do a ruf with out extended shackles and will the springs not invert cause I want it to be pretty much legal

.

RUF is legal if you get it engineered. They wont invert if you do it right.