chassis extension

[huck]

what is involved in chassis extensions and what do you gat out of it

[Bad JuJu]

OK lets get it over with .....

Search Newbie

Wots involved:

cuttin with a grinder or other impliment designed to cut metal.
Welding on some 50x100 mm box steel (whatever length U want)
Some love from your local certified automotive engineer.

Good info here with pics

http://www.outerlimits4x4.com/PHP_Modules/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=19769

Wot U get:

Longer chasis.
This means you can run longer front springs and get a longer cycle out of the suspension (more flex)
You can relocate your front diff forwards so you can run bigger tyres and not have to bash the firewall so much.
This also means you get a better approach angle
This means you also get to cut the guards like Redzook
http://www.outerlimits4x4.com/PHP_Modules/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=19856

[huck]

sounds good until engineering is involved. All I really want is more height and wheel travel

[Bad JuJu]

Your sig says you have 5" of lift plus you also have 1/2 the difference between your current tyres diameter and the stock type writer rubbers zooks come with std ..... how far you goin skyward.

Dont forget as you go up you should go out too or you will end up on your side or roof ...

[huck]

been there done that monday. Would love more wheel travel though

[Gwagensteve]

Can't imagine you would have any trouble engineering the 5" of lift or "Locked" rear though remember you have to engineer the whole car not just a mod, so speak to an engineer NOW before you add " heaps of mods" or else forget about a cert at all and drive with your fingers crossed. - there is no point gettign acery on half a car and then building the rest of it later, 'cos you can still get pinged for all teh other stuff that's not on the cert.

There is no problem engineering an extension - search "SR20 finds a new home" This car as a 4" extension, engineer OK. ( In Vic )

An extension will not in itself add height, but it doesn't seem like you need it.... what springs did you have in mind? Most of our Vic cars with extensions are actually running less leaves than stock to keep them lower than many extensionless zuks. (plenty of travel though) It REALLY changes the balance point of the car, and this is pretty much the best bit - the car is much less likely to lift front wheels. Adds more stability than you would imagine if you run it low and soft.

[huck]

Can't imagine you would have any trouble engineering the 5" of lift or "Locked" rear though remember you have to engineer the whole car not just a mod, so speak to an engineer NOW before you add " heaps of mods" or else forget about a cert at all and drive with your fingers crossed. - there is no point gettign acery on half a car and then building the rest of it later, 'cos you can still get pinged for all the other stuff that's not on the cert.

There is no problem engineering an extension - search "SR20 finds a new home" This car as a 4" extension, engineer OK. ( In Vic )

An extension will not in itself add height, but it doesn't seem like you need it.... what springs did you have in mind? Most of our Vic cars with extensions are actually running less leaves than stock to keep them lower than many extensionless zuks. (plenty of travel though) It REALLY changes the balance point of the car, and this is pretty much the best bit - the car is much less likely to lift front wheels. Adds more stability than you would imagine if you run it low and soft.

Not sure what I am doing yet, still looking at different avenues

[Bad JuJu]

Huck,
Check out the different zooks in the PICS OF THE ZOOK FORUM RIGS sticky thread, the members forum and read a couple of the builds in the zook forum.
You will get some good ideas and possibly avoid a LOT of unnecessary expense (Im pretty sure it helped me out) cause you will have a direction to go rather than just having the biggest, badest, tallest but tippy and rig in town...

Other things to consider are:
Is it a daily driver ??
What terrain do you want to drive mud, rocks, beach, mall ????
All the set ups are different and are oftern a large compromise for others.

Most of the people here have a fair bit of experience and knowledge to share if you can get passed the BullSh|t pad-a-thon sections of some threads.

[huck]

yes it is a daily driver. It does have reasonably good wheel travel. I just want to make it better for the mud rock and hill climbs. I hate beach driving, it bores me. As it is I have other things to do to it before I play with suspension. Things like front locker, bigger motor, new body (after rolling it on its side, it exposed a lot of rust in th A pillar) and maybe a few other things. The shocks (enforcer) and springs (King) are now about 20 months old and still work well. I still have no problems with them, yet the little red monster has had a hard time since the missus has owned it with me behind the wheel.