Nissan owners with Nick Mannell lifts

[morkz]

I'm thinking of making up my own kit.

i can get dobinson springs cheap not even worth mentioning the price it just comes down to shocks and panhards.

[sparky]

I'm thinking of making up my own kit.

i can get dobinson springs cheap not even worth mentioning the price it just comes down to shocks and panhards.

Can't go past Koni shocks, they are the best around.
Panhards, I have tough dog ones but would go for 3rds as the thread on the lock nut is finer and tightens up better I think.
You can get these from ONTRACK 4x4 in east keilor.

[morkz]

ok cheers for that

[CJ Burns Esq]

If you talk to any decent suspension mob, like 4WAYS, they'll give you all the information you need to do it.
Decide on the lift height eg;
4" or less no need for panhard rods but need 3deg castor bushes or arms.
5" and over, need the panhards and 5 deg or more plates/drop arms.

Decide on the type of driving you want to do eg;
Toughish 4 wheeling no load = thin coils (more give so more articulation)
Touring with heavy loads = thicker coils (less give so not so great on the artic)

I have a 4" lift and I might go 1 inch taller when I replace the springs and I'll probably go for the 3rds panhards as well.

[GUJohnno]

Friend of mine has recently put the new larger bore Konis on his Gu coil cab. I went for a drive with him over the last couple of days and it performed very well. They didn't work out to be much more than the large Tough Dogs.
Tho I still like the idea of the easy adjustment of the Tough Dogs.

[morkz]

thats what am basically going to look for now something adjustable

so that i can not run the sway bars all the time and just adjust the shocks to suit

[CJ Burns Esq]

The adjustables sure beat playing around with the quick disconnect, slow reconnect side of things on the sway bars.

[bogged]

The incab kit design is the shit... so easy to just hit the button and go harder or softer.. Having to rip shocks apart to adjust them is fuckin pointless

IMHO Konis ARE the bees knees. No question. Maybe the Bilsteins with external valving as used in Baja desert racing would be better but not for general 4b's.


Bottom of the pile for GQ's in what Ive used (Koni, TJM, Rancho, OME) are the Ranchos, they arent good for GQ's.
Mine came with Konis that were dated 1991, so were OLD.

TJM was good although a little firm. They also make an adjustable shock now.

The LTR's were performing well on weekend, cruised Rocky Track easlily, and had some good wank/hottie shots, but bazzle was kind enough to knock Woops camera into the Toonangi shit/mud/slop/slurry, so I think that it maybe toast.. he was jealous of my cars better artc shots than his own..

[muzza_fattire]

The incab kit design is the shit... so easy to just hit the button and go harder or softer.. Having to rip shocks apart to adjust them is ***** pointless

I dont have to rip my shocks apart to adjust them... just turn the dial.

For the in-cab adjuster for the Rancho's I used to have, I was quoted ~$1000. The parts are about $500 and it takes half a day to install so $500 labour. Not really worth the money in my opinion since it only takes <1 min to adjust the shocks manually anyway.

[sparky]

Don,t run swaybars, have 4" lift and 2" bodylift and have never felt the need to have to stiffen shocks up to improve onroad handling.
I think those adjustale tough dogs and ranchos are crap.
I think its just the wank factor that gets people in to buy them.

[Deano]

Just a thing to note, with the B-Bore Tough Dog Adjustables their large diameter gave me a bit of grief. Issues I had when fit mine;

-At full flex in the rear the shock body nudges the coil
-Plastic boot on exposed rod runs very close to the exhaust (wrapped some heat tape on zorst)
-Less than 5mm clearance between front shock body and front trailing arms. (not a prob now, but using drop arms or similar may cause interference)

Dean

[majti]

-Less than 5mm clearance between front shock body and front trailing arms. (not a prob now, but using drop arms or similar may cause interference)

Dean

How did you resolve this?

[Deano]

Majti,

Have not done anything about it for the moment. Ive looked at it when trying to flex the front and there is still a little clearance. Just have to watch it though.

I intend to 5 link the front end eventually, which should get rid of the problem.

Deano.

[CJ Burns Esq]

Deano,
The clearance on the rear shock requires a spacer be fitted between the lower shock mount and the rear axle, it looks like a 12 mm thick spacer. This should have come with your kit/been fitted by installer. Also check that the lower shock rubber is a one piece unit with a steel barrel in the centre, if it is a two piece rubber only bush, it will be the bush for a Land Cruiser. Manelli's fitted the rear clearance spacer on one side and not the other when they installed my lift and shocks and they fitted the Land Cruiser rubber mounts instead of the GQ mounts. All fixed up by 4WAYS.
Front shocks need an offset bottom shock mount if you are going to fit drop arms.
4WAYS moved the bottom mount on one shock gratis when I purchased the one to replace the shock i stuffed on Big Red.
CJ

[grunter]

I am running a 5" lift & have found it to be good all round.

I am running tough dog 45mm Big bore 9 ways
Lovell heavy duty springs & all the rest is seperior running gear.
I am not running any sway bars & she sits fairly well on the road without too much body roll at all.

[tim75b]

wow way to grave dig on a 5 year old topic

[Harb]

oh well.........we are asked to use the search button

[Yom]

and anyone who says a 5" lifted patrol drives better than a stock height patrol should not be in a position to sell people suspension.

but thats just my opinion.

[grunter]

oh well.........we are asked to use the search button

Yeah thats right mate, you have a problem !!!!!

wow way to grave dig on a 5 year old topic

At least i had something to add & not just negative crap mate !!!!!!

[Harb]

We're damed if we do and damed if we don't

[sudso]

In the end though the genuine suspension is designed for only handling whilst anything else aftermarket is designed firstly for one thing (ie lift or travel) and then handling second.

Rgeards
David

I'd debate that! Factory suspension on 4wd's is designed to to give an all round smooth ride with adequate handling. (what manufacturer wants their potential new customers to drive a boat or have to wear a kidney belt when taking a new rig for a test drive) But load one up to GVM and you soon find out how inadequate most factory suspensions are. They are a compromise.