Dropping the front IFS?

[Nev62]

Hey guys\gals, what is involved with dropping (lowering) the IFS for a better approach angle? Oh and before the flaming, just thinking out aloud

[rOd]

Wont lowering the front also lower your approach angle???

Or is there more to your question.

[ISUZUROVER]

Do you mean lowering the whole IFS setup away from the chassis so that your ground clearance is the same but the truck is essentially lifted, or do you mean fitting lifted springs/tweaking the torsion bars (don't know what setup the raider has) so that you raise the truck and raise the centre of the IFS mounts off the ground?

[crokie83]

i think he means something like a procomp lift

[roadrunner]

I would think that if you want a better approach angle, try lifting the car with a bigger lift and some decent tyres. Cut your guards out of the way, more offset on your rims and a set of 32s. 2in body blocks for a bit more clearance may save you the PITA of mucking around with your IFS.

Although by lowering your front axle ( i'm assuming this is what you mean ) you can put a bigger suspension lift in and still maintain a decent CV angle.

Reducing any barwork out the front might be an option as well.

Just my 2c

[Mudzuki]

There was a link to a surf on here a while ago that had dropped the front ifs down to clear 35's, whilst still retaining some travel, as the torsion bars stay in their original position.

[Nev62]

I was thinking along the lines of lifting the chassis up from the whole IFS as per ISUZUROVER suggestion. The approch angle between the front chassis crossmember and the bottom of wheels will be increased while not losing wheel travel by cranking up the torsion bars. I already have a 2" body lift but this does not alter the height of the chassis. There is enough clearance under the front diff but chassis hits the step/obsticale before the wheels.... all forward momentum stops rather suddenly.

By Lifting the chassis off the IFS setup, the nose/chassis of the 4b will clear more obsticales for the wheels to find and climb over. You carn't climb over what you carn't reach

[+dj_hansen+]

This is psosible, there is a pro-comp kit and another kit also available from the states that Big Balls Offroad had a while ago IIRC.

Both use a new crossmember that houses the whole diff/axles etc and use different control arms aswell.

How deep are your pockets as the starting prices are in the thousands.

If you go to www.toyotasurf.asn.au and ask around, or msg HG on here they should be able to give you some more tech.

What kind of IFS set up does the raider use? upper and lower wishbones with a torsion bar, or just lower wishbones and struts...

If you have the torsion bar type, you can make up spacer that fits between the upper wishbone and the ball joint which will allow you more down travel, with less torsion bar adjustment. You can also cut your lower bumpstops in half to maximise suspension up travel.

Remember, make sure your front shocks can handle the changes in ride height etc or else they will chew out pretty quickly.

EDIT: if your body/front bar is hitting the dirt before the front diff is, perhaps look at getting a new front bar as from your pic you have the standrad front bumper and just a nudge bar = bad approach angles. Even an ARB bar will improve this! Alternatively for around the same price a Cheezy front bar might be a possibility if he can make them for a raider

Also prob best to make sure your CV boots are in good nick aswell!

[RoldIT]

I dare say as this hasn't been done before with a Raider you'd prob be up for big $$$ to develop it.

Prob just as easy to SAS it.

That said, I think Superlift in the State does one for a Hilux IFS so maybe it'd be similar design that you could ripoff.

[Nev62]

What kind of IFS set up does the raider use? upper and lower wishbones with a torsion bar, or just lower wishbones and struts...

If you have the torsion bar type, you can make up spacer that fits between the upper wishbone and the ball joint which will allow you more down travel, with less torsion bar adjustment. You can also cut your lower bumpstops in half to maximise suspension up travel.

EDIT: if your body/front bar is hitting the dirt before the front diff is, perhaps look at getting a new front bar as from your pic you have the standrad front bumper and just a nudge bar = bad approach angles.

It is upper and lower wishbones with a torsion bar. Don't think I can do much with the bumpstops as they are on 25mm as it is.

The bumper is the stock one which I raised 2" to match the body lift. Nudge bar is the stock one which is good for holding my lights but that is about it (starting to get a little flat on the bottom leading edges and left side tiedown point now points east-west )

I was thinking of trying to pick up a cheap or even freebie metal bar from a lux (anyone in Sydney got an old one they don't want) and making that fit. There is a bit of front panel work behind the bumper - between that and the wheel - that can also go the way of the Dodo.

[ausyota]

Are your torsion bars mounted to the lower or the upper arms?
The Hilux ones are on the upper arms and therefor the 4 inch kits around for them drop the diff and lower arms with a extension knuckle going to the upper arms.

If your bars are on your lower arms you will have lots of dramas trying to drop them.

Just go the SAS
Paul.

[Nev62]

Just had a good look at the front, I'm buggered. Wishbone mounts are not bolt on and the crossmember only supports the rear diff mount (1 bolt). SAS would be much easier and cheaper than changing what is there. Thanks for the input anyway guys.

[Utemad]

This should help you out a bit. Help you forget the idea anyway

http://www.outerlimits4x4.com/PHP_Modul ... hp?t=14500

[Nev62]

This should help you out a bit. Help you forget the idea anyway

http://www.outerlimits4x4.com/PHP_Modul ... hp?t=14500

Sure did

[Templar]

I have torsion bars on the front of my Musso and cranked them up all the way to see what ride was like .... yuk .. hard and uncomfortable.. so I lowered them a bit ... Ifound that the body lift i gave (3 in) and also soon the adaption for 35 in tyres should increase the approach angle. You can also change the ball joints around so the upper A arm gives the upper bumpstop more clearance thus you can put harder torsion bars in to give the body more clearance at the front ... biggest thing I found for clearance at the front was tossing the plastic body kit at the front and replace with a steel/alloy bar that has better lines ... for cranking up though you gotta watch the angle of the axles into your cv aren't too much.
Doug