Lifting a shorty.

[waxhead..]

I have searched and checked the bible, but have not found what I want to know.
I am just curious to what work needs to be done to fit a lift to a shorty GQ?
We are picking up an import diesel shorty this arvo, and want to put in a true 3inch lift.
I have heard different things, and am just curious as to what its likely to cost, recomendation of springs to go with, and what is needed to do the job.
I know castor correction bushes are a maybe???
Had a GU with a 60mm EFS lift and was very happy with it, but only needed shocks and springs for the job.
I have heard lifting a shorty is a more tedious task???

[Beastmavster]

There is so much information here in the search on lifting GQ's that it's beyond belief.

To lift a shorty is no different to a LWB except over 2" may face castor and driveline issues.

Hence over 2" you may need to spend extra money on gearbox spacers and castor plates, adding a few hundred bucks to the job.

I have Dobinsons soft springs with EFS shocks - long rears and am very happy with the flex, althought the springs may be a little soft for predominantly road use.

[Suspension Stuff]

You will learn all about driveline vibrations. Not all SWB Patrols react the same to the same lift. Any existing probs will come to the surface. There are 2 options to get rid of the driveline vibrations and they don't necessarily totally get rid of the vibes.
1 is to get longer lower adjustable trailing arms so you can adjust your rear diff angle to suit the transfer case angle. You will need to keep them parallel. Adjustable panhard rods won't hurt your cause either if you can afford them.

2 is to get your rear tailshaft modified to put in a double cardin joint often sourced out of a Hilux. Once this is done you will need a pair of adjustabel upper trailing arms because your rear diff will need to be facing nearly straight up in line with your tail shaft. Not dead straight, this is bad for some reason. This will mean your coils are shaped like a bananna so you will have to modify your spring perches. You will also need to modify your bottom shock mounts.

These mods are on top of lowering your transfer mounts by using spacers and longer bolts. You can also raise your engine to get a bit better angle for that midget rear tailshaft.

People usually go for the option 1 unless it doesn't work for them. I would also recommend castor correction bushes and extra long sway bar link pins for the rear and longer brake lines and make sure your steering damper is a good one. Just pm me for prices for all this stuff.

Shane

[waxhead..]

Thanks shane. Thats the answer I was looking for, answering all the rumours I had heard.
I knew it was more than buy some coils and shocks like a LWB.
PM sent.

[JemmyBubbles]

Shane is spot on.

After going a double cardinal driveshaft setup with 3rds adjustable arms and rotating the rear housing along with the coil perches and shock mounts. There is zero angle at the pinion uni - a textbook double cardinal setup. If I don't grease all of the nipples in the joint itself after about a week it starts to grumble a bit - just because of what it is...

My old boy ripped his double cardinal joint out and we assed around with getting the two outputs opposing. Took quite a while actually - didn't have an angle finder . They are exactly opposing one another and there is a tiny little grumble. A symptom of there being too much angle for the unis. Therefore the next step is to lower the angles by engine mounts and transfer mounts, and then re-assess the pinion angle and get it opposing. The less angle the better. But you also don't want to sacrifice ramp over clearance... that takes away the point of the lift...

[Suspension Stuff]

JemmyBubbles, when you talk about the zero angle at the pinion Uni, 'they' reckon it is better for the Uni if it has a slight offset, it needs to have a little bit of movement in the joint. My source is Peter Kitchener at Redlands 4wd in Capalaba Qld. He knows his stuff.
Plus I did it myself and found out stuff the hard way.
Shane

[JeSTeROCK]

How much angle should the uni be on with the DC ?

What are the effects that I should be looking out for ?

[mudmav]

dont bother with a double cardin you can run up to 5 inch without a dc tail shaft its a bit of stuffing around but you can do it, the best thing to do and i can speak from experience here, is to replace all your unis with brand new genuine ones from nissan made all the difference in my car

[Doggy]

I got 5" spring lift in my SWB safari....no DC joint and no problemos

[skippy's GQ]

I got 5" spring lift in my SWB safari....no DC joint and no problemos

Me too, and no problems

[Suspension Stuff]

I agree, a double cardin is the last resort.

[jimmycutfield]

I have had no probs with the 2in springs, 1in spacers, 3rds production drop radius arms and extra travell ome shocks i put in mine no vibes or nothing. as you can see from how she travells the $2500 i spent was worth it.
Going to much higher than 4 inch spring lift is not advisable in a shorty as there is a much increased risk of rollover.
a 4inch lift will give you desirable wheel travell and you can fit 35in tyres on without a body lift or guard cutting.

[JemmyBubbles]

JemmyBubbles, when you talk about the zero angle at the pinion Uni, 'they' reckon it is better for the Uni if it has a slight offset, it needs to have a little bit of movement in the joint. My source is Peter Kitchener at Redlands 4wd in Capalaba Qld. He knows his stuff.
Plus I did it myself and found out stuff the hard way.
Shane

Interesting I wonder why ?? I was alway told by, similarily, 'they' that essentially it is the joint itself that is taking over all of the work. Hence why people, including myself, think of it as more of a bandaid/bodgy sort of fix. Although not cheap so go figure...