GU Suspension

[Neetas]

Folks
Looking to spend some more money on the forby and interested in your opinions.
2005 GU LWB 3.0. Used as daily transport. Also tow an offroad camper trailer weighing 750 dry. Do mostly club trips, nothing too knarly. Running 33" muds for trips and std wheels/tyres during the week.

Std springs flop around too much, even at sane speeds round town.

The recent test in 4x4 seemed to indicate that most brands were fairly average when operating hot except for the $200+ per shock items.
Is there anything that is particularly suited to the GU LWB or is it much of a muchness?

Thanks
Mike

[bogged]

Depends how much you want to spend

Have a search theres about a gabillion threads on it.


My pick-
- OME LTR shocks or Konis if you want The best..
- Dobinson Springs


Best budget -
TJM XGS Shocks
TJM Series 2000 springs

[duallux]

I have a similar set up (3.0 LWB 2005) used to tow camper etc, but i have steel b'bar, and rear draws. I have recently installed a Pedders set up, using the 4.2 springs in the front and xtra HD in rear, with matched foam cell shocks. This set have given me about 60mm lift in front and close to 70mm in rear. Car sits very well with camper attached and is very nice to drive, even my wife noticed the improvement and is v. happy with ride. I haven't given shocks a big work out yet, however i did have a set of Pedders foam cells on my hilux, which i often gave a massive thrashing, with no problems in 2.5 yrs. I haven't installed the castor correction bush yet (is to happen this thurs) as i waited til the rubber bushes were available, rather than urethane ones. Steering is a little light ATM. Hope this helps.

[Neetas]

Thanks. I had a look at some of the threads - tended to suggest Konis or Procomps or LTRs (Bogged). Procomp seems to be pusing the Ridepro gas shocks with there own coils. I presume this is different to what you guys were suggesting. Thoughts?

[bogged]

Procomp seems to be pusing the Ridepro gas shocks with there own coils.

Wouldnt you try and sell your own items - more profit, its only good business sense. All successful business' would do it.







reply I posted a while ago on exploroz, some doesnt relate, but lots does.

50mm is limit in Qld and WA is becoming hard.
Vic is nearly impossible to get engineers at the moment on lift kits..

Insurance jumps in $ and becomes very hard to find with over 75mm lift with lots of insurance companies. some even have a limit of 50mm and a few wont allow any lift at all.

You need an engineers certification to go 4inch or more which is becoming hard.
So start there.

What is the optimum lift? You can gauge that answer from these few questions. There is NO optimum lift answer really, there are too many variables.

Why do you need a lift? You need it or you want it?
What is your budget?
What sort of wheeling do you do?
Where do you wheel most? Outback? Mountains? Mud? Rocks?
How heavy is your truck fully loaded?
Do you tow regularly? What do you tow? How heavy is what you tow?
How many people usually travel in car?
What is the car mainly used for? Weekdays, occasional weekender? Weekend warrior only?
What accessories do you have fitted? Heavy front end, heavy rear with LRT, wheel carriers etc
What accessories do plan to have fitted in future?
What size tires do you run?
What size tires do you plan to run?

There is no hard and fast answer to the "optimum" lift size, there are numerous variables but you can get a start from these questions...

IMHO, with a GU, considering you can fit 36's with a 3inch lift, you dont really need more than that unless your truck weight 4.5ton like Roachies and tows the QE2.

What is good what is bad in Shocks and Springs??
You will get - and + stories on every single brand of shock and spring out there.

Shocks:
IMHO, you cant go wrong with OME Nitrochargers for the price, backup, warranty, and service.

If your after the better quality, go with LTR's, they are great. I run them with a 4nich lift and love them.

If you want the best in shocks, go KONI but you will pay for it. I have run them with a 2inch lift in the past, and would run them again tomorrow.

TJM XGS is very good also for the price. Again, I have run these when I had only the 2inch lift.

I had ranchos with a 6+inch lift, and they died 4 times, and Ossie off this board in our club have suffered same fate on GQ/GUs

Springs:
Dobinson or Kings are the best, tell them the answers to all the questions above and they can match a set of springs and shocks together,
which is the most important part - MATCHED SHOCKS AND SPRINGS!
Good luck.

[Tiny]

We can do twin tube gas shocks with coils either oe or 2" lift for $800.00

[Suspension Stuff]

If you want a 2 or 3 inch lift I would suggest Dobinsons shocks and either Lovells or Dobinsons or maybe Kings springs. $700. EFS shocks with this setup would be my 2nd choice for same price. Procomps would be good also for an extra $25 each. I like Dobinsons shocks because they have a thicker outer wall then the other shocks that prevents damage caused by rocks and stuff. They are a much heavier shock.

There are quite a few shocks that do OK but cost more. Oztech shocks are worth a mention because of their lifetime warranty. They are about $115 each but are only good for a 2 inch lift.

3 inch lift needs castor correction bushes and extra long sway bar link pins for an extra $210. You are also going to need longer brake lines.

I would definitely go for the Ironman steering damper.

I honestly don't think the $200 shocks are going to last any longer then Dobinsons but will give a slight improvement in ride quality. Bilstein are my 1st choice but have a vulnerability to damage being a monovalved shock. If you ding your shock on the bottom half then it will most likely self destruct. You can get covers to protect them. Koni's are a close 2nd but have the advantage of being adjustable.

Because of the weight you carry I would suggest a heavier duty coil otherwise they will sag on you and you won't be happy in the long run.

Shane

[waxhead..]

EFS springs, and shocks have been great value for money on the last three cars we have lifted. Flex, on-road-ability and cost, they'd be my pick.

[65Mog]

They'll have to change the name of this site from outerlimits to nopimpinglimits
I'd go with Dobinson coils and EFS or Dobinson shocks.

[GUJohnno]

Mate of mine got springs and the Dobbinson shocks from '4WD Stuff'.
Great price, great service and it seams to handle real well.

I find that my Koni shocks can't control the weight too well.
Eventually I might get them re-valved or get some of the Dobbinson shocks.

[Neetas]

Hey all. Thanks for your feedback on this.

Had a quick scan of the proposed 150mm limit on lift modifications and requirements that DON'T require an engineers certificate. Is the following an accurate interpretation of options - assuming lift sought without engineers cert with existing rubber:

Currently run 33's so +2 inch (50.8mm)
2" lift = (50.8mm)
up to 2" bodylift (50.8mm)

From what I could gather it is max 2 " lift via coils before an engineers cert is required. Thoughts??

Thanks
Mike

[bogged]

upto 3inch no engineers

2-3in on a GU is all you need to run Q78's (36s)

[Suspension Stuff]

The max lift allowed depends on your or the "transport departments" interpretation of the law.

Your lift can be no more than a 1/3 of the standard bump stop height or words to that affect. To me that is 3 inches but some fool in the transport department might rule 2 inches is tops and they can be a law of their own.

[ludacris]

Pro Comp in Victoria might be called Pro Comp but are not the importers and suppliers of Pro Comp Shockies. They are for Pro Comp Tyres though.

LudaCris

[Bingham]

recently got 3 inch kit on mine lovells springs and efs shocks.... and its getting today at custom i think supererior alignments bushes for castor correction........ 04 3L handles very nice with this lift and would be a fair choice to tow with.... anything much heavier than the above mentioned i personally would want some more herbs...

getting return to centre steering damper to cure this painful pulling to the left which began long before the lift was even put on.....

ryano at fourby's marooka
or bluey at custom offroad kunda park are good blokes to speak to regarding this and will look after you especially well if you or anyone who mentions o/l & me...... people whom play with these toys themselves appreciate the cost of them...

[Troll00]

Dobinson springs
Tough Dog adjustable big bore shocks
Wizard arms and panards