Outer Limits 4x4 Board

Hey guys...

I am thinking about getting 3" king springs leafs for my 94 SWB soft top sierra, and have 3 questions...

1) what are they like? mine is bog stock right now and i just some more clearance and flex off road.

2) what shocks should i get? i've read about VS c'dore for front and hilux for rears with a 2" - should i get something different for a 3' lift?

3) what size tyre should i get? am thinking of either 30's or 31's - but not sure about rubbing etc.

Any advice would be great!

Thanks!

I have 2 inch spring lift, 3 inch body lift, 31x10.5 tyres. no scrubbing. I want 33 inch tyres and they will fit. BEFORE I do anything I need to get the front end sorted. (Maybe needs some castor shims). Sometimes the steering wheel starts shaking side to side VERY fast. the only way to stop it is to stop the car. IF you have to have 3 inch spring lift, find someone who is happy with what they have and copy it. Do your research because if you get it wrong it WILL be dangerous.

Vit or Sierra?

Sierra - sorry just updated the post to include that!

My 3-inch Calmini was pretty crappy quality, so I wouldn't recommend them. I've still got the Calmini shocks in the front but the Jackeroo Gabriels in the rear, but with 2-inch bumpstops all round ( some like them some don't ). I run 31's and have only had to remove front bumper mounts. They rub on the front springs on full lock and the fuel filler hose on full compression.
Your standard gearing will suffer though with 31's. And I've never really had a prob with it being 'dangerous', just a slight wobble when the original bearings gave out.

yeah the kings are great, bit of a harder ride than others but there stronger. they will will 30's no worries, the scrubbing comes with the rim offset, not the lift. depends on what your doing but the best shockies are pro-comps . hope this help you

Don't forget about brake lines and tailshaft lengths and angles. Big lifts can make the uni's bind so diff rotation might be needed. Also front king pin or bearings should have a 4 degree lean backwards for correct steering angle so when you turn your wheels left and right you get proper contact with the ground. This should avoid steering vibrations. You will also need to adjust your steering ,I dont know if your drag rod is adjustable,you might need to replace it or you might get away with moving your pitman arm and if you still have your sway bars you will have to extend the link pins.

I have 2inch springs(a bit sagged!) and 1inch extended shackles and can fit 30's! So you should be able to fit 30's easy!

I bent one of my springs so am up for a new set and should be able to fit 31's with the off set rims i brought!

You will be able to fit 30's on stock rims and 31's on off set rims with a bit of seam bending!

Don't do it. 3" is a lot of lift for the front springs on a sierra - these are very short springs and you will end up with a choppy and stiff ride. You will also have almost no droop.

Anyone who has tried these springs in the club here in Vic has pulled out leaves until they have dropped to not more than 2" of lift. They are OK then.

Remember, unless you also space the bumpstops down, 3" springs will not let you fit a larger tyre as when the car compresses the tyres will still move into the same position they did stock.

Commodore shocks will not have enough stiff enough valving to work with these springs if you run them with all the leaves.

I tend to prefer a balance of a 2" body lift and relatively small lift springs (OME with some leaves removed - very little lift but a soft rate) to get a useful tyre size on the car and decent ride. a 2" BL will fit a 31 with stock suspension, so then you only need enough suspension lift to make the car ride properly.

Just my humble opinion.

Steve.

want33s wrote:I have 2 inch spring lift, 3 inch body lift, 31x10.5 tyres. no scrubbing. I want 33 inch tyres and they will fit. BEFORE I do anything I need to get the front end sorted. (Maybe needs some castor shims). Sometimes the steering wheel starts shaking side to side VERY fast. the only way to stop it is to stop the car. IF you have to have 3 inch spring lift, find someone who is happy with what they have and copy it. Do your research because if you get it wrong it WILL be dangerous.

Off topic, check your front end tightness, u-bolts, play in steering wheel bearings etc before getting caster shims. Get a wheel alignment and find out if your caster is out. Balance your wheels too. Have seen many leaf front cars do this from loose/broken u-bolts. Remember that you should not retension u-bolts. If they are loose, tighten them and see if it fixes it. If it does, replace them.

On topic - I agree with Gwagon Steve. Have ridden in a zook with 3 inch springs. One work for it ...............SHIT. Too stiff, bugger all flex (all uptravel, no droop) and comfort of riding a rock.

Layto....

lay80n wrote:
.......and comfort of riding a rock.

Layto....

That sums it up, go 2" and extended shackels and even then maybe remove a few leaves.

Nick

Why does every one do bump stops?

Thats reducing flex that you probably brought the springs to get!

Is it just to stop rubbing? If they don't rub you dont need them do you?

Just some question i had thought about reading this!

suzuki boy wrote:Why does every one do bump stops?

Thats reducing flex that you probably brought the springs to get!

Is it just to stop rubbing? If they don't rub you dont need them do you?

Just some question i had thought about reading this!

YEp, the bump stops is to limit the up travel and keep the tyres out of the metalwork.

Layto....

Fair enough! Thanks for that. Hopefully wont need it when i go to 31's but you never know!

suzuki boy wrote:Fair enough! Thanks for that. Hopefully wont need it when i go to 31's but you never know!

Hang on, My bad
Forgot to mention that the bump stop length is also to help stop shocks bottoming out. Make sure that your bump stops are contacting with about 5-10mm of shock up travel left.

Layto....

Sorry but off topic as well

Why don't you reuse the u-bolts. I've taken my springs in and out several times still with the factory u-bolts in both my vehicles without any probs

VR Rodeo wrote:Sorry but off topic as well

Why don't you reuse the u-bolts. I've taken my springs in and out several times still with the factory u-bolts in both my vehicles without any probs

They stretch and can fail over time. ITs best to replace them if you can.

Layto....

We lifted my missus 93 sierra with 3" king springs, but were too stiff, so took couple of leaves out front and back. Also used 2" extended shackles. It runs 30" all terrains, flexes ok, and doesnt rub.

Thanks for all the advice...

The springs i was hoping to buy were already sold :( so cant get them now.

But am still keen as to get my zook up in the air with some bigger tyres on it. How much goes into a spring over conversion? Could it be a home job or is there alot to do?

I'm not keen on spending heaps of $$$ - just want it a bit more competant off road!

Depends on where your at ?

Cheers Nick

CWBYUP wrote:Depends on where your at ?

Cheers Nick

I'm as stock as stock can be. I don't even have all-terrains... only road tyres!

jamespbeasley wrote:

CWBYUP wrote:Depends on where your at ?

Cheers Nick

I'm as stock as stock can be. I don't even have all-terrains... only road tyres!

I think he is refering to your abilities with reguards to welding and modifying vehicles .

http://www.zukikrawlers.com/showthread.php?t=174

VR Rodeo wrote:

jamespbeasley wrote:

CWBYUP wrote:Depends on where your at ?

Cheers Nick

I'm as stock as stock can be. I don't even have all-terrains... only road tyres!

I think he is refering to your abilities with reguards to welding and modifying vehicles .

http://www.zukikrawlers.com/showthread.php?t=174

I'd say he is refering to your location. SOA is not allowed in QLD & some other states.