castor plates or drop boxes

[micks troll]

Ive seen both but now need to do something as the offset bushes I've run for a couple off years are stuffed. As i dont have the dollars for complete arms, I was wondering if many or any have run the 2 different types. Pros and Cons for a GQ wagon any help would be appreciated. my patrol is as detailed below tread. cheers

[GQ Bear]

good thread. I was going to ask the same question as i beleive my offset bushes are shagged too.

[simcoz]

Castor plates only corect castor.
Drop boxes on the other hand,give corect castor,give better flex because the contoll arms aren't allready droped 5inches in yourcase,less strain on the chassi mount bush and better diff clearence than plates.
Boxes also move your diff aprox 13mm forward to help clear bigger tyers.
And you can use factory nissan bushes too.

Coza

[micks troll]

Castor plates only corect castor.
Drop boxes on the other hand,give corect castor,give better flex because the contoll arms aren't allready droped 5inches in yourcase,less strain on the chassi mount bush and better diff clearence than plates.
Boxes also move your diff aprox 13mm forward to help clear bigger tyers.
And you can use factory nissan bushes too.

Coza

Cheers mate thats really helpful and logical as I'd cetainly like the better flex sounds like I'll go drop boxes. The only thing that i worried about is the drop box being low, but i guess not as low as castor plates lol. Due to playing on rock i have already re-arranged my bodymount (bent the plates) just behind the lower control arm so am worried about hitting the drop boxs. I will be sticking with 33s for a while. is there much risk of hitting the drop box?

[GQ Bear]

wHAT DO they cost and where from (melb)? Does anyone have specs on em cos they look easy enough to make?

Anyone know what genuine GQ and GU bushes are worth?

[simcoz]

Just as much chance to hit them but they are made from thicker plate so will take more punishment.

Try superior engineering.com.au,they send them anywhere and can supply factory bushes too.

[Willy Hilux]

Fatassgq has got a set in the 4 sale section page 2. $250 2nd hand but on the car for only 1 month he went to custom arms. These are Superior Eng. ones and are in new condition.

[Jimbo]

I had to make this choice whe i lifted my gq.

I ended up getting plates and i'm pretty happy. It doesnt seem to flex any less than other gq's with drop box's (in theory it should)

Jimmy

[ludacris]

Drop boxes are heaps better than plates.

LudaCris

[viperguy]

drop boxes definately. have used both castor bushes and plates with a 5 inch coil lift in a shorty gq and the drop boxes are definately the way to go. u wont really get hung up on them unless ur loooking for every mm of clearence for hardcore rock crawling.

[Madmac]

i put drop boxes and haultech slotted bushes in mine and it fleexs real nice. i used the superior boxes, i havent been hung up on the yet, but they have got scrape marks on them where they have hit rocks, but they are solid enough to take a good hit. heres pic of the flex im getting, its on 4 inch dobinson coils

[JOHNZ]

Drop boxes are far better than castor plates.
When swapping from castor plates to drop boxes there is quite an improvement in drivability.
Drop boxes are not that expensive @$375
cheers

[Surfin Alec]

Are drop boxes available for 80 seriers cruisers as well??

[toyotroop]

Could someone put up some pics showing the castor plates and the drop boxes please. Also a brief explanation as to how both of them work would be cool too.

[Nelso]

Another vote for drop boxes for GQ. As for the 80 you can go the castor plates.

[Jeff80]

Are the drop boxes not made for an 80?

[buddha]

are the drop boxes a bolt on part? Or do you have to grind and weld?

[badger]

drop boxes are bolt in generally yes.
they bolt under the gear box crossmember and to the original front arm mount.

as far as i kno you cant get them for an 80 due to the design of the original mount

[gut42]

in my experience drop boxes are only good for getting hung up on!
i'd save a little longer and get replacement arms as they are stronger
than genuine nissan arms which are known to break.

[JOHNZ]

in my experience drop boxes are only good for getting hung up on!
i'd save a little longer and get replacement arms as they are stronger
than genuine nissan arms which are known to break.

Drop boxes hang down about the same amount as 80s mounts & no one complains about 80s getting hung up

[chunderlicious]

drop boxes are way better than plates. but cranked arms are even better. 2dextreme does an awsome set for around $800 i believe cut from bisalloy.

[micks troll]

in my experience drop boxes are only good for getting hung up on!
i'd save a little longer and get replacement arms as they are stronger
than genuine nissan arms which are known to break.

how the hell do you break the arms????? i drive my patrol close to it's limit but have never needed to launch the front and land on the arms (which i assume is the only way to break them) drive recklessly and exspect that damage i guess

[gut42]

[quote="micks troll"]how the hell do you break the arms????? i drive my patrol close to it's limit but have never needed to launch the front and land on the arms (which i assume is the only way to break them) drive recklessly and exspect that damage i guess [/quote]

I know of at least three breaking and i saw 2 of them happen and one was a lady driver, someone mentioned to me a while ago that they where designed to break in a frontal collision but i thought that was a bit of a streach. both of the breakedges i saw were from hitting a hole with a large lip straight on. ive seen a few bent arms also.

[gut42]

[quote="chunderlicious"]drop boxes are way better than plates. but cranked arms are even better. 2dextreme does an awsome set for around $800 i believe cut from bisalloy.[/quote]

that is what I wanted to say.

[PGS 4WD]

Bent an arm and the chassis with caster plates, the arm is angled down and when you hit a bump it tries to go up and forward, like a front shackle on a 60, this is all bad. Have since don 2 Vic winches and heaps of social stuff with drop boxes and they are 100% better, they never get caught up, the vehicle rides much better.

Joel

[micks troll]

Ya learn sumthin new every day cheers for the heads up

[fatassgq]

for those who have "seen" the radius arms break where did they break out of curiosity?

I am aware of some of the early GQ arms breaking at the pin due to the machining of the pin but have only ever heard of others bending.

[badger]

id like to see someone get hung up to the stage where it impedes forward motion on a drop box. even on verts and large rock ledges etc ive never had mine hang me up.
i have bumped them and scratched them but it has never ever actually caused an issue is far out weighed by the down travel that i would not have without them.

oh and drop boxes drive heaps better on road than castor plates.

[gut42]

[quote="badger"]id like to see someone get hung up to the stage where it impedes forward motion on a drop box. even on verts and large rock ledges etc ive never had mine hang me up.
i have bumped them and scratched them but it has never ever actually caused an issue is far out weighed by the down travel that i would not have without them.

oh and drop boxes drive heaps better on road than castor plates.[/quote]

If you would like to see it happen go to a tough tracks or superior allterrain event. that is also where i saw a radius arm break.

[badger]

if you drive your vehicle on a weekend out like guys drive there comp rigs at alterrain and tough track not only are you seriously stupid but you should probably expect to break alot more than that.
events like this are designed to make people take lines they would not normally take on extreme tracks that generally truggys can only complete especially tough tracks.

for even the most extreme weekend vehicle drop boxes are far from a problem with clearance and strength. same goes 99% for comp vehicles