ferozas new tera shackles

[redskee]

hey guys im new to this forum im only young and the luxies are beatin me and baggin me for ownin a ferozaso ive decided to do something about it my first thing is to put on a set of tera revolver shackles just wonderin if any one has done these are they worth doin heres the link on them and how to do them http://www.automotive-diy.com/DAIHATSU/ ... atsu4.html

[lay80n]

Mate, search the forum for feed back on drop shackles, esp in the zook forum. First up, they are not bolt on, you need to modify your shock mounts and fit new shocks, get longer brake lines, possibly change springs etc. They can unload when on descent side angles, or decents, making the car unstable, and can also induce axle hop. They will also unbalance the ferozas front to rear travel even more, by providing heaps of travel in the rear (potentially) but still none in the front.
IMHO all the drop shackles, no matter what style, are crap, and just for posing. This opinion is shared by many on this board.

Layto....

[MightyMouse]

What Layto said.... there are UNSAFE imo - and in many others opinions.

and to the best of my knowledge not legal.

[Goatse.AJ]

Best bet would be extended shackles. Not sure whether you have a Narrow Track or Wide track, but shackles are different on them, IIRC. Don't go too extreme with extended shackles, but you'll find they are a cheap and relatively easy way of achieving a bit more travel and flex.

NOTE: Extended shackles are NOT legal in most states.

Post up some more info on your truck and people can advise you a little better.

[redskee]

oh sorry bout that um my cars a 93 model feroza sxp im lookin to get about a 1 inch lift out of it in the rear ive already wound the front up 1 inch this is a site i was lookin at earlier for extended shackles i think their greasable too http://www.offroad4x4.com.au/Greasable_sk&pk.htm

although they sorta look a little cheap wat do u guys think? an note 200 buks is about my limit thanks

[lay80n]

If you only after a small bit of lift in the rear, make your own shackles. Cost about $40. Though only attempt this if your confident of what you are doing, and are aware that they are illegal (and will not ever be legal).

Layto....

[Kickingback99]

How would you go about making your own? This is for a U.S. Rocky aka Widetrack.

[tufferoza]

some flat bar and box tubing. a welder, drill and grinder.

[stariondriver]

i am thinking about making my own. anyone done it care to share what lenght they used?
thinking about goingh 2" longer on the shackle......

[ferozamaniac]

For a friend of mine we have fitted tha teraflex and they are no dangerous at all. They are bolt on the chassis and the leafs, the only problem is that when you bolt it on the chassis after the leafs are little bit smaller and you need to fill the gaps. You need to change brake lines and shocks. They do not unload so easy when you are on the high way. If you buy them try to unload them with your hands is not easy it needs a lot of power they want open easily. I will post some pictures and comments of what shcoks we have used and extra leefs to increace the Feroza height up to 8cm.

[MightyMouse]

Can't agree with you - anything that provides uncontrolled suspension movement is not a good thing.

There's good reasons that they are not legal ( at least in Australia ).

But its each to their own.......

[stariondriver]

For a friend of mine we have fitted tha teraflex and they are no dangerous at all. They are bolt on the chassis and the leafs, the only problem is that when you bolt it on the chassis after the leafs are little bit smaller and you need to fill the gaps. You need to change brake lines and shocks. They do not unload so easy when you are on the high way. If you buy them try to unload them with your hands is not easy it needs a lot of power they want open easily. I will post some pictures and comments of what shcoks we have used and extra leefs to increace the Feroza height up to 8cm.

sounds interesting.

[ferozamaniac]

I am not trying to say that are better than the stock, ofcourse not i am just telling you that the TERAFLEX (and not any other) have no such a promlem of unload when you drive in highway. But if you do a lot of offroading and not highway you are fine.

[MightyMouse]

And what happens if you have to do an emergency lane change ?

And moving away from safety a bit, how much traction are you going to get from a wheel that has been allowed to drop by a "revolver" style shackle ?

There's no weight on it, its just sitting there, so how much traction ?
Not a lot IMO....

[RockyF75]

There's no weight on it, its just sitting there, so how much traction ?
Not a lot IMO....

Agree 100% with this, though I've never driven on them so its only 'theory'.
But when a wheel at full flex is allowed to drop a little more cause of these shackles, any contact it makes with the ground will just cause it to load up on the shackle

But they have locking pins dont they? So on road its not going to unload unless you forget to put them in.

[HotFourOk]

I don't think you can lock these in for road use.

[Gwagensteve]

And what happens if you have to do an emergency lane change ?

And moving away from safety a bit, how much traction are you going to get from a wheel that has been allowed to drop by a "revolver" style shackle ?

There's no weight on it, its just sitting there, so how much traction ?
Not a lot IMO....

Bingo! "when driving normally down the freeway, it's fine...."

In relation to the traction afforded a "flopped" wheel, it depends enormously on the location of the bumpstops, ratio of compression to droop travel, spring mounting width, and I a sure other variables as well.

It has been calculated that the force on the drooped wheel can be quite high, but only if a particular set of circumstances are met., mostly, very little compression travel, and lots of leverage on the springs and bumpstops, (springs and bumpstops well inboarded) unfortunately this is also the same condition that causes poor roll stiffness and therefore terrible behaviour on off camber climbs.

Scissor, whacky, folding, revolver shackles are worthless crap.

Steve.

[MightyMouse]

Everyone seems to call anything a "revolver shackle" so god knows if the ones in question have pins ( hope so ).

And as an aside what about the shock lengths, slipyoke engagement in the transfer, brakelines, handbrake cables etc etc.

My standard shocks which are 100mm longer than stock are the travel limiters on my stock shackled Feroza ( different springs ). Had to get new brake line, make longer handbrake cables ( damm things still pull out sometimes on full droop - must fix... ).

Already had the transfer output shafts drilled and tapped for a slip yoke eliminator to give a bit more safety margin. Will use a Hilux shaft as the diff center is Hilux. Can you tell I'm not a fan ?

Anyway the problems not the rear, its the @#$% front.

[stariondriver]

maybe some sort of lock that snaps onto the shackle when you hit the pavement to make them unfodlable.
kinda like swaybar quick disconnects

[ferozamaniac]

No there is no pins to stop unload (but you can make). The teraflex will give you only a lift off 1.5cm (i dont know how much they unload) except if you use the teraflex of another 4x4 for more lift.

[ferozamaniac]

[stariondriver]

nice pics. now some videos eh?

[murcod]

So what are they like on road for emergency braking and swerving?

[Doc_Acos]

Reading this thread, reminded me of a Joke played on a member a few months ago that could have ended in disaster. The pins where removed from the drop shackles by someone.

The resulting handling on the road nearly had some dire results. Read the 1st post on this one.

http://www.outerlimits4x4.com/phpBB2/vi ... p?t=120771

You would definitely go for something pinnable for road use also, like this

http://www.climaxsuspension.com/s_drops.html

[Gwagensteve]

I don't want to harp on this issue, but I'm not seeing a lot of gained travel there. The shackle looks like it's opened up about 3", tops, so the gain at the wheel is 1.5" However, this car still has all it's spring clamps in place. Removing the spring clamps would gain all of the travel that the whacky shackles provide without all the potentially scary consequences, and without the uncontrolled travel.

From what I have seen Feroza's don't lack rear end travel if the shocks etc are sized appropriately, I see no reason to screw up the suspension behaviour of the car for 1.5" of "extra travel" (which isn't actually travel at all)

Steve.

[ferozamaniac]

The car is not yet ready. Correct the shacles can give more travel but we dont want more because more problems will occure. Also because of the shacles travel the tyres rub on the car so body lift is coming. Also we have changed the shocks with front 2 from HILLUX and rear 2 from a CHEROKEE and we have fit an extra leaf spring. The car has gain 8 cm from suspension and another 2 or 3 cm from the tyres.

[murcod]

Reading this thread, reminded me of a Joke played on a member a few months ago that could have ended in disaster. The pins where removed from the drop shackles by someone.

The resulting handling on the road nearly had some dire results. Read the 1st post on this one.

http://www.outerlimits4x4.com/phpBB2/vi ... p?t=120771

Wow- that's worse than I thought it would even be!? I can't believe some idiot did that for a joke too.

[-Mick-]

morons

I had 2 different types on a sierra. One big brand name, one homemade pair. Both did the same, one cost heaps If you want them make them or get a mate to help make them.... then you lose nothing when you chuck it out

The ones like superior engineering are a bit different and maybe not a diy project mind you.

I found they were fine sometimes, crap other times. When it was just outright downward travel needed they did ok. But when I needed to use some right boot I got some hop. Also since they just drop without downward pressure I found it really easy to break traction. Lockers and gears helped there in the sierra as I could go slower and keep control but those things are a little harder to come by for a feroza (thats why I sold my feroza and got a sierra).

Do not leave them open on road. Just don't do it.... very dangerous if you need to make a sudden move. I once had to swerve on a wet road with open drop shackles and a lockright auto locker Needed new shorts

[MightyMouse]

If your going to start screwing with the rear leaves, then dont forget to space the bumpstops appropriately. Have also yet to be convinced that "random" shock swapping is going to achieve an optimum ride - hilux and jeeps have different vehicle characteristics to a Feroza. Just because they fit doesnt mean they are going to be optimum for the vehicle.

Personally i think the rear springs are already too stiff without adding extra leaves... Its a matter of shape not rate. I have non genuine ones that have boosted the ride hight substantially without changing the rate.

Can't you get the originals reset as required?

Eventually will open / modify the pack clamps etc for a little extra droop if the shocks will allow, but its not a high gain mod or priority.

[murcod]

If your going to start screwing with the rear leaves, then dont forget to space the bumpstops appropriately. Have also yet to be convinced that "random" shock swapping is going to achieve an optimum ride - hilux and jeeps have different vehicle characteristics to a Feroza. Just because they fit doesnt mean they are going to be optimum for the vehicle.

Too right! The problem is some places (eg. Rancho) will sell you a shock to fit if it bolts in, the Feroza unit is also used in a Ford F Truck!?

Commodore wagon rears are acceptable in an F300 rear position (and a bit longer), but that does give the option of buying adjustable Konis that you can play with the rebound damping. My Bilsteins are fantastic, but they're only a little bit longer than stock.

For leafs I spent big $$$ on Dobinsons (over $600) and they were absolute crap! I even removed one leaf and they were still rock hard. In the end I've removed one leaf from my factory "pack" and replaced that with the shortest Dobinson leaf- that has given a excellent compromise between ride/ handling/ ride height and load carrying capacity. Finding a heavier duty (thicker) leaf and replacing one is possibly a good option to try for the DIY person. The problem would be finding one the right width/ length and with the bolt hole in the right position.

Resetting seems to only be a short term fix from the research I did.

Whoops , a bit off topic....