Outer Limits 4x4 Board

Hey Guys, New to the Nissan scene, Just bought a 96 4.2d LWB GQ for the missus. Looking to lift to clear 33" muds. I heard that anything over 3" lift and you have to use drop boxes etc. Is this correct? Just want to be sure of what I do, As the missus will prollie never forgive me if the family bus is a bastard to drive!!! Any comments on whether or not to go to Heavy Duty springs? I have a mate with a QU who swears by them, even if theres no load in it. I have another mate with a GQ, who has HD springs and says he would go softer and use polyairs. I would only load it up when going away, maybe once or twice a year.

dano80 wrote:Looking to lift to clear 33" muds.

3in plenty with 33's.. Any more causes more issues that its worth, cost, most insurance companies like 75mm (few only like 70mm!)...
4x shocks, 4x springs and bolt on 33's. much easier ...

Will I need to get caster bushes also? I'm new to the coil spring thing.

dano80 wrote:Will I need to get caster bushes also? I'm new to the coil spring thing.

Didnt need it on mine, but all cars react differently... Go with the suspension first, get ya tires on and test drive for a day.. you will know then.

dano80 wrote:Hey Guys, New to the Nissan scene, Just bought a 96 4.2d LWB GQ for the missus. Looking to lift to clear 33" muds. I heard that anything over 3" lift and you have to use drop boxes etc. Is this correct? Just want to be sure of what I do, As the missus will prollie never forgive me if the family bus is a bastard to drive!!! Any comments on whether or not to go to Heavy Duty springs? I have a mate with a QU who swears by them, even if theres no load in it. I have another mate with a GQ, who has HD springs and says he would go softer and use polyairs. I would only load it up when going away, maybe once or twice a year.

A full sized 3" lift is as far as you want without having to cough up a lot more money.
For it to drive the nicest then a slim line drop box will be the go for about $270. Most do use castor correction bushes for $100.
Bogged's GQ might drive OK but it would drive a lot nicer with it's castor corrected.
You will need longer sway bar link pins.
Longer shocks.
Longer brake hoses, you may get away with just the rear one and put the old rear one on the front.
Don't forget to raise your rear bump stops or you will bottom out (over compress) the shocks and stuff them.
For the polyairs issue. If you wanted a super soft ride (not recommened, too much leaning over around corners) and you wanted to put all different loads in it all the time then definitely get the polyairs but going by what you have said, the coils that I sell will be fine.

For what you need for a 4" lift you can check me site out at https://www.suspensionstuff.com.au

Catch ya
Shane

http://www.outerlimits4x4.com/phpBB2/vi ... highlight=


pic of my car in there minor rubbing under back guards on chassis

Also adjustable panhard rods F & R, rear brake proportional bracket, maybe longer rear trailing arms to correct drive line pinion angles. Don't muck about with bushes or castor plates use either drop boxes or new radius arms drive better bet articulation and less stress on bushes.

A 2 inch lift would be a better option. All you need is springs and shocks.

LudaCris

id be going 2" lift springs shocks, and 2" body lift

I have a GQ with 33's. No rubbing at all. On toyota rims.
I run Q78 swampers occassionally and they rub a bit.

The difference in cost and PITA factor from 2" to 3" is huge if you do it right.

So go for the 2" Spring/Shock lift, And maybe 2 body lift. Could I fit 33's under with no body lift. My measurements say it does, anyone actually know. Thanks for the input. If I put 2" springs under it, Whats stopping me from putting 4" longer shocks, to get more down travel?

dano80 wrote:So go for the 2" Spring/Shock lift, And maybe 2 body lift. Could I fit 33's under with no body lift. My measurements say it does, anyone actually know. Thanks for the input. If I put 2" springs under it, Whats stopping me from putting 4" longer shocks, to get more down travel?

Your body lift doesn't change the suspension at all. All it does is let you fit larger tyres and saves your rear lights from smashing and your sill.

For the rear you would have to raise your bump stops and get coil drop out cones. 4" lifted coils for the front would be going overboard. https://www.suspensionstuff.com.au/shop ... cts_id=570

Shane

Yeah mate i have 2" spring lift and 2" body and i fit 35's so i think you shouldn't have a problem with 2" and 33's

dano80 wrote:So go for the 2" Spring/Shock lift, And maybe 2 body lift. Could I fit 33's under with no body lift. My measurements say it does, anyone actually know. Thanks for the input. If I put 2" springs under it, Whats stopping me from putting 4" longer shocks, to get more down travel?

I have koni long travel shocks and 2" heavy duty springs, no body lift, no castor correction and 305/70/16s (near enough 33s) and it is fantastic. No rubbing, no hassles at all and drives like a dream. As bogged wrote get new shocks & springs and drive it for a day before deciding on whether or not you need a castor kit. Some suspension joints will try to sell you everything under the sun when it is not needed.

dano80 wrote:Just bought a 96 4.2d LWB GQ for the missus.

That was a good deal.

T_Diesel wrote:

dano80 wrote:So go for the 2" Spring/Shock lift, And maybe 2 body lift. Could I fit 33's under with no body lift. My measurements say it does, anyone actually know. Thanks for the input. If I put 2" springs under it, Whats stopping me from putting 4" longer shocks, to get more down travel?

I have koni long travel shocks and 2" heavy duty springs, no body lift, no castor correction and 305/70/16s (near enough 33s) and it is fantastic. No rubbing, no hassles at all and drives like a dream. As bogged wrote get new shocks & springs and drive it for a day before deciding on whether or not you need a castor kit. Some suspension joints will try to sell you everything under the sun when it is not needed.

ABOUT CASTOR CORRECTION
No harm in driving it for a day or so to see how she goes. You may not notice much difference at first because there are so many new things going on with the vehicle and you are taking in how high it feels etc but they do make a difference.

Generally speaking you will have to have a lot more driver input to keep her straight and she may randomly want to pull to one side under heavy braking (if the road cambers at all) which may not work out well for you.

It is true that some suspension joints will try and sell you stuff that isn't needed (but I haven't come accross this with anyone on Outerlimits) but dano80 has a MRS who wants it to drive nice. I have put 3" lifts in my own vehicles without castor correction bushes and I have noticed a big difference.

As far as castor correction bushes are concerned, I get them for about $90 and sell them for $100 and freight them for free if you get a kit so I don't think I will make my millions selling bushes. It is a service to supply bushes not a money making scheme. Something that you do to help the customer.

Shane

dano80 wrote:So go for the 2" Spring/Shock lift, And maybe 2 body lift. Could I fit 33's under with no body lift. My measurements say it does, anyone actually know.

how longs a piece of string. the issue is so many 33's dont measure 33.. some are 32 some are 33+in... rim offset is also a large portion of the issue

fwiw.. i had over 6in lift in mine and 33s rubbed on the inner panels on yota rims...

RoadNazi wrote:

dano80 wrote:Just bought a 96 4.2d LWB GQ for the missus.

That was a good deal.

I sold her that whole "We're going to go camping" sort of story, look it wasn't cheap for what it is.........but its only got a genuine 172,000 when I took purchase!

4WD Stuff wrote:

T_Diesel wrote:

dano80 wrote:So go for the 2" Spring/Shock lift, And maybe 2 body lift. Could I fit 33's under with no body lift. My measurements say it does, anyone actually know. Thanks for the input. If I put 2" springs under it, Whats stopping me from putting 4" longer shocks, to get more down travel?

I have koni long travel shocks and 2" heavy duty springs, no body lift, no castor correction and 305/70/16s (near enough 33s) and it is fantastic. No rubbing, no hassles at all and drives like a dream. As bogged wrote get new shocks & springs and drive it for a day before deciding on whether or not you need a castor kit. Some suspension joints will try to sell you everything under the sun when it is not needed.

ABOUT CASTOR CORRECTION
No harm in driving it for a day or so to see how she goes. You may not notice much difference at first because there are so many new things going on with the vehicle and you are taking in how high it feels etc but they do make a difference.

Generally speaking you will have to have a lot more driver input to keep her straight and she may randomly want to pull to one side under heavy braking (if the road cambers at all) which may not work out well for you.

It is true that some suspension joints will try and sell you stuff that isn't needed (but I haven't come accross this with anyone on Outerlimits) but dano80 has a MRS who wants it to drive nice. I have put 3" lifts in my own vehicles without castor correction bushes and I have noticed a big difference.

As far as castor correction bushes are concerned, I get them for about $90 and sell them for $100 and freight them for free if you get a kit so I don't think I will make my millions selling bushes. It is a service to supply bushes not a money making scheme. Something that you do to help the customer.

Shane

Whats the story with fitting these bushes, if I ended up going this way. I have heard you can just press them in with a bench vice, I think the problem for me is what position to put them in. Because as I understand these things they can spin all the way round, being able to be pressed in any position? Might just be over my head to do this job of putting these bushes in? Should I just pay someone else to put them in?

My Mickey Thompson 33's scrubed on my 3" lift with 40mm body lift. Nothing a hammer couldn't fix. I found that anything Mickey Thompson was bigger then other brands I compared them to. I had offset rims 28mm offset or there abouts.

Shane

dano80 wrote:Whats the story with fitting these bushes, if I ended up going this way. I have heard you can just press them in with a bench vice, I think the problem for me is what position to put them in. Because as I understand these things they can spin all the way round, being able to be pressed in any position? Might just be over my head to do this job of putting these bushes in? Should I just pay someone else to put them in?

I think you will struggle with a vise, they usually come with a template to line them up, so not real hard.

A suspension place prob charge $20-30 to press the old ones out a new ones in.

Dazza

If you go castor bushes you will either have to pull your arms out or pay someone to do it for you. Not worth the trouble or money for 25mm more.

The rule has always been upto 2 inch lift no castor correction needed.

LudaCris

I have a mate with a GU, he had old man emu 2" kit with no correction, fitted correction at a later date. He claims it made a difference.

dano80 wrote:I have a mate with a GU, he had old man emu 2" kit with no correction, fitted correction at a later date. He claims it made a difference.

Every single car reacts differently to lifts.

Look at GQ Shortys, some people "SAY" they do 7inch lifts with no issues, others so 1inch lifts and get viabrations.

IN my shorty time of having the GQ (1 year now) i've gone from drop boxes which were too big to now having castor bushes, & now will be going back to drop boxes or maybe drop arms, the way the car handled with drop boxes was awesome

Andrew