Coil Conversion on leaf sprung GU

Post by **Burdy** » Mon Feb 23, 2009 7:03 pm

Ive picked up a leaf sprung Gu cheap and wondering if its possible to do a coil conversion and whats involved and how much and is it worth doing or would it be cheaper to sell it and buy a coil sprung Gu
Any info is greatly appreciated
cheers Ian

Post by **bogged** » Mon Feb 23, 2009 7:16 pm

Burdy wrote: wondering if its possible to do a coil conversion
whats involved
how much
is it worth doing

1) yes
2) removing old diff, mounts, welding mounts etc on the chassis etc...
3) you paying to have it all done? if yes, it maybe cheaper to sell... Depends though, what you consider cheap, and if your supplying parts etc.
4) Yes

Post by **chunderlicious** » Mon Feb 23, 2009 7:25 pm

buy a ute chassis with a coil rear diff. thats the easiest. second would be to graft the back end of a coil chassis or just all the mounts but this requires mod plates and things.

Post by **Burdy** » Mon Feb 23, 2009 7:26 pm

i was planning on paying someone to do it but not sure who does the conversion, I paid $23,000 for an 02 with just over 100,000ks on it
im willing to pay to have it done but just wanting to no how much it would cost and if its a drive drive out price

Post by **bogged** » Mon Feb 23, 2009 7:32 pm

Burdy wrote:i was planning on paying someone to do it but not sure who does the conversion, I paid $23,000 for an 02 with just over 100,000ks on it
im willing to pay to have it done but just wanting to no how much it would cost and if its a drive drive out price

not ex mines is it?

I'd reckon 2-4000 would do it with new bushes etc through out. but you would have to call around.

Post by **Burdy** » Mon Feb 23, 2009 7:34 pm

Na mate it come from toowoomba dont no of anyone who would do the conversion

Post by **bogged** » Mon Feb 23, 2009 7:44 pm

PM Giantracing off here.
nfi he is near you but would give you a price on it.

Post by **chimpboy** » Mon Feb 23, 2009 8:25 pm

bogged wrote:PM Giantracing off here.
nfi he is near you but would give you a price on it.

Toowoomba would be near enough I reckon.

Post by **mud4b** » Tue Feb 24, 2009 12:10 pm

i could do it for you and i have the rear chassis cut. the cheap option for the diff mounts would be to buy a gq rear housing and lop the mounts off that and reweld them onto your diff, this would drop the price by a heap as you will not have to buy a complete rear diff from a gu..

you could run it without getting it engineered as it would not affect anything until you went to sell it. as for engineering it im not sure what it would come under but i could find out if you wanted the conversion to be legal..

cheers mark

Post by **uninformed** » Tue Feb 24, 2009 12:50 pm

if u are going to do it you may want to consider a double triangulated 4 link rather than the 5 link rear the patrols run as stock

Serg

Post by **chunderlicious** » Tue Feb 24, 2009 4:33 pm

just put a GQ rear in... cheap, and its only 50mm narrower than the GU front... the leaf rear is around 5 inches more narrow.

Post by **Slunnie** » Tue Feb 24, 2009 4:39 pm

If QLD is like NSW, then if you narrow the track at all then you cant lift it at all AFAIK.

Are the GU ute lower link chassis mounts bolt on/off?

Post by **Tiny** » Tue Feb 24, 2009 4:56 pm

if you can get hold of china (daz) off this board he id it to his with the big diff, ended up going to a factory set up with gq bits from memory in the end as he was up the wattos and kept draging the big diff. would have shaved the big diff personally though

could try pming 4sum4 as well I think he ended up helping daz with it but would know what he ended up doing

Post by **chunderlicious** » Tue Feb 24, 2009 6:49 pm

Slunnie wrote:If QLD is like NSW, then if you narrow the track at all then you cant lift it at all AFAIK.

Are the GU ute lower link chassis mounts bolt on/off?

everything is pasted on. no bolts or rivets.

Post by **eliteforce32** » Tue Feb 24, 2009 6:56 pm

burdy i will get some prices ASAP

your way real soon...... oh and next time buy a a coiled truck

....

Post by **GUte** » Wed Feb 25, 2009 9:18 am

Make sure you reinforce your springs seats while your at it.

Al.

Post by **GeeUte** » Wed Feb 25, 2009 6:04 pm

Easiest and cheapest way is to get all the bits of any GQ coil or wagon arse end and weld it on.

That way you can set it up how you want and maybe even chuck in a Superior Long Arm kit while your there.

THE BIG PROBLEM with that is, your cutting and welding to the chassis and that = Engineers reports and mod plates.

Which is fine if your going to stay in the one State for a while because if you move around a bit, that engineers report and mod plate may not be accepted in the new state and you may have to go through that aspect again for an interstate rego change.

However you could run the gauntlet and hope no one ever picks that you did the conversion. But the amount of possible sh!t level versus the fun factor just aint worth it if you ask me.

Post by **mhgill** » Wed Feb 25, 2009 6:19 pm

Unless your planing to build a modified comp truck, and you got it cheap, arn't you better off selling it and buying a coil sprung gu with your profits?

Maybe not? Correct me if i'm wrong.....

Post by **vanbox** » Thu Feb 26, 2009 7:24 pm

eliteforce32 wrote:burdy i will get some prices ASAP your way real soon...... oh and next time buy a a coiled truck ....

Pfft!!! says you, who Im pretty sure lacks coils ALL ROUND!

Seriously though. You could try giantracing (rmember him with the mowhawk from the wkdn, Chris) or give superior a ring like you were supposed to. they would have all the mounts in stock. And its a good point about only engineering when you need to sell it. If you do all the factory mounts it wont be noticeable!

PAULY

Post by **eliteforce32** » Thu Feb 26, 2009 8:01 pm

coils are so 2000

.... stop high jacking this thread vanbox

..... and no superior will not do the conversion.

Post by **GeeUte** » Thu Feb 26, 2009 8:50 pm

What do you really want to do with the ute ?

Nothing will be as good as the coil's but you still can get the leafs to work well.

Before you do anything consider the legal remnifications. Worse case scenario your in a major accident. You wont be covered by insurance and if its serious enough for vehicles to be inspected......... your in a world of hurt.

If your staying in QLD, do it once, do it right. Your cuting, grinding and welding on your rails which in any state DOT is a massive NO NO.Get it engineered, pay the extra and you have no more drama's.

Post by **eliteforce32** » Fri Feb 27, 2009 6:27 am

If your staying in QLD, do it once, do it right. Your cuting, grinding and welding on your rails which in any state DOT is a massive NO NO.

..... i beg to differ in QLD.... you must have your facts twisted my friend or have no idea, this can a will be passed through tranport

Post by **uninformed** » Fri Feb 27, 2009 7:56 am

eliteforce32 wrote:
If your staying in QLD, do it once, do it right. Your cuting, grinding and welding on your rails which in any state DOT is a massive NO NO.
..... i beg to differ in QLD.... you must have your facts twisted my friend or have no idea, this can a will be passed through tranport

what is required to make it legal?

with regards to welding, does the welder have to be certified? if so what certs? and does the DOT want to see those certs?

cheers, Serg

Post by **hoppy's79** » Fri Feb 27, 2009 11:39 am

Well whatever the case it is definately legal because i got a 100 series diff with coils put in the rear of my 79 series ute. definately worth doing the amount of extra comfort that you get out of it is unreal, also flex's unreal without having drop shackles etc, which are illegal on roadv(atleast they are in qld). Not sure what the requirements are to get it certified though as i got Brett from Custom offroad and mechanical on the sunshine coast to get all this done. think he's sold the shop now but i'm sure whoever brought it still does these mods. Also if your doing this for offroad ability get a long arm kit put in while your at it, i only got the standard length control arms in mine now am gunna make a long arm kit for myself when i get around to it because of how much better it will make it

Post by **GeeUte** » Fri Feb 27, 2009 5:59 pm

Did i say it wont be approved or did i say it was a NO NO ?

If you read it correctly it says if you are going to do that, get it engineered as you can not legally grind and weld new mounts to your chassis rails without a certificate.

You do need a certified welder, but as previously stated, its a lot easier to do a drive in, drive out conversion- engineered and mod plated all in the one go from a business. Unless your handy on the tools and have mates in the know.

How would i know ?

Because I have done it !

Post by **uninformed** » Fri Feb 27, 2009 7:08 pm

im not having a go at anyone, the reason i ask is because im about to start night welding at TAFE. it would be good to know what certs i need and if i can get them there or where i can get them...

Serg

Post by **eliteforce32** » Fri Feb 27, 2009 10:32 pm

you can't just get a cert from a basic night class for the classification of welding inspector/certifier (for this particular situation)

.... first you have to be trade qualified (i.e boilermaker that is just one) then with appropriate tickets you can certify

..... or go to a Classified mod plater (That does this particular mod it will be a certain no. on there plater profile can't remember

)......or engineer

so things that will need to be plated......

if your using factory mounts for links..... welding will only need to be inspected/passed.

Mod plate for modified GVM.

OH and sorry to GeeUTE i thought ur last statement said a FLAT OUT NO.... re-read/put normal eye goggles on

.... those basic night classes at tafe will only say that you can weld to A AUST. Standard

Post by **uninformed** » Sat Feb 28, 2009 12:20 am

got to start some where right

first run im doing basic stick and basic mig 10 weeks each. then i will do avdanced mig and see where i can go from there.

Serg

Post by **GeeUte** » Sat Feb 28, 2009 8:31 am

Too easy eliteforce32.

Burdy you got a couple options, look into what is easiest and most beneficial to you.

Cut the mounts of a GU or GQ coil rear and weld to the massive diff you have got. Put on your coil hats, shock mounts, upper and lower arms, panhard etc. Only drama there is the shorter wheel track that the big pumpkin diff gives. With bigger tyres when flexing it rubbs on your rails. You can correct this by offset rims and wheel spacers - (there illegal too)

. ARB has brought out an air locker for the big H260 now aswell.

Buy a complete rear diff off a GQ or GU. Get the extra mounts. Then you will have a wider wheel track and the option to run disc brakes on the rear then. I think you needed the tail shaft as well because the leaf one is shorter, but dont quote me on that.

Obviously it is not that straight forward and there is always something you forget but thats the basic options.

Personally if your hell bent on it, I would shop around for a business to do a drive in drive out conversion if your not overly confident on the tools mate. It may cost you a bit extra, but if you take into account what your time is worth per hour, and your mates who are helping you it does not work out that bad. Plus you get back behind the wheel quicker, with a warranty and all the relevant paperwork to keep it legal.

Thats my 2 cents anyway. Go shopping for quotes and let us all know how you went !

Post by **Burdy** » Tue Mar 10, 2009 7:05 pm

thanks for the feedback guys but im still undecided on whether to sell the vehicle or have the conversion done

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