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Sierra Coil Conversion

Posted: Thu Jul 23, 2009 8:51 pm
by madbax
Hi guys, Ive got a 1982 sierra, I want to know if a coil conversion would be worthwhile? Would it get much more travel? any advice would be apreciated.

Thanks

Mitch

Posted: Thu Jul 23, 2009 9:08 pm
by grimbo
if you have lots of money or lots of fantastic fabrication skills then it might be a good solution. If you have neither then no. Leaf suspension can provide enough wheel travel. Just spend your money on lockers, mucjh beter solution than trying to sort out a custom suspension setup that in all probability wont be any better than a well setup leaf suspension.

Posted: Thu Jul 23, 2009 9:17 pm
by Gwagensteve
There's been a few threads in the past.

This is a very complex job. There's lots of very poorly converted cars too - bad balance, inadequate roll stiffness, poor reliability, too tall, clunky, wobbly or scary.

Also, you've asked a kind of loaded question - you're assuming you'll automatically have more travel with coils than leaves - and that's not necessarily the case. It's not even always the case that a coil car will handle better than a leaf car on or off road.

sierras are quite easy to get plenty of controlled travel and excellent balance out with leaf springs.

also, how much would you or could you do yourself? Getting the job done commercially could cost more than twice the value of your car. Even if you pay to get it done, you are going to need to be very well informed to know that to ask for and to assess how happy you are with the results.

Is it worthwhile? maybe, depending on what you want to achieve. You're unlikely to ever need more travel than a well setup leaf car could deliver (or even that much travel if you have lockers)

I'm planning coiling my junk with range rover radius arms, but I'm after axlewrap control, steering precision and an excuse to fabricate some stuff, I don't really expect more travel than a well built leaf car.

just some thoughts.

*grimbo voice on* you're in QLD yes? engineering will be an issue you need to contend with.

also, as you are narrow track, you'll want to think about wide track diffs (or non suzuki diffs) as for installation reasons (room for springs/brackets and stability, you'll want the added width.

Steve.

Posted: Thu Jul 23, 2009 9:23 pm
by madbax
Thanks for the advice. I think Ill stick to leaf springs for now and maybe think about some wide track diffs soon.

Thanks

Mitch

Posted: Fri Jul 24, 2009 7:47 am
by 11_evl
come out to senic rim this weekend and ill show you my set up.
even after 15 months of having it in im still having problems and sorting shit out :lol:
all part of it i guess.

Posted: Fri Jul 24, 2009 8:07 am
by joeblow
its a huge job if you want it done well, and the nutting out of everything will give you grey hair! if you have heaps of time and patience, as well as adequate funds and knowlege gor for it. to give you some idea of the fabbing involved check this thread out.

http://www.outerlimits4x4.com/ftopic167 ... highlight=

Posted: Fri Jul 24, 2009 8:48 am
by 31zook
joeblow wrote:its a huge job if you want it done well, and the nutting out of everything will give you grey hair! if you have heaps of time and patience, as well as adequate funds and knowlege gor for it. to give you some idea of the fabbing involved check this thread out.

http://www.outerlimits4x4.com/ftopic167 ... highlight=
what would you know :finger: :finger: :finger:

Posted: Fri Jul 24, 2009 4:19 pm
by ZUKPOWER
Gwagensteve wrote:*grimbo voice on* you're in QLD yes? engineering will be an issue you need to contend with.

also, as you are narrow track, you'll want to think about wide track diffs (or non suzuki diffs) as for installation reasons (room for springs/brackets and stability, you'll want the added width.

Steve.
wow steve you do quite a convincing Grimbo impersonation :D

Posted: Fri Jul 24, 2009 5:15 pm
by grimbo
ZUKPOWER wrote:
Gwagensteve wrote:*grimbo voice on* you're in QLD yes? engineering will be an issue you need to contend with.

also, as you are narrow track, you'll want to think about wide track diffs (or non suzuki diffs) as for installation reasons (room for springs/brackets and stability, you'll want the added width.

Steve.
wow steve you do quite a convincing Grimbo impersonation :D
if you had bothered to search you would have already known that.




Thank you, long live the king :armsup: