Page 1 of 1

GQ 4" lift. What is required?

Posted: Sat Mar 20, 2010 10:57 pm
by mike_nofx
I've got a stock height GQ that I plan to lift 4" and have some questions first.

What exactly is needed to have a trouble free 4" system?
Suspensionstuff sell a kit for $2000 which includes
coils
shocks
panhards
brake likes
castor plates (drop box extra $200)
brake prop valve bracket
trailing arms

that's it I think. Does that sound reasonable? I don't want to spend any more than that so for the $$ is it ok? Would you reccomends drop boxes over plates? Would bump spacers be needed?

Any other advice would be great!

Thanks

Posted: Sun Mar 21, 2010 12:36 am
by jbates58
gday mate.

well my trol isnt lifted, but from reading that list, and for a 4" lift i beleive that you will need a adjustable or extended draglink to suit the lift aswell. or the steering is going to be way out. but from what i have read, drop boxes are the way to go, but people reckon that they get caught up on them, personaly i dont know. but from all my research into lifts and stuff, extended leading arms are the way to go, then the castor is spot on, and the suspension geometry is where is should be for the best ride on and off oad.

cheers

jbates58

also, as i said my trol isnt lifted, i am only going by what i have read and researched.

Posted: Sun Mar 21, 2010 7:34 am
by anzac
spend the extra few dollars and at least get the drop boxes.

I've never personally seen a truck get caught on drop boxes, I suspect it's a bit of a myth.

2grand is a good price.

Posted: Sun Mar 21, 2010 9:18 am
by gu town
x2 for the drop boxes. suspensionstuff is the goods.

Posted: Sun Mar 21, 2010 9:32 am
by hiy6o
I would get the drop boxes and normally recommend adjustable rear upper arms to get the rear diff angle back as you may find the coils will be bowed due to the saddle position also the rear shocks tend to hit the bumpstop plates on down travel and possibly damage the shock .
The adjustable steering link will get the turning circle centred .
If your not sure get a pro to fit it , there is more to it than just bolting it on . It may cost but it will drive better for it .

Posted: Sun Mar 21, 2010 5:29 pm
by mike_nofx
Kit includes upper trailing arms.

Does not include draglink tho, is this an absolute must? Or will it get by for a while?

If I get the kit I will also get the drop boxes.

I'm really keen to get this lift asap. It's so low at the moment I can just about see straight over the roof, and I'm not that tall!

Posted: Mon Mar 22, 2010 9:34 am
by mhgill
You wont need a drag link straight up, untill you get sick of the turning circle of a bus.

Drop boxes are a must.

Posted: Mon Mar 22, 2010 11:09 am
by micks troll
I had 4" coils 30mm spacers and 30mm body and my set up worked ok with 36x12.5x15 swampers but some guard chopping was needed still and 4" extended bump stops in the rear (with still light scrubing).

The rear had 3rds lower arms (which are a little longer???) and put adjustable upper arms in and shortened 30mm which sat the tyre square inside the guard at tuck! Also adjustable panhards definetley needed!

The front had adjustable panhard, all heavy duty adjustable tierods/draglinks (optional) and drop boxes, also ran GU slotted bushes. Dont even bother with plates/ castor bushes as they wont be enough and the ride is real bad when you hit banks etc as the diff has to travel forward before going up due to the arc of the castor! The front guards had to be severly cut out at the rear of them or you could possibley put in spacers on the arms for more clearance if fitting 35s or 36s. I didnt extend stops in the front and had some rubbing on the shock tower with the tyres (on cruiser -23 off set 15x8s)

Yes you will hit the dropboxs rock crawling but was never stopped by them hitting! Now that the Mrs has written my GQ wagon off I'm goin to a ute and this time run the superior super flex arms for better flex in the front in stead of drop boxes but thats add another 1500ish to the price of ya lift!

Hope this helps abit!
basic kit would be two adjustable panhards, coils, shocks, extended brake lines (can use rear up front and buy extended rear), drop boxes, adjustable upper arms for rear, proportioning bracket extention. Possibley new dampner due to different panhard bracket, then go from there to all arms etc etc

Posted: Mon Mar 22, 2010 12:56 pm
by Josh n Kat
All my mates are running drop boxes but i opted for the drop arms and i reckon there is a difference when wheeling.
I'm only running a 4 inch lift and my mates have got 6 and i haven't got hung up on anything mostly cause of the fact i don't have bloody big metal boxes sticking 2 1/2 inches below my chassis.
But yeah if your restricted by budget, they still do the job!

Posted: Mon Mar 22, 2010 3:07 pm
by twodiffs
Josh n Kat wrote:All my mates are running drop boxes but i opted for the drop arms and i reckon there is a difference when wheeling.
I'm only running a 4 inch lift and my mates have got 6 and i haven't got hung up on anything mostly cause of the fact i don't have bloody big metal boxes sticking 2 1/2 inches below my chassis.
But yeah if your restricted by budget, they still do the job!
2 Years of running drop boxes over river boulders and narrow creek beds, fallen logs and trees etc......haven't been hung up on them yet!!