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longer springs without chasis mods

Posted: Fri Feb 11, 2005 6:31 pm
by built4thrashing
I know this topic has been thrashed abouyt heaps lately but i cant find a straight answer. I want to get some more flex out of the front but dont want to start cutting and welding the chasis.

What springs will fit without any mods except extended shackles. would 50mm longer be the maximum length??

Re: longer springs without chasis mods

Posted: Fri Feb 11, 2005 7:06 pm
by Damo
built4thrashing wrote:I know this topic has been thrashed abouyt heaps lately but i cant find a straight answer. I want to get some more flex out of the front but dont want to start cutting and welding the chasis.

What springs will fit without any mods except extended shackles. would 50mm longer be the maximum length??


Stock rears should work up front with a longer shackle. Pretty booty though. Give it a go and let us know how it performs.

Posted: Fri Feb 11, 2005 7:25 pm
by Bad JuJu
When I tried RUF as described the std shackles were parrallel to the chasis on level ground. 50 mm longer than standard shackles gave me only a few degrees of compression until the shackle was bound up, but sh!tloads of droop.

Any one got some nice clear pics of the front shackle angles with this setup ??

BTW the springs I tried to use were nearly flat under the weight of the zook, there was only a slight arch. At most perhaps 25-30mm of deflection in the center of the spring arch

Posted: Fri Feb 11, 2005 7:36 pm
by nicbeer
So a anti inversion bracket fabricated / welded on would be advised?

Would more arch be better?

Posted: Fri Feb 11, 2005 7:39 pm
by Bad JuJu
More arch would shorten the distance between the spring eyes & relieve the shackle angle I guess.... I dont think you would invert a shackle that easily with the extreem forward angle of the shackle that I got....

Posted: Fri Feb 11, 2005 8:36 pm
by ca18escort
If you have a look in the project low thread there are pics of mine with RUF and a 50mm extended shackle. I don't really recommend it I have problems with mine. Did a chassis extension that you can see in my members thread. It only took a couple of hours and it was a much better solution. I will be fitting hilux spring to the rear of mine this weekend if I can find the motivation.

Paul

Posted: Fri Feb 11, 2005 9:24 pm
by ZOOK60
posonally wouldnt do it unless it was offraod only shackle hits the chassis when going over bumps making noises. saying that you get amazing down travel prepare for longer shocks

Posted: Fri Feb 11, 2005 11:25 pm
by Bad JuJu
When I Tried Mine looked like ca18escorts

http://www.outerlimits4x4.com/PHP_Modul ... hp?id=1703

Posted: Sat Feb 12, 2005 8:34 am
by bigsteve
If your aim is just extra travel and you don't "need" to move thediff forward, I'd redrill the eye bush hole forther back (Judge the distance yourself) then fit a longer shackle, I have seen this done and it tuirned out quite well and is not easy to spot but simple to reverse.

Posted: Sat Feb 12, 2005 10:20 am
by nicbeer
Bigsteve.

Do you mean the fixed end? and also use a longer spring as well.

cheers

Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2005 7:26 am
by bigsteve
nicbeer wrote:Bigsteve.

Do you mean the fixed end? and also use a longer spring as well.

cheers


Yes the fixed end (rear of the front springs)

The white zook with lux springs & 3/4 used to have RUF fitted with a re-drilled fixed end hole and a longer shackle, it didn't move the fiff forward but did give the additional droop of RUF.

Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2005 6:05 pm
by Gwagensteve
I'm sure those of you who have not RUFed before have already heard this, but the increased travel is only a fraction of the benefit. The real advantage comes when the added travel is combined with the wheelbase stretch - this places the bulk of the weight of the motor behind the front axle and the balance of the car completely changes - the front end will go to full articulation before the rear, even when climbing, so teh car feels much more stable. (Not to mention the increase in tyre size this allows)

I have done quite a number of extensions and RUFS, and the shackle mount IMHO needs to come forward about 50mm, even with a 40mm over stock shackle. Bear in mind too that to do it 100% properly, the steering box needs to come forward too or else the pitman arm interferes (gently) with the tie rod.

I have seen RUF on SPOA cars with stock chassis length, but they had flat springs at normal ride height and some very funky shackle angles.

Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2005 6:39 pm
by roc box
do you remove any leaves or jus run them stock :?:

Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2005 6:44 pm
by Gwagensteve
Sorry if this wasn't intended for me, but the cars with RUF inthe Club here have all run OME rears, with either 3 or 4 leaves (generally 3) they end up pretty soft but hold height okay. with RUf and an extension you end up with a bit more lift inthe front than the rear for the same spring manufacturer all round so the front can be run softer to knock some lift out and level the car with a nice cushy ride.

Basically, any overload springs are removed.

Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2005 6:55 pm
by redzook
ive ran a stock pack minus the overload + one from the front

and the set i run atm is completly stock with overload and all

Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2005 7:45 pm
by built4thrashing
ok we have all hear5d heaps about RUF but what other springs from other cars will fit in the front that are a bit longer. dont want to go down the track of extending the chasis! how much longer leaf could you go without any weldingand with out stupid shackle angles

Posted: Wed Feb 16, 2005 9:14 am
by Damo
[quote="Gwagensteve"]
I have done quite a number of extensions and RUFS, and the shackle mount IMHO needs to come forward about 50mm, even with a 40mm over stock shackle[\quote]

I thought you Vic guys moved the shackle forward about 100mm???

What's the G-O?

Posted: Wed Feb 16, 2005 10:27 am
by Wolverine
Rears up front can be done with out moving perches with adaptor plates.

http://www.izook.com/reviews/rrftor/rrrftor.htm

RRO have some that allow you to run rears up front and only moved your diff forward half and inch so everything stays where it should but you get the flex increases. this kit can be used with stock or lifted springs.

As far as other springs go I used cj7 springs. They are long (44 inches) and soft and are the exact same width as zuk springs so they go in nice and easy. The cj7 fits in the rear with the adapter plate and flexes awesome. If you can find cj 5/6 they will go in the rear with just a longer shackle.

If you put rears up front and a cj spring in the rear you will have a nice and flexy vehicle at a low cost. Both can be done with the adapterplates.



Only thing is cjs are hard to find. But I have some that I will be selling. I also have some adapter plates that I am no longer using.

Posted: Wed Feb 16, 2005 11:19 am
by Mudzuki
Damo wrote:
Gwagensteve wrote:I have done quite a number of extensions and RUFS, and the shackle mount IMHO needs to come forward about 50mm, even with a 40mm over stock shackle[\quote]

I thought you Vic guys moved the shackle forward about 100mm???

What's the G-O?


With 4" chassis extension, you could probably get away with stock shackles, maybe less extension in chassis and more in shackle????

Posted: Wed Feb 16, 2005 1:43 pm
by Damo
Mudzuki wrote:
Damo wrote:
Gwagensteve wrote:I have done quite a number of extensions and RUFS, and the shackle mount IMHO needs to come forward about 50mm, even with a 40mm over stock shackle[\quote]

I thought you Vic guys moved the shackle forward about 100mm???

What's the G-O?


With 4" chassis extension, you could probably get away with stock shackles, maybe less extension in chassis and more in shackle????


Yeah that would make sense

Posted: Wed Feb 16, 2005 6:28 pm
by built4thrashing
found out last night that daihatsu F20 (scat) rear springs are 50mm longer than zooks but fronts are only 10mm longer. the main leaves are 8mm thick and the pin is centered. Im thinking of running this as the main leaf in the rear with only one helper leaf. would this work with only extended shackles or would it sag?

Posted: Wed Feb 16, 2005 9:41 pm
by Bad JuJu
Is 10 mm length worth the effort ??
I dunno but wouldnt think so.. 50 mm maybe.

Posted: Wed Feb 16, 2005 11:17 pm
by Guy
I did it on my Zuk with standard hangers and longer shackles SPOA the shackle angle was about 50 degrees and would at max compression would actually start to come back down a bit.
Hard to tell about the handling, I was OK with it.. bout would not recommend it for everyone.
I will post pics in the morning (on my other laptop)

Posted: Thu Feb 17, 2005 6:22 pm
by built4thrashing
just gotta find some at a wreckers now. they are from a early '80 model F20 daihatsu scat (b4 they became a rocky)

Now i need to find some for the front about 980mm or so long

Posted: Fri Feb 18, 2005 9:51 am
by Bad JuJu
love_mud wrote:I did it on my Zuk with standard hangers and longer shackles SPOA the shackle angle was about 50 degrees and would at max compression would actually start to come back down a bit.
Hard to tell about the handling, I was OK with it.. bout would not recommend it for everyone.
I will post pics in the morning (on my other laptop)


Still waiting for pics to arrive dude..

Posted: Thu Feb 24, 2005 5:04 pm
by jabtronic
...cough :D

Posted: Thu Feb 24, 2005 11:09 pm
by Guy
Ok so here is the much awaited and coughed after pic of a longer shackle with rear springs in front

from memory the shackle is about 40mm longer than stock.

Posted: Fri Feb 25, 2005 12:12 am
by Gutless
slightly off topic, But I have just fitted some jakaroo springs to a shorty rear with longer shackles. the leaves are the same thickness as zook leaves ( nice and soft) and we removed the load leaf, fliped the bottom leaf onto the top and they are almost flat. We didn't want any lift and we only got half an inch. the rear diff sits 25mm rearward of factory position, and the spring is about 180mm longer from eye to eye :armsup:

Just have to make new shockie mounts ( laying them inwards more, and lifting the top mount 2" aswell. ( BL fitted to this one)

Without shockies, it flexes like a demon :twisted: Haven't driven it yet but hop to soon. Will take some pic's this weekend ;)

Posted: Fri Feb 25, 2005 6:48 pm
by nicbeer
Whats an ideal shackle angle? different for different terrain?

Gutless. sounds cool, make sure you post some pics, how close to the fuel tank is the shocks now.

cheers

Posted: Fri Feb 25, 2005 8:04 pm
by Gutless
Shocks are getting closer everyday :x We are ute cabbing it ( hard top) and then moving the tank soon, so will prolly keep the diff where it is for now, and in a few months after the ute conversion, we'll move the diff back and relocate the tank.

Will post pics when done :D