Outer Limits 4x4 Board

G'day. Driving a 1990 Single cab Hilux ute with standard leaf spring suspension and pro-comp struts but it has a severe lack of articulation. I don't have much of a budget at the moment so what i'd like advice on is how I can improve it without spending much until i get a bit more of a budget for comprehensive work.

I have heard that you can remove load bearing leaves and that that helps heaps, interested in hearing from people that have done this? Also any other suggestions would be great as well as pics..

Cheers.

Have you got standard leaves or 2" as stated in your signature?

The best way and easiest way to improve leaf spring articulation, is with extended shackles, You can buy extended shackles or make them, bare in mind laws to change from state to state.
If making them use about a minimum thickness of 10mm steel plate and high tensile bolts, alot of stress comes upon shackles.
for every 50mm of extended shackle you will also get 25mm of lift.
other than that see like a buy something with coils.
Cheers

Sorry it has a two inch lift, dont know what i was thinking when i said standard.

Depending on how old the springs are and your facilities and capabilities are there are a few options.

Guessing you are standard garage with basic tools;

Pull springs out and pull apart, wire bruss all contact surfaces, apply dry lube type product and re-assemble.

Whilst doing this pull out load carrying leaves (Big thick buggars at the bottom) although depending on your springs this may have a marginal to no effect.

check your bushings are not frozen and dry lube a bit too (that is off the top of my head and may have little to no effect as well.)

Other options start costing money.

Busiboy wrote:Depending on how old the springs are and your facilities and capabilities are there are a few options.

Guessing you are standard garage with basic tools;

Pull springs out and pull apart, wire bruss all contact surfaces, apply dry lube type product and re-assemble.

Whilst doing this pull out load carrying leaves (Big thick buggars at the bottom) although depending on your springs this may have a marginal to no effect.

check your bushings are not frozen and dry lube a bit too (that is off the top of my head and may have little to no effect as well.)

Other options start costing money.

What budget are you looking at? You could fit ifs rears into the back of your truck for less than $100 if you can find second hand springs ($50 odd) and make your own CUSTOM (the RTA dont like the word extended) shackles for about $25.

With putting in extended shackles you really need to get springs to suit. The shackle angle is the main concern, if its vertical youll get more lift but not necessarily more articulation, if the angle is at 45 degrees to the chassis youll get more articulation but not necessarily more height. I put IFS rears in mine, with 200mm eye to eye shackles and this gave me no more height than standard but much greater articulation.

Removing leaves will make your springs softer, it can give a bit more articulation, but your axle will wrap more.

Doing the IFS rears setup is probably the best way to go, if you do it all yourself and shop around for parts you can do it fairly cheaply.

Drop Bear wrote:Doing the IFS rears setup is probably the best way to go, if you do it all yourself and shop around for parts you can do it fairly cheaply.

Agreeded. Sounds very similar to my rig when i strated. IS it style side?? If so IFS are not an option as they move the rear diff back about 50mm. Problem fix - mazda bravo springs. Same length as IFS but no diff movement fwd or rearward. About $50 also. ext shackles on these, a frame shocks and voila! felx, may need a trac bar/anti diff wrap bar in the future, yet to fit mine
Cheap option, good option.