Outer Limits 4x4 Board

as you all no im an in the middle of the hilux build so what better time than now for removing leaves from the spring pack for the front i have a 6 leave pack 2 thick leaves at the bottom and 4 thinner leaves at the top all the same thickness these springs are out of a 2001 ifs hiluxes 52inches long
the rear i have a 5 spring pack 2 thick leaves at the bottom and 3 thinner leaves all the same thicknes at the top again 52inches long
so the question is what leaves do i remove and do i weld the new shackle mounts on first then remove leaves or is it safe to remove them before welding

4 the front remove the 2 bottom thick leaves and put in some more thinner ones so that u have a 6 or 7 leaf pack and the rear remove one thick one and one thin one

thanks hypo whith putting thinner ones back in do i get shorter ones or do i keep them the same lenght as the bottom leaf left in the pack

if you remove them you may want to put in a track/ladder bar to stop axel wrap.

G'day I was wondering if someone could explain this removing leaves concept or show me a url with some info.

I've been building up my hilux ever since I got it but not knowing bugger all about mechanics (especially when i paid $$ for my current leaves) i think i made a mistake taking the price is right (cheap) option.
I got a 2inch West Coast lift for $900, 4 leavs, shocks bushes etc.
I'm fairly certain there is a heap of leaves in it, its not here atm i can't check but i think maybe it has 8 in the back packs.
I get the feeling i got the, (2nch tradesman special lift) i put a 1000kg in it the other day and it sat pretty level and drove just about right.
I can't practically drive around with a 1000kg of sand in the tray to make it ride better the clutch will piss bolt for the hills while i'm asleep. Its already got 33"12.5 on the standard diff.

does this sound like i could maybe take some leafs out to get it a bit softer at stock weight. I don't see my self carrying anything heavier than prehaps one or two trailbikes in the future.

I don't mind that it shakes your fillings out its so stiff but controll wise especially at speed around loose courners i rekon it has bad effect on the handeling. I think saying it almost rickashades off bumps unloaded is pretty fair... my old man can cruise ahead in his 100series with emu's while i'm crossing it over like a rally driver every two seconds trying to keep up eheh.

Also if taking a few leafs out is the go. I did the body lift and install the west coast kit myself with out any dramas... how hard a job is modifying the pack?

just found a picture of the leaves... don't ask why that's hanging off
http://www.westnet.com.au/junglist/imag ... ed_sus.jpg

and here's my first ever attemp at testing the travel. maybe they'd go a little bit futher but with out lockers i couldn't drive up any higher.
http://www.westnet.com.au/junglist/images/IMG_0426.jpg

long post i know. sorry.

yes i believe you could remove your 2nd and 3rd from the bottom leafs, also your suspension drop will be limited by your shocks

Junglist,
you have any pics of your truck just sitting normally? I would like to see what it looks like.
you should be able to get better articulation than that, i have no lockers, no bodylift, just 2" suspension lift and this is mine. Whether or not its your shocks stopping the travel, I dont know.
My spring pack in the rear has 9 in total, with two of the thicker load/helper springs. I will be removing 1 of these and a few thinner ones when I get my bodylift next month. Spring pack in the front just has 5 thin ones. I find these to flex quite well for what they are.
I am running 33x12.5's on standard diffs too.
If you put the bodylift in yourself you should be able to do the leaf packs easy!

Cheers

Craig

Sure thing here are some pictures of before and after the body lift

West Cost 2inch Lift + 33's
http://www.westnet.com.au/junglist/images/2inchsusp.jpg

3inch Body Lift + The Above.
http://www.westnet.com.au/junglist/imag ... chbody.jpg

and here's another one of the rock on the beach from the other side.

I notice that my pics probably on softer sand than your picture.. thinking back now I recall both back wheels dug in after i paused to take that picture.... if i hadn't of stopped maybe it would have gone higher. Not to much further but if felt like the back wheel was about to lift up.

http://www.westnet.com.au/junglist/images/travel2.jpg

Unbolt your shock next time you travel it, and see if it can actually go further. If it does, you have shocks in your truck that are too short.

If i was to give altering the packs ago my self how do I do it?
Could someone please post me some intructions or a URL.

will the job require one or two cartons to complete?

junglist wrote:If i was to give altering the packs ago my self how do I do it?
Could someone please post me some intructions or a URL.

will the job require one or two cartons to complete?

just get a cold chiseil and open up the spring clamps and c how u go from there add some longer shackles and shocks and c wot happens first

BTW get 2 cartons incase u finish early then u can celebrate real well

how do i join the spring clamps back up?

junglist wrote:how do i join the spring clamps back up?

hammer them back closed