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Post Posted: Wed Jul 19, 2017 11:42 am 
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I have had 2 sets of main leaves made up before and both were around $100 per leaf. And providing you find someone who knows what they are doing and get them all the accurate dimensions you need then they work very well. My packs I made up out of various packs with a custom length main were the best springs I had.

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Post Posted: Wed Jul 19, 2017 4:42 pm 
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OME springs were $115 for fronts and $135 for rears when I purchased earlier this year. Certainly doesn't break the bank.

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Post Posted: Wed Jul 19, 2017 5:21 pm 
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The ones i had made up were 25mm longer than the efs 65mm rears. I suppose on the shelf ones would be cheaper

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Post Posted: Wed Jul 19, 2017 5:37 pm 
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Zook_Fan wrote:
OME springs were $115 for fronts and $135 for rears when I purchased earlier this year. Certainly doesn't break the bank.


More then reasonable actually.

Only did a quick search on OME springs, most results were American sites and about $360US. I figured that'd make em about $550-$600 AU, so hadn't bothered to call them for an actual price.

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Post Posted: Fri Jul 21, 2017 5:29 pm 
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Read the thread. To the OP the only way I see you achieving your goals long term is an RUF. having LWB springs already should make it easier provided they are not sagged.

You have a good attitude and a great approach. Drive your car as much as possible as it is now and keep researching before deciding.

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Vehicle: 1987 WT LWB Sierra

Post Posted: Sun Jul 23, 2017 9:08 pm 
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This thread has been a very valuable source of info, and I'll take everything into consideration.

My springs at the moment don't seem to be sagged much at all, and shes riding at a decent height. The shackle angle is pretty much vertical however, rears worse than the front. What could this mean?

I was thinking RUF, but where would I get rear leaves? Have them made up something? You say that'd work if my current springs aren't sagged, but if I put my rears on the front, what do I do for rears then? Some insight here would be valuable.

Also, today I put the car sideways on a steep bit of hill, probably 30°, and sprayed heaps of inox into the leaves, and let it run through to the other side, and did that a few times, before turning the car around and going the other way. I haven't really got the time at the moment to pull leaf packs apart and be greasing properly, so I'm hoping the inox will help a bit. It seems to have made a difference, and the bumps are less jarring, though the ride is still rough due to the nature of the car - not gonna lie - it's a leaf spring fourby from the 80s.

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Post Posted: Mon Jul 24, 2017 6:47 am 
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If the shackles are vertical it already has aftermarket springs in it.

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Post Posted: Mon Jul 24, 2017 7:48 am 
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Well that somewhat explains the rough ride, and seemingly higher ride height then. The springs still seem almost flat though, but not quite.

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Post Posted: Mon Jul 24, 2017 7:55 am 
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Post some photos. If that's not possible, what's the measurement from axle to bumpstop in the front?

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Post Posted: Mon Jul 24, 2017 7:59 am 
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I'll get some tonight after I get home. I'm running 225/70 so that would make it sit a bit higher too, but even then the wheel arch seems like its sitting pretty high above the tyre.

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Post Posted: Mon Jul 24, 2017 8:00 am 
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All of that can be very misleading. The axle to bumpstop number will clear it up.

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Post Posted: Mon Jul 24, 2017 8:05 am 
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Ok I'll get some measurements and pictures tonight

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Post Posted: Mon Jul 24, 2017 12:37 pm 
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Gwagensteve wrote:
If the shackles are vertical it already has aftermarket springs in it.


Remember stock lwb rears are shorter than stock swb rears giving a more vertical shackle angle. A lwb with swb rears loaded up can invert the shackle, this prompted efs to bring out a shorter 65mm hd lwb spring as quite a few lwbs were inverting shackles with there standard 65mm packs.
Suzistore did a heap of zooks up for a desert crossing carrying alot of weight and all the lwb rears had to be swapped to the hd after a test run.
Alternatively a slightly longer shackle prevents it from happening at all

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Post Posted: Mon Jul 24, 2017 12:51 pm 
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I'll get some pics, but I did notice when I sprayed some inox in the leaves, that the rear shackle was almost vertical, front not as much.

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Post Posted: Mon Jul 31, 2017 12:34 pm 
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Ok guys, had the chance to take some pictures of my suspension, so I'll post em up here, and see what we can deduce. I flexed up backwards, and forwards, both until I lifted a wheel.

I can get the front to the bumpstop when I back up, because the weight's all on the front
Image

However when I drive up forwards I can't quite get enough compression to get it to the bumpstop, and the back wheel was 100mm off the ground.
Image

The rear I still can't get any closer than probably 20-25mm from the bumpstops either forwards or backing up. Here's how it looks when I back up
Image

and driving up forwards
Image

This was with my full size fibreglass canopy on, one rear seat and a box of tools in the back.

Now, onto shackles.

Here's the rear shackle at full compression (as in, as far as I could get it to go - not bumpstops) when driving forwards to flex up.
Image

and here's the rear shackle under compression when reversing up to flex
Image

Here's the rear shackles at full droop - as in wheel off the ground droop.
Image
Image

The fronts aren't as bad, here's the front under full bumpstop compression
Image

and here's the front under as much compression I can get it to when flexing up forwards
Image

and finally this is what the front shackles look like at full droop - as in wheel off the ground
Image
Image


Hope this can provide some insight into whether I am currently running lifted aftermarket springs or not. The car was apparently restored/built 5 years ago or so, so there's a chance these springs are just new standard springs??

Thanks guys!

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Post Posted: Mon Jul 31, 2017 12:42 pm 
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Not really, because I needed photos with the suspension not flexed. They look like aftermarket leaves though - the front has a full length secondary leaf which isn't standard from memory. It doesn't look like the rear is regularly reaching the bumpstop, which is also common of aftermarket leaves.

The front not flexing when driven forward up something is pretty normal, especially with the swaybar in place.

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Post Posted: Mon Jul 31, 2017 2:13 pm 
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Ok that helps. I figured that was the case, it makes sense.

I can't get the rears to get close the bumpstops at all, even getting out and giving it a shove. Seems pretty solid, but it is the load carrying end of the car so that's somewhat forgivable.

I realised I didn't have any static ride height shackle shots after I uploaded them. I'll try and get some as soon as I can

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Post Posted: Mon Jul 31, 2017 2:46 pm 
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Technotron101 wrote:
Ok that helps. I figured that was the case, it makes sense.

I can't get the rears to get close the bumpstops at all, even getting out and giving it a shove. Seems pretty solid, but it is the load carrying end of the car so that's somewhat forgivable.

I realised I didn't have any static ride height shackle shots after I uploaded them. I'll try and get some as soon as I can


Take the rear shocks out and give it a go again. Also measure the rear shocks to be certain you are not bottoming out.

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Post Posted: Tue Aug 15, 2017 7:48 pm 
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Ok, it's been a while - apologies, but I'm hoping I'm getting closer to uncovering the mystery that is my suspension.

My front shackle angle at rest
Image


And my rear shackle angle at rest
Image

Does this help in determining whether I'm running lifted springs or not? The fronts have two full length leaves from memory too, if that helps.

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Post Posted: Tue Aug 15, 2017 8:44 pm 
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Im gunna say there standard lwb rears that have possibly been reset or have had an easy life

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Post Posted: Tue Aug 15, 2017 9:03 pm 
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I feel that may be the case. Looking at it it doesn't seem to ride obviously high, so I guess they're either sagged lift, or healthy stockers?

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Post Posted: Wed Aug 16, 2017 10:11 am 
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Looking at the photos in your build thread, I reckon those rears are aftermarket- the look quite unlike a stock Japanese pack. The back of your car will be quite heavy by SWB standards with the canopy and extra tank.

Front looks stock height.

Steve.

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Post Posted: Wed Aug 16, 2017 10:14 am 
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Bear in mind that photo was taken with almost no fuel in both tanks, but yeah, the canopy would be heavy. Plus I had a heap of tools in the back

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Post Posted: Wed Aug 16, 2017 10:20 am 
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I wasn't commenting on the height, only the spring configuration.

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Post Posted: Thu Dec 28, 2017 7:37 am 
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Hey mate did you ever end up getting a new suspension lift ?

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