[zookfun]

My sierra is a bit unstable, going around corners theres so much body roll sometimes the wheels come off the ground. And going much over 100 the car starts swaying..

Since its mainly for 4x4, and the body is pretty bad since its been rolled, I dont want to pour heaps of money into it.

It has urethane everywhere but the leaf springs and shockers are pretty old..

Just after suggestions on how I can improve it a bit! Will I need to replace the leafs? I was thinking about just buying front shocks. And possibly get some wheel spacers, probably 8mm each side. Ideas?

Thanks

[mr_ron]

Firstly does it have a swaybar? how old are the bushes in the steering components? what are your wheel bearings like? When was the last wheel alignment and wheel ballance? what dampner rate are your shocks? how old are your springs?

its rolled? Is your chasis straight?


Ron

[JrZook]

How fast are you cornering to 'make the wheels come off teh ground' JUst remember they are not race cars...

[Taylor74]

Do a bounce test on the vehicle or just drop the shocks off one end and make sure they are ok or not before you waste any money.

[zookfun]

mr_ron wrote:

Firstly does it have a swaybar? how old are the bushes in the steering components? what are your wheel bearings like? When was the last wheel alignment and wheel ballance? what dampner rate are your shocks? how old are your springs?

its rolled? Is your chasis straight?


Ron

Yeah has a swaybar, urethane bushes too...
Bushes all done a year or 2 ago.
Wheel bearings are good, done recently, no play in them..
Wheels have been balanced 6 months ago, never had wheel alignment but it doesnt pull at all..
dampner rate... Not a clue. the car sways side to side when you push it.
springs? Id say they are 1985 genuines. Can you get anything aftermarket or decent second hand? (1985 leafy)

chassis is fine, it more or less fell on its side so slight dents and that.

[zookfun]

Taylor74 wrote:

Do a bounce test on the vehicle or just drop the shocks off one end and make sure they are ok or not before you waste any money.

What Im thinking though, is it worth replacing the shocks when the springs are stuffed too? Or do they need replacing?

[zookfun]

JrZook wrote:

How fast are you cornering to 'make the wheels come off teh ground' JUst remember they are not race cars...

hehe, I blame the suspension!

[JrZook]

zookfun wrote:

JrZook wrote:

How fast are you cornering to 'make the wheels come off teh ground' JUst remember they are not race cars...

hehe, I blame the suspension!

still how fast were you going?

[mr_ron]

Ahh ok.. nicely done ..

Springs: There are many many spring options for the sierras as there is with shocks.. depends on whether your going to lift it (now or down the track) what you use the car for, Where you drive it, what your driving style is like and so on..

Shocks: Id check the shocks first and see if they are ok, but I personally would do them all at once due to the fact that different springs have different spring rates and this would effect the effectiveness of your shocks..

and my zook sways side to side when i push it, as most cars will, all depends on the spring and dampener rates of the car and what its set up for..

After youve decided whether your going to lift it and what your main use will be then would be the time to search around and see what options you have for springs and shocks

Ron

[Fatzook]

Lower it and put swaybars on. Problem solved.

[mr_ron]

^6 only issue i could see is that if hes already running sagged stock springs, he couldnt go much lower unless he inverted them :s

Pics of the springs and shocks would help zookfun

Ron

[JrZook]

We still also need to know zookfun's expectations and if they are plausable.

[MacDaddy]

If your sway bars are on, and the chassis is still straight...It sounds to me like all your shockies are stuffed, especially if they are close to, or over 10 years old, and the swaying says to me the shocks arnt dampening, and its just swaying from side to side on the springs, so i would do the shockies first, IMHO...

[ajsr]

I'd start by saying SLOW DOWN.

and then say the shocks control a lot of your high speed sway and wallow so try putting a GOOD quite heavily valved shock in and it should transform your ride on the road even with shot springs.

they probably won't stop you lifting a wheel though

8 mm wheel spacers will do squat towards fixing your issues and just make your car un roadworthy

and then remember its a sierra

[SuziBlu]

I recon as there is something serious wrong if your lifting wheels whilst cornering, but only you can say be it speed or not.
Here is somethig tat may be of interest to you.

[jonno_racing]

Nathans zook (last time i saw it) was stock height... stock everything bar a gti motor... dam it hauled...

unless u have lifted it since i saw it last?

[shep]

jonno_racing wrote:

Nathans zook (last time i saw it) was stock height... stock everything bar a gti motor... dam it hauled...

unless u have lifted it since i saw it last?

well there is your answer. slow down and drive it like a sierra.

[laurie]

shep wrote:

jonno_racing wrote:

Nathans zook (last time i saw it) was stock height... stock everything bar a gti motor... dam it hauled...

unless u have lifted it since i saw it last?

well there is your answer. slow down and drive it like a sierra.

that won't work mine lifts wheels in low range :stekky:

[TZAR]

pump up your tyres

Best handling upgrade ever, may be a little rough but will drive 1000 X better

Try 30 PSI for handling. every one else will say its too much but my Lj drove like a bucket of shit with low pressures. all over the road, swayed and felt like it was going to tip in every corner so pumped the tyres up t0 30 psi and it was a different car.

Doesn't cost anything to try and is easily reversible.

[zookfun]

Thanks for all the help everyone, Im going to replace all the shocks and see how that goes

Tyres are already on about 30;)

[zookfun]

ok, I know people use vs commodore wagon rears up front and 2wd hilux or hiace shocks in the rear but from what Ive read they are for people with a body lift.
Are they ok for my sierra with no body lift? Or am I best of getting originals or something else?

[neofitou]

Body Lift makes no diference whatsoever for what shock you run, it doesnt change the height of your shock mount as they are on the chasis.

I have hilux shocks all round atm, but I am RUF. They arent long enough though, they bottom out too early, but this way I dont need new brakelines yet..

I used to go around corners on 3 or 2 wheels all the time in my 1L.
It wasnt a suspension issue, it was a driving one and showing off.

[sierrajim]

ajsr wrote:

I'd start by saying SLOW DOWN.
:

AJ,

Please keep common sense out of this.

[MacDaddy]

sierrajim wrote:

ajsr wrote:

I'd start by saying SLOW DOWN.
:

AJ,

Please keep common sense out of this.

Hahaha

[2stroker]

So you have spent money on a GTI conversion before upgrading the suspension,.

If it is soft and sagged replace all 4 springs and shockies, don't buy commodore or toyota, buy a set of shockies made for a sierra. People use commodore and toyota shockies to obtain more travel which will make your car lean even more when cornering.

It may feel like it but I would be very surprised if it is lifting wheels cornering, if your suspension is soft and buggered it will get heaps of body roll but is less likely to pick up a wheel than if the suspension is firm.

On our offroad racer 1992 sierra we ran 2" kings and Koni's all round with standard sway bar and Pro comp steering damper. Also ran small 215/75 BFG's at 30psi. It was too stiff for serious crawling but handled like a rally car.

It goes back to what JRZook says, how fast are you going.