[Highway-Star]

I did what you are proposing. End result = happy me

I had it set up with a dodgey RUF on Wt spacing. I changed it to a RUF with standard length shackles on NT spacing. Everything is better than the immediately previous setup. I personally would not even bother doing all that work and not doing a RUF at the same time, the comfort improvements, and notable travel gains are too good to not do when your already doing the same amount of work...


Seeing as you seem preoccupied with travel, end result:


It doesn't look very impressive, but it does actually go further up the plank than my LJ which I think looks more impressive
The limiting factor is still spring geometry, shock absorber doesn't come anywhere near being too short.



Now for the actual process of doing all this..... ABSOLUTE COW OF A JOB! Unless you have a bare upside down chassis, in which case awesome. I did mine with it suspended from the roof with a block and tackle and still on its rear wheels; and some other crap for some lame attempt at safety...... Cutting, grinding and welding underneath is frustrating and annoying. Still worth it though

[SierraDan]

Just found out. Bugger that! Might as well coil it!
(in ref to 1/4 elliptical)

[mnemonix]

1/4 eliptical should be left in the days of leafs only. Since decent coil suspension became popular, 1/4 eliptical is a non event.

3/4 eliptical on the front is a scary idea, it will play havoc with your steering.

I considered inboarding my springs to NT spacing for the leverage benefits to achieve greater flex. But decided that it was only worthwhile if I ripped the body off the chassis to make the fabrication neater/easier.

RUF on stock springs with some reshuffling of leafs was good enough for me.

How will your rear end flex balance up against any mods you do to the front?
To achieve easy flex in the rear I'm about to start converting to 3/4 eliptical. This is easiest on NT spring spacing as in the rest position the helper leaf is supported by the chassis. However it's not overly difficult on a WT with some simple fab work.
I'll be chopping my stock front springs as the "helper" spring and using LN106 hilux front leafs, most likely in a 3 leaf pack.
This should allow me to limit up travel via bump stops and have all the down travel I could ever use.

[SierraDan]

Does the 3/4 elliptical have the same sort of flop that drop shackles have?

[mnemonix]

You get the same down travel as a drop shackle, but the tension of the spring keeps it controlled.
It acts like a longer spring.

[Gwagensteve]

In my experience, no - 3/4 elliptic still has a "rate" on the buggy leaf, so it's quite dynamic, as opposed to the "flop" of whacky shackles, but I don't think it's feasible for the front, because it requires a shackle reversal, and the disadvantages of a shackle reversal outweigh the small gain of the 3/4, for the front.

(I shackle reversed and 3/4 elliptic'd my first sierra in 1997.)

3/4 does work quite well in the rear, and I think works very well with a NT/RUF front end, but rear axle articulation is overrated - it doesn't make the car feel better in tricky situations.


All just my opinion though.


Steve

[SierraDan]

Gwagensteve wrote:

I don't think it's feasible for the front

I wouldnt do it to the front, was just curious about the way it travelled.



The front is my main concern the rear is working pretty good and the springs in the back are short and rock solid so EFS length leaves would give me all i need for now.

I just want a little bit more droop.

[2stroker]

SierraDan wrote:

31zook wrote:

:lol: not worth the effort i say, ruf it and see how you like it...

Don't want to have a chassis poking out the front, I like vertical approach angles. And don't have to stuff around with springs and shit.

But as I said, considering multiple options.

You have been reading too much about RUF instead of actually looking at modified vehicles, many RUF converted vehicles actually have better approach angle.

Rears are around 70mm-80mm longer so even if the rear mounts remained standard and the front mount moved the full 70mm to 80mm forward, you can run much larger tyres because they no longer hit the firewall and that 70mm-80mm can disappear into the back of the bullbar (the front of a standard bumper sits 100mm forward of the chassis, most bullbars are further than that) you can do the conversion without gaining any overall length to the car and get a better approach angle due to the larger diameter tyres.

[SierraDan]

2stroker wrote:

You have been reading too much about RUF instead of actually looking at modified vehicles, many RUF converted vehicles actually have better approach angle.

Exact opposite. Looked at more than ive read about.
I'm not looking to go bigger than 31's for a while yet though.



But, im considering all options. Im not saying "im going to NT space my WT, what do you reckon?"
I'm just making sure i have the right idea of what needs to be done.

[2stroker]

Yeah it just sounds stange to me that you think a RUF reduces approach angle. So maybe you should read some more because I would be surprised if you have been able to see too many WT/NT conversions or RUF conversions in Newcastle.

You said you - Don't want to have a chassis poking out the front, I like vertical approach angles. And don't have to stuff around with springs and shit.

Mate how are you intending to do convert a WT to NT spring location without "stuffing around with springs"

[SierraDan]

I mean the springs themselves. Correct lengths and rates and hanger distances to suit blah blah.


I'll say it again.


CONSIDERING ALL options.
I'm widening my understanding of all way to improve flex and going about them to suit what i want.

[jimbo_jones]

Highway-Star wrote:

Now for the actual process of doing all this..... ABSOLUTE COW OF A JOB! Unless you have a bare upside down chassis, in which case awesome. I did mine with it suspended from the roof with a block and tackle and still on its rear wheels; and some other crap for some lame attempt at safety...... Cutting, grinding and welding underneath is frustrating and annoying. Still worth it though

or you could get yourself a n/t chasie and put your w/t body on it along with the w/t diffs

[Highway-Star]

jimbo_jones wrote:

Highway-Star wrote:

Now for the actual process of doing all this..... ABSOLUTE COW OF A JOB! Unless you have a bare upside down chassis, in which case awesome. I did mine with it suspended from the roof with a block and tackle and still on its rear wheels; and some other crap for some lame attempt at safety...... Cutting, grinding and welding underneath is frustrating and annoying. Still worth it though

or you could get yourself a n/t chasie and put your w/t body on it along with the w/t diffs

Totally irrelevant for me (may suit person who started the thread). The hangers are still in the wrong spot for the "rear" springs... Will create more work than it will save, by having to do a chassis swap.

[monley]

Just coil it Dan!

[2stroker]

Yes the front hangers will still have to be moved if you do a chassis swap to achieve WT/NT and RUF but at least you can do that with the bare chassis sitting upside down on saw horses instead of trying to cut, grind and weld upside down under the car