[zookernator]

Hey peoples! As some of you's may have seen in one of my last threads.. my front springs are buggered! They are standard zooky fronts. I have lux fronts in the rear.. which seem to be handling my set up just fine! So, the qtn is.. what does everyone think I should do with replacing the front springs?? Should I go:
RUF with new zook springs (inc chassis ext.. or just relocate the rear hanger)??
Put hilux rear springs in the front?
Just get another stocko set of zook fronts?

If all goes well, I would really like to leave the current location of the diff exactly where it is.. cause the tires don’t scrape, and the shocky hoops are already there, bump stops are all happy where they are etc.
Please let me know what your thoughts

[want33s]

Half RUF is probably the best bang for buck solution.
Get a pair of rear Zook springs.
Redrill the rear of the front spring mounts back 20mm and up 20mm and fit longer shackles... About 100mm between bolt centres instead of stock 60mm.
25mm bumpstop extensions and away you go.
This moves the diff forward 25mm from standard.


Shocks are limiting front droop now. I need to make up some taller top mounts to get any more flex.

Jas.

[zookernator]

thanks champ... this seems like a good option, cause my drop shackles are 100mm at rest!! Plus, it will make my diff sit in the same spot it is now (or very close). Could you please get a pic for me of the front hanger when the vehicle is sitting on flat ground?? Thanks mate

[Hybrid]

want33s wrote:

Half RUF is probably the best bang for buck solution.
Get a pair of rear Zook springs.

x2

I'm running half RUF with OME 40mm rears. My shackles are 110mm pin to pin and sit at around a 45 degree angle when sitting on flat ground. My shocks are limitting droop at the moment. You should get huge droop with your shocks and the drop shackles.

[zookernator]

sweet.. thanks champ. Will most likely be going with this option then.. i've got a $30 voucher from hobzees.. so more than likely will be getting some new ones from them

[want33s]

Shackle angle at rest...


And at full compression/droop.

[zookernator]

Thanks mate!! You said to drill 20mm up aswell.. is this to lower the extra height that the RUF will give me? So the 20mm will compensate that height, and bring the ride height back to what ever it was?? Im doing a bit of research at the moment, trying to determine weather my rear springs i currently have will suit, and also if any of the OME springs will suit. My drop shackles seem like their going to foul on the spring.. so might have to turn them around Be sooo much easier to continue running standard fronts!!

[want33s]

zookernator wrote:

Thanks mate!! You said to drill 20mm up aswell.. is this to lower the extra height that the RUF will give me? So the 20mm will compensate that height, and bring the ride height back to what ever it was??

No the reason I said back 20 and up 20 was so there is enough meat in the bracket to put the bolt through.
Check the first pic I posted..
If you just went back 20mm it wouldn't be all that strong.

Ideally the bracket would be cut off the chassis and repositioned which I'll do one day. Until then this setup works.

Jas.

[zookernator]

oh yes.. i get ya. I have got new spring hangers here.. so i might just use those straight up. I've read that a RUF will give you about half an inch or increased ride height.. do you know if this is true?

[andrewa]

hey jas. do you need a bodylift with ruf on your zook & do your tyres scrub much on compression. what did you use for bump stop ext.

[want33s]

zookernator wrote:

oh yes.. i get ya. I have got new spring hangers here.. so i might just use those straight up. I've read that a RUF will give you about half an inch or increased ride height.. do you know if this is true?

I didn't notice any increase in ride height when I did the (half) RUF.

andrewa wrote:

hey jas. do you need a bodylift with ruf on your zook & do your tyres scrub much on compression. what did you use for bump stop ext.

Bodylift isn't needed just to do (half) RUF.
My 33's* don't scrub at all BUT.... my diff is forward an inch.
....I have trimmed the front of the arch a little.
...I have WT diffs under an NT chassis.
... Mine has a 2" bodylift.
For bumpstop extension I used a couple of pieces of 25X25 - 3.0mm thick steel.. One each side. (You can see one in the second pic.)
*My 33's actually measure 31.5"

[hobzees4wdshop]

Hey zookernator I can sort you out with some springs mate. Just fire an email through with what you want and we'll get it sorted. EFS or Belton/Dakar prob best way to go. Should work well I reckon.

[smileysmoke]

noob question!
if you have lifted springs in the rear should you use lifted springs in the front for the ruf or not?

[zookernator]

hobzees4wdshop wrote:

Hey zookernator I can sort you out with some springs mate. Just fire an email through with what you want and we'll get it sorted. EFS or Belton/Dakar prob best way to go. Should work well I reckon.

Thanks mate.. will do!

[Hybrid]

smileysmoke wrote:

noob question!
if you have lifted springs in the rear should you use lifted springs in the front for the ruf or not?

Mine are 40mm lifted ome rears on all corners and it sits level. So I would say yes.

[Chop]

I think i may do this, seeing how my front right spring is flattish. ive bent/flattened 2 sets of fronts. Curse the comps!

Are the shocks ok with that shift in the diff?

chop

[want33s]

Chop wrote:

I think i may do this, seeing how my front right spring is flattish. ive bent/flattened 2 sets of fronts. Curse the comps!

Are the shocks ok with that shift in the diff?

chop

I run VS wagon rear shocks in the front and they've been fine.

[Chop]

Yeah from memory(had them in for yonks)i have those shocks, i mean more the slight angle the shock will be on when the diff moves foward.
Probably wouldnt do anything, just thought i'd ask.

Cheers
Chop

[atari4x4]

so this means you aren't selling the zook? i guess that means you i can put you down on the list for the first eva SA Auszookers run!

[zookernator]

Well i've been on the phone to hobzee's.. and they've helped heaps. Looks like i might be getting a set of EFS rears, which are 4+2 overloads. If i take the 2 overloads, it will obviously be heaps softer, flex better, and will also bring the height back down to 30mm or so. So.. thats what the plan will be

[want33s]

zookernator wrote:

Well i've been on the phone to hobzee's.. and they've helped heaps. Looks like i might be getting a set of EFS rears, which are 4+2 overloads. If i take the 2 overloads, it will obviously be heaps softer, flex better, and will also bring the height back down to 30mm or so. So.. thats what the plan will be

I have been through 6 new ARB OME rear springs because I kept taking the retainer bolts out and the bottom leaf or two off.
Axle wrap turns them into an 'S' shape.
The current set has been left alone and in for 4 months and are still fine.
No loss in flex or ride comfort. 1" bumpstop extensions help stop them inverting too.

Jas.

[Hybrid]

So you've left your packs completely stock Jas? I'm just starting to have problems with my OMEs after doing the same thing with the retainers and overload. Also are you front vs shocks limiting droop? They are the limiting factor on my setup.

[want33s]

Hybrid wrote:

So you've left your packs completely stock Jas? I'm just starting to have problems with my OMEs after doing the same thing with the retainers and overload. Also are you front vs shocks limiting droop? They are the limiting factor on my setup.

Yep the latest springs are fitted as I bought them. Totally stock.
The front droop could be better if I could find longer shocks &/or raise the top mounts.
Not really a drama though as flex is heaps better now than it was stock.
Jas.

[zookernator]

well, got the my old rears under the front tonight (just for a trial, see how things line up) and things are looking good... hehe sort of! The diff location will be fine.. it is sitting high in the front (havent measured mine and compared them to hobzee's yet) but the big problem is the drop shackles.. i'll show ya's the pics




One way around it im thinking.. is to make up a "missing link set up"

[royce]

just turn em around?

[want33s]

royce wrote:

just turn em around?

or throw them away and fit normal shackles

[zookernator]

hmmm, i might turn them around and see what their like.. but if i have to, i'll make up a missing link style shackle. Seems like the shockys are going to run out of travel well before the shackle opens up as it is at the moment

[zookernator]

Does anyone know how/where you measure a spring, to get the overall "spring height". Also, does anyone know what the "curve/lift" measurements are for a stock standard rear zook spring?
I have turned the shackles around, and placed some wood (as a spacer) where the chassis ext/bump stop will be. The ride height is heaps higher at the front.
I measured the springs that are in the front (my old zook rears) from on top of the shackle bolts, down to the top of the spring.
The fronts are: 75mm
The rears are: 50mm.
So, if i can get some dead flat, rear zook springs.. it will also help to level the ride height!
Thanks heaps!!

[Zook_Fan]

are those measurements with load on them because my old rears had about 10mm arch in the car and about 70mm out

[zookernator]

thats with load on them mate!! Dont suppose you still have your springs then?!?!?!