[primejo07]

hey guys,

so after about a month of thinking im gonna sell the sierra, i changed my mind today. Thinking of all the good times and how much work ive done on it, i just cant bear to part with it. So the reason i wanted to sell is because of the sheer uncomfortable factor. I went in my mates patrol and i was sold on coils and aircon, my sierras suspension is so stiff i can literally get air off speed humps at 10kph haha!

so whats your guys opinion on a nice soft suspension system (and something that still produces the goods offroad, flex doesnt bother me too much, but a little is nice). obviously a sierra will never be like a patrol and will still be pretty rough, but i just want something a little bearable.

also what are my options for aircon? is there any system that bolts in? im keen as on that

and third and finally the rattles and road noise... how can i reduce this?

i want it to be welcoming when you get in, my girlfriends a bit picky and a lot of the time she makes me drive around with her in her hyundai accent.. time to start driving her around haha.

i dont have much mechanical knowledge, so suspension kits that bolt in etc would be best.

thanks guys i really appreciate your responses. so glad i decided to keep my zook

[mrgtt34]

Im hereing you mate there rough but with swb its pretty difficult to get them smooth, I went to a lwb and it got a lot better. if you shut one rattle another will start.

[Red89]

Out of curiosity what pressure do you run in your tyres ?

[zooky08]

Get some ome springs and take a few leafs out. If I remember right, I ran 3 Leafs in my last Sierra and it was alot comfortable them my mates sierras.

[stewy91]

you can get factory air-con for them a little hard to find. as for the ride try taking some leaves out maybe some comfier seats

[abclarke]

You just gotta remember its a little tin can and not a big soccer mum patrol

[ZookFan]

Bingo man!

A swift is like a BMW compared

[alien]

Red89 wrote:

Out of curiosity what pressure do you run in your tyres ?

^^^ this.

tyre placard says 19psi for stock tyres... as you go up in tyre size you should technically drop pressure from there, however added sidewall height will require slightly higher pressures to keep it stable - but even still, the most i run my 31's at on the road is 26psi front and 22 rear.

other things to consider are your shackle angle and shockies, and if you're running lifted leaves theres an added stiffness there too.

[pyrohamish]

A change in tyre pressure is amazing. The other day I got a new set of tyres on the vitara and the shop had them set at around 38psi, was a horrible bumpy drive home at which a lowered them down to 23 which made it a whole lot better.

[Jester]

another thing to think of with AC is that R134A is gonna more then triple in price at the end of june due to the carbon tax, so if you can get the AC done by then would work out a bit cheaper for the regas, im happy enough without air con, but yeah the missus prefers we take her car during summer months, she finds her car easier to get in and out of too since shes a touch under 5 foot tall,
but comfort-wise its a leafy swb sierra if ya after real comfort you're gonna be pushing shit uphill i reckon.

[christover1]

Hy Chill Minus 30 is legal to use (and better in my opinion) as an air con gas.
Can legally be used in the older systems without modifications, too. Saves a bit of cash.

X2 on OME suspension, or removing a leaf.

[primejo07]

Red89 wrote:

Out of curiosity what pressure do you run in your tyres ?

I run 35, just cause thats what the tyre says to run it on haha

zooky08 wrote:

Get some ome springs and take a few leafs out. If I remember right, I ran 3 Leafs in my last Sierra and it was alot comfortable them my mates sierras.

sounds good, ive got the blupac ebay kit on now and thats probably half my problem then hey.. what if i take some leaves out of them? would that help at all, just for now? also how much lift would you loose by taking aleaf out?

alien wrote:

Red89 wrote:

Out of curiosity what pressure do you run in your tyres ?

^^^ this.

tyre placard says 19psi for stock tyres... as you go up in tyre size you should technically drop pressure from there, however added sidewall height will require slightly higher pressures to keep it stable - but even still, the most i run my 31's at on the road is 26psi front and 22 rear.

other things to consider are your shackle angle and shockies, and if you're running lifted leaves theres an added stiffness there too.

alright cheers, that will be the first thing i do! what about fuel economy and steering, does it affect it much by having a lower pressure in your tires?
im running 2'' leaves, and my shackles are pretty much vertical, what can i do there? would extended shackles be the answer? and then do i need extended shocks too?. im a bit of a newby to all this haha



cheers for all your feedback guys, appreciated.

[gregc]

a better quality of seat might also improve comfort for the driver?

i.e. a bit of extra padding around the hips and back might equate the as much of an improvement as the spring swap and tyre pressure changes.

[Reubs]

primejo07 wrote:

Red89 wrote:

Out of curiosity what pressure do you run in your tyres ?

I run 35, just cause thats what the tyre says to run it on haha

That would be maximum pressure recommended for maximum load on any vehicle (including ones 4 times heavier than your Sierra). I'd run 30" tyres on a Sierra no higher than 18PSI on-road...

Also, for reducing road noise, I have found sticking adhesive foam tape over each edge of the targa bar where the soft-top comes into contact with it and around the tub worked well at reducing noise from the soft-top.

[want33s]

Buy 4 X OME +40 rear springs.
Take a leaf out of all of them.
Buy 4 X Gabriel cheap shit Hiace/Commo shocks.
Buy 4 X extended shackles.
RUF it.
Move the rear shackle perch forward 10mm.

That is basically what is in my car and it is smoother than my GQ.

Anymore than 20psi in the tyres and you are looking for a chiropractor or new kidneys.

[JrZook]

want33s wrote:

That is basically what is in my car and it is smoother than my GQ.

What did you weld the shocks closed on your GQ or something?

[Gwagensteve]

gregc wrote:

a better quality of seat might also improve comfort for the driver?

i.e. a bit of extra padding around the hips and back might equate the as much of an improvement as the spring swap and tyre pressure changes.

Obviously dropping tyre pressure is a factor for the OP, but there is much truth here.

Ergonomics have ore to do with comfort than almost anything else. Franky, Sierra seats suck. they are too softly padded and too reclined to get comfortable. Quality seats will make a huge difference to the feel of the car, however, they are expensive.

Here's a bunch of little things you can do that make quite a lot of difference. "comfort" is more than just ride quality or any one thing - it's lots of little things added up. If I'm going for a longer road drive with the wife in my car I spend some time making sure it's just a bit tighter and quieter than if it was just me in the car.

How good is your soft top? make sure all the retaining hardware is in good condition. I don't own a soft top, but some I have been in have driven me crazy with the tap-tap-tap of the rear window roll-up straps tapping on the back window - sometimes that's the sort of thing that's enough to make or break a car.

Get some heavy gaffer/aluminium tape and tape up ALL the exposed holes in the interior. There's lots of them and they will leak cold air into the car. You'd be surprised how much difference this makes to a "quality" feel.

Is the bailey channel in the windows in good nick? It often slips down and makes the windows leak air and rattle.

Are the doors cracked? They often crack 1/2 way along the window sill or adjacent to the mirror, and this makes them rattle.

Take the door cards off and check that the inner skin of the door isn't cracked. This leads to flappy door cards and more nasty interior rattly uncouthness.

Do the window frames seal against the door frame? With time, Sierra doors "relax" and they don't seal against the door frame anymore, or they "flap" as you go over bumps. Roll the windows down and tweak the top of the window frames inwards until the door seals properly. Likewise, adjust the hinges and door striker until the doors close properly and "pop" open when the door is opened.

Make sure all the heater controls work and the demist vents are hooked up - they often come adrift.

Pull the heater core out and clean it. the heater will work better and the fan won't make those annoying clicking noises because of the leaves in it.

How is the fit of the tailgate and its rubber seal? These often feet loose, especially if a larger spare tyre is on the back.

Is the exhaust quiet and in good condition?

Are the rubber boots around the shifters in good condition? tears in these can add lots of noise into the cabin. I've added foam between my boots and the body to reduce noise leaks.

Is your exhaust routed out the rear corner or straight out the back? a "straight out the back" exhaust can lead to fumes in the cabbing which can be a major PITA.

tighten all the dash screws. I bet they are a bit loose and this will lead to rattles.

For the driver:

How is your driving position? Sierras have shit ergonomics. The steering wheel is too big and too far away. The seat is too reclined and the pedals normally all end up at different heights. I've spent some time getting this stuff right in my car and it makes a world of difference. Even adjusting the brake and clutch pedals to sit at the same heights (bet they aren't right now) makes a difference to how comfortable the car is.

How well adjusted is the steering box? play in the steering is not only annoying for the driver, it's disconcerting for the passenger too, especially in a SWB car that's not very directionally stable at the best of times.

As for the softest riding bolt in suspension, my vote is ARB/OME, but you need to be aware that you won't get much lift (40mm TOPS) if you choose the right spring. Lots of people choose heavy duty springs because they want over 2" (50mm) of lift and end up with a terrible ride. If you car is light, choose the softest springs you can.

There's some stuff to work on in any case.

There's more to comfort than just spring rate or tyre pressure.

Steve.

[Macca52]

Gwagensteve has lots of great suggestions, some of which I will adopt. The best thing I have done to mine comfort wise is the '89 Swift GTI seats. A bit fiddly to fit but well worth the effort. So much more padding and support.

[primejo07]

Gwagensteve wrote:

gregc wrote:

a better quality of seat might also improve comfort for the driver?

i.e. a bit of extra padding around the hips and back might equate the as much of an improvement as the spring swap and tyre pressure changes.

Obviously dropping tyre pressure is a factor for the OP, but there is much truth here.

Ergonomics have ore to do with comfort than almost anything else. Franky, Sierra seats suck. they are too softly padded and too reclined to get comfortable. Quality seats will make a huge difference to the feel of the car, however, they are expensive.

Here's a bunch of little things you can do that make quite a lot of difference. "comfort" is more than just ride quality or any one thing - it's lots of little things added up. If I'm going for a longer road drive with the wife in my car I spend some time making sure it's just a bit tighter and quieter than if it was just me in the car.

How good is your soft top? make sure all the retaining hardware is in good condition. I don't own a soft top, but some I have been in have driven me crazy with the tap-tap-tap of the rear window roll-up straps tapping on the back window - sometimes that's the sort of thing that's enough to make or break a car.

Get some heavy gaffer/aluminium tape and tape up ALL the exposed holes in the interior. There's lots of them and they will leak cold air into the car. You'd be surprised how much difference this makes to a "quality" feel.

Is the bailey channel in the windows in good nick? It often slips down and makes the windows leak air and rattle.

Are the doors cracked? They often crack 1/2 way along the window sill or adjacent to the mirror, and this makes them rattle.

Take the door cards off and check that the inner skin of the door isn't cracked. This leads to flappy door cards and more nasty interior rattly uncouthness.

Do the window frames seal against the door frame? With time, Sierra doors "relax" and they don't seal against the door frame anymore, or they "flap" as you go over bumps. Roll the windows down and tweak the top of the window frames inwards until the door seals properly. Likewise, adjust the hinges and door striker until the doors close properly and "pop" open when the door is opened.

Make sure all the heater controls work and the demist vents are hooked up - they often come adrift.

Pull the heater core out and clean it. the heater will work better and the fan won't make those annoying clicking noises because of the leaves in it.

How is the fit of the tailgate and its rubber seal? These often feet loose, especially if a larger spare tyre is on the back.

Is the exhaust quiet and in good condition?

Are the rubber boots around the shifters in good condition? tears in these can add lots of noise into the cabin. I've added foam between my boots and the body to reduce noise leaks.

Is your exhaust routed out the rear corner or straight out the back? a "straight out the back" exhaust can lead to fumes in the cabbing which can be a major PITA.

tighten all the dash screws. I bet they are a bit loose and this will lead to rattles.

For the driver:

How is your driving position? Sierras have shit ergonomics. The steering wheel is too big and too far away. The seat is too reclined and the pedals normally all end up at different heights. I've spent some time getting this stuff right in my car and it makes a world of difference. Even adjusting the brake and clutch pedals to sit at the same heights (bet they aren't right now) makes a difference to how comfortable the car is.

How well adjusted is the steering box? play in the steering is not only annoying for the driver, it's disconcerting for the passenger too, especially in a SWB car that's not very directionally stable at the best of times.

As for the softest riding bolt in suspension, my vote is ARB/OME, but you need to be aware that you won't get much lift (40mm TOPS) if you choose the right spring. Lots of people choose heavy duty springs because they want over 2" (50mm) of lift and end up with a terrible ride. If you car is light, choose the softest springs you can.

There's some stuff to work on in any case.

There's more to comfort than just spring rate or tyre pressure.

Steve.

Steve,

Thanks for your response, i totally agree with you on your point that its all about lots of things that add up, im gonna spend my weekend doing everything you said like the heater core etc, you've really excited me to get stuck into it!

In terms of suspension, would a spring over provide any benefit in the comfort side of things? got a few mechanic mates who believe so but dont really have any reasons why haha.. calmini makes a bolt on spoa kit that i would get if i was going to go spoa.

yeah my tail gate does rattle like crazy, ive done everything i can think of to help it, all new rubber, new stoppers, but it still rattles and squeeks.. any ideas?

thanks again steve i really appreciate it

[Fatzook]

The position of the axle ( SPOA or SPUA) has no effect on comfort.

The length, width, thickness, shackle angle, number of leaves and camber of spring will all effect the comfort level of your vehicle.

[Gwagensteve]

X2. Generally SPOA requires a stiffer spring to control axle wrap and stiffer damping to reduce body roll (and control the stiffer spring) so it doesn't ride better.

Steve.

[primejo07]

Okay, so at the moment im running 2" leaves and my stock shackles are pretty much vertical, will extended shackles be the answer for this? Will they also help with flex and do I need extended shocks too??
Cheers

[JrZook]

primejo07 wrote:

Okay, so at the moment im running 2" leaves and my stock shackles are pretty much vertical, will extended shackles be the answer for this? Will they also help with flex and do I need extended shocks too??
Cheers

No! You need to gain shackle angle by increasing the length of the main leaf. Sounds like there is too much arc in your pack as it is. Post a pic of how it sits

[Gwagensteve]

Take a leaf out to lower spring rate and improve shackle angle. Lift requires increased spring rate which hurts the ride.

Steve.

[primejo07]

thinking its time to bite the bullet and do a half ruf.. im horrible at fabrication but im sure i can handle some redrilling etc. i have some stock rear leaves that i could put in, but would this make the rear of my car much higher as the rear will be running 2'' leaf packs? also i replaced all my shocks with the commo/hiace set up, and have taken a leaf out of each pack. its still a bit to bouncy for my liking so thats why im leaning towards ruf

[JrZook]

How many leafs are you currently running F&R?

Sure its not the shocks causing a stiff as ride also? Maybe try removing them a go for a short drive up a backstreet to see if there is any improvement to the ride.

[matfan]

My hard top is probably one of the most comfortable swb sierra's I've been in.
RUF (chassis extension)
Carpet with underlay and sound proofing
31's at 22psi
factory a/c
decent stereo
I added some "custom" lumbar support by buying one of those lumbar things from supercheap, shaved it down to half thickness and then covered it with a car seat cover

My brother's lwb is pretty much stock apart from a fibreglass roof and canopy and it very comfortable to drive. You might want to go for a drive in a lwb to see the difference, you may end up selling yours after all. If I had my time over, I would have started with a lwb.

Good luck!!

[Trypt]

How do you adjust door strikers?
My back door rattles like a train and my the windows on my front doors rattle.
what are new bailey chanels worth?

[Trypt]

How do you adjust door strikers?
My back door rattles like a train and my the windows on my front doors rattle.
what are new bailey chanels worth?

[Fatzook]

RUF = lots of work.

chassis extension
move shackle hanger
move brake line bracket
move bumpstop hanger ( or trim heavily)
If you have a sierra steering box still, you will need to re-drill your fixed hanger aswell to control the forward placement of the diff, otherwise your steering arms will hit.


This one got new shock hoops and relocated bump hanger