[DarkHorse]

Ok, so there's a bit of discussion spread throughout build threads, but I thought it would be good to get it out in a separate thread.

I'm again looking for a HD load bearing coil for around 3" of lift in a Vitara. I found that the GV lifted coils raised the back of my old car around 2.5", and cope fairly well loaded up. They are however too short for my chosen Rancho shocks, to the point where they are now liable to fall out.

I now have a pair of Dobinsons GV lifted coils in the front of my new car (2L V6) but they have only raised the car around 1" once the bullbar, winch, dual batteries, roofrack etc are mounted. The spring rate is great, they are nice and flexy without being floppy on road. They are the same wire thickness and rate as the OME Vit springs I had in the old car for a while, which I also liked. My CVs are dead flat at ride height, so I can definitely afford to lift further.

So, what I think I want is:
REAR - Same wire and rate as the current Tough Dog GV springs, but 20-25mm taller
FRONT - Same wire and rate as the current Dobinsons GV springs, but 45-50mm taller (ride height, see below)

FRONT
Now... the specs for the Dobi coils are:
c57-042 - 320mm long, 16mm wire, 82mm internal dia, 8.5 turns, rate 98.6

My very basic maths suggests that for a 50mm lift at ride height, the spring would need to be 25mm longer. For the sake of argument, the springs in there now with everything bolted on are around 275mm at ride height. So apparently for the 300mm I want at ride I'll need 345mm free.

Filtering the Dobinsons list down for only 82mm internal dia, 16mm wire and close to the same rate leaves only the shorter Vitara stuff.
17mm wire gives some more options - XL7, D40 Navara or R51 Pathfinder.
The XL7 is 345mm long, 10.2 turns, rate 98.07
The Navara specs are confusing (number of turns is listed as 45-260???) but length is 375mm, rate 94.8
Pathfinder is interesting: 385mm long, 10.5 turns, rate also 94.8

So surprisingly the rates are slightly lower, but only slightly. Length-wise the XL7s are close, but the Pathy and Nav are quite a bit too long.


REAR
Tough Dog GV coils are TDC835, as measured by me are:
365mm long, 13mm wire, 10.75 turns.

The Dobinsons equivalent is:
C57-045, 360mm long, 13mm wire, 82mm dia, 10.75 turns, rate is 35.00

The Calmini GV 2.5" lift coils as measured by Atari are:
415mm long, 13mm wire and 11.5 turns

Any other suggestions are most welcome, although please leave out the "apparently" or the "I've heard/read" stuff, as it's not really helpful. Specs are helpful



...and anyone want to buy a new pair of Dobi GV front coils?

[Chop]

Why not brand new non comp thrashed out calmini front springs? The ones in burnt wood were great with winch, second battery and arb steel bar.
My experience with the dobinson gv fronts is, you'll need the the 80kg constant load because my 35kg ones have dropped slightly and i haven't even got my bar and winch on yet.
I have the 80kg contant load one's waiting here in readiness for the extra weight.

[DarkHorse]

The Dobos list I've got only has:
018 - Vit LWB 1.6/V6 - 300mm, 106.19
034 - Vit LWB 2LTDi, GV 2L/V6 - 310mm, 98.60
036 - GV XL7 V6/2LTDi - 345mm, 98.07
042 - GV LWB 2LTDi/V6 - 320mm, 98.60
064 - GV 05on - 388mm, 37.10 (but internal diameter of 124mm)

...so not sure about a higher load rated one...? Besides, I do like the bounce of the ones I've got (at least compared to the flogged out Cal ones.) Got a part no?

Replacing the Calmini ones didn't even occur to me... that could be the easy option at both ends. Can anyone measure the free height of Calmini rears for me?

[atari4x4]

i suggest calmini GV fronts & maybe even their rears too or just a fresh pair of cal vit rears. viewtopic.php?f=7&t=35936&hilit=calmini+GV+rear

looking at the various fitted calmini kits over the years on the net & i almost reckon that there were 2 variations of the rear springs, some look like they are a tighter wind & have more coils. comparing the cal springs in burnt wood the lwb(chops/britvit) & mine & they're visibly different to the ones that are in the bum of my blagon.

[got_bar_work]

U know u can take springs to a spring place and get the free hight reset
Cost me $60 to lower my rears 50mm

[DarkHorse]

How well would that work with old flogged springs though, especially raising? Can't imagine they'd hold the new height for long...

[DarkHorse]

Just got a less than encouraging shipping quote from Calmini.

Springs are $95 each, which is fine. Shipping for four is just short of $200.

Exchange rate is at about $1.05 at the moment...

[atari4x4]

maybe shoot the smooth talking britvit a PM, i think it was only around $100 freight on the 4 rear GV springs that we got in recently.

[got_bar_work]

U could get customs here for less then that

[DarkHorse]

Yeah, might shoot King an e-mail.

[got_bar_work]

Go all out and get some dual rate rear coils
Make like 5 turns bind at ride hight to give a long spring so it dont fall out

[got_bar_work]

Or go see ultimate and get them to do the lot
They do great custom shocks
They can weigh the car and set it all up to suit

[DarkHorse]

After a looooong exchange of e-mails with a very patient tech guy at King Springs I have ordered a pair of lifted XL7 coils for the front.

They are 16mm wire, 340mm tall and 9.5 turns. Part no is KSFR-34H.

20mm taller than the Dobinsons, but should be a very similar rate so hopefully a good 40mm higher ride. Hopefully these work out. Once these are in I'll see what the rear needs to match up.

For the sake of interest - according to Kings the GVs rear springs have a 9-10mm tighter coil than the early Vits. I'm not sure my old GV Tough Dog springs could have stretched that far, but at least it's a good indication that they are actually different.

[DarkHorse]

UPDATE: Took a punt on a cheap pair of Dobinsons rears for a 40mm lifted GV (apparently...) They are 410mm free, 12mm wire and 10.75 turns. Solves the spring seating issue nicely, and looks like ride height should be pretty close to what I'm after when they settle in. Hopefully the thinner guage wire lets it flex nicely too - initial towball bouncing tests are promising.