[pickle2589]

Hey

i recently purchased am 85 LWB NT Suzuki sierra for $1100. it is currently registered and i would like to keep it that way, however i would also like to modify it. i've been looking at spoa, esp the calmini and rro kits. are either of these kits any good?
my second question is, what are my chances of getting spoa engineering certification in nsw?
thirdly, many people are saying that spoa is unstable and not worth. what are my other options to get similar off road performance? its probably notable that it is not my daily drive and i only use on the weekends at camping trips and some fun in the local bush. therefore it doesnt have to drive like a dream on the road.

thanks guys

[Fatzook]

pickle2589 wrote:

Hey

i recently purchased am 85 LWB NT Suzuki sierra for $1100. it is currently registered and i would like to keep it that way, however i would also like to modify it. i've been looking at spoa, esp the calmini and rro kits. are either of these kits any good?
my second question is, what are my chances of getting spoa engineering certification in nsw?
thirdly, many people are saying that spoa is unstable and not worth. what are my other options to get similar off road performance? its probably notable that it is not my daily drive and i only use on the weekends at camping trips and some fun in the local bush. therefore it doesnt have to drive like a dream on the road.

thanks guys

As far as I can tell the only benifit of SPOA is that it allows you to fit 33-35" tyres. A properly set up SPUA will nett the same flex as any SPOA setup, bar those with missing link etc.

Not sure about the engineering side of things, but you may be required to fit Lux diffs or similar that came from the factory with SPOA to get cert. in NSW. I could be just speaking from my arse tho, so may pay to check that out yourself

IMO if you had no intention of swapping to hilux diffs in the first instance, then keep the SPUA zook diffs and do RUF and get some longer leaves for the rear. You will be amazed with what you can get from a LWB sierra with just a few simple mods.

Peter

[want33s]

WT diffs... RUF.. Lockers.. 2" raised springs with 1" extended bumpstops all round.. VS wagon rear shocks in the front.. Hiace rear shocks in the rear.
You won't get much more flex than this setup with SUA unless you go coils.

[Gwagensteve]

The tyre size limitation on a sierra (with suzuki diffs) has nothing to do with where the springs are relative to the diffs.

I've built a bunch of sierras with 34"+ tyres without needing the work of a SPOA.
Just my 2C.

Steve.

[pickle2589]

thanks for the suggestions.

im not terribly interested in swapping to hilux diffs (although i do what to swap out for WT) and i dont want to fit ridiculously huge tyres under there either. i was under the impression that with spoa, u automatically got loads more flex since the diffs are no longer hitting the bump stops rather it is the leaves

if u can get say 31" inch tyres and a respectable amount of flex with a sua
setup then it sounds like a better and safer option without axle wrap issues and the rest.

[pickle2589]

whilst i have everyone's attention, whats the deal with extended shackles, ie what are the pros and cons. they seem like a cheap modification to make but im unsure as to what effect they would have.

[BlueSuzy]

On stock springs, extended shackles are crap. They may give you lift but the downside is she wont flex as good.

I run extended shackles as my springs are longer then standard

[LAY80N]

pickle2589 wrote:

thanks for the suggestions.

im not terribly interested in swapping to hilux diffs (although i do what to swap out for WT) and i dont want to fit ridiculously huge tyres under there either. i was under the impression that with spoa, u automatically got loads more flex since the diffs are no longer hitting the bump stops rather it is the leaves

if u can get say 31" inch tyres and a respectable amount of flex with a sua
setup then it sounds like a better and safer option without axle wrap issues and the rest.

SPOA without changing anything else will not gain any flex really, as your shocks will still limit your flex. The bump stops have to be spaced down when you spoa, as bending a spring backwards that far repeadedly will not do it any good at all. You should never have a suspension setup that doesnt sit comfortably on the bump stops at full compression. Shocks should never be relied on to control the compression travel of a suspensio nsystem, all this does is destroy your shock and fatigue the shock mount till one or the other breaks.

While i am SPOA, there is nothing wrong with SPUA, For 31 inch tyres, WT diffs and RUF & 2 inch springs & 2 inch body would be great on your LWB. With lockers and gears this would be very capable and still cheap.

This zook is SPUA on standard rear springs in the front, and hilux front springs in he rear. Plenty enough flex -





Layto.....

[pickle2589]

ok so sua sounds like a better option for myself. if say i moved the rears springs to the front, what options do i have to replace those in the rear? u stated hilux front springs are an option, ive also read that 323 springs are also an option. what works best and exactly what model of hilux/323/whatever do i want to look for?

cheers

[pickle2589]

also to clarify when u say 'and RUF & 2 inch springs' do u mean that u should put the rears of a 2 inch raised spring up the front? or do u simply mean that putting the stocks up front gives 2"

[pickle2589]

LAY80N wrote:

While i am SPOA, there is nothing wrong with SPUA, For 31 inch tyres.

what sort of SPOA system do u run? is it a kit or did u do it urself? if i were to fit 31s would it be less hassle to go spoa or to spend my time fiddling around with RUF and different spring setups? i'd say that i would get a 2" body lift regardless of what i do.

cheers

[Brett]

std rear springs in the front and 2" in the rear.

you can fit 31's with a ruf, bumpstop ext and no body lift.

i'm putting together a kit to bolt up ruf with no drilling or cutting on std shackles that will hopefully be able to be engineered. pm me if you want some more details.

[LAY80N]

pickle2589 wrote:

LAY80N wrote:

While i am SPOA, there is nothing wrong with SPUA, For 31 inch tyres.

what sort of SPOA system do u run? is it a kit or did u do it urself? if i were to fit 31s would it be less hassle to go spoa or to spend my time fiddling around with RUF and different spring setups? i'd say that i would get a 2" body lift regardless of what i do.

cheers

All custom made
can sorta see it here -


Dont have any better photo's here at work. If you go SPOA do not go body lift too. Personally i would just build it SPUA, it is easier and works just as well .Deffinatley go RUF as well, i am RUF and it is worth the effort.

Layto....

[pickle2589]

thanks for the pics. sounds like ruf is a winner then.

[weaves]

if your chasing WT diffs locally in newcastle PM, i know two people with sets minus centres etc.

[303zuke]

pickle2589 wrote:

whilst i have everyone's attention, whats the deal with extended shackles, ie what are the pros and cons. they seem like a cheap modification to make but im unsure as to what effect they would have.

Well, the biggest "Con" against having extended shackles in NSW is that they attract a defect notice for the vehicle and cannot be approved under an Engineer's Certificate.
For further info, see page 4 of VSI06. Note that this Vehicle Standards Information document is STILL current and is not the VSI50 that was recently challenged and put on hold.

[pickle2589]

303zuke wrote:

cannot be approved under an Engineer's Certificate.

I was under the impression that anything goes so long as an engineer certifies it. oh well so much for that idea

[mcwilly]

i just got my spoa engineered today no worries. i have a set of spua wide track diffs at home, no centres. ive been out a few times on my spoa with body lift and its real stable so far. i have 15x8 wheels with -50 offset though so its a fair bit wider then stock

[jamesandlara]

I'm new to zookies. What's RUF? I figured out the springs over or under thing. Thanks

James

[mcwilly]

Rear up front. Rear springs put in the front to allow more flex

[jamesandlara]

Oh, OK. Does ruffing it require different shackles or is it a plug and play mod?

[LAY80N]

mcwilly wrote:

Rear up front. Rear springs put in the front to allow more flex

More flex is handy, but the big gain is also the stretching of the WB due to the front axle moving forward. Also the longer springs have a lower frequency which give a smoother ride. Done properly is is not a hard mod, but its not plug and play as such. it requires a bit of fabrication to extend the chassis.

Layto.....

[mcwilly]

If ruf able to be engineered?

[twitchy]

mcwilly wrote:

If ruf able to be engineered?

Not sure about NSW, but I am going to find out on Monday if we can do it in backwards QLD.