Patrol body lift or not.

[Vaatjie]

My setup currently on my 2006 4.8GL is TJM coils and shocks with airlift fitted in the back coils. I also fitted 285R16 tyres. The overall lift was +-70mm. The ride fully loaded is stable and comfortable. NOW.
When the vehicle is empty I have a very bumpy and hard driving experience in town. The current suspension was fitted 35 000km ago. I want to do a body lift of 50mm and put the old standard suspension back on.
1. Will this be a good idea?
2. How easy is it to do body lift?
3. How much wheel travel will I sacrifice?
Or
1. Change the shocks to OME.
Take cost into account what are the pros and cons. (I think that I must change the shocks) Will I have to change the caster bushings back to standard and will the airlift bags fit into the standard coils?

[Peter Connan]

Vaatjie do TJM not make a lighter-duty coil spring than the ones you have? And when in town, what pressure do you have in the air helper springs?

In my opinion a body lift is mostly a step in the wrong direction. The reason I say this is that it is purely cosmetic. The only advantage it has is to make room for larger tires without having to modify the bodywork. With a body lift on standard suspension you have no improvement on clearance angles as the bumpers are mounted on the chassis, so you either have to modify them extensively or they stay where they are, and ramp angle will remain standard no matter what you do.

My feeling is that you originally had the right idea when you lifted the suspension, no you just need to fine-tune what you did.

The air helpers you have will not fit in standard coils, and the caster correction bushes will have to be replaced with standard as well.

[Russ Kellermann]

Drop pressure in the Air bags to the very minimum when in town (or take them out completely). Keep everything else as is. There's no reason on earth to go back to standard coils and shocks.

Also, check tyre pressure before you do anything.

If you think your vehicle is bumpy you must drive a Pickup (Patrol pickup like mine, or a Land cruiser pickup), you'll kak yourself.

[Stefan]

Gooi a couple of bags of cement in the back

[tour de frans]

Jis Vaatjie
Ek gaan nou maar in my taal praat.
Eerste as jy die kar sou sak,sou ek nie die caster terug verander nie.Baie caster is goed...
Is die ry hard as jy die lugsakke heeltemal afblaas? vir n toets.In n my opinie,die sakke wat binne die spring pas kan pap gery word.Hy het mos minder wrywing wanneer hulle pap is,as wat hy die kar moet ophou.
Die regte manier eintlik om daai sakke te gebruik-jy moet hulle opblaas voor jy die kar laai,hulle moet juis tussen die draad van die coil uit druk om reg te werk.Anyway,Die standaard suspensie is nie sleg nie.Jou wiele sal nou meer kan uitsak as wat dit na bo beweeg.Al wat die "droop" van die as keer is daai antiroll bar.Maar jy maak net die extentions langer.
Die sakke behoort te werk in die std spring.
n Body lift is taamlik maklik,dit hang ook af hoe baie.maar onthou die steering arm moet langer raak,so ook die tank fillers,bedrading ens.
Ek sou hom netso los en speel met springe en dan die lugsakke wat kan help met vrag.Die shocks is seker die belangrikste,dis sal maak of die kar hard of sag ry.Die springe is net ry-hoogte en dra vermoe.
Dis my 2 sent
Cheers

[Mrowka]

A body lift is really only advisable if your tires and wheels don't fit.

[Tinus lotz]

ek blaas my sakke af en dan is my leeg ry fine het jy nie dalk swaar diens coils nie ????

[Vaatjie]

Dankie vir al die input. Ek ry reeds die lugsakke op 0.4 bar en sal hulle vir 'n toets na 0.2bar toe neem. Ek sal ook soek vir sagter coil voor en OME shocks. Ek het eintlik geweet die bodylift ding is geldmors maar, partykeer moet ek dit net hoor van iemand anders.

[Dries]

Ek het ironman susspensie lift laat insit in my 99' gl 4.5 , wat n' plesier. Dit is ook baie goedkoper as die ander make.Die lift was so +- 50 mm.Dit het n' groot verskil op die grondpad gemaak, aan gesien ons baie grondpad ry hier op die vlakte.http://patrol4x4.co.za/posting.php?mode ... 9689f851dd#

[Grant]

Vaatjie,

Agree with Peter - check your tyre pressures.


My next project on my GQ is a body lift. Not only will this help with bigger tyres but in my case more articulation. At the moment the bump stops have been lengthened to prevent my tyre from jamming up against the top side of the wheel well. I am still contemplating on 35m or 50 mm. With this increase, I can the shorten the bump stop accordingly and gain a little more articulation.