Patrol Pickup - Suspension lift options.

[SJC]

What options do we have to lift a patrol pickup, especially focusing on the rear leaf springs. There seems to be more products available for coils springs, but not so much leaf spring upgrades?

I understand when lifting more than 2", castor correction needs to be done, panhard rods, etc.
For arguments sake, if you have to install a 4" lift, how much more would the cost be with all the additional components that needs to be replaced + the extra labour? Would the extra 2" be worth the extra costs?

Then something specifically on the pickup's setup: I noticed that a lot of (other brands) bakkies, the axle sit under the leaf pack, but on the patrol pickup the axles sits on top of the leaf pack, thus reducing the ground clearance substantially.
What is the reason for this?

The front mounting points of the leaf springs is definitely a weak link with the regards to ground clearance on the patrol pickup. I heard that it is possible to swop the axle and leaf pack, so that the axles sits under the leaf pack. This would create a lot more ground clearance for the leaf springs and mounting points.
Is this advisable? Anyone done this before?

How big job is this? How much lift would this create? Assuming that the same lift would now be required for the front to level it out.

Then I have also heard that the leaf springs can be re-tensioned. What does this mean?
My pickup has done 208k km... I recon the suspension has sagged quite a bit by now...

What would be the best way forward with regard to better ground clearance for my pickup?

[Tinus lotz]

Fanus .....you must decide what you want your truck for there is a lot of opsions but when you make the one better you make the other worst. Mr Boegman works hard with his pick ups and he loads them from time to time ....if you want a trail car i think it will be cheaper to buy a gq for like 65000 and keep your bakkie a bakkie ....the best you can do is to put big wheels on and drive it
Those bakkies are big work horses ...or go the aussie way but big bucks and loosing on other things.....

[Peter Connan]

Fanus, moving the axle under the springs is quite a serious lift, as it will be half the thickness of the axle tube plus the thickness of the leaf pack. I reckon that must be close to 6"?

It's a relatively easy mod to do, but you will have to extend breather, brake pipes and load-sensing valve bracket. More importantly, to my mind, that will probably put signifiacnt extra load on the universals, and the amount of work you will need to do to the front end to match this is significant. I think this is probably too much for caster corection bushes, so you will be looking at custom lower control arms or drop boxes, as well as adjustable panhard and drag link (which will also cause bump-steer with no way of rectifying it).

As for re-tensioning leaf springs, do this only if you like to have problems. i don't think there is a single spring works that does this kind of work that has accurate enough control over their heat treatment processes to gaurantee the outcome. I personally would rather look at extended shackles than to do this, but first prize is a proper 2-3" lift kit with specially-made leaf springs.

[Wilkie]

Fanus ,grooter bande gaan jou vinnigste lift gee,en daar gaan geen "mods" op jou onderstel wees nie,en soos Tinus ook gese het,wat is jou doel met daai patrol

jou laaste opsie is om die blad vere bo op die aste te sit ,maar dis n duur opsie en jy moet propshafts langer maak en rem pyppe en draglinks en en en
ek het dit met n Safari gedoen,,baie kop seer
Sterkte

[SJC]

Dankie manne. Ek het reeds 33" bande op, so oorweeg nie regtig om groter te gaan nie. Ek is mal oor my bakkie en wil hom nie vervang met n gl of grx nie.... As daar eendag geld is sal ek nie skroom om my versameling patrols te vergroot nie. Maar vernou wil ek maar net kyk hoe om my bakkie meer lift te gee.
Sal bietjie uitvind oor wie almal 3" lifts vir n patrol bakkie doen. Neem aan ek gaan nie sommer meer as dit vir n patrol bakkie kry sonder al die bogenoemde kopsere nie?


P.S. Na ek bietjie lift georginize het kan ek seker 35" bande oorweeg....

[ricster]

4.2 diesels ( turbo ) don't like 35" tyres. Your egts will go through the roof.

I'm not too clued up on the pick ups, but maybe extended shackles and longer brake and breathers will give you the little extra articulation needed. A lift is lekker to have, but articulation can get you out of places that a lift cant. I use Dirks new Patrol for example. It has a LSD in the back that isnt working, but has incredible articulation ( ok it also has a suspension lift ) but that Patrol has gotten up places easier than other Patrols with a difflock and the same suspension lift.

The leaf springs I believe do restrict your articulation more than coils like in the station wagons, but with a little weight on the back and correct tyre pressure you can do amazing things in that machine of yours !!

[SJC]

If I have to install a 4" replacement suspension "kit", if it is available, would there be a lot more mods to be done on the vehicle to accommodate this, oppose to a 2" lift? Or does these suspension upgrade kits usually consist of all the necessary components? Eg castor correction bushes, etc..?

Does anyone know if a 3" or 4" suspension upgrade, for my vehicle, is available locally?

[Peter Connan]

I am pretty sure OME make one, but whether anyone imports it is a different question.
As for whether or not everything comes in the kit, that depends on the supplier. Some are more conscientious and clued-up than others. Have you tried Mikem?

I believe anything over 4" requires effort and expenditure in a different league, and will probably not be a complete kit.

[SJC]

Must say, the more I get to know this pickup of mine, the more I am impressed with the oem suspension setup. Sure, it is probably not on par with the Patrol wagon's coils front and back, but for a pickup with a rear leafsprings , I rekon you will battle to find an equally capable vehicle(in this class).

As much as I want to lift the suspension, I am actually scared to compromise what I have and replace it with an inferior aftermarket suspension. I really need to do a lot of homework before I replace the current suspension.

[Michael]

Fanus, OME suspension gaan verseker n upgrade wees. Jy gaan net wen as jy dit doen en ek kan nie dink daar gaan enige iets negaties daaruit kom nie.