looking for opinions

[Bushbasher]

A little while ago I posted about looking for ways to firm up the rear of the 'lane after the gas tank went in as the rear springs were marginal to start with and after the tank went in it was soft as buggery so I wanted to do something about it. Because the AU IRS is the way it is there are no air shocks available and Polybags won't fit either. I looked into self leveling air suspension but it was way too expensive and I couldn't justify the cost plus the minister of finance wouldn't have a bar of it anyway. So then I looked into various spring manufacturers looking for a spring that would be slightly stiffer than stock but not so stiff that I loose ride quality,and as I don't want to have to change the fronts as well, I don't want to drop the ride height either. Long story short, I couldn't get just what I wanted untill I found a mob in Adelaide called Industrial Springs who manufacture springs for all and sundry. They had 3 springs available; raised - standard height - low. I told the bloke what I was looking for and what the other manufacturers were offering as far as spring weight went and he said he had the right spring for what I wanted so I took the plunge and got standard height springs from them.

There was a mis communication at this point that I won't bother going into but what I ended up with was a car that was 2" higher than original and so stiff as to be positively painful.

Here's what it looked like -



Turns out they were standard height only if you had a bl00dy horse float on the back and were rated at 720lbs !! (stock is 240lbs)

So I was on to him again and got what the called a lowered spring at 330lbs which I put in the car thursday along with some new shocks and the car now rides very nicely but looking at it I recon it's sitting a fraction low.

It now sits like this -



Sitting on the dirt like that might look decieving so here it is sitting on the road -



Now I recon that the spring change dropped the car nearly 3" but I haven't actually measured it yet and I recon it's lower than it was when I bought it but my missus recons it looks ok.

So my question is, do you think it's sitting right as it is or does it look just a tad low at the back and needs to come up at the rear maybe 1/2 - 3/4" taking into account that in the pic there's bugger all gas in it and less than 1/4 tank of petrol and nothing in the boot either. Personally I think it could come up and the spring guy is happy to reset the springs up a little if I want but I just thought I'd get everyones thoughts before I put my hand in my pocket again.

Thoughts anyone???


Bushbasher

[The Monty]

Looks like its sitting perfect to me.

[JC]

Originally Posted by The Monty

Looks like its sitting perfect to me.

Me too.

Measure it now, and then next time you have a full tank of gas and stuff in the boot, measure it again. With the spring rate you have, I'd be surprised if it moved more than 5mm.

[THR347]

It does look a tad lower in the back than the front but only by a fraction, having said that, it doesn't look bad and a walker-by would never notice.

[Bushbasher]

Thanks Ayeyou, glad somebody else can see it too, I was beginning to think it was just me.

It's not about the looks, although that matters too, it's about ground clearance and handling. I live up a dirt road then 500m up a paddock and with a decent load in the boot and full tank/s it's going to hit ground somewhere if I'm not careful, my old NF was lowered 2" and it was a pain off the bitumen. Plus it just doesn't feel right when you're sitting in the drivers seat. It may be because I've been driving it round for 2 weeks with the boot up in the air but it feels nose up, and it may just be a warped perception but it seems to understeer just a little on turn in as well especially if you push it, where before it was quite neutral when pushed. I know that some of that might be due to the stiffer springs but even with the other even stiffer springs in it didn't have that understeery feeling, in fact it it felt oversteery on turn in when pushed, which wasn't far because it was also, understandably, real twitchy and was "tram-lining" wanting to dart left and right following the bumps and ruts in the road. Maybe I expect too much but I won't be happy till it drives and handles right.
The missus has taken it to work this morning but only after I convinced her it was driving much better than it was before as she hated it with a vengeance and flat out refused to drive it the way it was. She's actually a pretty good gauge and if there's any little handling issue she'll pick it I can guarantee,lol, so I guess I'll find out tonight just how good, bad or indifferent it is when she gets home.

Bushbasher

[Mr Hardware]

Originally Posted by ayeyou

It does look a tad lower in the back than the front but only by a fraction, having said that, it doesn't look bad and a walker-by would never notice.

Seconded. Just a bees-dick low in the rear, probably only 12mm or something like that. IMO the rear shoud never, ever be lower than the front.

[Bushbasher]

Originally Posted by Mr Hardware

Seconded. Just a bees-dick low in the rear, probably only 12mm or something like that. IMO the rear shoud never, ever be lower than the front.

My thoughts exactly


Bushbasher

[Bushbasher]

Thanks guys you've made up my mind for me, I think I'll get them to reset the springs with another 20mm of height. I recon that should just about be spot on and hopefully it'll go some way to correcting the understeer as well.

I recon a new set of front shocks might help as well cos I didn't realise how bad the rears actually were till I changed them and the old ones were the originals by the look of them so I'd assume the fronts are too.

Bushbasher

[Cookie-XR8]

[Bushbasher]

Hey now, that clean look ain't bad. Can you do it again but at the right ride height and with only the Sportsman sticker on the door?Hmmmm, I wonder how much it would be to get the door handles removed and solenoids fitted instead?


Bushbasher

[mik]

it looks good at the moment .... but also another vote for tad low at rear, i think your right with full tanks it will be even lower....(too low).

[The Monty]

Can you get a measurement from bottom of wheel to bottom of gaurd?

[Dave_Obsession]

agreed, it's the tiniest bit lower at the rear, but as some others have already said, you wouldn't notice unless you were looking for it.....

[Cookie-XR8]

ill do another lol

[Cookie-XR8]

[Bushbasher]

Originally Posted by BOOSTED-AU

, That looks pretty neat I must say but you can shove those 20s' where the sun don't shine. I'm happy enough with the 17s'. Any more than that and the ride will start to get too harsh and living up a dirt road I've already lost one of my tyres to the sharp rocks so with 20s' I might as well slash them before I start, lol. I am considering 245s' for the front and 255s' for the rear though to help soften the ride and fill out the guards a bit.


Bushbasher

[AUbigfoot]

Shaved door handles would be a sweet thing to look into. Doesn't look bad with the no handle look yeah?

[Cookie-XR8]

twentys are overrated lol

this is where its at

[Bushbasher]

I certainly wouldn't have any ground clearance problems with that.

Bushbasher

[Mr Hardware]

This is one of the best threads i've seen here in a long time....

[Dauphin]

I wanted to share my one.



I painted the original wheels, leaving a circular part unpainted.

[Bushbasher]

I like it. And the stance is just about right too..... if I didn't have to drive through a bl00dy paddock to get home, lol.

What does it look like with silver centres as well as the silver rim?

Bushbasher


PS. pity I didn't have photoshop, it looks like good fun. Problem is, I wouldn't know how to use it even if I had it, haha.

[Mr Hardware]

:hihi: but i bet you have mspaint

[InfernoSR]

Originally Posted by Bushbasher

The front looks about half an inch to heigh (12.7mm) IMO...

[Bushbasher]

Originally Posted by BLUEPRINT

The front looks about half an inch to heigh (12.7mm) IMO...

The front is stock height, it's the rear that is changed and is now 1/2" too low.



Just spoke to Industrial Springs in Adelaide and when they get the 720lb springs back(I posted them today),they'll drag out another set of springs and reset them 20mm higher for me and send them out. When I swap them over again I'll send the current set back for a refund.

I must say, Industrial Springs and particularly a bloke called Chris Coxon have been most accommodating and have gone above and beyond for me considering the messing around and back and forth, with now, a third set of springs, to give me what I want. I had to pay for the first set of coarse and the second, which is understandable as I've got both sets in my posession in another state, but they're resetting a third set for free and will ultimately give me a refund on the current set once they go back so apart from the return postage each time it will have only cost me for 1 set of springs and some postage; and that's just one way as they're paying the postage for the springs they send out.

I can't speak highly enough about them and their customer support. Next time you're looking for replacement springs give these guys a look see before you just blindly go to the other big name brands.http://www.industrialsprings.com.au/aurora.htm


Bushbasher

[greenguzzler]

Are they any cheaper than the stock Ford coils?
I am in the same boat at the moment as to whether i should get genuine replacement ones or go lower aftermarket ones maybe 2 inches?
Hey another nice looking 'lane mate.

[Bushbasher]

Originally Posted by greenguzzler

Are they any cheaper than the stock Ford coils?
I am in the same boat at the moment as to whether i should get genuine replacement ones or go lower aftermarket ones maybe 2 inches?
Hey another nice looking 'lane mate.

I don't know what factory springs are worth but I paid $178 + postage for 1 pair of rears. The Aurora springs (that's their brand name) are stiffer than the stock ford item and my 'lane being a Sportsman has the factory "sports" suspension so would be a bit stiffer than the regular Ghia springs. I wanted to hold up the extra weight of the LPG tank I had fitted and not lose the ride quality I had so only went for a rear change, which is why I'm having trouble matching the height of the front, but I can tell you my original rears are rated at 240lb and the replacements are rated at 330lb to about 400lb (progressive). I can also tell you Aurora have raised, standard and lowered height springs for the fairlane plus they do IRS "XR" springs which are the equivelent of SSLs' I recon. Have a look at the link and download the PDF at the bottom of the page to see what springs you can get from them.

Bushbasher

[Dauphin]

With covers unpainted:

[Dauphin]

I wonder if they might be interested in giving aufalcon.com members a discount (in return for a mention on our website).

[Bushbasher]

Originally Posted by Dauphin

I wonder if they might be interested in giving aufalcon.com members a discount (in return for a mention on our website).

Don't know how that'd work seeing as I guess I've just given them a fee plug already,

But seriously, if it's effectively giving them a free banner, for instance, in return for an AFF member discount then I can put that to them next time I talk to them and see what they say, with permission of admin of coarse.


Bushbasher