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veeate
11th February 2011, 12:10 PM
Looking at getting a lift kit for my GU. was thinking 4". is it just a matter of putting in new springs & shocks or am I going to have to extend brake lines too ? is there any other problems i might run into ?

also are the springs and shocks the same as GQ as i have access to a 2nd hand kit that someone had on their GQ for about a year.

Bigrig
11th February 2011, 12:35 PM
Looking at getting a lift kit for my GU. was thinking 4". is it just a matter of putting in new springs & shocks or am I going to have to extend brake lines too ? is there any other problems i might run into ?

also are the springs and shocks the same as GQ as i have access to a 2nd hand kit that someone had on their GQ for about a year.

Hey mate

For 4" you'll need the:
Springs
Shocks
Caster correction kit (3-4 degrees)
Extended brake lines
Panhard rods
Rear lower control arms (possibly upper also - not sure)
Extended sway bar link pins

Probably would want to get these also as your steering will be out of centre and you won't be able to re-centre etc:
Adjustable drag link
Adjustable steering arm

You may be able to keep the front radius arms, but will probably need drop boxes - probably better to get new ones and that may offset the need for caster correction also.

Others - have I forgotten anything??

veeate
11th February 2011, 12:43 PM
ok...didnt realise all that would need doing :S not really keen on changing half the front end..... how high could i go with just a spring & shockie upgrade ??

Bigrig
11th February 2011, 01:33 PM
ok...didnt realise all that would need doing :S not really keen on changing half the front end..... how high could i go with just a spring & shockie upgrade ??

About 2 inches mate - that will still put a bit of strain on the sway bar links (just because the sway bars will be getting pulled upwards by the pins) and the steering wheel will still be off centre, but you shouldn't need casters or anything else.

You'll need an adjustable steering arm if you want to centre the wheel - don't just move the wheel on the steering stem splines as the box will still be off centre and you'll lose left lock (i.e. The steering will turn more turns to right lock than left lock as the box is off centre) - no biggie though for a 50mm lift - most people just live with it I guess.

Good luck whichever way you go!! Male sure you throw up some happy snaps of before and after!!!

veeate
11th February 2011, 01:46 PM
great! thanks for that info.. gives me a heaps better idea of wat im up for.

GUte
11th February 2011, 02:10 PM
The cost starts compounding once you go over 2 inches!

I think 3 is a good happy medium, for this you will need

springs
shocks
caster correction (either offset bushes, radius arms or drop boxes, I will be getting the latter when I do mine)
longer lower rear trailing arms or the coils can rub on the shocks
extended rear sway bar pins (+ plus front of you just use bushes, pretty sure you cant run a front sway bar with drop boxes)
longer brake lines


All this can be had for under 2k delivered. I plan on getting the superflex kit
http://www.zordos4wdsuspension.com.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=49&Itemid=53

Best to get new panhards, draglink etc which I will end up doing but not essential to begin with

YNOT
11th February 2011, 05:07 PM
Hey mate

For 4" you'll need the:
Springs
Shocks
Caster correction kit (3-4 degrees)
Extended brake lines
Panhard rods
Rear lower control arms (possibly upper also - not sure)
Extended sway bar link pins

Probably would want to get these also as your steering will be out of centre and you won't be able to re-centre etc:
Adjustable drag link
Adjustable steering arm

You may be able to keep the front radius arms, but will probably need drop boxes - probably better to get new ones and that may offset the need for caster correction also.

Others - have I forgotten anything??

Settle down Scott, technical is my area mate! You answered that very well.

Tony

big_fletch
11th February 2011, 05:42 PM
The cost starts compounding once you go over 2 inches!

I think 3 is a good happy medium, for this you will need

springs
shocks
caster correction (either offset bushes, radius arms or drop boxes, I will be getting the latter when I do mine)
longer lower rear trailing arms or the coils can rub on the shocks
extended rear sway bar pins (+ plus front of you just use bushes, pretty sure you cant run a front sway bar with drop boxes)
longer brake lines


All this can be had for under 2k delivered. I plan on getting the superflex kit
http://www.zordos4wdsuspension.com.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=49&Itemid=53

Best to get new panhards, draglink etc which I will end up doing but not essential to begin with

I agree with GUte, 3" is just a nice height without costs going through the roof..
I just a couple of days ago installed a 3" ridepro lift for about $1500..
That was:

Springs
Shocks
Longer Brake lines
Caster
Steering Dampner
Front bump stop extensions

Car rides absolutely beautiful, just need a Draglink to center steering wheel now..
Depends on what your budget is and how high you really want to go

Fletcha

damianovdd
11th February 2011, 06:07 PM
Good thread. i was intended to ask the same question with my wishes to build the truck someday like that..
I have also some questions, and they better be joined with some pics.

But here my first question (it may be well explained in up posts, but i don`t see it):
When done lift axles should be go closer to the center of the car. This will lead up to kick the tires in the fender because of displacement. How do you solve this problem?
I can see at a forum in Bg that cut wings, which for me could not be solution.
I'll try to paint (or show in pics) what I described.

YNOT
11th February 2011, 06:17 PM
When you lift a Patrol the swing of the control arms does pull the axles towards the centre of the car (looking side on). As the suspension gets compressed the control arms will push the axles back torwards their normal position.
If you want to push the axles back towards their normal position with raised suspension you can fit adjustable control arms to the rear, and drop boxes or radius arms spacers on the front. The down side being that when the suspension is compressed up the axles will now be pushed further towards the ends of the vehicle than normal.

Tony

damianovdd
11th February 2011, 06:53 PM
Thank you Tony.
I think I got it. (most of it :) )

Here what bothers me (i told about pic) to fill up my previous post:

Bigrig
11th February 2011, 07:59 PM
Settle down Scott, technical is my area mate! You answered that very well.

Tony

Yessum boss, I know my place!! LOL
Thanks mate - I googled it!!!! LMFAO!!!!!
Nah, just remembered some of the many things I paid for when I had mine done ...

Ben-e-boy
15th February 2011, 06:59 PM
When you lift a Patrol the swing of the control arms does pull the axles towards the centre of the car (looking side on). As the suspension gets compressed the control arms will push the axles back torwards their normal position.
If you want to push the axles back towards their normal position with raised suspension you can fit adjustable control arms to the rear, and drop boxes or radius arms spacers on the front. The down side being that when the suspension is compressed up the axles will now be pushed further towards the ends of the vehicle than normal.
Tony

yes.. but if you dont have longer control arms you will have rear steer issues which is bad for balance. The money saved on not getting control arms could possibly be spent on roll-over repairs.
Also,when the rear is at full extention the wheels (without longer arms) will try to drive under the vehicle thus loosing forward drive. in some situations this is a serious hinderance to offroad performance.

TheFlyingBadger
15th February 2011, 11:06 PM
veeate, go and have a chat with Phil at APE suspension on Gnangara Rd.

MudRunnerTD
18th February 2011, 10:19 PM
yes.. but if you dont have longer control arms you will have rear steer issues which is bad for balance. The money saved on not getting control arms could possibly be spent on roll-over repairs.

G'day Ben, sorry mate you going to have to give me more detail than that mate, i am not sure i understand what you mean by "rear steer"? in relation to rear lower trailing arms?

Under normal driving on a lifted car without extending the lower trailing arms the wheel base will be slightly shorter but i cant see how that slight geometrical change at ride height will be detrimental to the tracking of the car. If you mean what i would refer to as crab walking that is more an issue with the Panhard rod adjustments?



Also,when the rear is at full extention the wheels (without longer arms) will try to drive under the vehicle thus loosing forward drive. in some situations this is a serious hinderance to offroad performance.

Sorry mate, got me again? I dont understand what you mean by this at all? Are you talking about the affect on the pinion angle in this situation?

At the end of the day NISSAN designed the car like they did, when we lift it all things need to be considered and our task is to get as much lift as we want without compromising the factory angles and stresses on the drive train. There is alot of discussion about the collateral damage cause to the back of the rear guards by fitting extended Lower arms. Certainly the Pinion angle needs to be addressed but a far better approach to this without the collateral damage it to fit adjustable upper arms and heavy duty factory length lower arms.

My 2c

But i am certainly interested in considering what you have to say as i have this setup and always looking for different thinking.

Cheers MR

patroltrav
18th February 2011, 10:27 PM
Damn i just bought a GU with a 2 in lift and was thinking of going for a 4 in but by the sounds of it there is a too much work involved for the gain haha

MudRunnerTD
18th February 2011, 10:34 PM
Hey Trav, nice GU IV in your avatar mate, i have a 3" lift in my GU IV but went drop boxes on the front for caster correction (Love them) and 1 extended brake line for the back and the long back one for the front and you will be right like that mate.

Ya just got to figure out why you need the extra lift and whether it is worth the cash.

here are a couple of pics of my GU IV check out half way down the page mate.
http://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/forums/showthread.php?276-MudRunnerTD-s-GQ-From-the-Ground-Up/page9

growler2058
21st February 2011, 06:20 PM
G'day all for my two Bob's worth, when i decided to go the 4" lift on my gq I looked at alot of options and what made sense to me was to buy a complete system, tried and tested (and engineered) by others. It took a bit more saving up to get a complete kit but was worth it in the long run (saved a bit by doing the install myself but not a lot) I've put the ol girl through her paces and have not found any excsessive movement rearward to the extent of damaging rear 1/4 panels, but this is an old gq! Anyway research, research, research as you are doing and also check your local regulations before you make your final decision. still scrape my inner gaurd on full compression but luuuuv the flex i got

GUte
22nd February 2011, 12:28 AM
Hey mudrunner, just out of curiosity mate, can you use front sway bars with drop boxes fitted?

YNOT
22nd February 2011, 05:54 AM
Hey mudrunner, just out of curiosity mate, can you use front sway bars with drop boxes fitted?

Yes you can, that's what I've done with mine. You need extended sway bar links pins.

Tony

MudRunnerTD
22nd February 2011, 11:25 PM
Hey mudrunner, just out of curiosity mate, can you use front sway bars with drop boxes fitted?

As Tony stated yes you can, when i fitted mine up the link did not fit (Obviously) and so i went without it mate. I just thought i would see how it went and i would get around to it.

The GU has a massive rear sway bar and with that connected and the Geometrical change and correction by the drop boxes i am astounded at how well the thing handles without the front sway bar connected. I have now done 15,000kms without the front sway bar and i will be removing it all together as the rear one does a fine job by itself.

Cheers MR

GUte
23rd February 2011, 12:28 AM
Sounds like a good setup MR, will probably do the same :)
cheers