New boingy bits

[wobbly]

Carl

Spoke to my mate today who's workshop it is...he tells me that the castor angle if correctly set will self-centre the steering after going round a corner, ie the tyre should pull the steering straight.

Does yours still do that?

Pete

 

[Red Oktober]

mine didn't pull straight to start with ..... but it does now

 

[wobbly]

Sounds like a very positive change for you.

Pete

 

[wobbly]

Carl

Bit of a non-starter today, the jack in the garage isnt tall enough to safely get the chassis away from the axle, so need to get a taller jack.

Started on the rears first - put the rear axle on stands and then disconnected the anti-roll bar from the hanger at the chassis - but there doesnt seem any chance of removing the rear coils without spring compressors, never mind getting the new ones in! Other than the anti-roll bar did you disconnect anything else?

Had a look at the rear trailing arm, could possibly remove that where it meets the chassis, but probably a lot easier to just buy spring compressors!

Problem i have at the moment is that as I jack the chassis, the axle will start to follow it up after only a few inches.

Pete

 

[Birder]

I hope after all this work, it works like this Nissan one

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJwxhnP_DhA

 

[Red Oktober]

Hi Pete,
sorry to read you are having problems getting the coils out ...... here's what i did

I used a bottle jack between the chassis and the axle to push the axle down. ... yes i did disconnect the anti roll bars .. but nothing else

hope that helps

 

[jeepmadmike]

The rears on mine where a real shit to fit, one reason I was convinced I had the wrong springs, spring compressors work but compressing the new springs to fit them is a little bit concerning the force there under is massive, it's a bit while you compress them

I used 2 sets of spring compressors but if I did it again I would disconnect the brake pipe and handbrake cable and loosen the radius arms so the axle will drop easy

 

[Red Oktober]

i found the rears quite easy to do ... ( i did the fronts first)

just pushed the axle down as far as it would go ....and just popped the coils in place

fronts were a bit awkward seeing as they have the dampers up the middle.

the only tools i used were .... spanners, socket set, 2x jacks (1x trolley + 1x bottle) and a crow bar

 

[wobbly]

I'm going to have another go tomorrow.

I only released the anti roll bar on the side I was doing, I think I need to release it on both sides at the same time.

Did you replace the anti roll bar after you fitted the coils? Or are you running without it.

Just a bad day today, wasted 2 hours on a ramp that didnt do what it was meant to do!

Pete

 

[Red Oktober]

I'm going to have another go tomorrow.

I only released the anti roll bar on the side I was doing, I think I need to release it on both sides at the same time.

Did you replace the anti roll bar after you fitted the coils? Or are you running without it.

Just a bad day today, wasted 2 hours on a ramp that didnt do what it was meant to do!

Pete

take the anti roll bar right off ....

i didn't put them back

if i knew where you were ..i may be able to offer some assistance

 

[wobbly]

Cannington, Somerset.

If it doesnt happen tomorrow mike has suggested I go down to his, we can do it by committee!

Will let you know how I get on!

Pete

 

[Red Oktober]

ok .... well we're just along the road from Mike's .. so can be at his within a few mins

 

[Ben]

Carl

Bit of a non-starter today, the jack in the garage isnt tall enough to safely get the chassis away from the axle, so need to get a taller jack.

Started on the rears first put the rear axle on stands and then disconnected the anti-roll bar from the hanger at the chassis - but there doesnt seem any chance of removing the rear coils without spring compressors, never mind getting the new ones in! Other than the anti-roll bar did you disconnect anything else?

Had a look at the rear trailing arm, could possibly remove that where it meets the chassis, but probably a lot easier to just buy spring compressors!

Problem i have at the moment is that as I jack the chassis, the axle will start to follow it up after only a few inches.

Pete

no wonder your struggling to get the springs out/in. you need the axle stands under the chassis, not under the axle, that will just put the springs under more pressure as the weight of the vehicle is on them.

if you fit the suspension lift properly you wont need any spring compressors!

once youve got the rear axle in the air with the wheels off and axle stands under the chassis, remove the rear shocks.

now put a trolley jack under one side of the axle and jack it up, the other side will automatically drop as its pivoted in the middle of the axle, you will now be able to remove the old spring easily, and fit the new one. then jack up the side with the new spring fitted and do the other side.

i will see if i can find a pic to show what i mean.

it really is very easy, and no need for spring compressors at all.

"Problem i have at the moment is that as I jack the chassis, the axle will start to follow it up after only a few inches."

the reason why the axle starts to follow the chassis up when you jack the chassis, is because the shocks are holding it. once youve disconected them, and jack the chassis, the axle should stay where it is, until it reaches a point where its hanging from the chassis on the trailling arms and panhard rod.

 

[wobbly]

Hi

I started again this morning.

Binned the stands, used loads of jacks instead!

the drivers side rear was a major pain, took 6 hours - started with it up on the ramp, wd40'd everything including me, then loosened all bolts - became 100% committed when the bottom nut on the osr shock snapped off......

Removed rear anti roll bar.

Supported chassis on a jack, and axle on a jack - raised chassis and dropped axle to max, no way enough to even budge old spring, so put a scissor jack and a bottle jack between the 2 and eventually had the desired space, used the ramp to compress new springs, clamped them down with compressors and after a little fiddling in it popped. Fitted shock and hey presto, a very tall albeit lopsided landcruiser !

That took about 6 hours in total - the issue was finding a way to create the space, no way does it happen naturally on mine - I read all the threads and did all suggested - jacked up near side rear as well etc.

Finishing up for the day, got the jacks set up on the nearside rear, thought I'd have a little go, really really easy!! I had the old coil out, new one in and shock half fitted in about 20 minutes! There was no need for a bottle jack to seperate the axle and chassis - the jack on the chassis did it automatically.

There seems to be lots of articulation on the nsr, but far less on the osr. It is also easier to work on the nsr - far more space and easier to get at everything - the centre diff on mine is offset towards the osr, just makes it all a bit tighter.

The old shocks - how has this car passed an mot in the last 5 years! the nsr had all the resistance of a bicycle pump, the osr was completely solid - had to use the downward force of the ramp to get it to compress!

So, a better day so far.

Fronts tomorrow.

Will get some before and after shots, the rear is up about 4 to 5 inches from where it was, albeit it was really saggy, so a 2" overall lift is about right.

Cheers all, thanks for the help.

Pete.

 

[wobbly]

Ben

Is the rear diff on your swb in the centre of the axle, or offset?

Pete

 

[Roger Fairclough]

Pete,

Just a couple of points:-

1) Did you prime the shocks.

2) Did you slacken off the nuts/bolts on the panhard rod and trailing links before you started. They will need to be torqued up after the motor is back on terra firma and has settled.

Roger

 

[jeepmadmike]

Ben

Is the rear diff on your swb in the centre of the axle, or offset?

Pete

Good question I can't remember

 

[Ben]

yours is certainly proving a lot more difficult than mine. at least youve got one side done, so your half way there.

just been out and checked and my diff is off set towards the drivers side.

regarding priming your shocks, is that necessary with all shocks Roger? never did it with mine.

same with the slackening off the panhard and trailing arms, i never did that either?

looking forward to seeing the before and after pics.

 

[Roger Fairclough]

yours is certainly proving a lot more difficult than mine. at least youve got one side done, so your half way there.

just been out and checked and my diff is off set towards the drivers side.

regarding priming your shocks, is that necessary with all shocks Roger? never did it with mine.

same with the slackening off the panhard and trailing arms, i never did that either?

looking forward to seeing the before and after pics.

There are two types of shocks, High Pressure Single (sometimes called "Mono Tube" ) and Low Pressure Twin Tube. The high pressure separate the gas from the oil with a floating piston and because they cannot mix, no priming is required. The outer cylinder of the twin tube design is filled with oil and gas. Usually the gas is nitrogen at about 3-5 bar pressure. The inner tube contains the piston and connecting rod and the whole is full of oil. As the shock is compressed, the piston rod is pushed into the cylinder and in so doing, takes up space that was oil. Think of a quart into a pint pot. The oil is displaced into the outer cylinder. At the factory the unit is manufactured, packaged and dispatched to you via various wholesalers and retailers. It spends it's time being turned this way and that until the gas has had a chance to bleed into the inner cylinder. The strap that keeps the shock in it's compressed state is purely there to keep the unit as small as possible. This makes for less packaging and more units per volume, it does not stop the gas bleeding into the oil. You then fit the shock and expect it to work but unfortunately the gas/oil mix is about as useful as a shock absorber medium as air in the braking system of your motor is at helping you to stop.

To purge the gas you should mount the unit vertically in a vice and push the shock downwards. You will note the jerky way in which it does this. This is due to the gas being pumped from the inner to outer tubes. Do this 6 times. If the last two times was smooth and snatch free, job is done. From this point on you must not allow the shock to be placed more than 60 degrees from the vertical ie keep it as close as you can to upright. If you have already fitted them, without purging, then general driving will remove some but by no means all of the gas. Only removal and proper purging will do that.

The trailing arms and panhard rod use void bushes at each end. These bushes consist of two steel tubes which has had liquid rubber poured into the gap. When the rubber sets, it seals itself to the steel. If you do not slacken off the nuts/bolts, by raising the suspension you place the rubber in a permanent shear condition. When you then drive "Off-Road" and through a cross axle situation, you increase this shear situation. The inevitable result is that the rubber starts to break up and the void bushes disintegrate. The last time I checked they are about £70 each. Slacken off the two nuts/bolts on the links that connect same to the chassis plus both ends of the panhard rod, bounce the motor up and down a few times and retighten.

Roger

 

[Ben]

thanks Roger.

i think its a shame instructions like that dont come with the suspension lift kits that ironman (and others) sell, if they had id have done that on mine.