hj60 lift possibilities

Joined: 21 Jan 2004 Location: Brisbane South. QLD

HI guys and girls...I have just spent hours going through the forum here trying to find out what are the best ways to increase the lift of my hj60 wagon. I have always had the idea of converting to a over sprung unit and there was certainly plenty of info in here regarding that.

But this is where my inexperience comes in I guess...because some of the info I simply just did not understand. So if anyone/someone could email me with as much info (in simple mans terms) about how this procedure is done and what are the main things to watch out for in regards to steering and so on it would be appreciated.

ls_canvas@optusnet.com.au

Joined: 22 Oct 2002 Location: Melbourne

i think you should read and understand the general concepts. spring over concepts apply to all leaf sprung fourbies so don't restrict your reading to 60 series cruisers only. then if you have specific questions, ask away. also search www.google.com.

keywords to try are: spring over, spoa, soa, wrap bar, turning knuckles, high steer

Joined: 16 Jun 2003 Location: Vic

i went for a 3" lift for my 60
i n my opinion soa are just too dangerus
try www.ih8mud.com
they got heaps of info on soa 60's
or try www.pirate.com

Joined: 21 Jan 2004 Location: Brisbane South. QLD

The more info I seem to read, the more I get that impression (about being dangerous).

The best option seems to be a 2" suspension lift (which is already fitted) matched with a 2" body lift.

Would extended shackles be any benefit???

Joined: 23 Oct 2002 Location: Melbourne, Australia

bundytunna wrote:

in my opinion soa are just too dangerous

Why do you think they are dangerous??

Joined: 27 Oct 2002 Location: Sydney

IMO I think SPOA is the best Wink

Why ?

If you use flat springs, you get the same amount of lift as some companies 'big lifted springs'. BUT you have a far greater amount of flex from the 'flatties'.

Sure you may have to consider using a track bar and modifying your driving style a bit, but the benfits offroad are considerable Wink

I suppose it all depends on what you want to use your rig for Smile

Posted: Thu Jan 22, 2004 9:32 am

MKPatrolGuy wrote:

bundytunna wrote:

in my opinion soa are just too dangerous

Why do you think they are dangerous??

It's a religious thing Very Happy

Joined: 16 Jun 2003 Location: Vic

MKPatrolGuy wrote:

bundytunna wrote:

in my opinion soa are just too dangerous

Why do you think they are dangerous??

COG is too high imo
i reckon they would be grouse for offroad but when its ur daily driver its too unstable on the road
with a spring lift all u need to do is get more arched springs
but with a soa u gotta go to all the fuss of warp bars and shit
i definetly agree they would be prolly 3 times if not more better offroad but on road is where most of us spend our time
if i had a comp rig i would not even think bout a spring lift i'd go straight to a soa but for on road sua is much much safer

Joined: 23 Oct 2002 Location: Melbourne, Australia

bundytunna wrote:

MKPatrolGuy wrote:

bundytunna wrote:

in my opinion soa are just too dangerous

Why do you think they are dangerous??

COG is too high imo
i reckon they would be grouse for offroad but when its ur daily driver its too unstable on the road
with a spring lift all u need to do is get more arched springs
but with a soa u gotta go to all the fuss of warp bars and shit
i definetly agree they would be prolly 3 times if not more better offroad but on road is where most of us spend our time
if i had a comp rig i would not even think bout a spring lift i'd go straight to a soa but for on road sua is much much safer

That is what sway bars are for...

Joined: 24 Aug 2003 Location: Launceston

www.ih8mud.com has heaps of good information, step by step instructions too.

you would be looking at 6" - 8" of lift (height of axle and thickness of leaves) so is big increase. good if going up several tyre sizes.
ps. others have said can get as little as 3" - 4", not sure how though?

big expenses would be increasing length and balancing driveshafts, modifying steering and twisting knuckles.

flat springs used in spring over would work better than arched spring under as the flatter springs allows more even suspension movement. ie spring droop matching spring pushed up

Posted: Thu Jan 22, 2004 4:24 pm

Bluey wrote:

ps. others have said can get as little as 3" - 4", not sure how though?

By using flat springs #Silly

Posted: Thu Jan 22, 2004 4:30 pm

bundytunna wrote:

MKPatrolGuy wrote:

bundytunna wrote:

in my opinion soa are just too dangerous

Why do you think they are dangerous??

COG is too high imo
i reckon they would be grouse for offroad but when its ur daily driver its too unstable on the road
with a spring lift all u need to do is get more arched springs
but with a soa u gotta go to all the fuss of warp bars and shit
i definetly agree they would be prolly 3 times if not more better offroad but on road is where most of us spend our time
if i had a comp rig i would not even think bout a spring lift i'd go straight to a soa but for on road sua is much much safer

If you have 3" spring and 2" body I don't think your COG is going to be much different to something with 4" of SOA lift.

Joined: 12 Jul 2003 Location: victoria

My SOA 60 would drive as well on road as any raised 60
its 5'' taller than standard and wouldn,t be much different COG
than bundytuna's

But off road disconnect swaybars and they would be chaulk and cheeze

Joined: 24 Aug 2003 Location: Launceston

2car wrote:

Bluey wrote:

ps. others have said can get as little as 3" - 4", not sure how though?

By using flat springs #Silly

so completely flat springs will give you lift of only axle tube height?
but surely the thickness of the leaves move mean further increase too?

from my understanding of readling pirate and ih8mud (so i could be completely wrong Very Happy

), increase in height when go from spung under to over is: axle diameter in inches, current spring lift from curvature of leaves in inches (flatten somewhat when put on top of axle), and then thickness of leaf pack in inches. so, am i completely wrong and if so can someone explain. if spring over can be done 3" - 4" then i mite do it myself, but any more is to tall atm.

Joined: 12 Jul 2003 Location: victoria

To keep the height down on a SOA the shakles can be mounted through the chase instead of under which could mean a saving of 1''-1.5''
plus flat spring pacs 4'' height is very acheavable possibly even 3''

Joined: 24 Aug 2003 Location: Launceston

that sorta makes sense. so you would mount shackles thru chassis like on hilux front leaf shackles? would keep overlift down to manageable amount (unless after bigger lift for bigger tyres).

Joined: 12 Jul 2003 Location: victoria

Sounds good to me Bluey
When ya starting the conversion

Joined: 24 Aug 2003 Location: Launceston

well, spoke to chief spanner twirler man at arb today, reckon price at least $2k. never done one so kinda keen to try it out/not sure inc cutting and shutting knuckles.

phark me, too pricey as prob turn out $3k plus i reckon

mite give it a go if can be done similar price to new springs. ie most work done at home. has anyone done this themselves, possibly dumbdunce?, and got any tips/ideas

Cheers
Lance

Joined: 12 Jul 2003 Location: victoria

I did my own, Basic conversion less than $500
plus shocks rancho's(never again) $680
PLus steering i went hysteer $1300 from snake with rock rods
but you could get double arm from chaos Guessing 400
there is a thread on i8mud that shows how to step by step
on a 60 by Jim Brinks
IT could be done for $1500-1800

Joined: 24 Aug 2003 Location: Launceston

60serius wrote:

I did my own, Basic conversion less than $500
plus shocks rancho's(never again) $680
PLus steering i went hysteer $1300 from snake with rock rods
but you could get double arm from chaos Guessing 400
there is a thread on i8mud that shows how to step by step
on a 60 by Jim Brinks
IT could be done for $1500-1800

now that doesnt sound too bad. what was included in your basic conversion? my (rudimentary) list so far
1. spring perches and u bolts
2. traction bar (is this needed?) possibly optional
3. cutting and turning steering knuckles. optional?
4. lengthen drive shafts. maybe convert front to square reciever tubing?
5. brake lines.
6. shackle reversal. i'm thinking optional
7. steering. double arm to cut down on cost?
8. shocks. guessing lift will be too much for current ones.

not sure though about all those extras like brackets for hand brake, proportioning valve mods. maybe convert hand brake to drive shaft, but then still need rear brakes dont i

i've read/printed the tech on soa by Andre Shoumatoff on ih8mud, pretty good detail. i'll have to read the 60 series tech one.

if youve got any more info/pics 60serius, would be keen to hear of them. possibly pm mite have hijacked G_Loomis' thread abit. actually he's probably wanting the same

Joined: 16 Jun 2003 Location: Vic

dan on this site drives the poo brown 60
he did a soa on his using standard flat spring and he reckons he got 6-7" of lift out of it
i didnt go soa coz i thought they were way too high
when i spoke to u 60serius u sed u almost rolled ur 60 a coupla times
imo i think they are way too high
if ya soa it then find its too high what r ya gunna do then?
ppl say remove leaves but that makes it handle shit and places too much strees on the remaining leaves

Joined: 12 Jul 2003 Location: victoria

Yeh I did near roll it twice, over backwards trying to steep a hill
If you put yours next to mine they wouldnt be much different in height
And the softer spring packs are very comfortable on road with swaybars
and handles well

you gotta come up the bush with us Bundytunna so we can compair the
two together would make a good artical for the BB

Joined: 12 Jul 2003 Location: victoria

Bluey wrote:

60serius wrote:

I did my own, Basic conversion less than $500
plus shocks rancho's(never again) $680
PLus steering i went hysteer $1300 from snake with rock rods
but you could get double arm from chaos Guessing 400
there is a thread on i8mud that shows how to step by step
on a 60 by Jim Brinks
IT could be done for $1500-1800

now that doesnt sound too bad. what was included in your basic conversion? my (rudimentary) list so far
1. spring perches and u bolts
2. traction bar (is this needed?) possibly optional
3. cutting and turning steering knuckles. optional?
4. lengthen drive shafts. maybe convert front to square reciever tubing?
5. brake lines.
6. shackle reversal. i'm thinking optional
7. steering. double arm to cut down on cost?
8. shocks. guessing lift will be too much for current ones.

not sure though about all those extras like brackets for hand brake, proportioning valve mods. maybe convert hand brake to drive shaft, but then still need rear brakes dont i

i've read/printed the tech on soa by Andre Shoumatoff on ih8mud, pretty good detail. i'll have to read the 60 series tech one.

if youve got any more info/pics 60serius, would be keen to hear of them. possibly pm mite have hijacked G_Loomis' thread abit. actually he's probably wanting the same

Unfortunataly I don't have a digy cam but there are enough pics on the web Just do a search on SOA on the world web and you will get 65000
sets of instructions mostly HEEPs but still good tec

Brakelines, TAilshaft spacers if you want cheap way,cutting and turning
knucles imo a must,spring perchs I reused old ones,shackle reversal
reuse ome brakets but I opted not to do it (But now wish I did)
track bar make sure you dont make it to short.It is needed
New shock mounts
All this is in the $500

Joined: 16 Jun 2003 Location: Vic

60serius wrote:

you gotta come up the bush with us Bundytunna so we can compair the
two together would make a good artical for the BB

yeh will do
maybe around easter
????