Calbah susp??????

Guest

Just wonderin out there in the land of JEEPS whether any is or know someone running the calbah 6" lift that they sell for the famous Tj in there Dogaloge the advertised $ is 3800 wat do u guys reckon from the shots it seems to develop a decent amount of flex .
Just after your thoughts on this kit is it a goer or blower!!!!
Just tryin to piece together a cost 4 a decent amount of lift they also advert a double carden joint rear shaft too 4 $980
Or should i stick with 1 of the many usa developed kits that works????

Posted: Tue Nov 19, 2002 4:40 pm

I know the owner of the sole kit (I believe only one has been done)...last I heard all the bugs hadn't been sorted....Sorry I don't have any specific details....
The flex looks fair - but to be honest - no more than most are getting anyways...

Joined: 24 Oct 2002 Location: On the end of the phone

UM

Joined: 24 Oct 2002 Location: syd

pics??

Posted: Wed Nov 20, 2002 9:43 am

I have a copy (several actually) of their Dogaloge.
The pic shows Shane's TJ with a wheel on top of a 44Gal drum - something most of our TJ's can do...
I have no idea if it included the long arm kit, if the long arm is just lowers or uppers & lowers....I'll see what extra info I can get....

Joined: 19 Nov 2002

email calbah and ask them all about it.

I was led to believe the $3800 is only for the arms and hardware, does not include springs and shocks, driveshaft etc. etc. but once again, send them an email.

I know Shane well - he has the kit on his jeep but has not had the most pleasent experience with calbah....not real fun when someone takes 5-6 months developing a kit on your jeep and then asks you to pay x amount of $ at the end. Especially when they promised a month or two.

He also hasn't had a chance to wheel it yet so it is really an unproven design. Maybe it kicks ass, maybe not, who knows until it is tested out there on the trails

But anyway, what do I know it is really between them.

Send calbah an email.
Send shane an email.
Send cheezy an email he will chat about calbah as well.
Try to find other people who have used calbah and see what they say.

cheers

z

Posted: Wed Nov 20, 2002 12:37 pm

zzzz wrote:

But anyway, what do I know it is really between them.

Agreed.... There's a fine balance betwen warning people & giving a manufacturer the opportunity to develop what's wanted/needed.
I don't want to bad mouth the product I have no first hand experience with it....I would also love to see more Aussie companies producing Jep stuff so I don't want to diswade business - but conversely be informed....

Guest

Thanx wooders all info is helpful
All it says in the dogologe is 4 link bolt on 6" suspension system to me sounds like uppers n lowers with em sayin 4 link? But with em sayin system also sounds as though it should cum as a complete kit springs n shokies
Question

Wooders with your 5" kit whos is it wat kind of money was it is it only a shortarm kit ,and r u still runnin ome shocks all round wat other mods were nessesary with this lift other sye ie adjustable arms motor or tranny mods drops) Thanks 4 the info .

*zzzz i will get more involved in ringin n emailn wen i get a bit more info under me hat ,so ive got more of n idea wats required under a supa sik jeep
Cheers Dan (A1zook soon to be hopefully A1Jeep) fingers crossed Twisted Evil

)

Joined: 24 Oct 2002

You can use a short arm kit on a 6' lift and atleast the short arm kits are tested and proven.Don't get me wrong we need more Aus companies to develope jeep stuff but if you don't want to be a guinea pig buy something that has been tested thoroughly.
The Calbah kit may be awsum but maybe its worth waiting to see especially if its the dollars that it is.When we develop kits we only ever expect the customer to pay for materials only so it is worth there while to be a guinea pig not hit them full price.
We have a short arm kit with all 8 arms adj for $1850 if your interested.

Joined: 24 Oct 2002 Location: syd

im a pharmaceutical guinea pig... Mr. Green

Posted: Wed Nov 20, 2002 10:42 pm

Sam's on the money IMHO on this one...I've got the short arms and with 5½" lift it's nearling the lift of short arms - but it's not just a matter of grabbing a set of longer tubes to make the arms longer the whole geometery needs to be thoughtout, created, tested & probably repeated a few times....

A1zook,
My setup has evolved over about 4-5 years (I suppose everyone's does)...but I've always had a fairly tight budget and I've try some "unconvental" ideas..
The suspension lift is 4" lifted coils and 1.75" coil spacers. The coils were locally made, the spacers direct imports by myself for the US.
I have adjustable control arms (fairly recent addition) both upper & lower front & rear - These are from Rusty's Offroad in the US ...I was bit of a guenea pig and while these flex great - they do clunk.....However for a cost of about $1300 compared to $2000 or more it was worth it....
I do run OME shockies currently - however they are too short and are limiting my whel travel (not really a bad thing)...Still considering my options on this one....
I have Teraflex Swaybar disconnects - again imported myself.
Now the main thing that allows this to work in I have a SYE, with custom driveshafts front & rear. My driveshafts are NON-cv which allowed me to run 4" suspension lift and a SYE without getting adjustable arms.
Anyways I'm sure you'll have more questions as you get more serious about it....

Joined: 24 Oct 2002

Wooders with my limited experience iv'e had with jeeps I have found that the ome springs actually worked better than the rubicon springs.We have played with shocks as well and the worst shocks were actually rancho's as they don't make the right length shock to maximum travel. the best was actually Hi -tech's foam filled shock.Ome shocks were good but just a bit to harsh on the road.
Just my opinion.Hope it helps in some way

Posted: Thu Nov 21, 2002 1:15 pm

Sam,
I've got a lot of repect for the OME springs. A LOT of the guys in the club run 'em and as a basic lift they providea great amount of flex. We even have a few that have kept the coils and added spacers ontop and a with a BL are running upto 35" tyres....
As for the Shockies - I could well believe it. I previously had Rancho RS5000's which although reputed to be very stiff were pretty good - but then I swapped to the OME....The problem now is they are too short....but I've getting enough flex that I'm not in a huge hurry to bother changing (& too many other projects Wink

)

Guest

Thanx for the xtra info wooders (n yes im sure i will have alot more q's as i get closer to gettin dirty in a tjn Razz

)
Im pretty handy with a mig or tig wen i do get 1 to play with maybe might build my own short arm adjust n these r only needed to b adjustable to be able to get the correct pinion angle n front caster (correct?) and to help with driveline vibration? (so wooders u runnin double carden jointed shafts?then)

Sam dont get me wrong im interested in all info on kits I was gunna come n see u with my coily if u remember for u 2 inspect the trail arms n 2 design up new links but a full redesign is prob out of my league but a remake of arms on a jeep surely isnt?

At the moment im going through all my old 4wd monthlys on da jeep write ups and gettin ideas of lift sizes n so on .Wooders ive also been going over the helpful ausjeep forum too! .So im not really sittn back tryin to steal your setups just tryin to find 1 to suit my needs,tyre size (i do want to run 35"s if possible or equiv in the 16" range aswel as going over all my 4wd s n utility mags . .............(i reckon if i saved all the money ive spent on 4wd mags i could buy a new Rubicon if or wen they turn up ova here .
Cheers Dan

Posted: Fri Nov 22, 2002 9:27 am

Steal info - LOL....Go for it the whole idea of putting the info out there is to 1. help others & 2. To get ideas of others - It's a big win win...

BTW I DON'T have double cardin joints on my driveshafts. I have a simple 1310 unijoint at each end....long story - but it works great....

Anyways keep the questions coming - happy to throw my 2¼¢ down Very Happy

Joined: 24 Oct 2002

The idea of these forums is to help each other out if we didn't want you to know something or copy something we would tell you.So go for it.Wooders seems to have already done the hard work for you.

Guest

Thats cool then wooders n sam n who eva else want to point me in the right direction , n dont worry im sure there is gunna be alot more q's heres 1
Tj body lifts wat is the maximum achievable r there n dramas with doin this as there was sweet f all with the zook.

make that 2
Ring and pinion Gear changes as with yout 4.56 wooders (is that right )is that enough to make comfortable in the steep n rocky stuff for time being because im sure the ruduction boxes r way pricey but i guess worth it . AS with me zook i luv the addition of the rocketyhoppa even with already damagin a gear in it .
I know 1 thing cant wait to have a 130 kw unda me right foot from having the big block powa of the 1.3 Laughing

Cheers Dan:)

Joined: 24 Oct 2002

A1 the 4.56 ratio's will mwke the gearing good on road for 35' but you will still need case gears for offroad.

Guest

Damn thats gunna hurt da wallet its gunna b lite enough after da truck let alone da box n lift n gears n wheels tyres o well beats goin down da other road with a the gq's with six n biga " lifts ( not knockin them there mad trucks but shite there is f in heaps now out dere lifted need to be a little different Confused

n besides not many lifted loked barred protected jeeps round newy area

Joined: 20 Oct 2002 Location: Springfield/ QLD

There are more then you think Smile

Guest

Hey cjer expand on your paddin hey u know people downhere that might wanna help me did u say more the merrier

Iknow of 1 dude off the board not personally only seen him on the members list i think it was aussie tj not sure

Posted: Sat Nov 23, 2002 10:11 am

AussieTJ - AKA Ron is a newcastle lad.....You should see him about in his white TJ (OME lift & Creeper plate)....Nice bloke - I've met up with him a few times....

Now the questions:
1. body Lift. There are 1", 1¼", 2" & 3" body lifts commercially available for TJ's. Apparently the 3" isn't favoured becuase of the extra stress on the body - so I went for the maximum I felt comfy with...2"....
Fitting a body lift to a TJ (esp from a kit) is a peice of cake....My only advise is consider doing a mountmount lift at the same time (this helps driveline angles & means you don't have to screw about lowering the radiator.

2. Gears. I have the stock t/case gears & lower 4.56 diff ratios - it works bllody good offroad. sure I'm planning to go deeper in the t/case ratios - but seriously it's not something you need to do to be basically capable offroad...but it does help Wink

Another option is to simply get 4.88 ratios (these weren't available when I regeared)....This will help also....

Joined: 22 Oct 2002 Location: Your Mummas House!

Wooders wrote:

Fitting a body lift to a TJ (esp from a kit) is a peice of cake....My only advise is consider doing a mountmount lift at the same time (this helps driveline angles & means you don't have to screw about lowering the radiator.
....

doing a mount mount lift? whats involved in mount mounting, mounts, mount lift? do you get new mounts in the mount mount kit? Laughing

at least....i thought i was funny

Posted: Sat Nov 23, 2002 10:44 am

BJ, I'm sure you mount your motor - I'm sure it's rooted Twisted Evil

Guest

Thanx again wooders

Would the 4.88's become a bit of a pig on the road for cruzin cause i still want to be able to highway it wen i get 1 first trip will b to fraser island but it wil prob still b a stoko then Crying or Very sad

Went to woodypecka on sundy and had a good look over the sik tj,s there thought that 1" body lift was maxi cause it seemed it was wat they were all runnin ? but 2" would be great of course!. they certainly look mad with a good lift there was 1 there from QLD runin bigjp plates f_in awesome gotta get 1 .

Also had a quick chate to mark lamb ,I knew i was in 4 some xpensive mods but almost fell over wen he gave me the pointr of do it right the first time prob will cost 20k Kind of said his mod $ has run into 40K ova 4-5 years i geuss i will budget that over atleast 2 to 3 years cant aforrd that much up front ,me only a sheetmetal worker not a big $ game Crying or Very sad

I was surprised to c that only 1 jeep was runnin the long arms kit it was a blue tj not sure of owner or club competin but certainly looked the goods.

Guest

Also Sam

Had a look ova the team overkill's jeep r they your short arms been run on it ? n can u tell me wat size lift is being run in it.
The owner certainly wasnt happy wen gettin caught up at the marbles section shame that Dave couldnt get past to have a go too!

Cheers Dan

Joined: 24 Oct 2002

A1 the kit was actually a Rubicon kit not ours.We took ours out to modifie the bushes so we can run a thicker crush tube as the jeep bolts are 2mm smaller than the mount holes and were moving slightly and making a knocking noise.Yeh bit disapointed for Dave but thems the brakes I suppose. Max is new to competing so was a bit nervous.

Guest

Sam
There's always next time as im sure u know but next time u will be competin in da drivers seat wont ya
Max's jeep looks good do u know the size of the lift n any other mods u have done to it

thanx

Joined: 24 Oct 2002

It runs 4.5' springs (borrowed) or 2' springs and 70mm packers suprisingly it gets mor travel with the 2' springs and packers . Runs 4.56 diff ratios' and air lockers front and rear. Sway bar disconnects. 35mtr's

Posted: Tue Nov 26, 2002 8:46 am

A1,

Man I'm disappointed I missed 'pecker.....I would have been happy to chin wag about the jeeps & the setups...Being webpleb of the SJC site, I'm gotten fairly familiar with most peoples rigs. (well from arms reach)...

Dennis owns the Blue TJ with the RE 5.5 Long arm kit. He doesn't have a body lift and has helps of clearance for the 35's...however it's as an expensive a setup as you'll likely find - ie budget $20-$25k

Jumbo's TJ - The green thing...has RE short arms & 4.5" Re springs (+1" spacers). He's got a 2" body lift to clear the 35" MT/Rs....As you would have seen it works well - but again he's sunk a lot of coin into it...and it's also been the Suburban testbed....

MarkLamb's TJ - Black, has the OME 2½" lift with 2" coil spacers & 2" BL to clear 35" claws. He's also got RE adjustable short arms like Jumbo. It's actually a reasonable cost rig and while he might have spent $20k getting it there - it could have been done cheaper to get the same mods....Yeah it flexs well too (think he got about 1200 on the Jambo 23deg ramp). He also ran it in last years TTC and came a respectable 16th...

Coops is the the White TJ you saw. he's another 4.5" RE short arm man. Also running 35" MT/R's.....

Anyways at the end of the day yes it is easily possible to spend $20k, $30k, $40k...and so on (my dream list would be about $150k)....But conversely with a few well planned mods you could have a rig setup and running for MUCH less....Just avoid doing things twice or it does get expensive....Plus the cost well vary depending on how much you do yourself & how much you import....