Custom coilovers for offroad

Brumby Boy · Post by **Brumby Boy** » Mon Feb 04, 2008 8:41 pm

Hey all im still in the process of getting my brumby built, im currently in the process of organising all the front suspention for it, ill be running approx 29.5 inch tall tyres which i belive wont fit under forester struts, so i have talked to the localsuspention places here in townsville and one can get coilovers made with a brumby strut top and a liberty hub mount, but now forthe big question,
they want to know spring rates and valve settings and what ride height etc, the ride height i can work out but i have no idea how to work out what spring rates or valve settings i need, does anyone know what ill need or how i can work it out???

Post by **Alex** » Mon Feb 04, 2008 9:28 pm

i thought coilovers can reduce suspension travel? I know nothing about them though.

alex

vincentvega · Post by **vincentvega** » Mon Feb 04, 2008 9:44 pm

what size are the tyres (metric size). they should fit on outback struts

Wilbur · Post by **Wilbur** » Tue Feb 05, 2008 9:29 am

Spring rates and valving depends on what your using the ute for and your driving style.

Point · Post by **Point** » Tue Feb 05, 2008 11:17 am

spring rates will depend on what you want to do with it, weight of the car, how much travel, etc. I'm guessing you would want something reasonably soft so you can get full wheel travel for off-road, however this will affect on road handling by making it roll around alot. sway bars will limit wheel travel too. good luck finding a good compromise.

The person i'd be talking to would be Vern Crawford. Lots of off-roading experience and makes his own suspension too.

can i ask what sort of prices you have been quoted? I will be needing something pretty soon too.

Brumby Boy · Post by **Brumby Boy** » Thu Feb 07, 2008 6:45 pm

between 1500 and 3000 for a pair, compleatly custom brumby tops and liberty hub mounts,
the ute will be mostly used off road but still a fair amount of on road, i dont realy need much more travel than standard as the cv's wont take it the main reason im going with the coil overs is that i was told anything over 28" will rub on forester or outback struts and the tyres i want are 28.4" or 235/80R16 on late model forester rims.
i want to use forester struts because the outback ones wont fit properly in my strut tower...
the reason i want the brumby strut tops is because i would like to replace the lift block or atleast to save modifing it

vincentvega · Post by **vincentvega** » Thu Feb 07, 2008 7:34 pm

that i was told anything over 28" will rub on forester or outback struts and the tyres i want are 28.4" or 235/80R16 on late model forester rims.

mate thats wrong.

235/80R16 is a massive tyre. 30.8"

you mean 235/60R16 right? 27.1" ??

a number of guys on this board are running 235/75R15 29" tyres on outback struts.

brumbyrunner · Post by **brumbyrunner** » Thu Feb 07, 2008 7:49 pm

which tyres come in 235/80R16?

bluesteel · Post by **bluesteel** » Thu Feb 07, 2008 9:13 pm

if the only thing you are worried about is the perch for the springs rubbing on the tyre, there is always the option of welding on a perch for a smaller diameter spring and using a smaller top hat too.

then all you need is a couple springs and bobs your uncle

will work out a lot cheaper that way too

Phizinza · Post by **Phizinza** » Thu Feb 07, 2008 11:24 pm

Just won't get stuck into a shocker with a welded until you know what your doing.....

discopotato03 · Post by **discopotato03** » Fri Feb 08, 2008 7:04 am

Some coilover conversions use a threaded tube that slips over the top of the strut tube . Most of the old lower spring seat is removed . They also use small diametre springs so the seats can be smaller diametre too .
It may be a case of looking at those Honda springs that at least diametre wise are similar/same as L series rear but higher rate .
I can't remember what the Honda top seats are like but if you have a good suspension specialist/fabricator he may be able to use these seats and run up something to fit the MY strut top and bearing .
You may also have to use additional "Tender springs" under the main ones to keep them trapped when the suspension is at full droop .

Your respective calls but it beats me why people put wide boots on an MY or L series , their not very heavy so the contact patch doesn't need to be huge . From what I've seen wide wheels force silly offsets and then they just bump steer .

To each their own .

Brumby Boy · Post by **Brumby Boy** » Sat Feb 09, 2008 8:48 pm

yea i went and spoke to vern crawford and he is going to make me a set of "coil overs" out of a set of forester struts using the brumby strut top, the exact same setup he has in his brumby. and for only around $400 instead of 1500+...

sorry the tyres are 205/80R16 not 235

brumbyrunner · Post by **brumbyrunner** » Sun Feb 10, 2008 8:38 am

Thats the old 7.00x16 size. 30 or 30.5" tall.
With 2" of lift you're going to have some very serious guard trimming.

Brumby Boy · Post by **Brumby Boy** » Sun Feb 10, 2008 5:35 pm

brumbyrunner wrote:Thats the old 7.00x16 size. 30 or 30.5" tall.
With 2" of lift you're going to have some very serious guard trimming.

Yea im not worried about guard triming or flaring or anything thats all easy, its fitting the tyres under the struts thats my worry, i have a mate whos a pannel beater for the body stuff lol

the bloke at the tyre shop told me that the tyres worked out to be aprox 28.4" in dia

brumbyrunner · Post by **brumbyrunner** » Sun Feb 10, 2008 11:00 pm

Okay, thats small for a 205R16.
You know, the biggest issue with body clearence is the firewall behind the front tyre. I know people that have cut back into it but you lose footwell space in the process.
Not harping on you, just keen to know what you're going to do about it.
I just put a 6" lift in a Brumby with 30" tyres and still have to knock the pinchweld seam flat and remove the plastic inner guard to stop them rubbing. Also got another Brumby with 3" lift and 28" tyres used to rub a lot.