Some ruf questions.

[Terrierman]

After some search in your forum i decided ruf and missing links solution with suzuki springs.
My questions are:
1. 410 and 413 rear springs are the same?
2. Where I sould mount the front spring to avoid axle moving forward? Sould i make a new bolt on bracket?
3. I would need drive shaft spacer?
4. Can i use missink link on rear standard spings to equalize the height diference that will result?

Every part for the convertion i will constuct my own so its easy to make it exactly on your advices.

Thank you in advance.

[twiss]

410/413/samurai springs should all be the same length, but possibly different leaf counts
There are adapter brackets which combined with different shackles should keep the axle in the same place.
As its only 2" ish lift you probably wont need a propshaft spacer
You could use missing link on the back but it can give undesirable handling, more so on the front.
Tbh Ive got +2" springs on the front and massive regular shackles on the back, handling is OK and suprisingly gives pretty good flex.
Been running it like that for years now, and while its not a good option, you could do it cheaply until finding some 2" lift rear springs to match

[Terrierman]

Thank you for your answer.
Thank you for the plan too!

I suppose that i have to use the "cj hole". Right?

"You could use missing link on the back but it can give undesirable handling, more so on the front."
What do you mean?

[Anton]

"You could use missing link on the back but it can give undesirable handling, more so on the front."
What do you mean?

Missing links have no spring rate at all, which means they can snap open unpredictably during hard cornering or when the vehicle is at an angle, making the vehicle unstable and much more prone to body roll.

With them, in theory, you might roll the vehicle while swerving to miss a child who's run into the road, where you wouldn't have if the vehicle didn't have them.

At least, that's the theory I've read. I don't have them (in large part because of what I read) so I can't say from personal experience.

[Terrierman]

Thank you Anton.
If I understand correctly, the problem appears in tarmac use only.
You gave me an idea...
I could construct a removal dowel to lock links in upper position and release it in offroad use.
What about that? Could that work?

[Anton]

Some people do that for missing links or 3/4 elliptical set-ups.

However, be careful offroad, the missing links can still snap open if your SJ is not absolutely level all the time, and cause you to roll.

If you want more articulation, then longer springs are a better, safer option. YJ conversions are popular, but I'm considering Hilux springs as I have a free set!

[Terrierman]

Anton that is exactly my requested, the articulation. That's why i was thinking for missing links.
I dont want more lift, maybe only the inevitable by longer spings.
You conviced me to avoid missing links.
Have anyone tried Hilux springs conversion you are thinking about? Is there any thread?
What Hilux model you talk about?

[ScottieJ]

Mk1/2/3 front Hilux springs can be used, the rears are too long to be run spua really. The fronts do have offset locating pins however this can be an advantage as it helps keep the departure angle smaller.

You will have to run adapter plates to fit them and adjust the shackle length to avoid changing the wheelbase; if you want to keep the stock wheelbase that is. Just take your time so that you keep the diff pinion angle correct to avoid driveline vibrations and UJ binding.

I'm not a fan of missing links either really, although they work well to a degree with the bumpstops set up correctly there's no spring rate during droop travel as well so this reduces the ground pressure, reducing traction, if you think about it when the wheel tries to compress the suspension there's no force pushing the tyre back into the ground, that's why you often see vehicles with missing links / drop shackles spinning the drooped wheel and bouncing around.

[Terrierman]

Scottie you are realy instructive!
I have no exprerience in leaf springs.
The subject started to be a little bit difficult... i dont think that i can find front springs from these generations of Hilux. I thought we are talking about rear of newest...
They are the same rare as Rascals.
Αlthough I m gonna look for..

[ScottieJ]

Did you get the early SsangYong Korando in Greece? They have similar springs to the wrangler YJ. Ektoz used them on his build in Cyprus http://forum.suzukiclubuk.co.uk/vi ... 22&t=10402

Also I've know some australians to make use off early mazda 323/626 rear leaf springs and early corolla ke30/ke55 leaf springs.

You could just head to a scrap yard armed with a tape measure to find some springs that are a similar width but longer than sj springs and experiment a bit. anything can be made to work with good results, even if you find a longer main leaf and make custom spring packs using a mixture of the sj leaves and whatever springs you find etc.

Sj springs are 50mm wide but I have heard people bending the mounts out to fit 60mm wide springs before, YJs etc are 64mm wide, so perfect for adapter plates to be used because the original spring hangers measure close to that between the outer edges.