Suspension & Steering

Contents:

  • Helpful hints & tips
  • Replacing Coil Springs
  • EA81 / EA82 Dual Front shock modification
  • On Road Handling Improvements
  • Easy Ball joint replacement on MY series

Helpful hints & tips

MY Series - To adjust the ride height/spring tension simply adjust the two bolts on the bottom of the strut spring plate for the front ( not all MY struts are adjustable ), or turn the adjusting bolt located in the middle of the car under the rear seat. A much firmer set of rear torsion bars can be sourced from a brumby. Make sure you also get the matching piece from the middle with the adjusting bolt, the splines can slip and cause much greif if this is not done.
L Series - To adjust the ride height/spring tension simply adjust the two bolts on the bottom of the strut spring plate for the front, or turn the adjustable bottom spring cup to a different setting on the rear struts. Once you've seen one, this will become clear. Raising the rears you need to remove the shock assembly from the car and use spring compressors to take the load off the spring cup. To lower back to standard, simply use a monkey wrench & turn. The spring & weight of the car helps you this time.

  • Raising the rear suspension can possibly have the undesired side-effect of increasing under-steer. (Well, it does for me)
  • Suggested to use hose clamps around the bottom spring cup where it fits over the lugs on the shock. This will help stop it spreading over time under load & slipping down completely.

Replacing Coil Springs

There are three major reasons springs are replaced:
1. Height - There are 3 options when changing vehicle ride height: (performance replacement springs should be fitted)

  • To Lower the Vehicle When lowering a vehicle it must be remembered that the vehicle will be closer to:
  • The road
  • The tyres
  • The suspension bump stops
  • To Maintain or Return Vehicle to Standard Height (Most common when original springs have sagged or previously fitted lowered springs are no longer required.)
  • To Raise Vehicle Common in Four Wheel Drive vehicles, heavily laden vehicles, LPG etc., towing or when ever increased ground clearance is required.

2. Handling - When improvement in handling is required, performance replacement springs will substantially reduce body roll and improve a vehicle's stability. Performance lowered springs will also lower a vehicle's center of gravity.
3. Heavy Loading - All vehicles are manufactured to a general acceptable standard and springs are no exception to this rule. With demands for comfort a growing priority, springs rates are kept as low as possible. For this reason, the original spring's ability to carry load and tow etc. is in most cases, poor. Performance replacement springs will decrease the vehicle's ride height loss under load and improve vehicle stability when laden.

EA81 / EA82 Dual Front shock modification

EA81 Dual Shock (Side)

This mod consists of an L bracken made up that bolts onto the strut using a series of U bolts. This bolts on with the L facing towards the rear of the car. A shock absorber with a thread sticking out of each end is required. One end of this bolts to the L bracket the other goes up through the flat part just behind the strut top. For peace of mind it's worth using some 3mm plate to reinforce this bit.
This makes the front of the car a lot stiffer so will be a harder ride, but also gives a lot of strength ( especially if you wanna jump it ).

EA81 Dual Shock (Behind)

On Road Handling Improvements
Adjusting Camber On MY and L Series the Camber is not adjustable from the factory. This can be fixed by purchasing a kit for KMAC (www.k-mac.com.au) or some other companies. This Kit allows for up to 2 degrees adjustment of the Camber. The handling improvement is quite good but is made even better with heavier springs.
Installation The installation of the Kit will take about 1/2 a day with the right equipment. The kit comes with some instructions which give a basic idea of how to install it. Just remember that the original hole should be widen to the outside of the car to allow maximum negative camber adjustment. The major tools needed are a welder, angle grinder / die grinder and drill and bits. The job will also need all the usually hand tools like spanners, etc. The car will need a wheel alignment after this to adjust the Camber to the desired angle as well as the toe in / out.

Easy Ball joint replacement on MY series
Buy replacement ball joints from a car parts dealer usually you'll want to buy a pair of them, one for each side. I asked around and prices varied dramatically. Supercheap wanted $Repco had two, a Repco brand for ~$40, and a Silverline one for ~$25. The only difference I could see between Repco and Silverline was Silverline had the traditional crownnut with pin while the repco had just a nut ( the sort with plastic bit to stop it unravelling ).
To replace the Ball joint itself:

  1. Loosen the Radius Rod from the car body so that it had plenty of play.
  2. Undo the clip and removed the rubber that holds the Radius rod to the Sway bar.
  3. Loosen the nut on the control arm so that the control arm could pivot up/down easily on it.
  4. Undo the nut that holds the ball joint in to the hub(?) and jam a screwdriver in the split to open it up a bit.
  5. Pull down ( bash with hammer is probably needed ) on the control arm to pull the ball joint out of the hub.
  6. While holding down the control arm undo the nut holding the ball joint to it and push it out. This may require some force and possibly the use of a hammer.
  7. Get the new ball joint and pull down the control arm and slide the thread through, Put the nut on and tighten about half way.
  8. Let the control arm move up and hopefully the ball joint will be lined up with the hole. If not give it a few gentle taps with a hammer ( the control arm itself ) and the ball joint should swivel to fit in, this may need to be done several times rotating the ball joint until right.
  9. Once the ball joint is lined up right a bit of force might be needed to seat it in. Make sure your screwdriver is holding the slit as open as possible and then use a jack to raise the control arm until the joint slips in.
  10. Do up all loosened/removed bolts.

Credits

to this page: web archive, TOONGA, 60766244, Bantum

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