reversing leaf suspension

[the mekanik]

hi fellas,

bought a 93 falcon ute on saturday cheap cheap from gazza750. pretty happy with it

it's a bit loose up front so dad and I are going to overhaul it with new steering ball joins and nolythene bushes plus front springs and shocks

I was going to either reset the leaf's or purchase lowered ones but I heard if yöu "flip" them the rear sits lower and still retains load capacity. has anyone ever flipped leaf suspension before and how did it turn out?

do you literally reverse the entire leaf spring? has anyone got pics of how it works?

[MRO]

Revering the eye of the leaf needs to be done by professionals and is usually part of the resetting process. Not all of the leaves are reversed only the one with the eye and i think it needs to be decambered. (dont quote me as i am uncertain of the technical terms - just repeating what i have been told when i had mine done.)

Cheapest way to lower it is with lowering blocks. Resetting leaves will cost around $350 including reversing eye.

[the mekanik]

Revering the eye of the leaf needs to be done by professionals and is usually part of the resetting process. Not all of the leaves are reversed only the one with the eye and i think it needs to be decambered. (dont quote me as i am uncertain of the technical terms - just repeating what i have been told when i had mine done.)

Cheapest way to lower it is with lowering blocks. Resetting leaves will cost around $350 including reversing eye.

I was looking at lowering blocks and they seem alot safer then people think if setup correctly but when you undo the shackle for the leaf spring how much downward pressure is released?

is it like a big *bang*? I have 2 floor jacks and was just going to jack the car up under the diff and then use the other jack to support the leaf, undo the shackle bolts and slowly let the jack down. then reverse to get the leaf back up for refit

is this going to scare the shit out of me or what? :dizzy:

[RICEY]

If the suspension is hanging freely with the wheels off the ground the leaf springs arent "sprung" so wont be under any tension. So dont jack the diff up, jack the body up and support the body with axle stands. You want the diff to be hanging free was well as the springs. Dont remove both springs at once or your diff will take someones head off as it swings around on the shockies hahaha Do one spring then once its back in and all tight start on the other one. will prob pay to have a tyre or something under the diff as it will drop a bit.

[mr_mike]

remove the leaf pack and undo the locating bolt in the middle. b careful as the spings r tensioned at this stage.
Now take the shortest and fattest leaf of the bottom, flip it over and put it on the top.
Slide a piece of round bar thu the locating holes of all the leafs and using 2 G clamps start closing the leaf pack back together.
The load spring on top will cause all the other springs to flatten out, once the leaves are all clamped tight remove the piece of round bar and put the locating bolt back in.
U spring will now b flat and should b lower approx 4-6" .

Done this plenty of times b4 with mini trucks, or u can always just do it the proper way and remove leaf pack and take it to Wilkinsons or Malaga springs and they will flatten out properly for about $120.

[gerrin]

i find if you use the block the springs hang down to low (if you slam it) and the get stuck on all sorts of stufff
i think for the cost just rip them out and take them to wilkos and say reset them
much better ride do it once do it right

[mr_mike]

a mate o mine actually got bogged on a bituman road, he had 3" blocks in on 14" wheels leavin the shockplate about 50mm above the ground .He done a U turn one wheel dropped into a pothole and the shockplate/spring bottomed out on the rd leaving the wheel hangin in the pot hole. Bein an open diff it just spun on the spot and wouldnt move. had to jack the ute up and throw a big rock in the pot hole so he could drive out

[gerrin]

yer i got my 1st wagon stuck on a drive way same sort of thing
was goot though casue i done the biggest chicken wing a stock xf 6 banger has ever done
kids loved it wife not so

[SUSS LUX]

Nah go Mini Truckin styles dude flip the hole lot puts it diff on Chassis DUMPED. Leaving only your tyre walls for susspension. LOL its fun But gets anoying quik.

[the mekanik]

thanks for the input guys, VERY helpful, going to do the rear end next weekend.

I'm making progress on replacing the front ball joins and all front bushes with nolythene. nearly done one side, just going to copy it for the other

BUT I bought these new red KONI shocks. How do I adjust them? there's no dial on the top of the shock. definately the correct ones as they're stamped adjustable. They have instructions but no text, it's just all pictures which are a big vague.



http://img137.imageshack.us/img137/227/image132ns7.jpg

[Cold Fusion]

*wonders how there adjustable if there's no dial or anything* maybe they were factory adjustable and u had to get it set from the place?

i just put blocks in my ute, piece of piss took like less than an hour it dumped it pretty well, and i would down the torsion bars at the front (though i dunno if the falcons got torsion bars)

[MRO]

I have koni adjustable shocks on the escort. To adjust them you have to fully compress them and then turn the shaft. You will feel the notches as you turn.

They are adjustable but you have to pull them out of the car to adjust.

[the mekanik]

I have koni adjustable shocks on the escort. To adjust them you have to fully compress them and then turn the shaft. You will feel the notches as you turn.

They are adjustable but you have to pull them out of the car to adjust.

Sweet giving that a go now :wave: