88 Pathfinder suspension lift - Back sits too high

[Path88finder]

I have just installed a new set of suspension including front and rear shocks, rear 300kg+ constant load springs and HD torsion bars on my 88 Pathfinder. The torsion bars have been adjusted to match the original front ride height. Once I put the extra constant load coil springs in it sits on so much of an angle I can feel it when I am driving. How much can the torsion bars be cranked so that I can try and match the front to the back height before I start loosing wheel travel and encounter problems with the angle of the CV joints and the drive shaft? I have been told that an increase in the angle of a CV joint can distroy it in a very short time as well as an increased angle in the drive shaft sending vibrations through the car at higher speed.

 

If the torsion bars cannot be cranked so much that it matches the back I may need to change to normal 0-200kg load springs. Will this bring the back down a little?

 

I realise once I adjust the torsion bars I will need a wheel alignment and I will have this done professionally once I am happy with the front height of the vehicle.

[ahardb0dy]

How much higher is the rear over the front? All springs settle and yours will too so if it isn't a big difference you may want to leave it.

 

The torsion bars can be cranked as long as you leave space between the upper control arm and the rubber bump stop. I would leave about a half inch of clearance between the UCA and the bumpstop.

 

I don't think you need to worry about the CV joints or the drive shaft, IF you were to raise the front end 3" than maybe.

[AndyC]

Yep, leave a fingers gap between the front droop snubber and the bump stop. This will give you decent riffle quality. As HB said above they will settle. But 3in lift springs in the rear will leave quite a bit of rake with the front end (1-1.5in+) in my experience. Go ahead and crank the t-bars (keep track of the rotations so they stay equal) until you have the desired gap. Drive around until everything is settled, adjust, get alignment, drive!

[Path88finder]

I got the tape measure out and the difference between the rear and front height from the top of the wheel arch to the ground (done on an even surface) is 95mm which is about 2.7in leaving a noticeable difference in the heights. I had a look at where the control arms are sitting in relation to the bump stops and the LCA is about 10mm away from the lower bump stop leaving heaps of clearance with the upper to crank the T bars. As mentioned before to keep the UCA a half inch away from the upper bump stop this should provide me with quite a bit of lift in the front. However I have also heard that if the T bars are cranked too much they will loose the ability to push the wheels down when going over rough terrain leaving the wheels flying around in the air... Is this true and could I find this will happen?

 

As far as the coil springs go "settling in" how much can I expect them to sag and how long should this take? I realise this question is pretty open ended and Im just looking for a rough idea so that I can work out if I need to go for the smaller springs.

 

Thanks for your input.

[ahardb0dy]

So how much space is there between the UCA and the bump stop? No matter how you adjust the torsion bars depending on how you 4 wheel you will hit the bump stops, normal 4 wheeling you will probably be fine, if the tire falls into a hole than yes the UCA may hit the bump stop but that is what they are there for. The main thing is you don't want to have no suspension travel when driving on the road. I've seen people crank the bars so much where the UCA is sitting on the rubber, besides having no suspension travel cranking the bars that much gives a very firm ride, not something you want.

 

Even if you have the distance between the UCA and the rubber and the space between the LCA and the rubber equal distances away you still only have about an inch of travel either way. Not the long travel suspension like the off road trucks, LOL

 

As for how much the rear coils will settle no way too tell, it depends on the brand, the quality of the steel the manufacturer uses, how the truck is used, etc. they usually will settle a little ( as will the front),

 

If you want to keep the rear at the current height you could try to pick up a set of aftermarket UCA's and raise the front to match the rear, the aftermarket arms allow you to raise the front higher while still maintaining the alignment of the ball joint.

Edited September 14, 2012 by ahardb0dy