Canyonero

[SYNCHROMASH]

Hello good people of NPORA! Behold, my first post.

I'm well aware that there are specific suspension threads/boards/chatrooms/drum-circles, but I'm dropping this here anyways. Respond with a link to a helpful thread, or don't.

N00b ALERT. Big N00b here. I'm a N00b.

Is that clear? No one's going to ask any rhetorical questions or be a smart ass? I promise I wont.

I just picked up my first 4x4 recently for $500 as a rusty '98 Chilkoot Trail 5 spd that came with 31x10.5's on 15" yota pickup rims and am looking to replace the very blown suspension (springs and shocks are poooooched). The truck is just intended to be a very capable camping rig. Not looking to do any major Moab-level or multi day treks with it any time soon.

It is being built one a budget.

Questions:

1. What specifically is the 'AC 2" lift' that I see so many raving about? (respond with link please..?)

I have found a couple different 2" lift kits on 4x4parts.com but am unsure which one exactly y'all are talking about http://www.4x4parts.com/i-18981166-pathfinder-suspension-package.html

2. I notice people often running HD springs up front but am curious (if there are any suspension gurus in the house) if this will wear on stock-rate struts/shocks if there is no additional weight on the front end of the vehicle. Often when budget honda guys cut the progressive section out of their springs and run strictly on the more aggressive-rate portion of the spring, it eventually tears the shock valving apart because there is too much force extending the strut/shock.

3. Does there actually exist a KYB (being brand specific because 'GR-2' now is labelled as 'Excel-G') 'lift' strut? I've heard that the KYB struts that come with the 2" spring/strut/shock lifts kits aren't actually a longer/longer actuating strut.

My current plan is to use used springs on KYB Excel-G's (Gr-2's), new OEM tops, and camber bolts up front, and used springs with KYB Gas-A-Just in the rear. The springs are out of another '98 Chilkoot Trail and hopefully aren't sagged. Hopefully the KYB struts only do come in one length so a front end lift later on wouldn't make the struts useless and replacing the rear shocks would be a relatively cheap expense.
Extended brake hoses front and rear, and dis-connectable, adjustable sway bar end links in the front (and possibly rear). Probably going to re-purpose some jeep end links as it doesn't appear 4x4parts.com offers any

Perhaps a pan-hard bar mount relocation bracket as well.

Lately I've been considering that perhaps a body lift is actually the way to go as far as preserving front-end handling characteristics when zooming down logging roads as some kits claim to not alter suspension angles whatsoever, but 2" seems like a mild enough suspension lift.

ANYWHO, any help you can offer would be greatly appreciated!

Cheers,

Mike

P.S. Just purchased Excel-G struts and Gas-A-Just shocks. About to put another R50's used springs on them to get things going because currently the rig rides like the motion of the ocean.

[teixeira]

Don't forget pics, we love pics

[PathFindMe]

to the forum!

[nunya]

You have to pull off all chilkoot badging and replace with just "F" badging if your going to call it a Canyonero and see who all REALLY gets te reference...

 

Can't help you with your suspension questions (I was a wd21 guy) but your not going to do a 'body lift'. You have a r50 which is a unibody construction.

 

Gotta start somewhere, we were all new at some point!

[RIPB.88]

PM Fluery. He make Strut spacers for pretty cheap. Many members here use them and I haven't heard of any complaints.

[fasttunes]

Welcome! Greetings from Vegas!