Lift option...

taza

taza

Forum Member
Joined
Oct 30, 2010
Messages
3,820
Location
Perth, Western Australia
Lift option...
Guys im thinking what I currently have isn't enough..
I have raised springs and 1" lift blocks. 2.5" total including tyres.
Thinking of pulling out the 1" blocks and putting 2" in the front and 3" blocks in the back. When loaded up even with the 240lbs springs the rear still sags abit. So with an extra inch in the back it would be more or less level when loaded up.
So 4.5" total lift in the rear and 3.5" in the front...
What you guys think? I know CV's can be an issue but isn't it usually only the front people have issues with?
I would like 350+ under the rear diff and a good 320+ under the front sump :biggrin:

Opinions and ideas much appreciated!

Taza
 
I reckon it could be done provided you have the blocks made with camber and caster compensation. That means you have to spent time to work out all the numbers (being at uni is enough :P). You will lose your wheel travel but extra clearance may help in some situation.
 
tuckerbag said:
I reckon it could be done provided you have the blocks made with camber and caster compensation. That means you have to spent time to work out all the numbers (being at uni is enough :P). You will lose your wheel travel but extra clearance may help in some situation.
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Technically I wouldn't loose any articulation because the wheels can still be pushed into the wheel arches and the opposite ones are fully streched to the ground..
Camber correction would defernately be put into the blocks :)
 
G'day Taza. I think the losses outweigh the gains but I'll buy your 1" subtle blocks if you don't want them. Your cv's will wear quicker, absorb more power, your track will decrease and the cops will be on your back along with the afore mentioned issues. I wonder if anyone makes an air shock for the rear. They seem to have fallen out of favour of late. Maybe a custom airbag setup or coil overs might be options to explore.

It would be nice to be able to retain your geometry and reliability around town and just have your max lift with its benefits and pitfalls for when it's nesisary.

Just my .02

Good luck!
 
G'day again ST

stilson said:
G'day Taza. I think the losses outweigh the gains but I'll buy your 1" subtle blocks if you don't want them. Your cv's will wear quicker, absorb more power, your track will decrease and the cops will be on your back along with the afore mentioned issues.
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I feel that also.
Has your Fox got the self-levelling suspension mate?
Mine has.

Along with the increased ground clearance compared with the earlier model Foxes, I suspect it overcomes quite a number of the problems that those earlier models have.

Anyone know more about these things (it wouldn't be hard to know more about them than I do ... :iconwink: ).


I wonder if anyone makes an air shock for the rear. They seem to have fallen out of favour of late. Maybe a custom airbag setup or coil overs might be options to explore.
Click to expand...

Good thinking. I don't know either.
Just need a good, cheap compressor from www.princess-trading.com.au


It would be nice to be able to retain your geometry and reliability around town and just have your max lift with its benefits and pitfalls for when it's nesisary.

Just my .02

Good luck!
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I agree.
 
After just talking to El_Freddo he reckons having an extra inch in the back could make the handling really bad.
So im better off to keep her level, but when the back is loaded up and she saggs sometimes down about an inch the back catches offroad.

Maybe 2" blocks all round to replace the 1" blocks...? Atleast then I would still have 2+" of lift at the rear when loaded up offroad. Because 1" when loaded up just isn't enough when your bouncing and hopping all over the place.
 
Yeah I reckon 4 1/2" at the rear is a bit much...3 1/2" all round is still a lot but I believe will be ok PROVIDED you drive sensibly, knowing your centre of gravity is higher...ie, extra body roll around corners, more instability.

Would be awesome offroad though :biggrin::monkeydance:
 
Height adjustable shocks by air suspension, damping adjustable shocks for Subaru's.
https://www.nopi.com/dsp_makesv.php?vv=3476
Bugger importing the whole kit since it'd just be generic air suspension gear, but certainly the shocks look VERY interesting!

https://www.subaruforester.org/vbul...-air-suspension-systems-your-forester-107074/
Here's one of the salesmen on a forester forum mentioning they have specific kits for Foresters of various years. I imagine they're actually developed for WRXs, but luckily crossover into forester.

$2,300 US for the entire kit. Not bad considering a full set of standard shocks and springs will set you back $1,000 atleast. How does that compare to the custom rear shocks someone on here had made? Can't remember who it was though.
 
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After seeing two subies with split front inner CV booted due to steep angles im thinking just an exra inch in the back to help both when loaded up and to stop her catching on rocks and the likes.
I don't want to be going through them like no tomorrow. Plus when the front bullbar comes along approach angles from the front wont be an issue :iconwink:
 
It's a bugger hey...

Mine was level, same set up lift wise (2.5" lift) and then the rear has sagged due to a year of towing heavy ball weight loads. I know spinners went for an even heavier, taller (IIRC) set of springs in the rear (pedders I think). Joel seems to have replaced his kings a lot earlier than others have, not sure of reasons why though.

I had a 2" lift ready to be installed but the CV wear was just too much, especially when driveshafts begin to ossicilate and destroy. Ended up selling it, happy with current set up however will investigate HD spring options for the rear.
 
I reckon you should go with a body lift.

I've got 2" blocks all round. +10mm kings heavy duty in the front; +30 really really heavy duty kings in the rear. 315mm under rear diff and 270mm under front. (IIRC) But - my struts have been modified too. I think 350 mm under the rear is a big ask.
 
Kevin said:
I reckon you should go with a body lift.

I've got 2" blocks all round. +10mm kings heavy duty in the front; +30 really really heavy duty kings in the rear. 315mm under rear diff and 270mm under front. (IIRC) But - my struts have been modified too. I think 350 mm under the rear is a big ask.
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Kevin, so no body lift?

So technically 60mm in the front and 80mm in the rear. Virtually the same as 3 inch in the rear..
How does yours handle though?
 
A body lift is not available for the SG because of the redesigned front end otherwise I would have done it :iconwink:

Handles fine when sway bars are attached - handles OK without them as the stiffer springs compensate and help reduce body roll.
 
have you thought about trying to lift from the bottom of the strut (i.e.- 2in strut bottom lift) this would enable you to fit a 30in tire as well!

you would have to design some sort of strut bottom lift, that would still provide strength for the strut.
 
garrettG said:
have you thought about trying to lift from the bottom of the strut (i.e.- 2in strut bottom lift) this would enable you to fit a 30in tire as well!

you would have to design some sort of strut bottom lift, that would still provide strength for the strut.
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We're not allowed to do that here, its illegal as the stresses on any mod on the bottom of the strut would be enormous & most likely sooner or later lead to failure. Rather catastrophic! lol
 
I feel like if engineered properly a strut bottom lift could be quite strong. But that is unfortunate that you cannot mess with the bottom of the strut out there!

I know there is a member who used struts from some toyota model, which allowed him to use a much larger tire. I wonder why no other members have tried to go this route?

Thanks,
-garrett
 
Someone on here had it done. Gutted the shock and had a commodore insert fitted, while a sleeve was welded on the bottom to extend it. The main this was depressurising it means it loses some strength, so you need to have it properly extended to insure its as strong or preferably stronger than stock. Having the seperate insert means its rebuildable too, pretty important if yuo spend that much on a shock.

I've got a set of V6 STI inverted struts that were with my car when i bought it, they're a monotube design with an insert. Was wondering why i couldn't have a longer insert fitted with more travel? I suppose the body can only house an insert of a certain stroke. Would also need to extend the bottom to for clearance for bigger tyres. Could be a good basis for it though since they are design with an insert.

I reckon one of the biggest shortcomings of our subarus is the lack of shock absorber options. If you're serious about carrying weight your shocks need to be rated to match and so do your springs. So there's lots of people making do with lots of different load requirements and 1 choice of shock and only a few choices of springs.
 
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