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Today's 4x4 vehicles are lower than what most of us would like, getting more ground clearance and installing larger tyres means we need to lift the vehicle to achieve this.
A big mistake is to rush out and buy a big set of wheels / tyres and then worry about how to make them fit. Rule of thumb is look at the big picture not just how cool we can make the truck look. Yes we all want that appearance but you should never substitute looks over functionality when it comes to fitting out your 4x4.
Lifting a vehicle can be performed in a few different ways, before you make any decision on a lift kit you need to understand that changing the tare weight of your 4x4 by adding accessories that are constantly carried like a bull bar, canopy, tools & boxes, rear wheel carriers etc means you are getting closer to your GVM which you should understand and know how much weight your truck is allowed to carry.
Towing a trailer is part of your GCM and if your not up on this terminology then you need to spend some time and understand your vehicles GVM & GCM capacities. Just like a semi trailer you can be overloaded in a 4x4 with and without a trailer in tow.
When buying a suspension kit think of it like the foundations of a house. The foundations support the house you intend to build. Your 4x4 suspension is supporting the weight of the vehicle, the more weight you add the stronger the suspension needs to be to carry the sprung weight of the vehicle.
1st step - Think long term and what if any accessories are you going to add to your vehicle. Are you in a position to install all of them up front or is your 4x4 a long term project. Start with what is important and put them in order of urgency if you cannot do all at once.
Front End – if your using the original vehicle bumper, nudge bar Snake Racing strut spacers are a good start for strut front end vehicles. If you have a bull bar (Steel or Alloy), winch (steel or plasma rope) dual batteries, lights, side rails, front under body protection you would need to use a heavier front Strut & Spring combination to support the new weight of the truck. There are many options on brands and spring rates but matching front to rear is a good idea.
Rear End Constant weight - With so many different body and tray combinations every truck really is dealt with on a individual basis. Start by listing all accessories that you will carry that are hard mounted to the truck. ie canopy, tool boxes / tools, drawers, roof racks, wheel carriers, Fridge, recovery gear, Hi light jack, Roof top tent. If your a tradie or someone who carries a lot of tools or equipment 100% of the time this also needs to be noted.
Get away weight - this list is all the items you plan to add that are not carried all the time, dirt bike, 2nd spare wheel, fuel, food, camping gear, roof top tent, wife / kids, it might sound over the top but to get the best from your suspension it needs to be correct and many make this mistake by thinking they are substituting a soft ride over carrying capacity.
Give this some consideration 4 average adults, 2 cartons of beer a fridge and 4 x swags has just added 500 kilos to your truck. Add most of the common accessories listed above and you could be driving a vehicle that is not only overweight but a danger to others on the road.
Suspension types - Most new vehicles front end suspension will be made up of either a strut, coil, torsion bar or leaf front end. The rear suspension will be either a coil or leaf combination. Read on for the next section on selecting the correct suspension for your 4x4. How to lift your truck - P2 - Suspension types
Posted by Snake Racing on Jun 30th 2014