I will be starting work on my rig soon. Plans call for a set of 1 tons (14 bolt rear, Chevy 60 front if I can find one). I am starting to consider possible suspension set ups. I really like the simplicity of front and rear spring over lifts. They are cheap and durable. However, I am still no opposed to linking the truck either.
Has anyone here converted their rover to a spring over set up? What are people’s opinions on a spring over leaf set up on a rover. I have spent a lot of time on the jeep section and many people are running spring over rigs with good results.

Silly Yooper :flipoff2:

Plenty of folks convert their Series rigs to coils. Guess you could go the other way.

Seems like a small majority but folks like Tim C, Ike, JL, and me still like leafers :D

You could fit a 1.6 litre F head engine and drum brakes while your at it.
Bill.

:rolleyes: omfg

This could be the most entertaining tech talk on this board in some time. The only thing that would make it even longer would be mentioning 'diesel'. I'll take the opportunity to do that now.

RaisedRover - you can probably get a mid 80's chevy with the 6.2, cut the body off the frame of the rover, and just switch everything underneath. Call it done.

You're going to want to go with a softer leaf. PN#8008135 Those springs will give you the lift and flex you need.

Now you really don't need a D60 or an 14 bolt in a Range Rover. If you pull the rover centersections and flip them, it'll give you reverse rotation which is a much stronger setup. You'll be good up to 38's no problem.

Now I agree with Trip, if youre going to mess with the axles, you might want to consider a GM diesel setup. It's pretty much a direct bolt in, and will allow you to traverse really deep water.

It's nice to see someone who knows what they're doing building a rover, be sure to post up some pics.

I live in south carolina...and a lot of people like leafs because they are simple...

From what I've seen, SOA is the biggest pain in the ass. And you'll spend so much time on it you coulda just stuck with coils and been better off AND cheaper.

Axle wrap is the killer and so is negative arch. No track bars, those leafs will last all of 1 month. Broken centering pins, torn mounts, twisted leaves, broken shackles, broken mounts, all of it. Just a giant pain in the ass and at the end of the day, all those with leaves who are serious and not just dumb rednecks swap to coils.

Stick with the coils.

Keep the good suggestions coming folks. This sounds like something I might be interested in trying as well... :smokin:

Listen to madcowdungbeetle he knows his shit!

There was a guy on here about 2 years ago who posted pics of his RRC sprung over on 35s. He was very happy with it. Personally if I was building a wheeling rig, I wouldnt start with a RRC anyway.

LR Max: No offense, but Ive watched you knock SOA in many forums for a while, its clear you have no idea what you are talking about. . . call me a dumb redneck.

There was a guy on here about 2 years ago who posted pics of his RRC sprung over on 35s. He was very happy with it.

This thread is worthless without pics.

search

search

Have searched, only pulls up references to series trucks (which makes perfect sense).

Oh for the sake of all the cookie selling Girl Scouts of the world, don't do it.

Unless the springs are the special, pre-production VELAR springs, they won't fit the coil perches. Taking corners over anything above a Girl Scout kidnapping speed will surely result in the ejection of the leaves one at a time, thus increasing the risk to innocent Girl Scout by-standers. Kinda like the assault weapon of bootie fab.

Hard launches from stop lights (which the 3.5 Rover engine is SO well known for) can result in the rear axle coming disattached from the vehicle. As it rotates, the pinion often tears through the fuel tank spraying it all over the intersection, again wiping out eveyr cookie selling Girl Scout in the county. At the very least, use 3./16" sheetmetal for your fuel tank skid to reduce the likelihood of this occurring.

When it comes to front steering, this does in fact open up many options for improved clearance as on can use the euro knuckles with impunity, but only if the vehicle is converted to right hand drive.

As for the drivetrain, the onl real improvement that need be made is the addition of a Roots 8-71 blower. If you're gonna go, do't mess aroudn with the 4-71, or even the 6-71, but go Big. AS the 3.5 is so under rated in stokc form, it will be able to handle at the very least, 3, maybe 4 pounds of boost before complete loss of the bottom end. Be sure to keep the steel head gaskets as they are the only ones able ot retain the intense combustion pressures one will find from forced induction.

One last thing, Harboir Freight gas-less mig welders are ideal for this level of fabrication.

Take lots of pics during the build-up, and make sure your girlfriend is taking pictures of the maiden voyage so Pendy has someone to console over your early demise (Yeah, I know, I'm no Dielucas, but it was the best I could do on an early Sunday morning).

:flipoff2:

(Spen King's grave is quaking already!)

LR Max: No offense, but Ive watched you knock SOA in many forums for a while, its clear you have no idea what you are talking about. . . call me a dumb redneck.

Reason I knock em is because every rig I wheel with that is SOA has a suspension failure on EVERY wheeling trip. Doesn't matter if the vehicle is going up the road to the local hill climb or two states over to a nice park. Each vehicle, everytime, fails. In the competition (very mild comp, BTW) my buddy and I competed in, two SOA rigs nuked their suspension. Unbelievable. Not too many other SOA rigs out there, only one SOA rig actually made it through the entire comp without commiting suicide and that was because he just put new springs on.

You say SOA works for you. What kind of springs are you running? Track bars? Bumpstop length? I mean, if you can make it work reliably consistantly, I'd love to see this example. Because there sure as hell ain't any around here that can do that.

I suppose if one takes the time, buys the proper springs and sets it up correctly, the SOA is a good system. I think the killer is people taking too many short cuts which is what causes problems. It seems to be easier to do short cuts on leaf springs than it is to on coils.

I live in south carolina...and a lot of people like leafs because they are simple...

I think we may know why none of the spring over suspensions you've seen seem to survive.

:flipoff2:

Reason I knock em is because every rig I wheel with that is SOA has a suspension failure on EVERY wheeling trip. Doesn't matter if the vehicle is going up the road to the local hill climb or two states over to a nice park. Each vehicle, everytime, fails. In the competition (very mild comp, BTW) my buddy and I competed in, two SOA rigs nuked their suspension. Unbelievable. Not too many other SOA rigs out there, only one SOA rig actually made it through the entire comp without commiting suicide and that was because he just put new springs on.

You say SOA works for you. What kind of springs are you running? Track bars? Bumpstop length? I mean, if you can make it work reliably consistantly, I'd love to see this example. Because there sure as hell ain't any around here that can do that.

I suppose if one takes the time, buys the proper springs and sets it up correctly, the SOA is a good system. I think the killer is people taking too many short cuts which is what causes problems. It seems to be easier to do short cuts on leaf springs than it is to on coils.


There was a pic from the outback challenge of what looks like a hilux ute with coils and leaf SOA. Of course that's on a truck which comes factory with leaf springs on the back. I haven't got the link, but the filename is picture127.jpg

God knows why you'd want to replace a set of rigid suspension links with two bits of bent flat which twist and buck in every possible direction.

It ain't simple when you have to throw away everything you've already got.

Max, hang out on the LC forum. Theres dozens of guys running SOA on much harder trails than you have in SC. Theres nothing about SOA that makes it any less reliable than SUA. You have leaves on your truck, do you have problems with springs failing? Theres a lot more to go wrong with a link setup.

Personally I have had a lot of positive experience with SOA. Ive put about 90K road miles (including towing and 5 cross country trips) on mine in addition to many off road miles on some decent trails and theyve held up very nicely. 63 inch chevy rears, land rover rears in the front, stock bumpstops. Nothin fancy, just lasts and lasts.

I'll still figgering out how to sling my axles over the springs on my RRC.
Sounds like it can avoid a lot of future trouble.

The old thread started off as something like "can I fit 35s to a RRC with no lift" Hopefully you will be able to dig it up.
-Regards
-Ike

The old thread started off as something like "can I fit 35s to a RRC with no lift" Hopefully you will be able to dig it up.
-Regards
-Ike

Ike, you're such a dumb redneck :flipoff2:

Spring overs rock!

Too bad you cant really flip over the third member and make it high pinion that would be nifty. I ran leafs on my 90 fullsize jimmy with no issues. 2 years with no failure. 63" springs in the rear and 57" in the front. Decent bumpstops but that was it. 40's and could max out a 20 degree rti ramp (came to a total of 6" lift.)
It never had any issues. There were pics on here a while back under (90jimmy)

Ike, you're such a dumb redneck

That would explain all the junky old trucks . . . and my weakness for flatmeat

-send me an email
-Ike

Originally Posted by LR Max
I live in south carolina...and a lot of people ... are simple...

I think we may know why none of the spring over suspensions you've seen seem to survive.

:flipoff2:


:laughing: Excellent! Bitter that you beat me to it, but I'm still chuckling.

That would explain all the junky old trucks . . . and my weakness for flatmeat

-send me an email
-Ike

I've hit you at both violin and lemur.

Has anyone found the damn thread yet?

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=118537&highlight=spring+rrc%2A
pics are MIA

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=118537&highlight=spring+rrc%2A
pics are MIA

Wow:shaking:

WOW I must be a dumb ass?
I am well aware of what a project of this magnitude entails (modifications to axles and other engine, trans, and transfer case issues) and didn’t ask IF it could be done but rather if anyone had attempted this in the past. My reasons for thinking that leaf springs still are the best option for my truck still stand. Well I guess I am just going to try madcowdungbeetle’s suggestion of flipping the center sections then I can run 39” iroks with my current lift:shaking: .

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=118537&highlight=spring+rrc%2A
pics are MIA

I found a link to the guys website. I emailed him about some photos.

WOW I must be a dumb ass?
I am well aware of what a project of this magnitude entails (modifications to axles and other engine, trans, and transfer case issues) and didn’t ask IF it could be done but rather if anyone had attempted this in the past. My reasons for thinking that leaf springs still are the best option for my truck still stand. Well I guess I am just going to try madcowdungbeetle’s suggestion of flipping the center sections then I can run 39” iroks with my current lift:shaking: .

Dood! I am the king of reinventing the wheel and even I wouldn't consider this project.

BTW-go to Discoweb, the general section, events, trails, trips, etc. There is probably gonna be a big group going to the Keewenaw next spring.

PT

Yeah, I know, I'm no Dielucas...

No sh!t?






































:flipoff2:
If this abortion of a thread is still around after the 17th, I'll let y'all know what REALLY happened :evil: Unfortunately, I have my comps in a week and I'm buried up to my neck writing stories (grants) that might actually earn me some money...

WOW I must be a dumb ass?
I am well aware of what a project of this magnitude entails (modifications to axles and other engine, trans, and transfer case issues) and didn’t ask IF it could be done but rather if anyone had attempted this in the past. My reasons for thinking that leaf springs still are the best option for my truck still stand. Well I guess I am just going to try madcowdungbeetle’s suggestion of flipping the center sections then I can run 39” iroks with my current lift:shaking: .

Dude hit it.

The reason everyone is flaming is cause they can't see why you would dump the coils for leafs. Flat leaves and 1 tons sound like a cheap and easy way to get it. It isn't for everyone but neither is Tofu. And lotsa people hit Tofu.

I cannot see the benefit of completely reengineering the suspension when what is already there is a reasonably good starting point for the VAST majority of wheeling situations.

Having wheeled in Yooper country, I like the flexibility that the coils provide and the simplicity of working with what's there.

If one is set on leaves, why not get a 109 frame and put the body on it? A reverse hybrid!

I found a link to the guys website. I emailed him about some photos.

Got a reply, he doesn't still have the photos.