Suspension Upgrade - well worth the money

[ae86fow]

If you have a stock 4AC Sprinter, are on a budget and want to get more fun out of your pride and joy while you save up for an engine upgrade then I can thoroughly recommend you spend some $$'s on upgrading your suspension.

For a little over $1000 I have given my '86 new life.
Here's a plug for AJPS - Couple of months ago I got some advice from David at AJPS on an entry level drift setup / sports suspension. I finally took the plunge and placed an order.
Today I finally got a chance to fit the gear.
Within 6 hours the sprinter was totally transformed.
I totally recommend the upgrade to everybody. With a slight flick of the wheel I can break traction at almost any speed. I can now drift with more predicability at higher speeds. I originally thought I'd need the engine upgrade to break traction above 60km/h but now its easy because you can transfer weight so suddenly.

Here are some pics.
BTW: The car rides about 1" lower now and is a very firm ride.

The Kit
Front and rear springs 8kg/6kg
Replacement Strut Internals
Replacement Shocks
Strut Brace
Rear Sway Bar
http://www.funonwheels.net/othercars/AE86/suspension/SuspensionKit.JPG

In Bits
http://www.funonwheels.net/othercars/AE86/suspension/InBits.JPG

So simple a child can do it (my 8 year old doing most of the work)
http://www.funonwheels.net/othercars/AE86/suspension/ChrisHelp.JPG

Replacing the crappy stock struts
http://www.funonwheels.net/othercars/AE86/suspension/ReplacementStrut.JPG

Front end complete
http://www.funonwheels.net/othercars/AE86/suspension/FrntRHC.JPG

Finished Product
http://www.funonwheels.net/othercars/AE86/suspension/Finished.JPG

[Brenton 86]

Nice work, did the same 2 weeks ago on Hachi PWR's ride, should of wacked some xt130's lca while the gear was out. Nonetheless should be a different car.

Also thats a great shed/workshop

[Cerby]

Hi
good idea doing a bit of a write up!!
So how does if handle speed bumps? My sprinter has been lowered but still has the original shocks and it tends to dive and almost feels like it hits the bump stops if i''m going fast over a bit of a hollow! I was looking at upgrading the shocks but i'm sort of thinking i should wait and buy adjustable shocks instead of the excel g's .
So the main question is how good are the excel g's compared to good old monroe gt's? how is the body roll?
cheers
Cerby

[ae86fow]

re: Shed/Workshop

Lucky for me my brother-in-law is the owner of ATS - All things Subaru.
Thanks for the use of the shed and for all your Subaru parts needs
http://www.funonwheels.net/allthingssubaru/images/logo.gif (http://www.allthingssubaru.com.au/)

re: Write up
yeah - like making journal of all my projects with pics.
Will eventually get a full writeup done on FunOnWheels for my Sprinter from stock through suspension to engine conversion to track (lots more to do yet).

re: Speed Bumps
Rock Hard but in a good way. No diving. The shocks are really important. The KYB shocks we installed today really stiff. When we lift the car the wheels comes up with the body instead of hanging. Gradually the shocks release the wheels and they come down.
Not sure about excel g's and monroe gt's but there is no body roll in my car now. Real stiff feel.

[evilsub]

haha okay can i have my 86 back now =P

jkjk

good to see youre having fun with it, and modifying in a tasteful manner

looking forward to seeing more additions

[Andrew]

I'm thinking of getting the whole coilover package and shit from AJPS, not sure how it'll go in the KE70. I definately need to do something though, right now it struggles to break traction in the wet...doesn't even drop a skid.

[RobertoX]

AJPS FTW!

as for how it goes in a ke70...see my members rides!!! http://www.ae86drivingclub.com.au/forums/emoticons/smile.gif

good write up glenn

[breno]

are those shocks short stroke?
Look a little high.

[ae86fow]

yeah, I would have thought so - car is sitting about 1" lower and were about 1/2 the size of the springs I took out (see stock springs in last pic)


are those shocks short stroke?
Look a little high.[/b]

[roadsailing]

shocks have nothing to do with ride height, unless they are those special pump up ones, which i think excel g ones arent.

the car will drop another half inch or so, i think all springs "sag in" to some degree or another

also, you skipped the strut shortening bit

[ae86fow]

shocks have nothing to do with ride height, unless they are those special pump up ones, which i think excel g ones arent.

the car will drop another half inch or so, i think all springs "sag in" to some degree or another

also, you skipped the strut shortening bit[/b]
Sorry dude, misread the original question.
Yes - I know shocks have nothing to do with the ride height... I was having a no-brainer moment.
To answer the question the shocks are short stroke. You can see the difference in length in the pic.

[ae86 slide]

i think breno was trying to say that by the look of the front at the moment the shocks may be fully extended most of the time.
ei, short stroke shocks on near stock height springs.
also glad to hear your having fun with it, keep it going.

[Trindawg]

hi just wanted to know what parts were included in the 'replacement strut internals' part as im looking for a similar purchase at AJPS.
thanks!

[RobertoX]

shock, spacer and gland nut

[rick q]

how do i get me a kit like this?

[jono86]

id say contact ajps dude they advertise on this site.
looks like a sweet budget kit.

[DRFTAE86]

The Kit
Front and rear springs 8kg/6kg
Replacement Strut Internals
Replacement Shocks
Strut Brace
Rear Sway Bar[/b]

In the first pic i see a 'unmetioned' panhard rod, but no sway bar?

[Course_Out]

Did you shorten the strut?

[James86]

how is this package for grip driving?

[psychofox]

8kg F / 6Kg rear is almost unliveable for daily driving - I don't know how you guys live with it! I would also encourage the purchase of adjustable swaybars, they make a huge difference - you can use them to fine tune the handling bias - ie take out the oversteer if you're driving to and from the shops for a while.....

[RobertoX]

how do i get me a kit like this?[/b]

email me - sales@ajps.com.au



id say contact ajps dude they advertise on this site.
looks like a sweet budget kit.[/b]

thanks man http://www.ae86drivingclub.com.au/forums/emoticons/smile.gif


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The Kit
Front and rear springs 8kg/6kg
Replacement Strut Internals
Replacement Shocks
Strut Brace
Rear Sway Bar[/b]

In the first pic i see a 'unmetioned' panhard rod, but no sway bar?
[/b]

you are correct



Did you shorten the strut?[/b]

no, i supply spacers so you dont have to do this


8kg F / 6Kg rear is almost unliveable for daily driving - I don't know how you guys live with it! I would also encourage the purchase of adjustable swaybars, they make a huge difference - you can use them to fine tune the handling bias - ie take out the oversteer if you're driving to and from the shops for a while.....[/b]

8 and 6 is fine for daily driving, even on adelaides shit roads

just take it easy over speed humps etc

adjustable swaybars are a good thing

[RobertoX]

i penned this..

The entry level drift set up we offer consists of

4 x AJPS springs (8kg and 6kg (suited to track but streetable) 6kg and 4.5kg (suited to hills/street)
4x KYB excel g short stroke shocks
1x front fitting kit (spacer and gland nut to suit)
1x adjustable panhard rod (to re align the diff after lowering)
Shipping to your door with in metropolitan Australia

Springs - $400
Shocks - $429
Fitting Kit - $40
Adjustable panhard rod - $129
Freight – up to $50

= 1048

Our price - $950!

For an upgrade add lower control arm and castor rod bushes - $60
Rear swaybar - $189
Front strut brace - $199

= $400!

[ozsprintz]

i am in need of some new suspension in my 86 and just to be sure these are straight bolt in job? nothing to cut and weld or any thing right?

[RobertoX]

nope, all bolt in...good fun

trolley jack/axle stands, socket set, spring compressers (optional lol!) and a vice

pm me if interested

[DR1FT]

could you get a kit like this to suit a RA60 celica??

might do simular in the future when i start work and when i save up a little

[mrmatt]

was talking to the suspention shop that we buy all our stuff off for at work. he is gonna modify some Bilstiens out of a commodore to fit into the front and some heavy duty Bilstiens ute shocks for the rear. hes hookin me up hard. $400 for the front and $350 for the rear.
wats every bodies thoughts on king springs? i got a mate that works there so i get em cheap is all. even the cutom made ones.

Matt

[white86]

Kings are pretty underrated for street/hill use. For beginner they are a very viable option, especially if you can get them cheap.

That said, after 3 years on them I am looking for an upgrade. The new car has 8kg JIC Magic coils in the front and 6kg somethings i the back, so we'll see how that goes on the same road.

[pumpkinking]

white86, with that suspension set up is your car seam welded and roll caged?

[roadsailing]

mrmatt, thats sounds pretty damn expensive, for another hundred bucks or so you could have a set of tokico HTS 102s, that were actually designed to be used in a sprinter.

if you want to go cheap, use KYB AGX MR2 rear shocks in the front and anything brand HQ holden rear shocks

[white86]

white86, with that suspension set up is your car seam welded and roll caged?[/b]


Roll caged, yes. Seam welded, yes - well apparently after damage was done in the engine bay.

[pumpkinking]

oh cool just curious as so many people seem to run this same spring rates in their stock 86's and i want to know how long a car would last with out cage and seem weld, before splitting.

[white86]

Well I don't think it lasted too long without the welds. The engine bay got pretty cracked up.

Having said that, only the engine bay was been seam welded. The interior of the car is perfectly undamaged.

[HYPNTK]

wow, are you guys serious or what about the cracking shit? i wanted to seam weld my car too but thought i'de do everything else first including suspension...how much would it cost me to do the seam welding done by a shop?

[floody31]

Be careful you don't just shift the stress around by seam welding.

[HYPNTK]

Be careful you don't just shift the stress around by seam welding.[/b]
i guess if a workshop that has done it heaps of times will be the best bet for my car to last the distance

[DRFTPG]

OMG i wish i had a dad like u, looks good mate

[jontrueno]

in the pic the car sits uneven (lower in the rear, higher at the front)

is this meant to be?

cheers http://www.ae86drivingclub.com.au/forums/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[.wolfwood]

it looks good

[unit101]

Nice setup- I'd highly recommend getting some t3 negative roll centre adjusters- My car came with them unfitted, and when i fitted them, the difference was amazing. THey reduce the bumpsteer shitloads, and the car turns in alot nicer now. And stop knocking king springs people- I have 8kg kings in my front coilovers and they work a treat.

[Driftspec]

My god, didn't even realise it was the thread that Glenn wrote up on the car when he had it... +1 for me reviving it more! lol...

Its my car now http://www.ae86drivingclub.com.au/forums/emoticons/biggrin.gif

I've now been scratching my head for the last 10 minutes trying to work out whether the ride hight is different front to rear... I'm gonna run with.... no. I think its an illusion, as the tyres at the front have a lower profile than those at the rear. The spring sizes are the same, from memory. If anything it probably does sit up a little at the rear, but only because of the tyres.

There's a lot of things I want to do to the car, but can't just yet. As the car is my daily driver, I don't want the car too stiff, as it would be unlivable, but I also need to eliminate some body roll the car has while on track. Any suggestions, reply or PM me http://www.ae86drivingclub.com.au/forums/emoticons/biggrin.gif

BTW, for a bit of trivia, in the 4th photo (the one with the crappy, exploded stock shocky), I am the one wearing the white shoe at the top right of screen. In case you really, really wanted to know http://www.ae86drivingclub.com.au/forums/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[dr.occa]

i know this is a revived thread but since this is a 4AC sprinter, does it have an open diff w/ drums in the rear? i'm asking because i know it was stated that it became easier to brake the rear end out when the new suspension was installed.

[Driftspec]

Yes, its an ADM sprinter, so 4AC with open diff and drums at the back end. As with any stiffer suspension, if the car doesn't roll as much when you yank the wheel one way or the other, the weight transfer goes sideways instead of up and around (ie body roll). When at speed, it becomes a lot easier to 'inertia drift', or using the weight of the car to flick the tail out through a corner.

Lack of LSD only means no easy power oversteer/drift for me, as initially only one wheel will be spinning. That is on the list of things to upgrade but (new LSD and rear disc brake assembly).