Suspension issues

Submitted by wrobstar21 on

Forum: 

My sportrak has a dodgy looking leaf spring at the drivers side rear!

Its not the same as the right hand one anyway. Also i think the shock may have gone as it seems to bounce more on that side.

Is this a big job? what does it involve?

Springy

Submitted by assassin on

Both springs should be the same, as should the shocks, replacing them is the only solution, and as matched pairs.

To access the shocks top nut, locate the access plate from inside the vehicle, the top nut will almost certainly want cutting off, remove the bottom bolt and the shock will come off. Remove the spring retaining bolts and the U bolts, ensure the axle is packed up to stop it dropping, replacement is a reverse of dismantling. It may be prudent to replace the bushes with poly bushes while the axle is dropped, it may cost a little more, but will save a lot of effort in the future.

offroader

Submitted by henry_cureton on

if its an offroader, shocks arnt a nassesity

the leaf has most prob collapsed, like most landrovers.

dose it lean to 1 side?

to save buying new stuff, go to your scrap yard, find a nice truck with good springs and buy it, then u got unlimited spares!

or i can sell u 1 of mine lol

for spares lol

Suspension

Submitted by oldminiman on

i agree with Assaisn on this one. I use a couple of trolly jacks on mine to lower and raise the prings to and from their shakles.

You can get 3 or 5 leaf shock, five being stiffer than the theree and Poly bushes make the whole job easier and better. Some replacements come with Poly bushes pre installed.

The Shocks are easy to remove. Have you the 3 stage dampers? If do the plates for removing the top of the damper is located on the rear floor beneath the rear seats. Remove the plate and the electrical motors ar ontop of thedamper. These have to be removed to locate the top nut. Unfortunately the motor location points are usually caeased and distroyed during removal. Regardless replacement adjustibles are expensive if still available and not that good. Replace with new shocks and disconnect the motors and tuck the wiring connector out of the way.

Both my shocks and springs came from Milner off Road. The shocks are fine but I will agree with others that their leaf springs are on the stiff side. I have argued this point but having driven both my Sportraks recently, one with 3 leaf and the other with 5 leaf Milners I tend to agree that the Milners are a bit hard on the rear end.

If you replace the rear adjustibles with ordinary shocks you can leave the fronts as adjustible with no obvious problem. The rule is normally to replace both springs and both shocks on one axle although I have to admit to only replacing one spring that broke and the vehicle sits level and has done for the past 7 years. Shocks, always replace in pairs.

Goof Luck

OLDMINIMAN

M J Young