Raising suspension - Coilovers?

[Zcat7]

Since I rebuilt my engine into an aluminium case, adding around 15 kilos to my camper's arse end, I appear to have squashed the suspension right onto the bump stops (which are already cut down) and that's before I load up for a trip and/or get passengers in there. I was already thinking that I'd like a little more travel in the ride even before the engine rebuild so now is the time to address this.

So I was thinking, as my front beam has been cut and turned but is otherwise in good shape, that I could jack the front up with a set of coil-over shocks and turn back up a couple of splines on the rear. Now, I've looked at the 12 page long, 2 year old thread on coilovers and given up trying to find a post where someone has tried to raise instead of lower with an improved ride so I thought I'd start over and ask here!

I guess simply put has anyone done this already and if so, how are the main suppliers (I hear that Gaz are one of the most highly recommended) at providing a range of lengths? And what are the other fitting considerations?

Mine is a 72 crosser by the way and this is the ride height loaded but before the heavy engine, so probably on the bump stops and I don't have the ultra skinny tyres on the front anymore.

 

[Moseley]

The Gaz coilovers in that particular thread are not height adjustable per se. However, the more you preload the spring with the adjuster ring, the less they sag when the bus is on the ground, and effectively the higher you raise. Obviously the side effect of this is that the higher you want to raise it, the stiffer the front end will be. Depends how much you want to adjust it by and whether this would be acceptable.

I have just fitted some to mine recently, and by tightening the collar so that the spring is just held tight when the wheels are off the ground (as per mot rules) the front end was naturally raised by a good inch or two when back in terra firma.

I'm not sure if you can get proper height adjustable coilovers that will fit the front end of these - I.e. Ones with adjustable lower mounting point collars?

 

[john the horse]

remove the bumpstops and lower the front :msn4:

jth

 

[jonboylaw]

You can change the coils for different lengths and rates easily enough. Speak to Gaz and tell them what you are looking for and they will help you out.


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[Zcat7]

First of all, many thanks for your idea John but there's something about it that makes me feel like it isn't going to achieve what I set out to do... :lol:

Moseley - I hadn't realised that these weren't height adjustable; only for preload. The way the few threads that I read looked I thought that they were.

As Jonboylaw says, a call to Gaz should hopefully help establish what I need.