help with suspension

[trenooo]

hey guys,
im looking to lower only the back end of my vz exec, but have a few uncertainties i was hoping some one could clear up for me.
1) will putting sl springs in the back only be ok with the standed shocks?
2) will i need a camber (or caster, cant remember) kit for SL springs?

was told at specialist that i would need new shocks, kit and quoted me 700, not in this life time!

any help would be appreciated

[Jesterarts]

1. Yes you can keep your standard shocks with SL... you can keep standard shocks with SSSL even although they would wear out quicker. But with SL, you should be fine for a while, then once your current shocks go, get some that suit your application.
2. No, you won't NEED a camber kit with SL. If you are running big rims and low profile tyres you will probably see an increase in inside tread wear but nothing massive. I'd put the SL's in... see how your tyres wear and if it's bad for whatever readon then invest in a camber kit but I don't think it's something you will need straight up.

Was this specialist by any chance a Pedders specialist? They have a habbit of trying to "up-sell" everything and anything.

Plus, if you're just doing rear, buy the springs and pop them in yourself. All you need to do it is basic tools like a spanner set, a car jack and a mate. The only tool you would need that won't be laying around in most sheds are springs compressors to get the old springs out and maybe to help the SL's in.

Hope that helps and good luck.

[trenooo]

hey mate thanks for the advise, just a few things to add onto that, when you refer to "when the shocks wear out", do you mean prematurely? and if so by much?
and could i just use a g clamp to get them out?
cheers mate

oh and yeh is was pedders haha

[glenn l]

the vz has the adjustable toe link in the rear which let you set the toe(which is the main problem in rear tyre wear not camber) and at the same time keeps the camber in a good range so i wouldnt recomend a rear camber kit. you dont need spring compressors for the rear, you just need to undo the sway bar links off the trailing arms(a 13mm nut and bolt), the lower shock mounts(21mm bolt) then pop the drive shaft out(not remove it just pop it out(with a leaver or big screw driver) and also the toe link from the trailing arm(think 18mm nut) which will let the trailing arm down enough to pull the coil out.

[trenooo]

the vz has the adjustable toe link in the rear which let you set the toe(which is the main problem in rear tyre wear not camber) and at the same time keeps the camber in a good range so i wouldnt recomend a rear camber kit. you dont need spring compressors for the rear, you just need to undo the sway bar links off the trailing arms(a 13mm nut and bolt), the lower shock mounts(21mm bolt) then pop the drive shaft out(not remove it just pop it out(with a leaver or big screw driver) and also the toe link from the trailing arm(think 18mm nut) which will let the trailing arm down enough to pull the coil out.

thanks mate, this helps heaps as i have a good understanding of everything except for steering and suspension.

[brett01]

1. Yes you can keep your standard shocks with SL... you can keep standard shocks with SSSL even although they would wear out quicker. But with SL, you should be fine for a while, then once your current shocks go, get some that suit your application.
2. No, you won't NEED a camber kit with SL. If you are running big rims and low profile tyres you will probably see an increase in inside tread wear but nothing massive. I'd put the SL's in... see how your tyres wear and if it's bad for whatever readon then invest in a camber kit but I don't think it's something you will need straight up.

i was wondering if this would apply with fe2 springs and standard shocks as well?

[vr1uz-fe]

i just undo the shocks and use a pry bar on the springs and they come out in 2min's

[Jesterarts]

hey mate thanks for the advise, just a few things to add onto that, when you refer to "when the shocks wear out", do you mean prematurely? and if so by much?
and could i just use a g clamp to get them out?
cheers mate

oh and yeh is was pedders haha

Yeah, the shocks will wear out prematurely as the shock will be working outside it's engineered threshold. I don't know by how much, I droved around with SSSL and stock shocks for a year and a bit before I got big bore shortened ones.

I don't thing a g-clamp would do the required as it don't think it will fit between the coils and get a good grip. Spring clamps are teh easiers path, just make sure you put one on each side of the spring as I've seem someone narrowly avoid a spring to the face doing it wrong.

Or you could do it as glenn l has described if you're comfortabled taking the suspension apart more to avoid the need to spring compressors.

And yeah, no surprises that I guessed it would be pedders, their products are good but their service departments are full of shit.

i just undo the shocks and use a pry bar on the springs and they come out in 2min's

Or he could just to it the safe way which doesn't involve forcing anything like glenn l or myself have suggested.

[trenooo]

thanks every one, just got a peai of kings and gonna do it tomoro