Offroad performance with stock suspension

[bradm84]

Hi everyone,

I have just got back from a trip to Janowen Hills 4x4 park here in QLD. It is my second time with it offroad in my Nav since I bought it back in August.

It seems to be a great 4wd apart from the stock suspension setup. The issue I was having was that the front seems to bounce alot over the rocky stuff (even when being driven fairly mildly) and the back end doesn't get a whole lot of traction as it seems so stiff. And both ends have little articulation.

I am comparing the Nav with the R50 pathfinder that I had before it. The Pathy was alot more surefooted, with none of the bouncing and the back end had really good flex. The front of the Pathy had poor flex in the front though too.

I know that the articulation and ride is never going to be great in a ute with torsion bars and leaves compared to wagons with coils, but was hoping to get some ideas on how to soften things up a bit and get even just a little better articulation.

My first idea is to get extended shackles on the standard springs, and then fit some longer shocks on the back. Then get some new longer shocks for the front, the bars are already wound up a little to level the car out.

My other option is to just get a full lift kit with comfort springs in the back.

I also want to get a lokka in the front so I can take things a little slower as well.

Also will simply just carrying some weight in the back help as well to keep the rear under control a bit?

Am I on the right track or is there other ways to go about setting the Nav up better for offroad ability bearing in mind I don't carry, much weight and almost never tow anything.

One last question, what weight are the standard springs rated for? Are they a constant load or more similar to a comfort spring (0-300kg) that you can get in a lift kit? They just seem so hard when unladen.

Sorry for a bunch of questions in one go but I'm a bit worried about breaking things with all the bouncing around that the Nav seemed to do over the weekend. (Maybe it was all just to do with my driving...)

Thanks heaps

Brad

 

[bradm84]

Sorry, I just read that back and noticed I put way too many spaces in between lines, apologies if i've made it hard to read.

Brad

 

[ShortyNavros]

Standard rear leaves arent even like comfort rated after market ones, the stock springs are designed to be soft and can't carry loads all that well, so if you want flex Id keep those in. Just dont expect to go away camping with 300-500kg in the tray and expect not to bottom out the leaf packs.

Longer shocks will give you the extra articulation, along with extended shackles, however I would never use extended shackles as I think just about everywhere in Aus they are illegal to use.

If you want better articulation for the front you could consider some after market upper control arms which increase your down travel, but at a cost of increased CV angles which makes them more prone to failure. These cost a small fortune in Aus but calmini ones can be bough from the USA for 400-500 bucks shipped I think. The obvious fix which would be cheap and easy instead of getting the arms would be to get some extended upper ball joints. However I am yet to find anywhere in the world which makes these, (its crazy, there are shitloads of these utes around the world and the extended ball joint option is cheap as hell method of gaining extra down travel and to correct wheel alignment).

If you find such extended ball joints let me and the rest of the forum know, however again even if you had these you would get greater down travel at the sacrifice of inceased CV angles.

Person to contact for after market suspension on this forum is Zordo, he can answer all your queries and set your vehicle how you want.

 

[bradm84]

Thanks shorty, and I agree about the ball joints, they would be a good option, I noticed they make them for the d40 and a bunch of other IFS 4x4's but not ours...

I'll get in touch with Zordo when I'm getting closer to doing something about the suspension.

With the CV's on the d22's are they easily broken or they fairly strong. Mainly thinking about how they will go with a front lokka and the torsion bars set where they are (front is about 30-35mm higher than standard.)
Thanks again

Brad

 

[sparra04]

I haven't heard of the D22 cv's breaking too easily, it seems tie rods and idler arms are the weak points, especially with larger tyres
I know cv's have failed, but mostly its a heavy right foot at the wrong time, a touch of mechanical sympathy goes a long way
Nevyn runs an auto lokka, brad, how many cv's have you broken?

As for suspension setup........see zordo, ask him, he knows what works

 

[bradm84]

Hey Sparra, I haven't broken any cv's, or anything else either, and haven't been off road with anyone who has either... Was curious after seeing a couple of YouTube videos of other brand utes breaking CV's while doing things that looked really mild. Was probably more to do with them having nasty CV angles after lifting I guess.
The Navara does feel a lot sturdier and stronger though than the pathfinder I had before it. I'm loving it and once I get the suspension going how I want it I'll probably start loving it all over again.