Bitten by the coil bug

[Mudball]

I'm going coils. No question. My samurai is a great truck all around, and after about 6 weeks of wheeling it I hate the leaf springs.

They limit my steering, harsh ride, mediocre flex, blah.

I'm curious to those who have built custom setups as to the cost. What is a good ballpark figure for a project like this? I need to budget a bit before I can make it happen.. and it will be a long-term project. (i.e. over winter)

[Mudslug]

Dude if I was you I would just go to longer leafs....its way easier and cheaper.

If you're set on it be ready to spend some dough to do it (what I would consider) right.

First have you worked out the geometry yet?Getting the link lenghts, separation etc is key...be ready to do some reading on this, have Kleenex ready because your eyes will bleed.

Link material is spendy, you need thick tough stuff because bending a link on the trail can ruin your whole day.

Good link joints are $$$ as well....

Not to be a downer but its a big step and a ton of work and if you get it wrong it will bind, break stuff and be a pain in the ass.....

[szabotage]

princess auto heim joints, they'll prolly break more frequently but at 30 bucks a pair not much of a loss!

[KAC]

princess auto heim joints, they'll prolly break more frequently but at 30 bucks a pair not much of a loss!They get Real loose Real fast

[szabotage]

They get Real loose Real fast

even with locking nuts?

[Fullload]

KAC is talking about the center section of the hiem getting really sloppy not the actual threaded part of of it.
I've seen it first hand and they do get loose.

The way i see it is if you are going to spend $20.00-$30.00 on cheapies and have to replace them twice a season just buy the good one's athat will last way longer than two sets of cheapies.

[Depot]

I use the princess auto cheapies and have to replace em twice a season especially on my steering components.

For good quality stuff, ur looking at between 70-90 bucks per end of each rod. that gives u an aircraft quality rod end and a weld in bung. thats it, thats all... U'll need 2 of these for each arm.. lets say a 4 link system... 8 ends... 8*80 = 640 + taxes. Thats just the ends for one end of ur truck.. u going front and rear... X2. Now add in the prices for the 1/4 wall DOM tubing (dont cheap out here either)...

U'll prolly break 2 grand long before ur done. just in parts. A great person to talk to about this is Daren out at B&M offroad. Hes out near Oshawa. if u want his info, pm me

gl

D

[szabotage]

heims on both ends of each rod? I'm not sure if I'd go that way, I put a rubber bushing on the other end unless there's a disadvantage to that, I seen a few setups doing this without flex or wear suffering much and its' hella lot cheaper

any input?

[Superzuk]

rubber on one end and heijm on other end... that way it will minimize vibrations. Pete Menard sells his coil system installed, should try to get in touch with him, as it works awesome.

He is running heijm one end and rubber at other.

[Mud Lite]

I ran rubber thread in joints at the frame end ( 20.00US each) and RE Johnny Joints at the axle ( 26.00 US each) Fully rebuildable and less monay that Hiem joints.

[szabotage]

doesn't seem like mr jonny joint has a website, got any quick links to read more on the jonny joint? :rasta:

[Depot]

I've heard the RE joints are good for mild stuff but break when really pushing em specially in the rear with no panhard bar. Aparently not much left to rebuild when the break! :( This is not first hand experience so take it for what its worth

I'll be going heim on one end and rubber on the other when i get around to it.

oh yah.. the RE joints.. try http://www.rubiconexpress.com/

gl

D

[Mudball]

So coils are a huge investment?

As a fabricator I look at it with an open mind. Everything is easy.. till you finish it. Then you can bitch about how hard it was. :P

If I were to go with longer leafs and better shocks, who would reccommend what?