Claire's Mini Beast!

[AdrianC]

If you get great pleasure from modifying vehicles then yes.
End of the day you have to think about what you want from your vehicle and do what suits your needs:thumb2

Cheers Jay :thumb2...sorry elty

 

[elty001]

Cheers Jay :thumb2...sorry elty

Nothing to be sorry for Adrian.
Modding motors isn't what everyone wants to do.

 

[Jay666d]

Spent another morning under the X-Trail finishing off the suspension set up.

Initially I was having trouble undoing the top bolt of the rear shocks, given how tight they were and how little space I had to use a lever.

Managed to whip of the rear shocks off no problem this time round tho with my handy new windy gun!

Unlike the long travel shocks I put on the Patrol, these are the same length as stock. Slightly tougher to compress, but much better built!

While I was under there and I now have my super awesome windy gun, compressing the coils was that much easier, so I whacked on the 30mm spacers.

Now that's all said and done, we have an overall lift of 60mm and including the new tyres, the ground clearance has increased by 90mm! :naughty

Still a little scrubby on lock, but a little more trimming will sort that right out.

Pictures to follow at the weekend... Been looking around for a standard X-Trail to park next to! :lol

 

[elty001]

Progressing nicely now Jay:thumb2

 

[Jay666d]

It's a bit like 2 steps forward 1 step back at the minute... Not quite bad enough to be 1 forward and 2 back!

I love how this little beast is starting to look... But independent suspension seems like a bit of a minefield.

Now that the strut and coil spacers are on, the car makes an awful clunking sound when hitting bumps. :doh I've nipped all the bolts up again to make sure none of those are loose, but it's not that.

Next thing I will check is the ARB front and back. I don't think it would be this, as the clunk only seems to happen after compression... So, you hit the speed bump, suspension is compressed, (so far no clunk) then as you pass over the bump and the suspension stretched itself out... Then there's the clunk.

Now that I've wrote that and read it back to myself, it's possible it could be the shock reaching its maximum length, but then again, when I start to jack the vehicle up, it's still got a ways to go before the wheel leaves the ground. :nenau

 

[solarman216]

Think I would go with shock reaching its limit, the bounce after the hump will be enough, Rick

 

[elty001]

i would also go with the shocker reaching its limit.
Burst a pair of shocks on my terrano with the same thing happening so i would keep an eye on it.

 

[Jay666d]

I just assumed that might be ok because the shock is what limits the downward suspension travel... Do you think it's because it's reaching its limit of travel much quicker, with more force because of the coil & spacer setup?

I can't really think of a fix for this, (Apart from remove the spacers) if this does turn out to be the issue. :doh

 

[Blocky10]

Rather than remove the spacers could you space the shocks a little?
Or a strap to stop full stretch?

 

[Jay666d]

Rather than remove the spacers could you space the shocks a little?
Or a strap to stop full stretch?

Those are a thing!

https://slingsandstraps.co.uk/products/suspension-limiting-straps

Not exactly sure where I'd fit them, but might look into that!

 

[Jay666d]

I suppose if the diameter of the hole was the same as the one that holds the shock in place, then it would just sit along sine it. :thumbs

 

[solarman216]

I would have thought longer shocks are the answer, Rick

 

[Jay666d]

That was my first thought, but the problem with longer shocks is, they will let the CV Joints run well out of the range that there comfortable with... I'm probably already pushing it a bit.

 

[terranosaurusdoug]

Nice going bud, 90mm is pretty impressive , like you said though lots of things to consider with independent suspension!

 

[Mr K]

Are you sure it's not the springs dislocating and locating again?

 

[Jay666d]

Nice going bud, 90mm is pretty impressive , like you said though lots of things to consider with independent suspension!

Cheers! I'm pretty happy with it!

Are you sure it's not the springs dislocating and locating again?

I hadn't considered that given how tight those buggers are in! :lol

The 1st time I heard the clunk I assumed it was everything re-locating itself, but when it kept on clunking, I had to reconsider. :doh

 

[solarman216]

That was my first thought, but the problem with longer shocks is, they will let the CV Joints run well out of the range that there comfortable with... I'm probably already pushing it a bit.

Manual hubs get round that, the shafts only rotate when locked, how often is that going to be? Rick

 

[Blocky10]

Manual hubs get round that, the shafts only rotate when locked, how often is that going to be? Rick

If I'm right, it's front wheel drive under normal condition.

 

[Jay666d]

That's right Ian. :thumbs

 

[solarman216]

Ah sorry that is a bit of a pain then, Rick