I have been e-mailing both Lokka in Aus about diffs and suspensions and Fjallasport here in Iceland about lift kits. Replies to date are copied below just for interest really:-
Fjallasport
"We can supply you with all the parts you need to modify your T2 to 35"
tires. You need to lift it 100mm on body, and then you need the fender
flares, mudflaps and running boards."
I am going to phone them to go to the workshop to talk to them and see what they say about gearing, steering and clearances.
Lokka
"We have FRONT Lokka for your model, for sure.
Rear - Lokka does not fit into factory LSD hemisphere (centre).
Try front and you will see that the rear diff is less important when the front is providing traction with Lokka.
We have coils, shocks and torsion bars for your model.
I suggest you look at the 41mm foam cell size shock for this type of use/vehicle. While the 35mm nitro gas will do for a while, they wont last like the 41mm's.
Foam cell shocks much better than the 35mm nitro gas, especially on the front where the body of the shocks is so short.... not much oil capacity.. the bigger the better. The size represents the piston diameter, so the greater the number the greater the oil capacity, hence cooler, hence greater viscosity, hence less fade.
Shocks work at their hardest on corrugated dirt roads at moderate speed. Fast movement, so lots of heat build up. Slow articulating stretching over big rocks etc requires great articulation and balance - but doesn't make a shock fade.
The 'foam-cell' (or sheath) takes up the space of gas or air in other shocks. It is comprised of a multitude of minute sealed gas chambers that cannot mix with the hydraulic oil unlike the gas in nitro-gas shocks or air in original shocks.
Aeration is also due to the hydraulic oil boiling or bubbling as the shock extends rapidly after compression. The 'vacum' or pressure reduction created as the piston head moves quickly away from the hydraulic oil allows the oil to boil at a lower temperature than when under 'normal' pressure.
The compressed gas chambers in the foam-cell rapidly expand as the shock extends after compression, forcing the oil back through the valve stack, hence maintaining a more normal pressure on the oil. The likely-hood of 'low' pressure – low temperature boiling is reduced.
Original shocks and the 35mm gas shock both aerate in extended severe conditions due to oil-gas mixing and low pressure boiling of the hydraulic oil.
We have a kit of the Medium+ coils, 4x 41mm foam cell dampers.
Cost $662 plus $270 for Torsion Bars.
3 year warranty unlimited kms.
This will achieve a 2" lift from standard and have a much better ride and handing compared to standard.
For comparison, $522 (plus $270 for Torsion bars) for 35mm Nitro gas kit (2 year warranty - unlimited kms).
Prices $AUD
I will need to get a quote for suspension freight, if you wish."
The diff was quoted at $610 AUS to my door.
Hmmmm interesting stuff.
Fjallasport
"We can supply you with all the parts you need to modify your T2 to 35"
tires. You need to lift it 100mm on body, and then you need the fender
flares, mudflaps and running boards."
I am going to phone them to go to the workshop to talk to them and see what they say about gearing, steering and clearances.
Lokka
"We have FRONT Lokka for your model, for sure.
Rear - Lokka does not fit into factory LSD hemisphere (centre).
Try front and you will see that the rear diff is less important when the front is providing traction with Lokka.
We have coils, shocks and torsion bars for your model.
I suggest you look at the 41mm foam cell size shock for this type of use/vehicle. While the 35mm nitro gas will do for a while, they wont last like the 41mm's.
Foam cell shocks much better than the 35mm nitro gas, especially on the front where the body of the shocks is so short.... not much oil capacity.. the bigger the better. The size represents the piston diameter, so the greater the number the greater the oil capacity, hence cooler, hence greater viscosity, hence less fade.
Shocks work at their hardest on corrugated dirt roads at moderate speed. Fast movement, so lots of heat build up. Slow articulating stretching over big rocks etc requires great articulation and balance - but doesn't make a shock fade.
The 'foam-cell' (or sheath) takes up the space of gas or air in other shocks. It is comprised of a multitude of minute sealed gas chambers that cannot mix with the hydraulic oil unlike the gas in nitro-gas shocks or air in original shocks.
Aeration is also due to the hydraulic oil boiling or bubbling as the shock extends rapidly after compression. The 'vacum' or pressure reduction created as the piston head moves quickly away from the hydraulic oil allows the oil to boil at a lower temperature than when under 'normal' pressure.
The compressed gas chambers in the foam-cell rapidly expand as the shock extends after compression, forcing the oil back through the valve stack, hence maintaining a more normal pressure on the oil. The likely-hood of 'low' pressure – low temperature boiling is reduced.
Original shocks and the 35mm gas shock both aerate in extended severe conditions due to oil-gas mixing and low pressure boiling of the hydraulic oil.
We have a kit of the Medium+ coils, 4x 41mm foam cell dampers.
Cost $662 plus $270 for Torsion Bars.
3 year warranty unlimited kms.
This will achieve a 2" lift from standard and have a much better ride and handing compared to standard.
For comparison, $522 (plus $270 for Torsion bars) for 35mm Nitro gas kit (2 year warranty - unlimited kms).
Prices $AUD
I will need to get a quote for suspension freight, if you wish."
The diff was quoted at $610 AUS to my door.
Hmmmm interesting stuff.
