Glens iO / Build thread
50mm Lift & BF Goodrich 245/75/16
I have been to buzy to keep the updates posted on here, but heres a couple of pics from today.
I have lifted my iO 50mm with some Coilovers in the front, it awaits me to finish the diff drop before i jack it up an extra 50mm.
I was going to fit some Kumho KL71 235/75/16 (32") but the guy at the tyre shop offered me some 245/75/16 (31") BF Goodrich KM2 at the same price, he also had them in stock, so I made a spur of the moment decision and said OK
I still think the Kumho,s are the better choice despite much argument from the guy at the tyre shop, but there were NO 245/75/16 KL71,s in Australia (lift ya game Kumho! ) ortho to be fair there were none of that size from BF goodrich either, I was just lucky they had some in stock... I was also in 2 minds about going with the larger 235/85/16,s that kumho did have available. But the BFs are a good tyre and they will last more Ks than the kumhos, so I dont think ill be to unhappy.
The first think I noticed as I took off from the shop (apart from sitting 2.5" higher) was that the drop in torque was hardly noticeable at all, nowhere near as bad as I was expecting. Run around town style of driving is almost unchanged. Its only really noticeable when trying to accelerate at higher speeds (highway speeds) up hill that you feel the pain. The gap between 3rd and 4th seems like a bigger jump here, I will report back once I have had a chance to realy test it out latter. With a turbo the gearing would feel perfect. Ill still chuck on the lower diff ratios from the 1.8 auto though.
The BFs are also not as noisy as I was expecting. even my wife said there fine, and she hates droning tyres! I have had and heard MUCH louder road only tyres. They may become loud as they ware?
There is only a small amount of rubbing on the front of the tyre against the inner guard at very close to full lock. I have a 50mm lift and coilovers in the front. I dont think you would need any more than about 10mm (spacers or extra offsett wheels) to stop the rubbing. I have 2" spacers going in as soon as I have longer studs swapped in. Dam mits and there short stud, mag nut setups.
Before
After
Hell yeah im happy,
Hell yeah im happy, especially after the weekends effort :) does better than the big boys everywhere apart from deep ruts. middle of the diff is always the lowest part of the car. I measured the Jeep and I have the same ground clearance from the center of the diff as a jeep with 33s! so its still pretty good even in that department!
Indeed they are. The actual
Indeed they are. The actual measurement is 30.7" The only tyre size that is what spot on are the 235/85/16, there smack on 32" in the BF mud answer the kumho kl71s. I have been super busy, but ill stick up a heap of pixels and info once important back working in the office again. been doing most of my posts from my Galaxy GS2 Android phone:)
lift and tyres
so if i wanted to get some 30s or 31s what would i need to modify?
You will need some coilovers or the JR struts like fielies has, looks like the JR struts might take upto 32" wheels! will find out after his fitment today :)
you could do a cheap coilover conversion and chuck 30s straight on, maybe even squeeze 31s,but you will get rubbing near full lock like I do without the spacers.
Here is the cheapest way to get coilovers, just slip this kit straight on, cut the lower spring seat out the way (just leave enough there to support the threaded sleve, re use the std bump stops ad away you go:), The blue springs are car to hard tho, better off to buy some KPS-184-X5K king spring, They are 300mm Extended, 98mm Compressed, 65mm ID and 150lb/inch. Basically the same as the stock springs.
It will cost you around $150 to do what I did here, plus ? $200 - 250 for a pair of king springs? If you want to get the better spring rate for off road.
I dont have these in my car, there for my race car, I just slipped it together to measure it up and see if it would work, Can finish the mods on these struts if you like and just swap them over for yours?
id personally like to try putting a longer travel insert in with an even longer spring, could lift it 50mm without loosing droop travel that way.
a 50mm spring lift with std shocks chews up almost all of the shock travel, doesn't leave anything for good articulation or down travel. handling is worse on and off road.
If you don't increase the shock travel, a spacer on top of the strut between the body and the top hat is the best way to lift it.
Mate that looks awesome, have another tyre fitment today on a 235/85/16 with the 30mm spacer. will also keep you guys updated
Awesome! keen to see how that looks! will need a little bumper trimming I think :)
So if I understand correctly,
So if I understand correctly, you just cut the pan smaller but still keep it welded?? This will act as a stopper for the treaded sleeve you have inserted? Where did you buy the instert or can I use normal mild steel and machine it down and make nuts as well? do you use the second nut as a lock nut? How do you secure the insert ( do you weld it) or is it basicly hold in place with the coil and down force??? The black rubber (marked in red) did you get it with the coil when you bought it or can you also make it out of steel?
Correct, That would be what I
Correct, That would be what I would do for a cheap/quick coilover conversion!
On my race car I had to weld a little sleeve of steel as a perch for the alloy threaded sleeve to sit on. But with a standard io shock, the threaded sleeve sits in the perfect spot straight on the old spring perch!
I just took a chance ad bought the sleave kit off ebay, i thik it was for a honda of some sort, Ill try and track it down for you. and luckily it turned out to be the perfect diameter for my 1974 galant struts, AND the Pajero iO struts 
It came with springs and all the rubber bits you see, designed to be used as you see it here. It came with front and rear so i still have 2x spare threaded sleaves ad plastic/rubber bits if you want them? Id planed on using them down the track for another project, but $100 should get them to you.
My preference would be to do what you said and machine up your own threaded sleeve, with a section on the top threaded internally to take a shock insert gland nut, you can make it long in order extend the strut body to take a longer travel shock insert! 7 inches should be easy to achieve, stock is around 4",so it would get you some nice articulation if you set it up for that :)
Im dead against ANY spring
Im dead against ANY spring raise of the stock suspension (reduce the shock travel in the droop direction) Even the 25mm of the KYB Junior struts is pushing the limit, it only leaves around 25mm of droop left in the suspension, Ortho you gain ground clearance and can fit larger tyres, the reduced articulation reduces the off raod performance! (my IP road race car has more than this! let alone and off road car)
The 50mm spacer ontop of the strut is about the best option outside of doing custom things.
So, The coil overs are my own design, Ill get some pics soon, They took me about 20 minutes to install. I have been super busy with other things of late, but plan to do a small run of them for anyone interested, Just wanted to test them out on my machine first, give them a real smashing to make sure there right, and they are :) So if anyone is interested, let me know, will be around $900 for a pair of front struts, fully adjustable, preload, ride height, shock damping adjust, Camber adjustable strut tops, over double the travel of the stock shocks. and capable of swaping in whatever spring rates you want. Stock is good.
- Jack up the front of the car, the entire front of the car, both wheels (otherwise the sway bar will stop you getting the strut out)
- remove the brake line from the strut
- remove the 3 nuts from the strut top
- remove the 2 bolts from the strut bottom
- Reverse process to put the new ones in.
Im bet $ pedders will not get
Im bet $ pedders will not get the setup optimal too!
I have it setup for maximum travel in droop and compression with a 50mm diff drop in mind. (droop to the limit of the CV and compression to the limit of 31" tyres fitting in the guards) this = std Full compression height but with 100mm lower droop.
So when not using a diff drop the droop limit will have to be set 50mm higher via the ride hight adjustment and a spacer or longer bump stop used above the bump stop in order to stop the wheel compressing to far up. (will do some CAD drawings to clear this up if im not making sense) This = Std full compression height(50mm longer bump stop spacers) but with 50mm lower droop.
i 2nd that
Sounds great, some pics would be awesome.
i 2nd that opinion.
also glen when you talk about 'droop' do you mean downward travel?
so amongst my confusion, with your custom setup, you get the same std compression, but and extra 50-100mm downward travel, and you can fit bigger tyres? is that right? if so i want some...
Coilovers
Sorry, im not to good at explaining things sometimes, but thats right.
I have still been to lazy to take pics, but here is the spacer for the rear. it uses the factory rubber between the body and it to reduce noise, at the low setting it gives 50mm lift, at the maximum hight setting it gives over 100mm lift, Its not realy suitable as at the 50mm setting theres not real enough bump stop. So best off ccutting most of the thread off if its intended to be a 50mm lift only.
There are 2 blue threaded sections, one i left on the spacer, the other I had sitting itn the spring to test its fitment, there is a lip that goes down inside the spging.
Here are the front struts, These were the first pair, not long enough, they are the same as standard travel etc, so there OK but not what I really wanted, The second set have double the travel.
Rear spring spacers wanted/needed.
Sorry, im not to good at explaining things sometimes, but thats right.
I have still been to lazy to take pics, but here is the spacer for the rear. it uses the factory rubber between the body and it to reduce noise, at the low setting it gives 50mm lift, at the maximum hight setting it gives over 100mm lift, Its not realy suitable as at the 50mm setting theres not real enough bump stop. So best off ccutting most of the thread off if its intended to be a 50mm lift only.
There are 2 blue threaded sections, one i left on the spacer, the other I had sitting itn the spring to test its fitment, there is a lip that goes down inside the spging.
Here are the front struts, These were the first pair, not long enough, they are the same as standard travel etc, so there OK but not what I really wanted, The second set have double the travel.
G'Day Glen,
I need some of these.
I did a King spring front and rear spring upgrade to my 1999 5 door. I also replaced my front struts because one broke on disassembly, which meant that I ended up with the struts that have the higher spring perch.
To cut a long story short, the front went up 2 inches and the rear only went up 1 inch. At the end of the day, unloaded the car now sits dead level. Any weight or kids in the back is going to make it ski boat.!!!!
Can you help with part numbers or contacts for as machine shop, can you source/supply these, or anything?
Cheers in advance.
Fab io.
Sexy looking stuff!
1. Glen, just curious, are you the machinist? Or sourcing components?
2. Are they or can they be adjustable for camber?
3. If they can provide standard travel on compression,
+ 60 mm ride height,
+ 60 mm on extension and
look that pretty
for $900.00 ish a set!!
I'm going to have some explaining to do come bank statement time.
Hey Glen, when your talking
Hey Glen, when your talking about extending the shock travel of your front end, i dont quite get you, the cv's on the front end wont be able to overextend anymore than they would stock?? or are you taking into account that the lift will enable them to flex upward more. in any case im looking forward to seeing your setup finished with the diff drop and all that. :)
Im out sourcing, If i was
Im out sourcing, If i was making them it would cost well over double that! :)
I drew them up and was going to make them, but fortunately have a LOT of good contacts with all the manufacturing the family company does in asia as well as a sister inlaw thats Chinese and a brother that speaks and reads Chinese, So i found a place that makes stuff for well know suspension companies that will do stuff for me. even one offs! There not exactly to my design since a lot of the parts (camber tops etc) they already have designs for, so I just stuck with there designs for those parts.
The first pair were not adjustable for camber, but the others are.
Will post a drawing I did with the travel limits latter.
The only thing i forgot to mention is that with the long travel setup the spring purch is below the top of the tyre and MIGHT require a little more offsett in the wheels. I do have the lower mount further out (requiring the camber tops) to help with clearance, but depending on what tyres you use you may still need more room. They run the 60mm ID springs, so its as small as you can get. Ill get some pics and confirm all these things for you guys.
Hey EBS, The front CVs can take about 50mm extra down travel over stock, (many people run 50mm Spacers above the standard struts) I also plan to run a 50mm diff drop, this means I can run 100mm more than standard. Even with a 50mm diff drop the CVs do not limit the amount of UP travel, the clearance from the tyre to the body (when running 31s) is the limit, so 200mm + travel is no probs, even if you go conservative with these numbers. I spent a lot of time measuring things up to work out the limit of this,
since they are adjustable, you do not have to have them set to run 100mm extra full extension length, If you dont want to drop the diff you can set them to be only 50mm longer than the factory shocks at full extension, and then run a spacer (ill get some made up) to go above the bump stop to limit the up travel. this will give you 150mm + depending on tyres, 200mm still a possibility
Going to be working out of the office again all week so probably will not get much of a change to be on here, will post some pics ASAP
suspension drop
Thanks heaps for all the research you've done.
I agree 100% on the spring rates - the stock front and rear spring rates are pretty good for offroad and good on the highway - if it's not broken don't fix it!
The rear spacers you have - were these an off-the-shelf item?
I'm still looking at doing the koni-insert lift / spriung plate re-weld to the front struts to somewhere between 25mm and 50mm max so I will end up with struts that are 25-50mm longer between the spring seat and the mount but without affecting the top compression/droop of the strut.
At the rear a 25-50mm spacer and some longer shocks is all I'm going for but i'll be spraying my spacer matt-black so it doesn't stand out due to the non-standard suspension mod.
Bob
Shocks and spacers
Have you replaced the rear shocks to get more down travel with the coil spacer?
Not yet, The 31s still fit nicely at full articulation. But I do plan on raising the full compression length by a good 2" as im increasing the track by 2" a side and I dont think the tyres will clear the gaurds (will be close) But the other advantage is increased flex a little with a longer travel shock.
For full flex advantage im going to re mount the top shock mounts, oneday, but this is a big ish job.
The rear spacers you have - were these an off-the-shelf item?
I'm still looking at doing the koni-insert lift / spriung plate re-weld to the front struts to somewhere between 25mm and 50mm max so I will end up with struts that are 25-50mm longer between the spring seat and the mount but without affecting the top compression/droop of the strut.
At the rear a 25-50mm spacer and some longer shocks is all I'm going for but i'll be spraying my spacer matt-black so it doesn't stand out due to the non-standard suspension mod.
No these were a custom part, I will pull them out and pain them black too!, I was going to do it before i put them in but I was just to impatient to get them in smiley
Fortunately they are never on display once the wheels are on, with 31s anyway.
Yeah forsure . after reading
Yeah forsure . after reading the post from, crap I forgot his name ? Saying he has just put his io up for sale due to lack of good off the shelf off road bits I reckon I might make everything I have designed available?
We can't be loosing members due to lack of upgrade parts! :-)
lift kit
Hello,
I am new to here, but had my 2002 SWB 2 litre io for 3 year. I am in Canberra and haven't find someone to help me lift the little beast. As soon as the car is not on every corner of the street no one wants (or can!) touch them!
I am very happy with the car but I have been guilty of a few damage under the car, so a lift kit make sense. If you ever go ahead with your project, send me a line, potential customer here!
If I lift the rear of the car by changing the spring or make a spacer, do you have a shock absorber to advice (with compensate the travel)
I have some good basic mechanical skill, so I could fit them...and save a bit of money.
I love this site...I haven't change anything to the car yet, but I think that it will be coming...soon...!
Thanks,
Claude/Claud io
i want in
I am very keen to lift my Pinin. When you are geared up to sell let me know, I am UK based and would buy immediately.
i want in on this lift if you can build them for us Glen, that would be amazing.
IMO this looks like the best option for a lift in the iO
Sorry guys, i missed the last
Sorry guys, i missed the last post,
im also REALY sorry about taking my sweet arse time to get around to doing lifts for those wanting them!
I could probably organize a few now. just let me know what you want. Front only, front and rear, 50mm lift only, or 50mm - 100mm with all the other bits needed for the 100mm lift. (New adjustable panhard rod, new longer brake lines, diff drop spasers etc etc.) I still have not done the 100mm mods to mine yet and it will be a month or so before I get around to that.
I think ill start another thread for people wanting these to save messing this thread up.
You will see me in that "sticky"IO Suspension upgrade
Glen I am a new member but I bought my 2L IO new to 2002 and I still have it. In about 2004 I realised that I need to modify my IO and I looked into getting after market suspension but I could not find anyone that could supply a new and improved front suspension. I am really glad that you are looking into doing this.
I am interested in your 100mm lift and I am keen to get some more information about what you intend making available and I am ready to buy.
Rodney
hey mate, anymore info on our
hey Glen.
QESTION?
if i buy a coilover sleeve kit, and some koni strut inserts, can i use the std strut body with koni inserts, and run it with coilover springs, and also down the original spring pan to size?
this is my ideology...
so with koni inserts i will be getting longer travel?
together with coilover sleeves and new king springs, i can cut down the spring pan to fit larger tyres?
and the sleeves just slip over the strut body (so that the body of the strut sits inside the sleeve)?
then if i wanted even more lift i could use some strut spacers?
and thats is just for the front....
for the rear, (non-adjustable setup) i could simply buy longer springs and longer tavel shocks...
sorry i still dont know all the componenets of a mcpherson strut... but i think i have it now.
P.S are you using any inserts or just std? i mean what actually gives you longer travel?
just thought of this also whilst im properly thinking about it technically
by doing all this to the front suspension setup, it will also effect the camber yes? so what would i need to adjust it back to normal?
becaus if im right i think it will be like this \-------/ (the slashes are the tyres, and the dashes ids the axle)
Koni
I think the longer travel of the koni insert comes from inserting a spacer at the bottom of the strut tube, effectively making the down travel longer - similar to the strut extenders made from the top of old strut shafts. That is just my understanding of it, which may well be wrong.
Glen is running his own custom coilovers with custom struts (I think).
A friend of mine works on japanese performance cars and he says that Just Jap can custom make this stuff as well - could be worth contacting them and explaining what your end goal is and whether they can do it or not.
btw Daniel, from the looks of that UK site, I'm not sure if they are designed for off road use - they look more like track racing parts to me.
Syndicate
Nice Photos bro! good lookin
Nice Photos bro! good lookin iO.... look forward to seeing the mods you've got planned in action! :)