6" Ironman suspension failed safety inspection!!

[Malahki]

So I just bought a 1991 HDJ81 w/ 6" Ironman lift from British Columbia and drove it back to Alberta. Because it had been registered out of province I had to take it for an "out of province vehicle inspection", which are very thorough. They said mechanically it is in very good condition and were only able to find a couple minor fails such as no horn, no licence plate light,chipped head light lens and it requires an additional exhaust hanger to keep it from rubbing the frame. No big deal all cheap easy fixes.

However it failed the inspection due to its on road handling / driving characteristics. Again they could not find anything wrong with the steering, suspension ect and it had just had a wheel alignment done at ATEB (diesel and 80 series guru's in BC). So technically it should have passed but they were just not happy with the amount of body roll, the way it caught the ruts and wandered, as well as not returning to centre and tracking straight.

Honestly I can say from driving it home 15 hours through the Rocky mountains that they are right! it handles very poorly. The lift kit is less than one year old (I have PO's receipt) and was complete with all Ironman coils, shocks, castor correction plates, sway bar extensions and adjustable panhard bars. I dont know if the steering damner was done or not. As it sits right now it measure 27 1/2" from hub to flare in the front and 29 1/2" hub to flare in the rear. The PO added 1 1/2" spacers tothe front to try and compensate for the un level stance but still with no extra weight in the rear it sits real high. The front only has a TJM full bumper and no winch. Oh and I should probably mention its sitting on 315's

So the question is WHAT SHOULD I DO?? I have 10 days to make repairs and reinspect or I will be starting the process all over again at my expense. I am not opposed to lowering it but don't want to spend more then necessary. Could I try 4-5" Slee or TJM coils in the rear and remove the front spacer and see what it does? Or do you think shocks are the answer? Or am I kidding myself and I need to replace all 4 coils and shocks? Or perhaps I am missing something all together??

 

[Tapage]

Lower it .. that's always good idea .. much more if you are concerned by the on road manners ..

I have 315 in my 80 with 4" front and 3" rear with plenty of well wheel space .. and you will find you can do 315 even with 3" all around or even less with proper tuned bump stops ..

Another " issue " are maybe your shocks .. try with ones on the firm side of valving ..

 

[coax]

Post up your alignment numbers if you can? That might give some insight into the issue.

 

[Delancy]

Lower it ..

Wise words.

 

[Malahki]

Post up your alignment numbers if you can? That might give some insight into the issue.

Unfortunetly I did not get the print out, only the receipt from PO but it was done only a couple weeks ago. I asked ATEB for it but they don't keep it on file.

The shop doing the inspection wanted to send it for another alignment to confirm its in spec and said then we could discuss what needs to be done to pass it (he wants it lowered) but I opted to wait until I make needed changes. Or Ill likely be doing the alignment twice $$

 

[adventr]

I agree on lowering. I bet it looks funny with that much lift and small tires, too.

When I put the TJM 7" springs on mine, there was no way that it was ever going to drive good without some pretty drastic modifications to the front suspension. Sounds like yours just has the lift and nothing else to go along with it.

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[sleeoffroad]

S As it sits right now it measure 27 1/2" from hub to flare in the front and 29 1/2" hub to flare in the rear. The PO added 1 1/2" spacers tothe front to try and compensate for the un level stance but still with no extra weight in the rear it sits real high.

Based on those readings you have about a 7.5" lift in the front and 9.5" of lift in the rear.It might even be more if you consider stock readings are normally around 19.5" to 20.5" for the front and rear.

No way a set of caster plates are going to correct for the caster for that amount of lift. You need to lower the truck and get the caster right if you even want to get close to stock caster readings.

 

[NIBLAW]

I have heard mixed reports about ironman quality.

 

[NIBLAW]

also has it had the front bushes replaced with caster correction bushes?

 

[TheBigBoy]

Based on those readings you have about a 7.5" lift in the front and 9.5" of lift in the rear.It might even be more if you consider stock readings are normally around 19.5" to 20.5" for the front and rear.

No way a set of caster plates are going to correct for the caster for that amount of lift. You need to lower the truck and get the caster right if you even want to get close to stock caster readings.

Wholley molley! Ive got neg 2.2* at best for that lift and plates. How is that thing staying on the road?

Best bet, ask to borrow some 3" coils from someone and chuck them in. Hopefully you wont have to swap out your shocks aswell. Then it will drive fine with those plates and pass the tests

 

[Malahki]

Based on those readings you have about a 7.5" lift in the front and 9.5" of lift in the rear.It might even be more if you consider stock readings are normally around 19.5" to 20.5" for the front and rear.

No way a set of caster plates are going to correct for the caster for that amount of lift. You need to lower the truck and get the caster right if you even want to get close to stock caster readings.

Wow! That is a lot more lift then I thought it had. I figured the front had sagged and thats why he added the spacers but obviously not. I cant believe how much lift those rear coils are giving. Now that I realize how much actual lift it has I am convinced it is a castor issue and will direct my efforts in that direction.

I am thinking about ordering the slee 4" coils and going from there. Do you think the current Ironman 5* castor plates will be enough to get it back in spec with those coils? How many degrees correction are the Slee castor plates?

I agree on lowering. I bet it looks funny with that much lift and small tires
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I'll add some pics and let you be the judge of that, lol..... A couple poser shots and one at the end of our long drive home parked beside my 1989 BJ74 with 3" lift and 33's

 

[Malahki]

and a couple more for added perspective on size/height:

 

[sailor]

I was going to ask if it was the red/silver one. It is way too high you need at the very least to get rid of the spacers. I saw it in Burnaby, and the alignment is likely right on but the caster is likely way too low. with a 6 inch lift you are likely looking at Arms rather than plates... I followed it down hastings St in Vancouver and it was tramlining badly n the ruts...

 

[Cruisin']

I recently put the full 4" Ironman kit in my rig, and with their castor plates it tracks straight and true. Their lift numbers seem to be based on a truck with some extra weight (bumpers, etc.), so you're beyond 6" just with springs alone, let alone the extra spacers. I installed a 4" kit on a stock truck and it came up a full 5".

Put some 4" springs in and I think you and your inspector will be quite pleased with the results.

 

[diego355]

Have you consider a stiffer sway bar with easy disconnects for trail purposes. I have driven another 80 with that same kit it's not that bad. His control arms are stock with drop brackets

 

[Malahki]

The spacers are only in the front so removing them alone probably wont improve the castor much if any because it will on increase the height difference to 3 1/2" from front to back.

I am leaning away from control arms because for the price of a set I could change out all the springs and shocks.

So what's the consensus on using drop brackets?? Seams like that would be the cheapest castor fix of all for my set up?

 

[sailor]

Yeah well no one said this would be cheap. How many times do you want to try to fix this? Do what Slee says now and avoid a bunch of wasted effort and money. Stock caster is what +3 degrees approx? I am on 4" and when your truck went past me it made my truck look lower than stock.. Drop bracket= rock anchor to many.

Ok so change out the rear springs to some that deliver a sane height and ditch the front spacers. Do a caster sweep and then the caster solution will become apparent. Or leave it and suffer with terrible road manners, secure in the knowledge that your truck is higher than anyone else's (lol) Truck nutz on standby!

 

[Cruisin']

Or leave it and suffer with terrible road manners, secure in the knowledge that your truck is higher than anyone else's (lol) Truck nutz on standby!

 

[Malahki]

Yeah well no one said this would be cheap. How many times do you want to try to fix this? Do what Slee says now and avoid a bunch of wasted effort and money. Stock caster is what +3 degrees approx? I am on 4" and when your truck went past me it made my truck look lower than stock.. Drop bracket= rock anchor to many.

Ok so change out the rear springs to some that deliver a sane height and ditch the front spacers. Do a caster sweep and then the caster solution will become apparent. Or leave it and suffer with terrible road manners, secure in the knowledge that your truck is higher than anyone else's (lol) Truck nutz on standby!

LMFAO!! Their will be NO truck nutz in my future!! And yes I think yours, slee's and everybody else's suggestions to lower it is the most sensible solution and will do the most for the over all handling and stability.

I just wanted to get some feedback on drop brackets.

 

[IanB]

Good lord that thing's tall! How tall is your garage door that you fit it in there with a roof rack? Must have been tight?