Thread: Lifting the Colonels's 130

Originally Posted by rick130

What do you want to achieve ?
Increased articulation or just a lift ?
If you want to increase articulation/travel, a heavier rate spring won't work as at the modest lift you are after, the higher rate spring will work out at close to the same free length as stock.
If you just want a lift, a higher rate will give you what you're after.

What I want to achieve is to keep the ground clearance I currently have when loaded, if not a little more, Keeping in mind conforming to a no. of parameters. The sway bars have to stay for on road handling, it can't look too stupid, If polyairs won't let it articulate fully, they are not going on.

I did a couple of measurements today.
I had the tray loaded with the gear from the bbq yesterday, not a heap, but enough to let the rear move a bit, and the roof tent perched on top and around 40-50 litres of deisel on board.

Static measurements were.
All Measurements in mm
Bump Stop Clearances: LF 90 RF 100 LR 120 RR 120
Wheel Travel: LF 505 RF 520 LR 500 RR 500 (keep in mind my tub has flares fitted)(default-measured from bottom of flare in vertical line to drive flange centre)
Spring Length: LF 270 RF 275 LR 340 RR340
Shock Length: LF 535 RF 540 LR 470 RR 470 (not eye-eye, body and piston length)
Prop shaft to Sway bar: 60
As I mentioned earlier, the front left has around 10mm sag

Then I got out some ramps and wood and set them at 300mm and cross axled the girl, and took some more measurements.




Ramps were on RF and LR
Bump Stop Clearances: LF 150 RF 50 LR 70 RR 160
Wheel Travel: LF 640 RF 375 LR 375 RR 600
Spring Length: LF 350 RF 210 LR 280 RR 410
Space left before being coil bound: RF 100 LR 100
Shock Length: LF 600 RF 470 LR 400 RR 500
Clearance to Guard: RF 150 LR 150(measured on tne continuing arc of travel)
Clearance Tyre to spring/shock tower: RF 45 LR 50

Then I swapped and measured again, and came up with the same measurements, and got a new one.
Prop shaft to sway bar: 40mm


Now looking at all this I still have 50mm left in the front which some extra weight would soak up, and 70 in the rear. Should not get coil bound either. I still have around 30mm in the front too until the spring hits free length and overextends or lifts, depending on shock stroke length. Was enough to unload the front left to spin a bit without the lockers on. Still have plenty of brake line left.


Working on standard HD springs that I have and that averageing out left and right free lengths at around 15" and 225lbs and where they sit loaded it works out around 430kg on each corner. SOOOO....
255lb springs at the same free length will only give me around 13mm lift, or around 113mm at the bump stops. Might need to look around for 6" diameter coils at 255 around 16" or so. Will put spacers in the sway bar if I have any clearance issues.

Watch this space

CC

Well here are a couple of options from 2 spring makers
Kings Springs.
KRFR-03
Free Length: 375mm & 385mm
Rate: 225lbs
No. of coils: 6.75
Thickness: 15mm
No good, just replaces what I have now

KRFR-03HD
Free Length: 390mm & 400
Rate: 285lbs
No. of coils: 8
Thickness: 17mm
Bit too stiff I reckon when empty

KRRF-04
Free Length: 395mm & 405mm
Rate: Progressive 240-300lbs

Might think about these as they start where I want but might get too stiff to reach the stops.

Old Man Emu.
Part no. 764
Free Length: 429mm
Rate: 240lbs
No. of coils: 9.5
Thickness: ?

Now the rear
Kings

KLRR-05HD
Free Length: 410mm
Rate: 515lbs
No. of coils: 7
Thickness: 21mm
Gonna be stiff

OME
Part no. 754
Free Length: 444.5mm
Rate: 420lbs
This with polyairs should do the trick. Unless anyone knows if another mob do something close.

Does anyone already run these or have them around to do a comparison or test drive before plopping the cash down? Just want to make sure it will do as expected.

CC

Originally Posted by Col.Coleman

This with polyairs should do the trick. Unless anyone knows if another mob do something close.

Does anyone already run these or have them around to do a comparison or test drive before plopping the cash down? Just want to make sure it will do as expected.

If you go with polyairs, check these out: 61741 Air Lift 1000 Air Spring Kit for Coil Spring Suspensions

$159.40USD shipped ($170.88AUD)

Sure beats the $350+ they charge here.....

You look to have more flex in the rear to mine. My front flexes hapily but the rear doesn't. My beastie will happily take a heavy load with no change though so I will live with limited rear flex.
Sorry can't tell you the load rating on my springs but they are heavy duty. For shocks I am running LTR's

Here are some options from Dobinsons

Front
Part no. C51-018
Free length R390mm L380mm
Rate 237lbs

Part no. C51-026
Free Length R390mm L380mm
Rate 294lbs

Range rover rears you can fit in the front
Part no. C51-015
Free Length 430mm
Rate 237lbs

Rear
Part no. C51-019
Free length 440mm
Rate 320lbs

Part no. C51-011
Free length 430mm
Rate 400lbs

Part no. C51-009
Free length 410mm
Rate 540lbs

The range rover rears will give a lovely lift in the front as well as increased articulation, but the rears are continuing to be a hassle to find a longer off the shelf spring with a decent rate.
With the intention of keeping my existing shocks, I might not extend my drop all that much unless I lower the mounts and extend the bump stops. Still thinking about all this and havn't made up my mind yet, but will probably go for 2 sets of springs. I know when a big trip comes up and can change to the big rate springs and swap them back out when I get back.

Keep watching

CC

Yo Colonel! What did you end up going with for the 130?

My 130 came with what I was told was "2 inch lift" but it's seriously high. They are 420mm free length all of the way around, 17mm 8 coil front and 21mm 7 coil + helpers rear and I don't carry a lot of weight.

I've been running King KRFR-03 on the front of my 110 for two years and they are nice, but would obviously be a bit soft for the 130. The HDs are probably going to put me about where I am now so the KRRF-04s look good to me, although they're not in the current catalogue.


James.

Originally Posted by rainman

I've been running King KRFR-03 on the front of my 110 for two years and they are nice, but would obviously be a bit soft for the 130.

i just installed these suckers in mine.........we must compared bump stop heights, although i have a PTO winch and spare tyre for them to hold up

We must! You might be about the same sort of front end weight as the 130 will be once I get the Warn onto it.