Maximum suspension travel from a D2 with ACE

[CJT]

As the title suggests I am looking at ways of maximising the wheel travel on a D2 with ACE.

The objectives are best wheel travel, keep operation of ACE and rear watts linkage etc.

The disco will have the following mods and is being engineered;

30 - 50mm body lift
75mm flexi coils
12" travel Bilstein short body or similar shocks
Modified watts linkage to stop binding
Extra large flares with guard cut
35" tyres for 4wd park use
So the question is what are the limiting factors for maximising travel?

Could longer ACE links be used to extend the axle drop, I would assume some form of extended bumstop would be required to stop the ACE hydraulic ram raising too high and probably to make sure the 35's dont rub the inner guards.

Would a rear four link arrangement be beneficial or just better bushes in the trailing arms etc?

Lots of questions and any input is greatly appreciated.

[uninformed]

arnt the D2 radius arms in the front AND rear??? Panhard front and watts link in the rear....

If you want to keep the ace I would say keeping all the stock links the easites way. Im not sure on the OEM bushes, fulcrum Super pro may be better for flex. Coil rates and shocks will go a long way....so will F+R lockers

[CJT]

Yep that is correct, radius arms front and rear with watts rear link.

Front and rear lockers will be on the cards in the future, I am just trying to work out what limiting factors there are with the ACE system for suspension travel.

I know that an ACE equipped D2 will flex better than one with swaybars.

[Baffle]

A mate has a 5inch lift with ace, you have to swap lengthen from memory the rear connecting rods the same length as the front, only use genuine as he ripped the ball joints easily. His front ram seals have been replaced at least once and rear bushes the same.
Conclusion was forget ace, maybe lower the systems, they are run beyond there max.

Ps , I run a 12in fox shock with a 3link and modded watts, you are going to destroy the Ace and not get the potential flex because of the rear and front radius and trailing arm design.
Good luck, its all fun

[Slunnie]

ACE suspension articultion is limited by the ACE hydraulic, the need to extend the links to return handling balance, the need to run longer bumpstops to the rear ACE doesn't contact the cross-member or hit the body. You'll use a 10" travel shock with 50mm bumpstop extensions and front ACE links on the rear but thats about it.

I also think that 12" short bodies are too long for those springs if they are really 75mm springs, but I think Shanes springs may give much more lift than that marked. The way you setup ACE will also destroy the need for short body on the rear and from my experiences spring bind does the same on the front. It would be unusual to have a body lift approved for an SRS vehicle also.

[clubagreenie]

Just found this (researching shocks) and agree on the above re the body lift. Absolute negative for SRS equipped vehicle. I spoke to an engineer who didn't even want to know about a suspension lift let alone body.

[CJT]

Just found this (researching shocks) and agree on the above re the body lift. Absolute negative for SRS equipped vehicle. I spoke to an engineer who didn't even want to know about a suspension lift let alone body.

I have found it depends on the location of the SRS sensors.

The D2 runs two deceleromoters from what I recall, one is electric and one is magnetic, both are located in the transmission tunnel therefore there should be no adverse effect on their functioning even with a body lift.

As I have mentioned in another post, at least in QLD I have been granted approval in principle from Qld Transport to install a body lift (32mm in my case) and my engineer is all onboard with the modifications to provide the mod plate.

[clubagreenie]

Even though we know the lift shouldn't effect the operation (like theoretically bull bars shouldn't effect airbags since they aren't operated from frontal sensors) at least in NSW it's an absolute no in the books. Even ACE is considered a dynamic vehicle stability system by some engineers and so even suspension lifts are a no by the book because of it.