Thread: Dislocating Suspension, Anyone Done It?

Originally Posted by chris_90

Recently set up back diff to dislocate on my puma defender, quite easy really with a bit of time and measuring all you have to do is relocate your top shock mount lower, drill new holes for these, as you lose the third bolt i sleeved my new holes with steel tube for strength. then add a device of your choosing to keep springs from dropping out, i used two pieces of flat bar welded in and finishing two inches lower than spring top can drop. i also heard rangie classic front shock towers upside down in that hole in top spring mount work well with some trimming of the tower. make sure shock doesnt bottom out aswell guys. standard springs and shocks, now flexes like a legend. Anyone ever done the fronts, im a bit scared of doing the front without more indepth research.

doing it on the front is a PITA but achievable you need to find somewhere to mount the shocky out of the way of the wheels and the arms and the rods. the couple that Ive seen mount the shock vertically (ish) behind the spring onto a pair of custom brackets. From memory theres a good set of photos of it from the UK on a defender that was put on airbags all the way round. Im pretty sure they were in an edition of the LRO mag.

You can max the travel of the front end out with longer springs and dampers (and raised towers) as the travel is limited by bind in the bushes of front radius arms.

Do search, there's heaps of threads and discussions, pics and descriptions going back almost to the start of the forum.

Originally Posted by Blknight.aus

doing it on the front is a PITA but achievable you need to find somewhere to mount the shocky out of the way of the wheels and the arms and the rods. the couple that Ive seen mount the shock vertically (ish) behind the spring onto a pair of custom brackets. From memory theres a good set of photos of it from the UK on a defender that was put on airbags all the way round. Im pretty sure they were in an edition of the LRO mag.

The ones I've seen mount the dampers forward of the tower a la the RRC air susp.

why would you need to move the front dampener to have the front spring unretained/dislocate?

You don't, but you do if you use a bag, which wasn't the Q the OP was asking I 'spose

thanks rick ive been going through my lro and lrm back issues but no luck yet,

the search for flex continues

Originally Posted by chris_90

thanks rick ive been going through my lro and lrm back issues but no luck yet,

the search for flex continues

Unfortunately what you have done by lowering the rear shock mounts is NOT gain flex,BUT just gain more down travel at the expense of up travel.So when the rear suspension is compressed at a distance equal to the amount you lowered the top mounts,the weight of the body is then transferred to the front suspension,causing the front suspension to compress,leading to instability in certain situations.The big problem with lowering the upper shock mounts.

Wayne

As Rick pointed out the radius arm bushings at the axle end are the limiting factor in gaining more flex at the front, regardless of the springs and dampers. Some use what are called holey bushes to gain a bit more, but I can't see how this wouldn't make the front end more susceptible to axle tramp.Some make longer radius arms and move the chassis brackets backwards to gain better flex with standard bushings. I and a few others have dispensed with the radius arms and built what is termed a 3 link plus panhard rod suspension to free up the front end and keep travel more balanced with the rear.Others do a parrallel 4 link plus panhard .There are even so called "one link" systems where the radius arms are replaced with a single Y frame that achors to a chassis crossmember via a large flexible bushing or ball coupling.
Wagoo.