K5 expedition rig suspension choice

[AussieK5]

I'm at a cross road with the suspension on my build, a full frame off resto, and need to make some decisions now to start the ball rolling and I'm looking for some insights from the 'collective'!

K5 specs - 6.2/700/208 44/9" 33" (std every day load inc bull bar + winch, twin rear spares - air assist bags in rear when fully loaded)

Basically the shortlist comprises of TC 2" HD leafs or factory type coils retro fitted from a 2000'ish model cruiser/patrol.

There are numerous pros and cons to each, but what it really boils down to is the ride and ability to handle soft to moderate wheeling.

I have only driven K5's with stock springs (both mine) and the subject of the build is in about 3000 bits right now, therefore my frame of reference is somewhat limited. How good do the aftermarket springs run on rough roads?

I'm taking 2 months (Oct/Nov) off work for the build and need to order stuff real soon. Go on and vote

 

[big dan]

I say tc 2 inch leaves. pretty soft and smooth yet cheap and simple.

 

[cbbr]

A good set of lift springs are simple and will ride well.

 

[sandawgk5]

I say 2.5" shackle flip form ORD and factory 56" springs. Nice and soft.

Ira

 

[jp0863]

i say keep the leaf springs. they are very durable and will ride better than stock in my opinion, even though my stock springs were shot, it has a very supple ride with the tc springs. post some pics if you can of your build

 

[garlicbreath]

If you have the skills, go coils. They ride much better than leafs, and sourcing parts would be easier for you than ordering leafs from an american company. Range rovers run coils for a reason.

 

[Hossbaby50]

For pure reliability I would go with a good quality aftermarket lift spring. Either BDS or TC seem to be the best available. I would say BDS are a little better then TC's but I have TC's on my truck and they do me pretty well. I would do a 2-3" spring in front and 4" spring in the rear along with a 1" zero rate if it is needed.

I am personally not a huge fan of shackle flips but they are ok. I personally run lift springs all the way around and it works well for me.

Also I would upgrade the shackle bolts in the front suspension to 1/2" minimum or 9/16" which I would suggest with a beefed up shackle. A beefed up shackle for the rear might be a good investment also.

Also keep in mind that shackle angle plays a HUGE roll in how soft your suspension is. If you reloacate your front shackles forward a little with a 2-3" spring you will have a suspension that should ride very well.

Harley

 

[JohnDeere]

Dont do the TC add a-leaf to the front the ride sucks and the spring dont last lon at all i broke mine flexing them only about 8inchs and the new ones i put on about 3 mounths ago are already sagin bad and might break and i dont even wheel it that much. so i would get a complete new springs those should last longer and work much better

 

[wayne]

I am very happy with my 3" TC lift and 37's so a 2" and 33's should work very well. The 44/9" should hold up just fine to 33's. Anyhow if you stick with a leaf spring set up I would also upgrade the front shackels and frame bushings. No matter what you do make sure to do the steering box brace. I would do the bolt on and the weld on just to be safe. Make sure to get good shocks because that will make a huge difference in how the ride is.

 

[badmix]

I have 2" Rough country suspension kit (front and rear springs and nitro shocks). The ride isnt too stiff, infact its pretty comparable to stock. I carry a crap load of gear inside. im riding on BFG A/T 32"

 

[az88k5]

nothing beats coils and links

I have a rear four link with coils on a truck of mine and I will say in all honesty that if I had the time and money I would put coilovers on every vehicle I have (even a car). The ride is a day and night difference to leaf springs and as long as you add a sway bar with quick disconnect links, road driveability will be very comparable to leafs. You can always adjust a coilover or shim a coil if it sags....
Any way you go a good set of shocks will be your best friend. the spring holds you at ride height and the shock controls your compression and rebound. Compression set too hard=rough ride Rebound too fast=bucky ride

 

[Chevy305]

I vote 2" Tough Country EZ-Ride springs. Also shocks play a huge role in how your truck rides and handles. Don't be afraid to spend some $$ on shocks.

 

[ntsqd]

Finally a post mentioning shocks. The spring rate's gotta be right to get the right wheel rate for the application, but after that ride quality is all in the shocks.

I would recommend looking into Bilstein or Fox shocks. Either use two 2 inch bodied units per front tire or one 2.5 inch body per front.
If you think you might push it hard on washboard sections I'd highly recommend going with those that have a remote reservoir as they will resist fade better than the internal reservoir shocks.

Mount the shocks to the 'C' brackets on the axle housing. The closer they are to the tire the more efective they are and the less valving you need. As you move the mounting point in away from the tire the valving needs to be stiffer which works (heats) the shock oil faster.

There have also been some threads on race-dezert.com's forum about setting up these trucks for higher speed desert use.

 

[blazinzuk]

Coils hands down. The caveat here is you have to know how to design the suspension. It will probably take a bit of trail and error. Good shocks are a must. To be ultra reliable I say take the overkill route on the arms and mounting tabs not stupid overkill but just a bit. As has been said good shocks are a must.

 

[Cmoe]

Due to your truck pulled apart and that you have only 2 months of a restore. That isn't very long if your doing a frame off restoration. So I would vote for aftermarket springs. You may have to trim your fenders a bit if you run a 33" tire and a 2" lift. You may want to try a 3" or a 4" springs

 

[AussieK5]

Thanks to all who voted and posted. I've gone all in and decided on the coils.

cheers
Jason

 

[blazin_blazer]

if you can take a pic a day or twice aday and post them