Anyone got Kings KTFR-101HD springs fitted?

[craigm]

Hmmm me too! All I can put it down to is the additional weight in the rear. (50l water tank + pump. milford barrier, drawer system) although no over the front wheels, it will contribute to some of the 175kg. Having now driven around on both KTFR-101's & the heavy duty's, I actually preferred the HD;s. They certainly weren't harsh and less body roll when cornering. Not that the 101's aren't an improvement on the OEM's The Prado certainly looked good with the 830mm front end (although I got some grief from SWMBO!) It was a pitty that there was bugger all left in shockie length (droop)

[1coolbanana]

Glad you got it all sorted Craig.
That does sound more reasonable :-)

Im still struggling to understand how you would have 175kg less over the front end than W2G?

[Peterpilot]

Picked the Prado up this arvo after having the HD's replaced with KTFR-101's and a wheel alignment. Brought it home and measured it all up. I took some panel washers out of each side from under the height adjustment sensors to bring the back down also.
Final results FR 800mm FL 795mm
RR 820mm RL 818mm

Much happier with these results!

That's a much more reasonable result and the Bilsteins will be happier too.

[craigm]

Good point Davros... 112,000kms and I don't know how long the grease has been milky for. Probably best (and easiest?), to get the full shaft assemblies.

Many thanks.

[Davros]

I think a boot kit per side is around $150. Something else to look into...

Boot kits are typically around $18.00 per side.
Kit includes two boots, 4 clips, and a bit of grease.
Having said that, if your vehicle has travelled over 100,000kms, I would just buy the full shaft assembly's as above.
Also....Cleaning up old CV joints is a messy job.

[craigm]

Thanks raydes, that's a lot cheaper than I expected

[raydes]

http://www.repcotrade.com.au/files/d...tCatalogue.pdf Full drive shaft with boots fitted less than $150 each.. The boots were leaking on my Prado, the price Toyota wanted for boots only is crazy, Repco have the full drive shaft part # NSA 995 that fits Prado 03 onwards.

[craigm]

Picked the Prado up this arvo after having the HD's replaced with KTFR-101's and a wheel alignment. Brought it home and measured it all up. I took some panel washers out of each side from under the height adjustment sensors to bring the back down also.
Final results FR 800mm FL 795mm
RR 820mm RL 818mm

Much happier with these results! The CV's are looking much better now (almost level). I will most likely however, replace the CV boots as the grease that was oozing did look suspect (a bit too milky looking for my liking) I will cost it up. I think a boot kit per side is around $150. Something else to look into...

[craigm]

The difference between 830mm and 805mm is 25mm at the wheel arch, but only about 12.5mm at the strut. With both your cars having identical spring rates, lengths and identical spring seat positions, this would suggest that your front axle weight is currently about 175kg less than W2G.

I weighed my Grande a while back and found that my front axle weight was 1080kg with 1/2 tank of fuel and 1120kg with a full tank, 40kg difference at the front axle just by adding fuel. Maybe a visit to a weighbridge would clarify the issue? Anyway, the solution for you is to drop the circlip to the bottom position where the ride height and droop would be within acceptable limits.

I took a trip to a public weighbridge today ($20 ) Results as follows
Front 1280lg
Rear 1160kg
Total 2440

That's with 100l of fuel on board. I rang Kings Springs straight afterwards to discuss and they were not surprised by those results having just attained an 85mm lift on a Prado the day before with the HD's. Their recommendation was to downgrade the springs to the standard - raised springs (KTFR-101's). So due to the lack of droop I have in the front (sorry, Maximum frontal incline ), and the current angles of the CV's (even though I could correct these with AMTS Diff Drop Kit), I will replace the HD's. I did inquire about how I would go with the "H's" but their response was may 5mm less? I 'm not prepared to risk it so I will go with Kings recommendation and hope that I end up with aroung the 795 mark with the circlip in the middle position. Kings asked when I purchased the springs (only last week) and asked who I purchased from and said to advise my supplier that they will swap them at zero cost. I did mention that the springs were pretty scratched up from the problems I had with the spring compressors slipping and they weren't bothered, they would just re-powdercoat them. Hows that for service! I will pickup a replacement set in the next couple of days and arrange for them to be refitted and a wheel alignment done at the same time.



Craig

[craigm]

Do you have the spring seats on the shocks the right way up???

You mean the bottom shockie seat that covers the circlip? Yes I paid particular attention to that as per Chippy's post notes in the "DIY Suspension Install" thread. I also ensured that the top hat rubber also line up on the spring the same way.

[raydes]

Do you have the spring seats on the shocks the right way up???

[craigm]

Thanks Peter for your response. On paper, I guess that's really what it must be. 175 kg is a big difference. W2G's Grande is setup very similarly, Steel bar (W2G's is a deluxe, mine is the Sahara), Magnum winch, Spotties and W2G has on top of that the dual battery (+25kg) Compressor (5kg) and in the rear W2G has the rear storage system, 50l water tank and a few other bits, so overall it would be close to the 175kg you mention although not necessarily over the front axle. I agree with you that the quickest (and easiest solution) is to knock the circlip down. I will ring around and find a suspension shop in brisbane who is willing to compress the springs for me and move the spring clip down and then do the wheel alignment for me at a decent price.

[Peterpilot]

I don't understand how I attained so much considering Way2go is sitting at 805?

The difference between 830mm and 805mm is 25mm at the wheel arch, but only about 12.5mm at the strut. With both your cars having identical spring rates, lengths and identical spring seat positions, this would suggest that your front axle weight is currently about 175kg less than W2G.

I weighed my Grande a while back and found that my front axle weight was 1080kg with 1/2 tank of fuel and 1120kg with a full tank, 40kg difference at the front axle just by adding fuel. Maybe a visit to a weighbridge would clarify the issue? Anyway, the solution for you is to drop the circlip to the bottom position where the ride height and droop would be within acceptable limits.

[craigm]

Well done Craig. Wow, 835mm! Hope it settles down a bit. Was this with the circlip in the middle position?

Circlip is currently in the middle position. just measured again and it is now down to 830 front & I have the rear sensor packed out to 840. (wifey is "not" impressed) I will give it a week or so and will most likely move the circlip down to the bottom. That should give me around 810mm. The front was originally 710 drivers & 715 passenger and is now 830mm! Thats over 4.5 inches... I don't understand how I attained so much considering Way2go is sitting at 805?
Before
After

[Way2go]

Has the ride height settled at all? 805 is a great result, at the limit but not over it with billies.

Hard to tell with all the weight dragging the back down at present - storage system, fridge, full fuel load, 50L of water, tool boxes, food, clothes plus all the other bits stowed away doesn't make suspension measurements all that easy!