3" lift kit

[The Swede Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close The Swede]

Hey mates!

Was searching the net and found a 3" suspension lift kit at highcountrycustoms.com.au
Has anybody tried this kit or heard anything about it???
On their picture of the kit it shows 4 shocks but only 2 springs, whats that all about?

Please write a few lines if you know anything. :wink:

Cheers

[MickL Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close MickL]

Re: 3" lift kit

It's a "Show Pony" lift that won't improve load carrying, handling or allow for weight of accessories. It uses your original front springs on new struts that have the spring seat in a higher position or are physically longer

2" to 2.5" (50-60mm or around 800mm from bottom of rim to wheel arch) is about the best you can hope for from any strut/spring lift combo as you are at the limit of other front end components.

Consider some other tried and proven brands as mentioned on by owners in this forum....

Mick

[IRON-PAWW Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close IRON-PAWW]

Re: 3" lift kit

Actually this raises an interesting point. Are there any other suspension setups that people know about that should be steered clear of. That way if some geezer tries to sell a forum reader such gear we can tell them to find the nearest lake. I suppose if you wanted a lift purely for show then that's another issue. Not too many of us seem to want stuff just for show though. Unless polishing the bullbar counts......... :roll:

So Mick are you saying that if I go to a 4X4 workshop and they tell me a 3 inch lift is on the cards I should be very careful about that? Can't say I've come across it yet but have only looked at more established brands. Not sure 3 inch lift would even look all that good on a Prado anyhow. Wouldn't you start getting the empty wheelarch look?

[MickL Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close MickL]

Re: 3" lift kit

So Mick are you saying that if I go to a 4X4 workshop and they tell me a 3 inch lift is on the cards I should be very careful about that?

Yes you need to be carefull, especially if it's only springs and struts (with a diff drop and new wish bones anything is possible). You also need to be aware of the consequences of pushing the front too high.

I guess it depends on the starting point on wether you can get a 3" lift :!: If you get a standard Prado with a bar, winch, dual batteries etc and it's sitting low on the bump stops then I guess technically a 3" lift is possible.

You are correct about saying if you purely wanted a lift for looks then it's a different story. A recent thread on the 6 inch lifted Prado is a good example. Without wanting to bag the guys rig (it does look awesome) just take a look at those CV angles, they look terrible and thats sitting on level ground. I'd say there is very little droop left and and the life of them would be reduced. They would also be more prone to breaking because the more angle the less strength.


What suits most of us is an all round set up... good lift without increasing component wear and tear too much.. good handling and increased load carrying without a bone jarring ride... increased articulation without snapping something every time you go bush. You have to make compromises....



I think a more realistic measurement for comparing apples with apples is a rim to guard measurement.

I my opinion anything over 800mm is really pushing it. Mine sits at 805mm and the strain is showing on the bushes. You can see they are compressing and the life of them in shortened considerably.
Another thing to be aware of is at 800mm you only have 90mm or so of droop left, which is pretty important if you actually want to do some off roading.

I also believe this very forum is one of the best resources on-line when it comes to Prado 120 suspension. Several brands and systems have been well and truly tested right across varied Australian terrain and conditions and we have a good number of write ups.

The secret to a good setup is looking at quality brands, that are well known in the industry and amoung enthusiasts and empowering yourself with some knowlege before you go shopping :!:

Mick

[IRON-PAWW Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close IRON-PAWW]

Re: 3" lift kit

Good point about where you start from. I'm sagging a bit at the front with the standard suspension so I guess an upgrade will appear to yield a "higher" lift than If I was doing it to an off the shelf vehicle. I've lost a lot of money on the sharemarket so sadly it will need to stay that way for a while.

Read read read before you buy, I totally agree with that. Especially if you can read stories and experiences of real people rather than the canned stuff on official sites. So basically, if we shot for an all round "standard" lift if you can put it that way, you should be ok. If you choose a reputable suspension dealer that is.

Have to admit I'm not hearing many good reports about the 4x4 gear Pedders do. I was a bit surprised as Pedders have made suspension Products for years. Just goes to show that you can take nothing for granted.

[Golly Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Golly]

Re: 3" lift kit

Pedders have made suspension Products for years. Just goes to show that you can take nothing for granted.

For road there one of the best. Yes, very interested about why no 4x4.... or is just not a popular product... I have only used Pedders in all my cars as a young wippa snapper, loved there ride and handling. No Bull.... 8)

[MickL Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close MickL]

Re: 3" lift kit

Have to admit I'm not hearing many good reports about the 4x4 gear Pedders do

What sort of reports have you heard?

I had their on my previous 4x4 and it great (Mazda Bravo, rasied HD springs and torson bars, Sports Ryder shocks in the front and foam cells in the rear). They'd be in the same price bracket and league as ARB/TJM no better/no worse.

I think they are not huge in the off road industry because their core business is 2wd mum and dad cars.

I used their stuff a bit on hotted up cars I had when I was younger. It's what I could afford and it worked... good bang for your buck in other words.

I never had an issue with any of their gear, but would be interested in what you've heard.

Mick

[Auto-Craft Inactive Find all posts View Profile Close Auto-Craft]

Re: 3" lift kit

they have ok coils, but the shocks they use [like foam cell.......] you get what you pay for.

They average $1238 per job card from every "safety check" they do in store, [comes from inside the brand that figure] we see lots of the quotes here, when people bring them in and ask "does my car need all this ?" after having the safety check done.

[IRON-PAWW Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close IRON-PAWW]

Re: 3" lift kit

I'm sure I read it in a thread here that people had experienced a fair amount of sag with a Pedders setup. If I remember correctly, I think those people thought they did better with something like King springs over time. Now I can't remember exactly what the setups were but I'm fairly sure the the sagging vehicles had Pedders springs incorporated. I guess it will depend on the treatment you dish out to your suspension as to how tired it gets over time. I've also heard from people at work ( there is a Pedders right near us as it happens ) that their 4X4 setups don't seem to hold up too well over time. I remember one guy saying he'd experienced more ride height drop than he expected and he thought he'd lost a fair bit of the initial firmness that he had when fitted. And Just thinking about it, that could be a number of issues. But yeah we're talking a good 2 years after fitting and again I can't comment on what treatment was dished out or the specific items fitted.

Regardless of this though, it's only the reports from a small amount of people. So it's interesting to hear some positive reports about Pedders gear. I have to say that from all I've heard up until this point, all Pedders' other gear for cars etc are very highly regarded. So I was a bit surprised to see some negative experiences with their 4x4 gear. However, real is real. If that's what people report then you have to take notice.

As an aside. I had foam cell shocks recommended to me some time ago. Honestly, they'd only get the occasional workout when I could tear myself away from work. What's the real downside to them?

[The Swede Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close The Swede]

Re: 3" lift kit

Hi guys!

This is what Cal Goodman at caloffroad wrote to me;

no problem with your carrying capacity

includes
front springs
front struts
rear shocks
rear coils

in M or HD


$912 $AU

So from what I understand the kit is complete as any other, or?
And also available in 2 diffrent settings.

In Sweden I can only get an OME kit that lifts the front 20mm and the back 40mm(2200 AUD). But if I look at Ironman the dealer says it will lift both front and rear 40-50mmīs and itīs a bit less expensive too,(approx. 1800 AUD) The prices does not include freight cost nor installation.

Opinions on this!?

Cheers, Joakim

[MickL Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close MickL]

Re: 3" lift kit

I can only get an OME kit that lifts the front 20mm and the back 40mm(2200 AUD).

Out of this bunch I can only comment on the OME as it happens to be what I have in my Prado. What OME quote as lifts is actually quite conservative. I have the HD's all round and got 50mm at the front and 60mm at the rear.

The price is a bit rich though ($2200 AUD) it's only about half that at closer to $1200-$1300. I wouldn't pay more than that as that's all it's worth. Don't get me wrong, it's good stuff just not the premium gear that you could get for the Prado at those sort of dollars.

If your budget is that high then consider one of the better packages offered. Read the rest of the suspension posts on here and maybe PM: Darren assassinoffroad for some advice on the higher end gear such as Fox or Bilsteins etc...

Mick