Anyone had success with Kakadu susp mods ?

[KAKADAZ Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close KAKADAZ]

I am still keen to lift my Kakadu an inch or so but no shops in Perth gave done one. Has anyone had any success modding a Kakadu lately ?

[Schniff Member Find all posts View Profile Close Schniff]

Perhaps for the time being you could just raise the front and let the self levelling feature raise the rear? Would result in a stiffer rear but would give a bit more clearance.

Surely ARB have had a go at this?

[kcharng Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close kcharng]

I am also interested in the answer.

[Kaka do Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Kaka do]

There was some one in Melbourne that was doing these but you loose the selection mode ie comf or sport.
I to am having trouble finding anyone in the WA that is able to do a lift of any sort on the Kakadu.
My last call to ARB in April was a definate NO.

[KJA Member Find all posts View Profile Close KJA]

Kaka d0,
Darren from autocraft, who is Geelong was willing to do an upgrade on a Kakadu. However I went with Mannell Motors in Thornleigh Sydney. They are ARB stockists and after checking with the ARB store in Canningvale in Perth they were willing to honour any issues that might arise. Jimmy and Giles at Mannell really did everything to ensure that I was looked after. Anyway had
1 x 2887 Springs
2 x 90010 Front Shocks
2 x OME 95 PF5 - I think shock covers
2 x 60080 Rear Shocks
also some packing bits
I do tow a 2 tonne caravaan and am on a big trip at present.

The above gave me approx 65mm lift. Could change with time. However I did lose the comfort, sport, normal setting. The height from the bottom of the rim to the body are the following
DR 880mm, PR 880mm, DF 820mm, PF 825mm
These measurements seem to change from day to day. I took the truck back twice to Mannell to do some adjustments. I was unhappy that there wa a lean with the passenger side at times being 20mm more than the drivers. This difference seems to change. My concern was that the back end was on a real lean towards the drivers side and the rake from the front to the back looked to much. I had Jimmy lower the back end slightly and look at the lean. He was very helpful but indicated that the KDSS was a real issue. Sometimes it would make the truck lean and the next day it would be OK. The lean seems to be between 5mm and 20mm. The latter you notice but the former is not noticeable at all.
I think of have got over the lean thing. Maybe I was a bit sensitive about this as there was a 5mm lean with the std suspension.
The handling is a huge improvement. Roundabouts and cornering are improved and the ride seems firmer. Towing the van is a breeze but then again it was good before the change.
I had Mannell put in a Steinbaeur chip at the same time and that is a winner. More power at low revs and I am keen to see if it uses less desiel to drag the van around NSW. Definitely quicker off the mark at the lights and seems to have a little more go up those hills when dragging the van.
All in all it seems to be a positive outcome even though the SWMBO has a little trouble jumping into the passenger seat and thinks that the lift has taken away the lines of the car!!!
Ken

[KAKADAZ Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close KAKADAZ]

Thanks for the feedback. Do you still have self leveling rear? And do they put a longer or taller bag in the rear to give it the lift or just stretch out the factory ones ?

[KJA Member Find all posts View Profile Close KJA]

Kakadaz,
Just a quick note. My main concern after the lift was the lean. I have measured the lift everyday now and today the right and left of the car was exactly the same. 880mm at the rear and 825mm at the front giving me a lift of 65mm. Self leveling still operates and I did measure it and it seemed the same as before the lift. I believe they did not touch the bags so therefore they must be stretching the originals. However I don't know so to answer that you should contact Giles or Jimmy at Mannell motors 02 99808855. Its a good question though and something I will enquire about. Question: If they stretch the bag what is the long term effect? Today I am really happy. Parked next to another 150 graphite GXL with factory bar and no lift and the Kaka was the ants pants. Ken

[kcharng Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close kcharng]

Thanks for the update KJA! Really appreciated. I have been trying to search Pradopoint for answer regarding Kakadu suspension upgrade and your post was the first I find with any real answer.
Would be interested to hear the answer on the effect of stretching the airbag as well.

Cheers!
Shane.

[kcharng Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close kcharng]

From searching ARB web, OME95PFS is the spacer the correct the lean of the vehicle due to KDSS.

Kaka d0,
1 x 2887 Springs
..
2 x OME 95 PF5 - I think shock covers
..

[KAKADAZ Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close KAKADAZ]

Kakadaz,
Just a quick note. My main concern after the lift was the lean. I have measured the lift everyday now and today the right and left of the car was exactly the same. 880mm at the rear and 825mm at the front giving me a lift of 65mm. Self leveling still operates and I did measure it and it seemed the same as before the lift. I believe they did not touch the bags so therefore they must be stretching the originals. However I don't know so to answer that you should contact Giles or Jimmy at Mannell motors 02 99808855. Its a good question though and something I will enquire about. Question: If they stretch the bag what is the long term effect? Today I am really happy. Parked next to another 150 graphite GXL with factory bar and no lift and the Kaka was the ants pants. Ken

Thanks again Ken....So was the install of all the suspension parts carried out in Perth ?

[KJA Member Find all posts View Profile Close KJA]

Kakadaz
All of the installation was in Sydney. I had arranged it 4 months ago to fit in with the trip up the East coast we are doing at the moment. However before I left I had many discussions with John (manager) ARB Canningvale re doing the suspension and he indicated that they were not interested oin the Kakadu as it was too fiddley. However they would honour any issues that arose when back in Perth if an ARB store did the work. That is the reason I went ARB and not Bilstien with Darren at Autocraft in Geelong. Will keep you up to date on the lean issue it seems that when you park on a slope at times the KDSS has a memory and the lean lasts for a while and then after driving and moement it seems to change.
Thanks Kcharng for the update on the part number. Yes they did put spacers in and also stone guards for the rear shocks.
Ken

[kcharng Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close kcharng]

Thank you for the update. I am also reading 120 suspension mod done by some other members which also used similar methods with little drawback so far.

[KAKADAZ Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close KAKADAZ]

Kakadaz
All of the installation was in Sydney. I had arranged it 4 months ago to fit in with the trip up the East coast we are doing at the moment. However before I left I had many discussions with John (manager) ARB Canningvale re doing the suspension and he indicated that they were not interested oin the Kakadu as it was too fiddley. However they would honour any issues that arose when back in Perth if an ARB store did the work. That is the reason I went ARB and not Bilstien with Darren at Autocraft in Geelong. Will keep you up to date on the lean issue it seems that when you park on a slope at times the KDSS has a memory and the lean lasts for a while and then after driving and moement it seems to change.
Thanks Kcharng for the update on the part number. Yes they did put spacers in and also stone guards for the rear shocks.
Ken

Thanks Ken, I wondered what the situation was I noticed you were from WA but thought the work was done elsewhere. Post up some pictures when you get a moment...Cheers

[Giles Member Find all posts View Profile Close Giles]

Thanks for the feedback. Do you still have self leveling rear? And do they put a longer or taller bag in the rear to give it the lift or just stretch out the factory ones ?

Hey Guys,

It does not stretch the bag!

Regards Giles

[kcharng Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close kcharng]

Gile,

So the lift was only for the front of the car?
I would be interested on how to get rear lift without stretching the rear airbags.

Regards.