150 Suspension measurements.

[SuperDavid]

SuperDavid,
Can you do the suspension measurements including the droop and report back?

Also, can you take a closer photo of the spring seat area?

Are there any part numbers on the strut just to rule out that the wrong strut was fitted?

Yes I can do those things, I'll try and do it this afternoon before work. I'll see what i can see in the way of part numbers.
Thanks!

*Edit*

Went out there and got it done at 3am
I couldn't see any part numbers on the strut..


Measurements!

Front left - 770
Front right -770

Back left - 840
Back Right - 840

From the ground to the side steps
rear 372mm
front 335mm
That makes me 37mm higher in the back.

Now the droop. I'm not sure where tjm got their numbers....they told me 70mm.
Maybe I did it wrong?
I jacked it up under the chassis, until the tyre just lifted off the ground. It was actually just touching the ground.
I got 865mm from the bottom of the rim to the edge of the guard.
Which puts me at 95mm droop!!!!

So either I've done that the wrong way or they have their numbers wrong.

If 95mm droop is right, I feel more confident that the suspension has been done correctly, and with that much droop, adding another 10mm spacer surely wouldn't stuff my droop up since I've got 25mm more than they said I did.
I feel much better about calling my tjm tomorrow to ask for another spacer.

SuperDavid,
Can you do the suspension measurements including the droop and report back?

Also, can you take a closer photo of the spring seat area?

Are there any part numbers on the strut just to rule out that the wrong strut was fitted?

[SuperDavid]

David, Darren is a top bloke, just remember with your measurements it is off the guards so the back will be higher. Once u get the spacer im park it on a flat surface and measure from the ground to bottom of the sidestep front and back u will find the car is fairly level it shouldu have a little nose down at the front.

Hutch- Prado 150 with some TJM Kit.

The issue now is actually getting them to put the spacer in! They said they didn't want to do it based on what tjm I'm Brisbane advised. I'm assuming they are talking about tjm head office.
I will measure the bottom of the car anyway to see what angle I'm on.

Darren is a good guy. You can trust what he says.

Yes I definitely feel he is trustworthy. Now I just need to use the information he gave me to get my tjm guys to put in the extra spacer

[mjrandom]

Darren is a good guy. You can trust what he says.

[Hutch]

David, Darren is a top bloke, just remember with your measurements it is off the guards so the back will be higher. Once u get the spacer im park it on a flat surface and measure from the ground to bottom of the sidestep front and back u will find the car is fairly level it should have a little nose down at the front.

Hutch- Prado 150 with some TJM Kit.

[SuperDavid]

Darren got back to me, the springs I have are fine for the job. Basicly if I want more lift I'll need to get them to put in another 10mm spacer. The spacer in there now is 20mm.
I'm not sure why tjm Perth were against putting in another spacer. It seems to be common practice to have 30mm of spacers. They mentioned losing droop but you guys have (from memory... I'm on my phone ) 32mm spacer sitting at 795mm with 90mm droop. I'm not sure why I couldn't have that If I have the same springs and spacers.
I might talk to tjm head office and see what they have to say before I talk to my tjm.
I don't feel that it's ok that I got no lift in the front and the back end is sitting 60-70mm higher than the front. I feel like I'm on a downward slope.

Edit... Darren was very willing to help and gave good advice! You guys in Brisbane are very lucky to have him! That's where I'd be getting my work down if I wasn't in Perth!

[mjrandom]

The way it was explained to me was that the spacer was below the (fixed) lower spring seat, haven't looked until now. If that was correct it would work the same as an upper spacer while remaining legal (as I understand it). Like I said now I will have a good look but it certainly looks as though the spacer is above the fixed point for the lower seat. I can only think the design has changed subtly since Hutch has had his suspension fitted.

[AJ120]

MJ,

A change to the position of the spring seat will alter the preload.
The addition of a strut top spacer on the other hand will not alter the preload.

Yes,that is correct. As I said before, droop will be reduced by the same amount as the spacer size, extra lift will be approx twice the spacer size.

Cheers Andrew

MJ,

A change to the position of the spring seat will alter the preload.
The addition of a strut top spacer on the other hand will not alter the preload.

[mjrandom]

Not sure if it is possible to put the seat on upside down, these couple of shots are some I found of mine. Neither to show the seat so bear with the crops I have made. The misting strut has been replaced. Looking closer I am not sure if the struts work the way I thought. Will need to have a look at one or a drawing and see. I was under the impression that the spacers did not provide additional pre load to the spring but it certainly looks that way.





The struts look the same as SDs but not Hutches.

It is possible on Bilstein struts and it looks possible on TJM struts, although I have no first hand experience. It would go some way to explain why your front end is so low unless they used the wrong springs.

[SuperDavid]

Maybe the spring base was installed upside down.

is that even possible? can you see from the photo I posted a few posts back weather that has been done?

Maybe the spring base was installed upside down.

[SuperDavid]

well I guess something else is not right then.
I'll wait to hear back from Darren and see what I should do.

[Hutch]

Definately a spacer but your spring base looks lower than mine.