Amada vs Cal off-road/Bilsten

[zerosecta Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close zerosecta]

OK, Here are a few pics - Skateboard for some perspective :-)

Clearly the front is sitting a little to high, this is due to the front springs being way to hard - there is next to no sag in the front at all so not good.... I told the guys at cal a number of times that I had no weight on the front but they have insisted on sending me HD springs - infact the first set they sent were SHD and I specifically ask for medium.

Anyway - Guess I am now going to need to try and source new front springs that are medium but still 3" lift - Any Ideas???

Oh Yes and those are a set of 285\70\17 BFG Muds - had to remove the flaps that are located infront and behind the front whells and no rubbing :-)

[Whitey Shockie Maker of the Month Award Find all posts View Profile Close Whitey]

The Cal Offroad Struts aren't developed with Bilstein Germany.
They are Hilux KUN26R Struts revalved by Bilstein Sydney down from the extremely stiff Hilux valving to a valving setting somewhere in between that of the Hilux and the Prado so it will work ok in either, but not specifically for either.

Regards, Jason.

Hey Jason,

Thanks for clarifying that, very interesting. So the TRD story has no genuine connection, and it's just a sales pitch??

Would you also say the CalOffroad strut valving is still stiffer than a 712?

Best

Mark

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

Hey Jason,

Thanks for clarifying that, very interesting. So the TRD story has no genuine connection, and it's just a sales pitch??

Would you also say the CalOffroad strut valving is still stiffer than a 712?

Best

Mark

Definitely stiffer than the A712 valving, but not as stiff as the D563 Valving, which i reckon is a bit too stiff for the Prados.
The D563 TRD shocks are substantially firmer again.

Regards, Jason.

[zerosecta Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close zerosecta]

A Little help....

Where exactly do I take the measurements for height from?

Would like to post them up to get some feedback on what you guys think. There is no doubt in my mind that the front springs are to hard so they defo getting swapped out as they got the struts only about 10mm from full extension so they getting a beating every time I drop down the other side of speedbumps or the end of the driveway ect.

I think the rear is good

[AussieAndy Find all posts View Profile Close AussieAndy]

Hook the tape measure under the lower lip of the rim and run the tape straight up through the centre and to the lower guard.

What circlip groove are you using? If the circlip is in the centre or top groove dropping it a grove would help you out a little if not fix the height.

When you are dealing with cal he will want the centre to guard measurement, so just subtract half of your wheel diameter off that measurement.

Mine is 830mm front and 860mm rear

[Whitey Shockie Maker of the Month Award Find all posts View Profile Close Whitey]

Hey zerosecta,

For your ride height, measure from the bottom of the rim to the guard, as in the photo in this thread;

http://www.pradopoint.com/showthread...Measurements-2

Best

Mark

[zerosecta Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close zerosecta]

Thans Whitey

Rear is 845mm
Front is 843mm

The circlip is already on the bottom one. I'm thinking softer spring to get more usable travel in the strut and a spacer above the strut to keep some (not all) of the height. Sound like a plan or are spacers not recomended ??

[AussieAndy Find all posts View Profile Close AussieAndy]

Mate, that's what the circlip grooves are for, if the spring is too short use the next groove up.

So my 2" is higher in the back than your 3", my front is where yours should be though, maybe another 5mm lower.

Maybe a set of medium duty 2" lift springs on the top or middle circlip would work for you

[zerosecta Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close zerosecta]

Yip, that's what I'm thinking...

About the rear - I told them this and they just suggested that I need a harder spring...

I think that's what CalOffroad mean by 3" kit - "hardest damn springs you can get and whalla, 3" lift"

I'm actually happy with the rear where it is even with the 285's it looks okay. Just got to sort out the front.

[AussieAndy Find all posts View Profile Close AussieAndy]

Haha, maybe.

if it's too stiff but the height is good (rear) you need a lighter spring rate and a longer free length, in the front you probably need the same free length but a lighter spring rate.

[zerosecta Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close zerosecta]

The new rear springs were only about 1" taller than the old springs standing next to each other.

Can you suggest taller springs - as in which ones?

[AussieAndy Find all posts View Profile Close AussieAndy]

Mine were about 1 1/2", maybe 2" taller, but heaps heavyer wire diameter (spring rate). Not really sure, cal should be able to supply what you need, after all he already has your money.

[zerosecta Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close zerosecta]

Old vs. new rear springs.

[zerosecta Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close zerosecta]

Very Annoyed and frustrated right now....

Spoke to the guy and CalOffroad just now and he tells me that all their springs are the same rate and he can send me a 15mm shorter spring... BTW from the feeling I currently get in the front when going down a dip, IMO the spring are overpowering the struts and they are not really dampening resulting in a clunk and aggressive drop of the front end every time.

That really doesn't help me though because it still means I will have a very hard front end and I told them countless times I want medium\comfort springs for the front as I have no immediate plans for any heavy bar or winch in the near future.

BEWARE of Cal People, seriously from what I am learning now I could have saved a bucket load of cash by just buying your off the shelf $1500 setup and then perhaps complementing it with some UCA's and perhaps a panhard rod for the rear...

Think I am pretty much at the point where I am going to cut my loss's and look at getting some springs somewhere else.

PLEASE HELP! What to Do??? I don't really want just shorter HARD Springs.

[Guest Close Guest]

If the spring is 15mm shorter, then the front will drop approx. 30mm.
Currently, your feeling of the spring overpowering the strut is because the spring is giving you too much lift. I think that the shorter spring will do the job. Jason will give you a better idea. I'm just working off numbers (i.e. theoretical).
If you want flex offroad, then you shouldn't go for really hard springs given what you have up the front.