4x4 Discussion

danni_2254, Feb 1, 2:50am
1989 Hilux Surf Ute.
-Looking to raise it a bit for better ground clearance, Would 33" wheels be excessive!
-At what height would I require a cert! Can I get away with a 3" lift and whats the best way to go about it! Would I need to do other things, I.E hi-steer, extended filler cap ect!
-Anything else I should be looking at getting! (Apart from winch, obviously)

Cheers
mrfxit, Feb 1, 4:17am
31" + 2" lift will be legal without a cert
What motor is it running & what roads/ hills etc does it travel the most.
danni_2254, Feb 1, 4:21am
2.4 Diesel turbo, runs about 300km a week highway and minor slopes. 60km offroading in low ratio on the weekends.
lordv81, Feb 1, 4:45am
Being an 89 you will be limited by the torsion bar set up and the top control arm at the front.As other posters have said 2inch is the legal body lift with out having to cert.You can use airshocks on the front to give you off-road lift which will also give softer ride without having the bars wound to tight.
danni_2254, Feb 1, 4:48am
What about the back! Would I need to get new leafs and shocks! There looks to be an air line connected to the shocks, would it give it much of a lift if I put air in! Or is that just for carrying heavy loads!
Thx.
lordv81, Feb 1, 5:49am
It will give you more lift by pumping them up,new springs will give you more lift or you can use 2inch lift blokcs and longer u bolts.Or 4x4 Bits do extended shackles for not much.But your rear height will still be limited to how high your front is.ie,you dont want the back jacked up higher than the front like they did in the 70s or Otara.Raise the front first after the body lift then set the rear to match would be my advice.
danni_2254, Feb 1, 5:53am
Haha na, not after that look. Im a bit confused here, I thought blocks lowered the vehicle! And whats with flipping U-bolts!
Thx
mugenb20b, Feb 1, 6:17am
Your Surf will have coil springs in the back. Go and buy some raised / heavy duty springs, and longer travel shocks. As for the front, you can tighten up torsion bars a little bit, but not too much, and get some heavy duty shocks. I've had two Surfs, both were 1990, and that's all I did to my ones, and could easily fit 32 x 11.5 x 15 tyres, 33s of some brands also fitted. Just keep in mind that not all 33 inch tyres (or 31, 32 etc) are the same size. For example a 32 inch Cooper STT is about the same size as a 33 inch Mudstar.
mugenb20b, Feb 1, 6:18am
Also, the bigger the tyre, the higher your gear ratios will be.
offrd1, Feb 1, 6:29am
Join Offroad express forum,you will find all the info you need and if you ask there are many experts on there that really know what they are talking about and don't mind sharing there knowledge .This is a NZ forum
mugenb20b, Feb 1, 6:32am
Really! My ones had coils. But, if that's the case, get your leaves reset and fit some extended shackles with greasable pins.
danni_2254, Feb 1, 6:32am
Will do when I get home from work. On a mobile data plan atm and only have about 20mb left, Cheers
mugenb20b, Feb 1, 6:33am
Ahh, that explains it. I had the next model up, LN130 and YN130.
danni_2254, Feb 1, 6:33am
Yup, your surfs wern't utes. They only made them 87-89 afaik
danni_2254, Feb 1, 6:34am
I used to own one of them, bloody good 4x4's . Managed to score mine for $900 wof and reg
mrfxit, Feb 1, 7:31am
Taking note that I currently own the same model Surf, My suggestion stands for the best compromise.
Personally I wouldn't even worry about a lift kit of any sort seeing as they are already the highest factory road clearance height model around.
Go measure the distance on the back between the rear bump stop & the diff.
Mine sits at 110mm empty
With 300kg in the back it'sdown to 90mm but still rides pretty good for a 4x4 (& an old bugger at that)

I rebuilt the back springs myself, for load capacity which limits rough off road work a fair bit (not enough suspension travel)
*********** ***
Parked on concrete .
Bottom of back bumper sits at 600mm
Fuel tank sits at 350mm
Front chassis sits at 500mm

No body or suspension mods apart from the rebuilt back springs
mrfxit, Feb 1, 7:40am
Remember the factory gearing/ motor combination was set for 29" wheels
Going up to 33" will make it gutless on the hills & a lot taller gearing in low 4x4 range.
Mine with the 31" is pretty much the limit for a std 2.4T & manual box
Top gears not really any different for an auto
lordv81, Feb 1, 8:29am
You put blocks between the springs and the diff,the size of the block determines the height you gain.I got my last set made up in Chch by an engineer,but other suspension shops can do it as well.You need the diff/spring u-bolts longer due to the placement of the blocks.
mrfxit, Feb 1, 9:29am
It's the fuel tank & the gearbox cross member thats the only real problems.
Fit a custom fuel tank & thats half the extra clearance done without touching the suspension.
r15, Feb 1, 7:24pm
Head to the australian surf forums for some good advise from experienced people with your vehicle
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