AU2 XR6 Ute Suspenion Overhaul

xp_wannabe · 01-11-2011, 03:31 PM

G'day,

My ute has 220,000km and its time to give it a birthday.

Going to start with suspension. Im pretty sure everything in it is original (and if its not then its definitely been in there since 70,000km which is when I got it)

It definitely needs rear leaf spring bushes, and shocks all round.

What shocks should I get?

What bushes in the front end should I change out? Are they easy enough to do myself? I have a press etc.

Should I do all bushes in nolathane or something else?

I wouldnt mind going a tad lower, like maybe an inch all round. What springs for the front should I get, and what should I do with the rears? I know a bloke who can reset them for me...

Thanks in advance, Mark

blueoval · 01-11-2011, 03:35 PM

It really depends on what you want your ute to do? Is it for comfort, towing/hauling loads or for killer handling? We need to know the major use of what your ute will do before we can offer suggestions of suspension components.

Please give us your intended use of the vehicle so we can help.

xp_wannabe · 01-11-2011, 03:57 PM

Just want everything fresh and tight, and a touch lower.

Dont wanna spend a fortune, but if im replacing bits and there is something better than stock available for not much more, Ill do it.

At the moment all I have in mind is nolathane all round, and new shocks and springs.

Its a daily driver and does lots of k's. I dont mind trading a bit of ride comfort for better handling, but not too much.

At the moment it handles like a boat coz the rear bushes are flogged out (can hear the springs hitting the chassis over bumps) and im sure the shocks would be stuffed by now, so even just going with all new stock stuff would be a major improvement, but I figure I may as well go one better and do some slight upgrades.

What do you think of this nolathane kit for the front?

http://www.nolathane.com.au/product_...mber=EVOFORD4F

I guess I'd do all the rear bushes with nolathane too. Should I use their 1 inch lowering blocks for the rear or should I get the springs reset?

If I get really keen ill upgrade the front sway bar, and maybe add a rear one (i think thats possible isnt it?) but that would all come later after I fix other stuff.

Thanks, Mark

Tobey · 01-11-2011, 04:00 PM

Jump on ebay, there are full bushing kits for good prices. Then grab some monroe shocks.

Keep in mine nolothane will be noisyer (they squeak) and you will get more road noise as welll.

xp_wannabe · 01-11-2011, 04:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tobey

Keep in mine nolothane will be noisyer (they squeak) and you will get more road noise as welll.

is it worth it though? I dont mind more noise etc if im actually going to be able to feel a difference between nolathane and stock rubber...

are there grease nipples where all the bushes go so you can keep them regularly greased? If not, can they be easily added?

Thanks for the advice mate

Tobey · 01-11-2011, 04:06 PM

No grease nipples... No idea about adding them either.

I would redo the rear eye bushes in rubber and the saddle pads and front eyes in nolothane.

The fronts would be nolothane lower bushes and rubber upper bushes.

xp_wannabe · 01-11-2011, 04:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tobey

No grease nipples... No idea about adding them either.

I would redo the rear eye bushes in rubber and the saddle pads and front eyes in nolothane.

The fronts would be nolothane lower bushes and rubber upper bushes.

sweet, this is the sort of advice im looking for. care to share your thoughts on why this set up is the go? ie why not just everything nolathane?

keen to hear other peoples thoughts too.

ta, mark

b2tf · 01-11-2011, 04:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xp_wannabe

G'day,

My ute has 220,000km and its time to give it a birthday.

Going to start with suspension. Im pretty sure everything in it is original (and if its not then its definitely been in there since 70,000km which is when I got it)

It definitely needs rear leaf spring bushes, and shocks all round.

What shocks should I get?

What bushes in the front end should I change out? Are they easy enough to do myself? I have a press etc.

Should I do all bushes in nolathane or something else?

I wouldnt mind going a tad lower, like maybe an inch all round. What springs for the front should I get, and what should I do with the rears? I know a bloke who can reset them for me...

Thanks in advance, Mark

Nolathane do a good kit that covers all the bushes in the front end, they dont do one for the rear but all you need there is the spring saddle pad and eye bushes front and rear. Nothing else much to worry about at that end.

I am about to put new shocks in my ute, it is lowered and I am using Monroe GT gas shocks which are made for lowered cars. Havent got them in yet but not too far away, from all reports they should make a noticable difference.

If you want to go lower you will need to use Superlows in the front and ideally reset the rear leafs to match. If you plan on doing the bushes you will need to take the leaves out anyway so its not much bother to get it all done at once.

ronwest · 01-11-2011, 04:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xp_wannabe

Im pretty sure everything in it is original (and if its not then its definitely been in there since 70,000km which is when I got it)

I'd do upper and lower ball joints + sway bar bushes and links for starters. You might be surprised at the improvement that makes.

xp_wannabe · 01-11-2011, 05:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by b2tf

Nolathane do a good kit that covers all the bushes in the front end, they dont do one for the rear but all you need there is the spring saddle pad and eye bushes front and rear. Nothing else much to worry about at that end.

I am about to put new shocks in my ute, it is lowered and I am using Monroe GT gas shocks which are made for lowered cars. Havent got them in yet but not too far away, from all reports they should make a noticable difference.

If you want to go lower you will need to use Superlows in the front and ideally reset the rear leafs to match. If you plan on doing the bushes you will need to take the leaves out anyway so its not much bother to get it all done at once.

Thanks mate.

Are you happy with the nolathane in your ute?

Quote:

Originally Posted by ronwest

I'd do upper and lower ball joints + sway bar bushes and links for starters. You might be surprised at the improvement that makes.

Thanks mate,

At the moment the list looks like this:

FRONT:

Nolathane Front Kit
Kings Super Low Coils
Monroe GT Shortened Shocks/Struts
Ball Joints
Sway bar Links and bushes

REAR:

Nolathane Bushes
Reset Leaves
Monroe GT Shortened Shocks

b2tf · 01-11-2011, 06:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xp_wannabe

Thanks mate.

Are you happy with the nolathane in your ute?

Yup, very happy. I have Kings in my ute too (theyre badged Herrod springs but are just Kings).

**rayban76** · 02-11-2011, 09:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xp_wannabe

Thanks mate.

Are you happy with the nolathane in your ute?

Thanks mate,

At the moment the list looks like this:

FRONT:

Nolathane Front Kit
Kings Super Low Coils
Monroe GT Shortened Shocks/Struts
Ball Joints
Sway bar Links and bushes

REAR:

Nolathane Bushes
Reset Leaves
Monroe GT Shortened Shocks

I've got the King Super Lows in mine for the front and find them great, and have John Bowe Leafs in the rear (with the Nolathane kit) and it rides great and produced no more road noise then it did before.

xp_wannabe · 02-11-2011, 09:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rayban76

I've got the King Super Lows in mine for the front and find them great, and have John Bowe Leafs in the rear (with the Nolathane kit) and it rides great and produced no more road noise then it did before.

Which shocks have you got mate?

I did some reading on here last night and saw some posts that said out of the cheaper shocks (eg monroe, KYB, pedders, Gabriel) that the KYB are the better shocks.

**rayban76** · 02-11-2011, 10:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xp_wannabe

Which shocks have you got mate?

I did some reading on here last night and saw some posts that said out of the cheaper shocks (eg monroe, KYB, pedders, Gabriel) that the KYB are the better shocks.

Ive got the Monroe in mine mate (were already in the car) and they sit great.

blueoval · 01-11-2011, 05:45 PM

That list alone will see a very noticeable improvement in handling and ride. If you are fitting this all yourself, make sure you are liberal with the supplied grease that comes with the nolathane bushes. As already been said, they can get a bit noisy after a while. So put plenty of the grease on and it should see a number seasons without too much trouble.

Personally for me King Springs are a bit too harsh a ride for my liking. That's why I went Eibach Pro Kit springs. They are a cold rolled spring and tend to give a nicer ride quality over the kings. Price wise you can get them at a comparable price. But be sure to find out if they do them for your ute. Being live rear axle, I presume so but don't quote me. I know they do not do them for IRS rear. A few of us here have Eibach Springs fitted to their live rear AU sedans and can all vouch for the quality.

As for sway bars, consider white line if you are serious about handling. But if not, an upgrade to nolathane bushes in your sway bar links will net a solid gain.

If you are keen to maintain comfort ride quality, I suggest not lowering the car too much below 1". You will notice an excellent handling improvement with what you have in that list of yours.

blownv8au · 01-11-2011, 06:11 PM

When i did mine i upgraded to au2 brakes aswell as it is a series 1. 6 months before i had pedders put in the lowest leaves they had and new spring eye nolathane bushes.then i put in complete nolathane front kit and also their swaybar links, kings super super low 6cyl springs(its v8) munroe gt shortened shocks allround plus new ball joints and tie roda and a new rack. 30mm front sway bar and rear sway bar kit both from whiteline plus the au2 brake upgrade with dba slotted and dimpled rotors and bendix pads and what a difference it made wow. but the rear swaybar does take some getting used to though.

xp_wannabe · 01-11-2011, 10:39 PM

Thanks for the replies fellas.

A guy at work with an XR6T is trying to talk me out of nolathane. Hes saying it will be too noisy and harsh, and that I will notice a big improvement anyway just by replacing my old worn out stuff with new stock stuff.

I dunno, I guess Id have to try and bum a ride in someones car/ute that has nolathane in it, see if I like it.

Tobey · 02-11-2011, 11:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xp_wannabe

Thanks for the replies fellas.

A guy at work with an XR6T is trying to talk me out of nolathane. Hes saying it will be too noisy and harsh, and that I will notice a big improvement anyway just by replacing my old worn out stuff with new stock stuff.

I dunno, I guess Id have to try and bum a ride in someones car/ute that has nolathane in it, see if I like it.

Road noise from just doing the rear bushes, was a VERY noticable increase...

Thats why ive suggested using a mixture.

blueoval · 01-11-2011, 11:17 PM

What ya mate says has truth to it. rubber bushes have lasted this long as they are. replacing them with brand new rubber will last just as long and with no noise. the benefits on the street will be minimal in my opinion with nolathane over rubber. and rubber will absorb harshness in ride quality a bit nicer too.

b2tf · 02-11-2011, 09:07 AM

I am probably a bit ignorant but I have had Nolathane in the past 3 utes I have owned and I have never had an issue with it. I get a bit cynical when people say that bushes make a huge difference, theyre just part of the overall package. When your B series is spitting out diff bushes maybe but for an AU i reckon they'll be fine.