SAS on the cheap

[tonkamu]

Hi all,

This is my 3rd Mu and most modded one I've had, I like the look of the Mu but disappointed by its limits off-road. I'm still learning about driving off-road and the mechanical side of things.


I'm interested in lifting suspension beyond what I currently have. I've read those project solid axle swaps and they have gone all out beyond what I can afford and do as expertise goes.

Is there a cheaper easier way to get some solid axles under with some decent lift and is it still legal.

Or should I just sell up and buy a patrol.

Cheers!

[geeves]

All sas swaps need certing
Best you can do in the front of a mu is wind the adjustable suspension up 50mm from standard remove the top ball joint and remount under the arm and redo wheel alignment. To go further requires a diff drop or it puts the cvs under too much strain. Best chance of articulation is in the rear but there seems to be more than one rear suspension and stuff that works well in one doesnt in anouther

[tonkamu]

Hi geeves,

My mu has that done to the front, my rear is on 4 inch shackles thinking of asking autoalign to put some long coilovers for me if its cheap. I keep digging in my leaf springs into everything.

I still have my sway bar, should I remove that?

I dream of having my Mu on solid axles from another 4wd, what chassis is close to Mu's? I've seen some where the front wheels stick out past the front of the car, that cant be legal in 2017?

What do most use to sas a mu?

edit: Also sorry for the amount of questions. with a front diff drop how much more can you lift the front? my torsion bars already sqeeking and squeeling at 2inch.

[geeves]

There are several write ups on here that cover sas conversions. Always lots of welding and grinding required. Most common axle is Hilux but a couple have been done on Nissan Patrol diffs. One write up a long time ago by muvitmadness saw 37 inch tyres and a ram index past 1200 but the amount of work in that was way past substantial.

[tonkamu]

Well I have just bought myself a cut front end of a hilux for 500 bucks, everything there expect the steering box and UJ/shaft.

Step 1 completed 80% still need steering box and some sort of hilux trail SAS conversion kit?.

I will be taking the hubs/brakes/axle/leaf mounts and whats left of steering. And then be doing a lot of reading and watching to sort out what set up I need. I intend to match the front height with the rear height after I work out how to fit the rear leaf springs to the top of the rear axle and flip the ugly hit and drag on everything U bolt mount bracket.
Its been lowered so not sure if I can use the shocks and springs.

I have lost my license for 6 months and I've parked my Mu in my garage. Both wof/rego have run out, so I have no excuse and plenty of motivation to see this through.

[tonkamu]

the hilux front diff is 4.9 and my Isuzu diff/transfer is 4.555? whats best option here to correct things

[geeves]

Hunt around for a 4.55 hilux diff head. You will have no problem selling the 4.9 Everyone that puts 35s on their hiluxes but they are not very strong so most owners need several and the 4.9s are rare.
Other option is put a 4.9 hilux diff in the back as well which from what Ive heard is almost a bolt in swap

[tonkamu]

thanks greeves, they are not cheap are they, still hunting for one.

I've been trying to find info on leaf spring over rear axle for the Mu, do they require 4 link kits and a friendly open minded low volume certifier ?

[nb422]

Ive certed mine for spring over axle rear piece of piss, cut the brackets off, reweld on top, put shock mounts lower on diff instead of ones on the spring pads. Currently installing a hilux front end, not at all a job for the faint hearted. Id recommend a decent knowledge of cutting grinding and welding too, can get out of hand very quickly.

[tonkamu]

nice one, did you use the stock shocks and u-bolts, what size shackles did you put under, standard 2 inch?. Do you have a picture? cheers

[nb422]

IMG_0774.JPG

Running mu rear leafs up fromt with 2 inch extended shackles. Need to swap out front crossmember i made to a beefier one, and these leaves in front are bent from being in the rear with a spring over. Am toying with the idea of kicking the leaves to the curb and installing radius arms and 10 inch coilovers, certing leaves is proving quite difficult.

[mudslinger]

hey jordan

can you go more into detail into how you retapered your steering box so your pitman arm is the opposite way? cheers

[m27seo001]

IMG_0774.JPG

Running mu rear leafs up fromt with 2 inch extended shackles. Need to swap out front crossmember i made to a beefier one, and these leaves in front are bent from being in the rear with a spring over. Am toying with the idea of kicking the leaves to the curb and installing radius arms and 10 inch coilovers, certing leaves is proving quite difficult.

hah)

[geeves]

Im guessing you are struggling with local vocabulary. New Zealanders dont always talk English in a form that translates easily
Leaf springs from the back of the Mu used in the front with extended shakles
New front crossmember (not it the quote but there will be clearance issues to the driveshaft)
The leaf springs are bent because they were used in a spring over axle conversion
Thinking of not using the front leaves and going to radius arms and 250mm coil overs as certification for leaf springs is hard

[nb422]

Pretty much finished product here. 80 series landcruiser front end and coilovers

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[tonkamu]

that looks so cool, I wish I knew more about doing that. I've got an 03 hilux front end sitting next to my garage for a year now. so coils are better than leaf springs for conversion on a mu? how much are those coil springs they look like the price of a mu off trademe.

[nb422]

Yeah not cheap haha. I paid aroun 1.5k for the pair from trundles. I went for coilovers for something different and i didnt like the feel of the leaves, nor the hassles it was gonna be for cert as far as bump steer tests etc