Discussion:
1981 WB holden ute
(too old to reply)
Kevin
2004-08-15 10:59:35 UTC
Permalink
Gday all

often need to drive offroad and the low clearance really fucks things up on
my wb. Thinking of lifting it a few inches (one or 2) to increase the
clearance...

good/bad idea? anyone got any comments on doing it?

will it stuff the handling up?

cheers
Kev
Tony Smith
2004-08-15 11:13:47 UTC
Permalink
Post by Kevin
Gday all
often need to drive offroad and the low clearance really fucks things
up on my wb. Thinking of lifting it a few inches (one or 2) to
increase the clearance...
good/bad idea? anyone got any comments on doing it?
Fit longer, heavier rated springs to the front (I don't know if they
are still in business, but I used Selby springs on my HQ panel van
(which had the same suspension you have got). I used "rally" springs
intended for a V8 which lifted it just under 2.5".

At the back, get a spring works to insert an extra leaf and re-set the
rest.
Post by Kevin
will it stuff the handling up?
Absolutely, you can restore most of it by fitting a heavier anti-roll
bar to the front, fitting a bar to the rear and installing good (very
good given the spring rates you now have) double action shocks.

A limited slip diff helps.


Tony Smith
Kevin
2004-08-15 11:34:27 UTC
Permalink
Post by Tony Smith
Post by Kevin
Gday all
often need to drive offroad and the low clearance really fucks things
up on my wb. Thinking of lifting it a few inches (one or 2) to
increase the clearance...
good/bad idea? anyone got any comments on doing it?
Fit longer, heavier rated springs to the front (I don't know if they
are still in business, but I used Selby springs on my HQ panel van
(which had the same suspension you have got). I used "rally" springs
intended for a V8 which lifted it just under 2.5".
At the back, get a spring works to insert an extra leaf and re-set the
rest.
Post by Kevin
will it stuff the handling up?
Absolutely, you can restore most of it by fitting a heavier anti-roll
bar to the front, fitting a bar to the rear and installing good (very
good given the spring rates you now have) double action shocks.
cheers mate thanks for that.. So the ute'll get real easy to roll? is it
wurth it? do u regret it, you had any accidents cause of the handling with
your panelvan?
Post by Tony Smith
A limited slip diff helps.
Tony Smith
Tony Smith
2004-08-15 20:09:14 UTC
Permalink
Post by Kevin
cheers mate thanks for that.. So the ute'll get real easy to roll? is
it wurth it? do u regret it, you had any accidents cause of the
handling with your panelvan?
No, I don't think it would be that much easier to roll. In point f fact
it handled better afterwards, if for no other reason that it no longer
rolled like a stagecoach on hard corners and was not overly deflected
by mid corner bumps due to decent shocks. Was it worth it? Is any
modification to a vehicle actually "worth it? I thought so at the time
but eventually I woke up to the fact that a panelvan was neither a 4WD
or a rally forest racer.

I had lots and lots of minor accidents in my panelvan, because at the
time I was young and only knew two speeds, stopped and flat out. Did I
forget to mention that said modifications where done in 1975, vehicle
sold in 1978.............




Tony Smith
Kevin
2004-08-17 08:21:08 UTC
Permalink
Post by Tony Smith
Post by Kevin
cheers mate thanks for that.. So the ute'll get real easy to roll? is
it wurth it? do u regret it, you had any accidents cause of the
handling with your panelvan?
No, I don't think it would be that much easier to roll. In point f fact
it handled better afterwards, if for no other reason that it no longer
rolled like a stagecoach on hard corners and was not overly deflected
by mid corner bumps due to decent shocks. Was it worth it? Is any
modification to a vehicle actually "worth it? I thought so at the time
but eventually I woke up to the fact that a panelvan was neither a 4WD
or a rally forest racer.
I had lots and lots of minor accidents in my panelvan, because at the
time I was young and only knew two speeds, stopped and flat out. Did I
forget to mention that said modifications where done in 1975, vehicle
sold in 1978.............
hahaha righto mate cheers for that
Post by Tony Smith
Tony Smith
Axel Hammer
2004-08-15 13:07:02 UTC
Permalink
Post by Kevin
Gday all
often need to drive offroad and the low clearance really fucks things up on
my wb. Thinking of lifting it a few inches (one or 2) to increase the
clearance...
good/bad idea? anyone got any comments on doing it?
Depends on which clearance drives you nuts.
Under the axles / diff you may run in the need of larger tires.

Axel
robert
2004-08-16 08:21:20 UTC
Permalink
Fitting a hiclone will get you further as the extra power will help you sail
over all obstacles and the greater economy will let you go farther into the
bush without backup
cheers rob
Jim
2004-08-16 13:13:10 UTC
Permalink
Oh I dunno, they get my back up :))

Cheers
Jim
Post by robert
Fitting a hiclone will get you further as the extra power will help you sail
over all obstacles and the greater economy will let you go farther into the
bush without backup
cheers rob
Kevin
2004-08-17 08:23:17 UTC
Permalink
Post by Jim
Oh I dunno, they get my back up :))
yeah but mate, i find meself driving at 30km just so i dont fuck up the
steering, plenty of holes and rocks on this offroad track i need to ride
over and the clearance on the ute at the moment is about an inch if that.

thought a lift with decent shocks, etc would help?
its no so much the economy of the car, yes it drinks fuel like bloody beer,
but i guess thats what you get with a 20 year old V8
Post by Jim
Cheers
Jim
Post by robert
Fitting a hiclone will get you further as the extra power will help you
sail
Post by robert
over all obstacles and the greater economy will let you go farther into
the
Post by robert
bush without backup
cheers rob
Jim
2004-08-18 04:45:40 UTC
Permalink
Kevin, I was referring to the HiKunks getting my back up. I can understand
your need for clearance, thats one of the reasons why I bought a 4wd.
Years ago I was testing some engine mods on some sand dunes (tsk
tsk...housing estate there now) early hours of morning when I was flagged
down by a young bloke with a panel van needing extraction. I asked him how
he got it stuck this far away from a track....he had a LSD and it was
lifted. Got him further into strife than he could manage. As I was
extracting him I noticed a young girl sitting on a dune not far away, trying
to look like she just happened to be there and had noooo connection with
such a dill...she may well of been thinking of what her dad would say when
she finally got home :))
Moral of the story I guess is that a car is still a car despite any mods you
can do.

Cheers
Jim
Post by Kevin
Post by Jim
Oh I dunno, they get my back up :))
yeah but mate, i find meself driving at 30km just so i dont fuck up the
steering, plenty of holes and rocks on this offroad track i need to ride
over and the clearance on the ute at the moment is about an inch if that.
thought a lift with decent shocks, etc would help?
its no so much the economy of the car, yes it drinks fuel like bloody beer,
but i guess thats what you get with a 20 year old V8
Post by Jim
Cheers
Jim
Post by robert
Fitting a hiclone will get you further as the extra power will help you
sail
Post by robert
over all obstacles and the greater economy will let you go farther into
the
Post by robert
bush without backup
cheers rob
Chris
2004-08-17 11:18:38 UTC
Permalink
ive seen 2 inch body lifts done to them and sunrasier rims put on with 29 or
31 inch rims fitted to it it look ok and did have good clearance beat any
soft roader
Post by Kevin
Gday all
often need to drive offroad and the low clearance really fucks things up on
my wb. Thinking of lifting it a few inches (one or 2) to increase the
clearance...
good/bad idea? anyone got any comments on doing it?
will it stuff the handling up?
cheers
Kev
Barnsey
2004-08-20 03:31:16 UTC
Permalink
There's an XF falcon wagon in Townsville with a lift kit and Sunraysias.
Looks neat, dont know what it would be like to drive/offroad, etc. Agree,
probably better value than a $45k soft roader.
Post by Chris
ive seen 2 inch body lifts done to them and sunrasier rims put on with 29 or
31 inch rims fitted to it it look ok and did have good clearance beat any
soft roader
Post by Kevin
Gday all
often need to drive offroad and the low clearance really fucks things up
on
Post by Kevin
my wb. Thinking of lifting it a few inches (one or 2) to increase the
clearance...
good/bad idea? anyone got any comments on doing it?
will it stuff the handling up?
cheers
Kev
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