A few simple fitting tips

Author: Jack   Date Posted:26 April 2016 

We often get asked if there are any major tips in regards to fitting up suspension. 

 

1. Unless you own a Branick strut compressor, leave the assembly of struts to the professionals. 

Struts on modern day 4WD's are dangerous things, sometimes holding up to and above 2000lbs of pre-load. To make installation quick and safe we offer 99% of our struts with a pre-assembled option, usually for less than $100! We've heard way too many horor stories of $20 spring compressors from your local auto store letting go when compressing a 4WD spring and nearly taking someones head off. Putting it simply, if you don't own a Branick (picture below), grab the pre-assembled struts. It could save your life

The Branick Strut Compressor is the ONLY tool that will do the job of assembling 4WD mini-struts

2. Tighten ALL rubber bushes at ride height.

We've all heard the stories, "My **** brand struts chopped out the bushes in 3 months". The reason for this 99.9% of the time is either the bushes were not tightened at ride height, or HD springs were used when they shouldn't have been. 

To ensure that your bushes last the life of your suspension parts, make sure that you only do the bolts up finger tight until the vehicle is back on the ground, and then torque to factory specifications. 

Tighten your rubber bushes at ride height to make sure that your bushes don't end up like these

3. Don't select constant load springs unless you have that constant load

This is another "my mate told me" scenario. We have a lot of customers that come to us requesting HD coils with only a factory plastic bumper, because their mates "told them to"
We recommend only fitting a heavy or HD coil if you have the accessories fitted that require a heavy or HD coil (for example a bar and winch combo). If the wrong spring is fitted, it can & will:

  • Ruin the ride, HD springs are exactly that, HD. Without the added weight of accessories it will make the ride firm
  • Destroy your shocks, It will end up topping out your shocks which will lead to failure of the top seal, strut mount, lower bushes and in some cases, the integrity of the lower leg. 
  • Destroy your bushes, As we mentioned in point 2, fitting the wrong springs will cause your lower bushes to fail, quickly!
  • Void your warranty, Suspension manufacturers WILL NOT warrant failed components when they have been fitted incorrectly, or have the incorrect specification parts needed for your vehicle