Now that it's all done (except for the alignment) I thought i'd post up some details about what I installed and why.
So living in Canada can make things a lot more costly to source. With the low Canadian dollar and insane shipping/freight charges from the US to Canada we really have to do our homework sometime.
After much research (too much I think) I settled on the Ironman 4x4 Suspension package. I wanted something relatively simple, that I knew would get the job done for me. Their is always a risk of choosing the wrong product, but it can happen with the most expensive suspension components as easily as more budge minded ones from my experience and from what I've seen.
I purchased the Ironman suspension package directly from the Ironman distributor in Calgary. The gal there was more than helpful, and knowledgeable. The kit came with front and rear foam-cell shocks, front heavy duty coils, rear heavy duty leaf springs, non-adjustable shackles, replacement U-bolts, and the bushing kit for the leaf springs. I paid $800 Canadian for the whole kit. (I was quoted as high as $1500 Canadian from other sources for the same kit)
I also purchased the SPC UCA's, 1" top plate coil spacers, new top hats wit hlonger studs pressed into them, and adjustable rear shackles from Nisstec. (I wanted to the adjustable shackles to be able to fine tune my rear ride height more than the non-adjustable ones that came with the Ironman package would allow. The adjustable ones will also give me some adjustability down the road if and when the leaf springs settle. I figured it was worth the investment since I was ordering from Nisstec). With the crap exchange rate, the Nisstec items cost a fair bit, but I knew I needed the SPC UCA's if I wanted to get the job down right. I also had the Nisstec parts shipped to a drop ship place just across the border ans went and picked them up myself, saving the hefty brokerage fees that shippers charge)
First impressions? Well, the Ironman parts seem very well built. The rear leaf spring packs are monstrous. The stock leaf packs cringed and ran away to hide when they saw what was replacing them. The shocks also look very well built, and certainly physically larger than the stock shocks they replaced. The front coil springs are also quite large and beefy. I could not get the regular coil spring compressors in between the coils to compress them myself. The diameter of the coils just prevented it. I had to take the components to a shop to get them assembled. I also purchased new top coil hat rubber rings so that the new coilovers were comprised of 100% new parts. I did not re-use any parts from the stock coilovers.
The SPC UCA's are also very well built. They come with an extra bolt so you can cut the stock one off that cannot easily be removed due to it's proximity to the steering box. I shaved down the coil bucket slightly (as others have done) to eliminate any chance of the rubber boot on the UCA contacting and ripping or tearing it. The Nisstec adjustable rear shackles sure look like a proper piece of kit, again hefty and well made and easily installed.
As she sits now, I've gained 2" at the front and 3" at the rear. I am on the fence about the 1" rake, but will let it ride for a bit to see how much the leaf packs settle. If the rake stays the same I do have the option of replacing the Nisstec adjustable shackles (on the lowest setting now) with the Ironman shackles which are slight shorter. I like options.
Miss X splits her time between being the Wife's daily driver (for now, but that is likely to change soon), towing our travel trailer (I am excited that this new setup will make for a far more capable and stable tow vehicle), a general exploring and adventure vehicle, and her newest incarnation; an overland style capable rig.
She goes in for an alignment on Wednesday, and I'll get the front dif fluid changed out in the next day or two as well. (Just as a precaution as a few ounces of fluid dripped out when the axle pulled out, and I used a fair amount of grease to get that dang C-clip to slide back into place)
I will be installing the ARB bumper and winch during our 4 day Easter long weekend, and if time permits I'll work on the dual battery set-up and complete running the wiring for my new Dometic CF-50 fridge.
I think that about covers it for now. Sorry for the random ramblings.
Cheers.
