My guilty secret

[TijmenvdS]

Die eerste keer toe ek daai geel ding sien oor die diff by Hennops vra ek toe vir Tinus wat is dit en hy vertel my toe dis n X-Link. Ek het nogsteeds nie geweet wat dit is nie maar nou ja. Gisteraand het ek die raak gelees en is uiters indrukwekkend.
Het jy dalk weer oorweeg om dit te verkoop en hoe moeilik is dit om die caster correction aan te pas vir verskillende lifts?

[Peter Connan]

Tijmen, a year and a half later I am still struggling to find shocks that can actually take advantage of this system (unless one is prepared to extend the shock mounts into the engine bay).

Also, I reckon the costs probably don't make sense, as by the time you have included shocks, you can probably buy a Chinese selectable locker for the same money. Now this has some advantages over a locker, but ultimately the locker will provide more traction...

[TijmenvdS]

I am not scared of a grinder, also one of the tools need when I weld

For now I am still looking forward to experimenting with the rear LDS. I haven't checked how easy it is to modify the shock towers but If I start modifying I want to do it all in one go including bushes etc. I am still looking for someone who has a kit for a 4"-6" lift, I don't know if I am correct to assume that with that lift the shocks would be quite longer which if I understand correctly with an X-Link one would be able to utilise more travel than the lift alone provides, limited again to the radius arm bushes.

[Alex Roux]

Tijmen, a year and a half later I am still struggling to find shocks that can actually take advantage of this system (unless one is prepared to extend the shock mounts into the engine bay).

Also, I reckon the costs probably don't make sense, as by the time you have included shocks, you can probably buy a Chinese selectable locker for the same money. Now this has some advantages over a locker, but ultimately the locker will provide more traction...

Hi Tijmen

This is where a body lift can help you in combination of a 2" suspension lift.
I have the X-link installed on my V8.
In addition, the body lift has enabled me to use the additional space above the shock towers without having to open up into the engine bay.
The shock towers were made longer with spacers (also courtesy of Peter), and this enabled me to put longer shocks in.

Since the last modifications, I have not driven up a ramp yet to see how high I can get while still with traction on all fours.
But I am sure it is more than it used to be!

However what Peter said is very true.
You have better balance with more flex, so the more flex you have the better irrespective.
But when it comes to traction, with all the flex in the world, a locker with less flex can still climb the obstacle more easily.

[Alex Roux]

ShockTower.jpg (404.01 KiB) Viewed 11194 times

[SJC]

Tijmen, a year and a half later I am still struggling to find shocks that can actually take advantage of this system (unless one is prepared to extend the shock mounts into the engine bay).

Wonder of Theuhan se shock mounts gemodify is?: http://patrol4x4.co.za/viewtopic.php?f=65&t=7064#p86706

[Peter Connan]

Tijmen, extending the front shock mounts is actually quite easy, as the shock brackets are bolt-on items.

The only problem is whether or not you have something installed inside the engine bay at that point. In my case, I have my second battery exactly there, and the only other place it can be is in the back of the car, which is not a prospect that fills me with enthusiasm.

As for a lift, a suspension lift only helps if you also extend the bump-stops, but that limits flex again. If you don't extend the bump-stops, then the suspension must be able to compress the same amount, and thus you can't fit longer shocks...

Fanus, from what I can see of that photo, the flex is all at the back. The back end of the Patrol can as far as I understand it easily accomodate longer shocks, and a lot more flex (from standard) is available there.

[Peter Connan]

Long overdue for an update

Some info on shock lengths.

Standard Nissan: 480mm extended, 289mm retracted, 191mm stroke.
Old Man Emu Nitro-charger: 496mm extended, 301mm retracted, 200mm stroke.

There are some longer shocks available, such as the Old Man Emu 60018, which is 617mm extended, 359mm retracted and 258mm stroke. But to fit a shock like that, you need to extend the top of the shock up into the engine bay or put on a big lift AND (critically) extend the bump stops by at least 58mm. This is the longest shock I found in the Old Man Emu catalog.

As mentioned before, I didn't want to do either of those and that still isn't enough stroke to really get the X-link flexed out.

I ended up with custom-made shocks from Bilstein. These have external reservoirs to extend the stroke length, and I lifted the shock towers 25mm up by placing spacers under them. This made the shocks quite difficult to fit, but they do. My custom Bilsteins are :
617mm extended, 345mm retracted, 272mm stroke.

The X-link can actually handle a stroke of 320mm, but the springs fall out at anything over about 280mm.
Due to the fact that the shock are mounted further inboard than the wheel, I now have 465mm of wheel movement measured at the centre of the tread (front axle only).

I also had to modify the bushes and the bush washers to make sure I don't snap off the shock rod.

[petrol]

Hello Peter

Are these shox front only or front and rear?
What was the cost if you dont mind me asking

[Peter Connan]

Martin, I only had the front shocks done, but would like a set of longer shocks on the rear as well one day. They will of course be different.

As for cost, sorry. Let's just say they quoted me R6k for the two.