This post isn't directly related to having a diesel, but has more to do with Shorties which almost always have a diesel, so I figured I'd get a more accurate answer here.

Betsey 4 (Gen II shorty) has a torsion bar crank up front and stock springs in the rear. When I load her up with gear (mainly my tool kit, sleeping bag, water and beer) it seems to sit a little low in the rear. I want to level her out. I realize I can use spacers, or air bags, but I'd prefer to do the lift with springs.
I read the FAQ over in the general section and found the spring specs for the long wheel base truck but I can't find one for the shorty. I've read tons of posts on springs but they all seem to be for Gen II Monteros or for a Gen I. I still have some un-answered questions about Gen II shorties. I've read about other kits, mostly available through Australia. I'm wondering if I can find an answer closer to home.
Has anyone tried a 4 door spring swap into a two door?
Does anyone know the spring specs for a shorty? (I've found the Gen II LWB info already)
Gen II coils are often put into Gen I trucks, (I assume for a bit of a lift), what are the specs on Gen I coils? Will they provide the 1.5"-2" lift I'm looking for? (I.e. has anyone tried it or knows the spring specs for comparison).
If you have swapped springs how does it ride compared to stock?
Phil and I were talking about this on the weekend and decided that if worse comes to worse we can pull the ones out of his truck, and mine, for a side by side comparison... The problem is that Phil and I like beer, and that will be a multi-beer project which could result in errors.

Cheers
Maurie

Have you checked OME's website?

I have a set of OME springs for my LWB that I have yet to put in. When I do, the old springs are up for grabs. My truck sags a bit to the right, which is why I got the new springs, so I don't know if a spring is shot. Have to pull them to find out. Plan is to do the springs when I do the sliders.

Doug was interested in my springs way back when he was dealing with the same issue with his SWB - but went with airbags in the end.

I wish I knew what kind of rear coil were in my truck. they lifted it about 2.5" from stock and are quite stiff!!! if you want some lift maurie then just buy the OME springs. they are stiffer aswell. or just buy the helper bags. or better yet...just buy my truck!!!! hahaha.

I don't want uber stiff... it's a short wheel base vehicle so stiff springs = stiff necks. I can handle it being a bit stiffer though. IF I get an OME kit that raises the longer hevier truck then imagine how high my truck would end up. If I go with LWB springs I'm thinking I'll get the height I need and only a slightly stiffer ride. The more I read the more I'm thinking spacers aren't a bad thing. You get the lift you need, without having an issue with dramatic change in spring rate. The only thing I don't know (yet) is the impact on wheel articulation. Are the bump stops still used or does the spring just colapse on itself.
I'll keep searching.

well the only way your going to get your truck to carry more weight is put stiffer springs in or helper bags. if you get lift springs with the same spring rate, its still going to sack out in the back when you put gear in it. by the sounds of what you want, air bags are your best option. you can pump them up when you carry some weight. and when your empty your ride quality will be the same as it is now.

my springs/shocks are probably the stiffest anybody has ever seen in a pajero/montero, it is pretty rough on the road but when it comes to off-road it still rides like a couch. but either way it does not give me a "stiff neck".

I've had my pajero loaded with 5 people, overnight bags for everybody, and the roof rack loaded with skis/snowboards and it didn't squat too bad, I could definitely feel the weight as it hovered like a caddy down the highway but it still rode pretty good for how loaded down the B!tch was.

I still think spacers are the way to go. Aside from a slight change in COG, your ride quality will be almost the same as it was before. IMHO the ride from the stock springs can't be beat. Using the air bags for lift adversely affects the ride (stiffens it up a lot, even without much air), so I'll only be using them for load-levelling, at which point the ride shouldn't be affected too much. But for lift, I want some spacers. I wonder what it would cost us to get two sets machined out of aluminum or uhmw?

Shouldn't really affect articulation. Bumpstops are in the same place... panhard bar will push slightly offcenter, but I doubt we'd even notice with an inch and a half of lift...

Then we'd need to crank the front bars a bit more, and chop the bumpstops, to avoid the pogo-stick ride...

Hmmmmmmm......

I forgot about that stupid panhard bar. Is there any adjustment in that thing?
I did some surfing while I was on my coffee break at work and found that spacers are about $120 + shipping. I'm going to try an Ausie site and see how much the Pedder springs are, I'd rather run a spring than a spacer. According to what little info I could find on the Pedder site there is a spring that gives a lift but doesn't make the truck stiffer.
Nigel, I hear what you're saying about your truck, the thing is, I drove my truck hard all weekend with all of my stuff in the back and I loved how it drove, it just sat a little lower than I wanted. It drives best with a couple hundred pounds in the back, it's just low. It's embarrassing to get winched out by an FJ Cruiser, I need more lift so I get stuck less often in the deep snow... and maybe snow tires, but that's a different topic.
Phil, you sound all excited to cut my bump stops... I'm guessing this was on your list of upgrades prior to dumping B4 for B5?
I'm not in big hurry to do this, so if I come across some LWB springs I may try that too, or any other suggestions. From what I've read I'm ruling out air bags. Sounds like most people deflate them when wheeling, so really it doesn't solve any of my issues.

Maurie

What spacers did you find? The ones for the Sequoia? Or specific mitsu ones?

No adjust in the panhard bar. But many are running taller springs than we are, and to my knowlege haven't done anything with it. It could be sleeved and threaded like a tie-rod, and then adjustment would be easy.

Hey, "dumped B4" is a harsh way to put it. I'd prefer "outgrew"... in any event, cutting the snubbers was on the list.

Perhaps you should see Johnny B for spacers. He has made some for the other brand of vehicle.

Has he really? I did not know that! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/kewl.gif" alt="" />