A softer ride

macca i have polyairs in the explorer, Royce is correct, unloaded it will be firmer polyair say min of 5psi when unloaded, i put 10psi, allows for any leaks in between checking pressure, but after saying they are a great help when you have a lot of weight in or on the back of the 4b.

Baz.

Thanks Baz & Royce. You confirmed my expectations on the effect. Might just have to reasess and check out the old favourites (OME) they worked a treat with the Cruiser.

Thanks mate, Yeah reckon your right. Might have to go the OME route.

Hi Glenno. I reckon I spoilt them with my old cruiser .
I reckon the suspension is great , nice and firm, hardly any body roll and takes a tow no dramas. At the moment I'm running stupid Geolanders and as soon as a bit more rubber is scrubbed off I'll be putting something more serious on "the bitsaremissin"

Macca what year is your challenger? Leaf or coil rear end? Leaf I am guessing. I bought a 98 challenger second hand about 8 months ago, leaf spring rear end. The guy I bought it off had the suspension upgraded at WA suspensions (not sure what state you are in), 50mm lift, extra leaf in the rear springs, cranked up the torsion bars, new shocks. It works a treat, it's noticeably stiffer that standard, good thing I think. I don't sit in the back but I've taken friends on a few lengthy trips and I've never had any complaints. They say it's a little bit bumpy compared to a sedan but nothing bad. You can notice that the leaf springs do give you a jolt over sharp bumps (eg speed bumps) but that's pretty much the only time. Unless you upgrade to a coil spring rear end you are pretty much stuck with that, due to the higher stiction rate of leaf springs compared to coil springs. Basically the force required to initially bend the leaf spring is higher than that for a coil spring, leafs have better load carrying ability though.

I'm with glenno, your rear seat passengers must be very spoilt, I remember trips in the back of my uncles dual cab hilux and it was like being on the jumping castle at the show. The challenger is a mercedes compared to that.

I test drove a couple of standard 98 challengers and the suspension upgrade is a great improvement. If you are in WA I've only heard good things about WA suspensions.

Out of interest what tyres are you going to upgrade to? I'm in the same boat with the geolanders and will be looking to upgrade soon. Although I can't complain too much about the geolanders as they have got me everywhere I've needed to go so far. Don't really do any mud driving, just sand and rocky tracks. Looking to do the Gibb river road mid year though so I don't think they will cut it for that.

Cookie

Hi Cookie,

I ran Cooper AT's on the Challenger and they were excellent. They are far from Mud tyres, but were great on gravel / dirr roads and great up the beach.

I now have Cooper ST's on the Hilux and they rock. I cant vouch for them on the Challenger though. The ST's survived the Gibb River road with no problems at all.

Cheers,

Glenn.

Hi Cookie
My Challenger is a 2002 (XS) and is coil sprung. They changed to coil in 2000. I had an old 4 skinner some years ago with leaf springs and it had developed the ol' droopy Ars* by the time I traded it in .Even then it was a bone shaker, but and honest wagon. I reckon the seating is much more lush in the old cruiser than the Challenger. I keep getting reminded about letting it go. (Oh Well).
I haven't yet decided on what tyres yet. Had Coopers and BFG on the Toyo and both were great so no doubt will be looking at those when I get to it. Also depends on what my mate can come up with "on mates rates" who runs a tyre outlet. I'll keep monitoring the chatter about tyres here on the forum till I'm ready to go.