RE: Triangle lift kit

[pharmer <pharmer@domain.elided>]

Al,

I've had a lot of problems.  Not sure if they are related to manufacturing
variability, Triangle, or something about my Scout an ex-diesel 1980.  I've
heard that Triangle springs are great - from quite a lot of folks, so I
assume that most folks will have better experiences than I do.

1.  The first problem that I had was that we couldn't attach the front
driveshaft -
    due to the severe angle it bound up.  I spoke to the folks at GUS, and
they
    said that about one in 10 of the springs do this.  They recommended
grinding
    some of the metal off the ears of the pinion yoke.  Fortunately, after a
week
    the springs had settled sufficiently that this was unnecessary.

2.  Installed with my '75 axles, and the caster was so bad that I wouldn't
let
    anyone borrow it.  Once a mechanic drove it, and later on yelled at me
for not
    warning him.  He was just trying to do about 50 mph.  I finally got
twisted
    axles and a CV joint to address this issue.  That cost something like
$700.
    Causes?
       a.  Off-center spring holes?
       b.  Were the front and rear springs switched?  Hmmm, I'm going out
there
           with a measuring tape this morning!
       c.  I'm just pickier than most folks?
       d.  Something strange about 1980 diesels?
    The twisted axle has helped tremendously, but it still doesn't drive as
nice
    as it did with the original, but saggy springs.

3.  I've got a variety of unusual drivetrain noises.  I suspected that the
severe
    front driveshaft angle was the culprit.  Since I went to a front CV
joint that
    went away.

4.  I didn't like the bouncy behavior.  But, much of that was caused by the
stiff
    KYB shocks in the back.  I went to Rancho 9000s, and was able to adjust
and
    compensate.  Now, the little vibrations are gone, and it's quite
comfortable -
    except that big undulations in the highway make it almost seem like you
are in
    a speedboat hitting the waves.  I think that this is more dependant on
the
    spring rate of the springs, or something along those lines.  It's a
little bad
    on the back after a few hours, but liveable.

The good stuff:

1.  I can hit a *huge* speedbump, or giant drainage dip in the road at 25
mph, and
    the scout cruises over it like it wasn't even there.  This amazes me,
and all
    my unfortunate passengers.

2.  The articulation seems good.

3.  They are stiff enough that I've been running without my front anti-sway
bar.
    But, I think that I might actually have gotten some tire rub on the
fender the
    other day while coming out of a very steep driveway.  For you Colo
Springs
    folks, it was the one outside Predator 4x4.  Anyhow, I've got 32" BFG
MT, and
    a lot of space above those tires - so I never expected wheel rub.  I
still need
    to confirm this.

Good luck,

Ken Farmer
1980 Scout II
1975 Travelall
1974 Travelall





> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-ihc@domain.elided [mailto:owner-ihc@domain.elided]On Behalf Of Al
> Evitts
> Sent: Wednesday, March 03, 1999 10:38 PM
> To: ihc@domain.elided
> Subject: Triangle lift kit
>
>
> Digesters:  Anybody with any experience with the Triangle Springs and
> lift kit.  Price, content, where to get them etc.  TIA
>
> Al
>