Trim Packers

Trim Packers

Postby Jacobie on Thu Feb 09, 2017 1:10 pm

Hey all, Couldn't see a thread on this.

Has any one used trim packers? I have Iron man suspensions foam cell and want to lift the front end a bit, but would rather not use spacers. Apparently these come in 5, 10 or 15mm and are 2:1 ration, so a 5m spacer will give 10mm lift (hopefully I got the ration right lol).

http://www.ironman4x4.com/category-products/suspension/trim-packers

The strut has to be disassembled for them to go in as they are situated under the bottom coil seat. So my question is, would this be a better alternative to a strut spacer, they are $20 or $25 each? This is also specifically for iron man struts, other company's make ones to suite their own struts.
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Re: Trim Packers

Postby jerrah on Thu Feb 09, 2017 1:32 pm

I believe it would be ok. It would increase the pre-load on the springs not unlike a motorcycle rear shock.
I've heard ultimate use a similar item to customize ride heights.
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Re: Trim Packers

Postby Jacobie on Thu Feb 09, 2017 1:40 pm

Yeah I heard another name for it being thrown around, "Coil seat spacer" not to sure if that's the same thing as a coil spring spacer in the coil sprung set ups though. Not sure what Ultimate use but I think that's another way of doing it.
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Re: Trim Packers

Postby Jrosey on Thu Feb 09, 2017 5:47 pm

Ultimate do sell a spacer. It is positioned under the spring and is legal. I put a set in my previous MN as I had added a bullbar and some other gear after the Ultimate suspension upgrade. Brought it back up to height. You will need some one with the correct spring compression gear as it is extremely risky using cheap gear to compress these springs.
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Re: Trim Packers

Postby Jacobie on Fri Feb 10, 2017 7:24 am

Cheers Jrosey, Is that the ones that sit under the coil inside the assembly? The ones I'm looking at (iron man) its a spacer underneath the seat or bucket for the spring, so somehow you have to take apart the strut. Not sure exactly how to do it, but to my understanding I wont need to take the spring out.
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Re: Trim Packers

Postby jerrah on Fri Feb 10, 2017 9:33 am

You need to take the tension off the spring so spring will have to come out.
If it's anything like I've seen before you would undo the top bolt, take off the top spring seat, spring out, slide bottom seat out the fit the spacer then reassemble.
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Re: Trim Packers

Postby Jacobie on Fri Feb 10, 2017 9:40 am

Even if the spacer is like this?

Click to view larger picture
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Re: Trim Packers

Postby Geoff3DMN on Fri Feb 10, 2017 10:46 am

Pre-loading the springs will act to increase the ride height but it reduces the available spring travel and it doesn't increase the spring rate so you need to balance increased ride height against possible increased bottoming out (and topping out) of suspension due to reduced travel.
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Re: Trim Packers

Postby jerrah on Fri Feb 10, 2017 11:41 am

Jacobie wrote:Even if the spacer is like this?

How would you suggest to install a steel/alloy band at the bottom of a strut without first removing the spring?
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Re: Trim Packers

Postby Jacobie on Fri Feb 10, 2017 11:47 am

Well I've got no clue, obviously you'd have to take the strut out, but from there I've got no clue on how the strut is actually put together.
Thinking about it, it would make sense to have to completely dissemble the assembly. Just thought I'd provide a clear picture of what it looked like.
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Re: Trim Packers

Postby Jrosey on Fri Feb 10, 2017 12:04 pm

The hole strut needs to be removed from the vehicle. The Spring then needs to be compressed using the correct gear and skills. The nut on top of the strut and then the top hat is removed followed by the compressed spring. The spacer is then slid down the strut to the seat and the assembly is reversed to the dismantle steps. Sounds simple but far safer for a good mechanic to do the job. Should cost in the vicinity of $350 as there is quite a bit of work involved. Also it would be advisable to have an alignment done after the work.
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Re: Trim Packers

Postby Geoff3DMN on Fri Feb 10, 2017 12:34 pm

Jrosey wrote:Should cost in the vicinity of $350 as there is quite a bit of work involved. Also it would be advisable to have an alignment done after the work.


This is what I don't get about this, you can buy a spring with a higher spring rate and get that fitted to your existing strut for not much more than that.
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Re: Trim Packers

Postby Jacobie on Fri Feb 10, 2017 3:55 pm

Thanks for that Jrosey, I called up fourby's and they reckon $150 to fit and then the $40 for both spacers.
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Re: Trim Packers

Postby ls2cruiser on Sun Feb 12, 2017 11:35 am

That is a very good price for all that work. You will definitely need a wheel alignment as any lift will increase toe - in and that will need to be adjusted. Expect your ride to be a slight bit stiffer as there is more tension on the spring. You will also need to adjust rubber bump stop to chassis clearance as lift will decrease clearance of the top stopper and increase it on the bottom stopper.
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Re: Trim Packers

Postby ag9111 on Sun Feb 12, 2017 11:44 am

Do not adjust your bump stop.
you are not increasing or adjusting your wheel travel. The bump stops are there to stop things crashing into each other under extreme compression in the case of the top bump
By cutting down your bump stops you increase that chance.
Member on here did that and damaged his upper control arm he initially argued the point but admitted he was wrong later.
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Re: Trim Packers

Postby ls2cruiser on Sun Feb 12, 2017 7:45 pm

Lifting a vehicle will change the distance to your upper and lower stops. They will need to be modified back to stock clearance as I have just done to my MQ
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Re: Trim Packers

Postby Jacobie on Mon Feb 13, 2017 7:33 am

ag9111, I know who you are talking about. I don't think I'd cut them down or get smaller ones.

I will be getting an alignment afterwards.
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Re: Trim Packers

Postby ag9111 on Mon Feb 13, 2017 8:55 am

ls2cruiser wrote:Lifting a vehicle will change the distance to your upper and lower stops. They will need to be modified back to stock clearance as I have just done to my MQ


Ist sentence is correct.
2nd is incorrect as you have not changed your wheel travel. Only the spot your vehicle sits within the existing travel.
modified stops risk damage.
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Re: Trim Packers

Postby L200Shogun on Mon Feb 13, 2017 9:13 pm

Jacobie wrote:Even if the spacer is like this?

Click to view larger picture


These are fine to use. Ultimate, Out back Armour and TJM are a few others that also use coil spacers.
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Re: Trim Packers

Postby Jacobie on Tue Feb 14, 2017 7:40 am

Cheers L200Shogun, I was almost about to get strut spacers too, I'm glad i came across these before i bout the strut spacers aha.
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