Hey guys, I've decided to keep the old GTV Verada around for a bit longer, so i'm going to need to replace the suspension. At the moment, I assume it has lowered Pedders springs as they are red. The ride is extremely harsh over bumps. I reached up and touched the bump stops and they crumbled to dust. So they will need to be replaced as well. I'm just wondering, if the previous owner only replaced the springs with the pedders and kept the stock shockies, would that combination be enough to wreck the bump stops. I have a feeling they may have cut the springs, as there is only a 25mm gap between the top of the tyre and the wheel arch on the front and a bout a 5mm gap on the rear.
Pedders told me to work out the ride height from the bottom of the wheel to to the bottom of the wheel arch. (Which i thought to be a bit weird as this wouldn't take into consideration the side wall height of the tyre) Front was 590mm and rear was 570mm. They said there lowest setup was 595mm front and rear, any lower and they said it could be cut springs.

Would you recommend replacing both the springs and shockies or just the shockies? Also, with what brand. I would just go for the original lowered GTV setup, but the dealer prices are a rip off.

Also, easy enough to do myself? I can get a pair of spring compressors from a fella at work.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

Not a hard job to do at all just be careful with spring compressors that's all. Get new shocks also and if you do have pedders springs don't buy kyb struts as I have that combo and it rides like crap. Sach is apparently a good brand for a Magna.

Cheers

Mark

Yeah the shocks are what I'm definitely replacing. Was wondering if i could get away with keeping the pedder springs on, as i've heard they can go for the life off the car. However, if the shocks have been buggered for a while, would this damage or lessen the life of the springs? $1123 KYB Shocks, king springs and KYB bump stops or $1180 Monroe Shocks, King Springs and KYB Bump Stops. Prices from Repco. Sound alright?

Sounds a bit expensive.
I think the Sachs shocks are in the $500 range, and springs should only be 300ish

forget kings ..... dobsons or lovells sachs/boge are good ..but konis are in another league

Ok thanks. How do I know I'm getting the correct parts? I'd hate for them to give me standard Magna suspensions and not the lowered GTV stuff.

My understanding is, the lowered suspension setup of the GTV, shares the same front shocks as the magna, however the rear shocks and both front and rear springs are different. Sound about right? Part numbers from repco between the gtv and standard verada were all the same except for the front shockies. Monroe shocks and king springs part numbers.

I just put in dobinsons rear springs and kyb shocks in my tl awd and am pretty happy with the results, rides very well and not harsh at all. I paid 150 odd for rear dobinson springs, kyb shocks under 200. I put some king springs in the rear of my tl wagon and am not impressed with them, too soft for my liking.

Too soft as in body roll or just in general. Repco and supercheap seem only to stock kingsprings which everyone says stay away from.

$1123 KYB Shocks, king springs and KYB bump stops or $1180 Monroe Shocks, King Springs and KYB Bump Stops. Prices from Repco. Sound alright?
That's some pretty ordinary prices to be honest. I paid $1200 a couple of years ago to get King Springs + KYB shocks fitted with a wheel alignment to my old TJ, and this was in the boonies too.

Even on my 380 I think I paid about $300 for Dobinson springs, $550 for KYB shocks and $50 for bumpstops.

Forum sponsor Mits-fix sells Dobinson springs and Boge/Sachs shocks.

Cheers Red, I'll check it out.

Had a look at Mits Fix, can't find any suspensions components. Actually it looks like there are only 6 items in total for the 96-05 magna/verada...am i missing something?

I believe it's best to give him a telephone call.

The number is shown on his website.

1 300 300 274

I found the king springs a bit floaty in the rear, still better than the originals in it but no where near as firm a ride as the dobinsons springs. Dobinsons have a website with shops in most states to pick up from or they can deliver for extra.

The stock GTV setup is the same as a VRX TJ Magna, it's a nice ride and is definitely an improvement on the springs you'd have in say a Executive.
However it's still somewhat floaty at low speeds and doesn't compliment the style of the car, i'd say go for 40mm lowered Dobinsons.