Technical 4x4 Lifting options (low) budget

[Hharbers]

Want to lift my 4x4 but I can not affort/ want to buy a expensive set from rialzi so want to cobble lift kit together with tools and diy from my shed.

Situation:
1987 (141a) panda 4x4,
13inch wheels,
145-80r13 knobbly tires,
no heavy bullbars winches etc
Goals is to lift is 4-5 cm

After reading lots and lots of posts on this forum but also on italian (thru google translation) I found lots of information
Sadly none of this information is complete enough to use it as a guide to modify my car

I think I have gathered the information about possible solutions and want to put it togeher in one post to discuss and add other solutions.


Hope that people, like kolza and bartpanda, who have written helpfull information in older post are still active on forum to confirm my findings
If it is correct it may be also usefull to other mebers

To keep post not to long I start with lifting front:

This is what I found: (correct me if i'm wrong)

Best to start with new (stock) shock absorbers (euse old ones when OK)
(what is best gas/oil or oil filled) any afforable brands to recommend ?

Option 1:
replace stock coil by longer/stiffer Skoda Favorit hatchback1988-95 rear coil ->
Done by Bartpanda?? Result on his nose heavy panda (Henry)?

Option 2:
replace stock coil by longer/stiffer Rover 25 coil (cut 1/2 coil from top) ->
done by Kolza result 44mm lift

Option 3:
aluminium 30mm spacers below stock coil spring
Stock coil will be more stiff by pretension, so less sag by nose weight
Lift result?

Option 4:
spacer on top of strut and spacer below coil to stiffen it
Lift result?

Option 5 :
Install 40-50mm spacer on top of strut, need to make bolt on top longer

option 1 & 2 & 3:
Pro: full extendend strut length stays the same, no risk of cracking drive shaft/gearbox without flange modification
less risk of bottoming springs
Con: stiffer coils affect handeling,

option 4
Pro: Cheap with scrap piece of Teflon/PVC on lathe
nu big change in stiffness of spring
Con: Longer extended length of strut, when fully extended risk of damage gearbox/drive shaft: flange modification needed

Option 5:
Pro: Cheap with scrap piece of Teflon/PVC on lathe
No need to dismante springs
Con: Longer length of strut, when fully extended risk of damage gearbox/drive shaft: flange modification needed
looks scary to me

Correct front camber option
-M12 excentric camber bolts (I found a set on amazon for only € 25,-)
-Elongate top hole to bean shape 1-2 mm more to outside
-Replace M12 top bolt to M10bolt (not recommended to my opinion)

In my opinion I would opt for the Rover or Skoda Spring solution with excentric camber bolts
No wearing plastic parts added, less risk of breaking things as geometry stays the same.
Rover +44mm result would be perfect, no infromation how much lift the skoda favorit sping will do on stock pand

Please give your opions about my thougts

 

[bugsymike]

I used this sort on an old Ford Mondeo as rear springs a bit weak after 190,000 miles as a Taxi.
Paid £130 at auction ran it for a few years and weighed it in at scrapyard full of old metal for £133.

 

[Dragon Man]

im a bit unsure about rialzi.. i spent almost £2.5k on the 04/08/2024. my last lot of messages seem to have been ignored :/
now on the 12/01/2025.. still waiting for updates :/

also dont bother buying custom leaf springs from anywhere in England. i have tried 3 places, 2 said to not bother as its too hard to make them and the last one i took my old springs to said they would copy them and make them more beefy but ive been waiting since april last year for them to be made. these are for Project Monster
again paid for them, and heard nothing. no email replies and phone ringing out.
im having no luck with my projects as usual... people think im lazy but im as always waiting on others.