| Suspension |
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| Springs |
| All Sportages use coil springs both front and rear as they provide better suspension control over all surface conditions though don't cope with heavy loads as well as older style leaf springs. Replacing the factory coil springs has two benefits depending on your choice of manufacturer and type of spring. I've fitted a set of King Springs (www.kingsprings.com.au) which are readily available throughout Australia and are well suited to our unique conditions. Other brands such as Eibach are excellent quality but don't seem stand up well over time to our rough roads quite as well and their handling characteristics are more road orientated. If you're a 100% road user and want the handling to be as 'car like' as possible then the Eibachs could be for you. The Kings Springs have improved ground clearance by over 40mm but more importantly cope with loads far better than factory springs which sag quite readily giving the Sportage a 'nose up' appearance. A set of King Springs cost me less than $400 AUD (fitted) and was money well spent in my opinion. Whilst I had no clearance problems with larger tyres on the factory suspension, the additional tyre clearance is definitely worthwhile. The rear springs are very easy to fit with basically a jack, socket set and a couple of spanners, and 20 minutes of your time. However the fronts struts I'd definitely leave to a suspension shop. |
| Shock Absorbers |
| The factory shocks once again are quite acceptable for everyday use though should be replaced every 36 months or so depending on driving style and conditions. The factory units are a little 'soft' for my liking. I'm told KYB and Koni also make replacement struts and are of excellent quality and at least the Koni's are rebuildable though quite costly. The rear shocks are a different story; for most road-bound Sportages I'd probably look at changing the rear shocks (and springs) on the longer body Australian Sportages tend to be hard on the rear shocks in off-road situations. The combination of additional load carrying capacity and rough tracks causes heat to build up within the shock which will eventually lose its damping abilities and making for a rough ride. I've finally found a truck shock that is suited to the Sportage rear end; it has a much larger bore diameter to help prevent heat build up and the firmer valving provides better spring control especialler under load. It is also longer than the factory shock and will compliment the longer springs for even more axle articulation and wheel travel. The manufacturer is 'Cross Country' and are available locally here in Brisbane for about $200 AUD for a set of two. Drop me a line if you want to buy a set and I'll put you in touch with the supplier. One point though; because of the larger bore and stiffer valving these can be quite 'harsh' and not as compliant as road orientated shocks. However if you often tow, carry a load in the back or have your own tribe (ie multiple kids !) then these will do fine. Fitting is easy; all of 20 minutes with a 17mm spanner, socket and a hammer; no jack required ! |
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| Underside shot of the rear suspension. As you can see the blue big bore extended 'Cross Country' shocks are quite obvious as are the +40mm King Springs and the orange 'Polyair' inflatable spring inserts. Combined with the 30" tyres (still on factory alloy rims) this combination gives excellent rear wheel travel for off road work. The load carrying capacity, towing ability and general handling are vastly improved and definitely well worth the effort. The Polyair inserts are inflated via a tyre valve located behind one of the side step brackets for easy access yet are protected by the bracket from damage. Plans soon for some underbody protection in the form of some aluminium plate particularly for the plastic fuel tank clearly seem on the right of the picture. |
| Polyair Inserts |
| Polyair coil spring inserts are ideal for any vehicle that is subject to frequent towing or carrying heavy loads. They will take a lot of stress off the rear suspension by providing an air cushion within the coils and will maintain ground clearance. They are adjustable from 10 - 40 psi via tyre valves and inflated via a normal tyre pump or compressor. They aren't cheap; around $400 AUD but will certainly help the longevity of the suspension and prevent a lot of underbody scraping in heavy conditions off the beaten track. Quite easy to fit for anybody with a bit of know-how but a second pair of hands will make the job far easier. |
| This is a shot of the front suspension clearance with the front wheels at full lock; no problem at all as you can see though 40mm longer springs have been fitted. The tyres are 30x9.5/15 BFGoodrich T/A's on factory rims. The sway bar (foreground) can be easily removed to provide up to an amazing 10" (254mm) of travel; truly exceptional for an independent front suspension. The only other modification are Monroe Sensa-Trac front struts which provide better front end damping and improve handling greatly over the factory units. |
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| Above : the factory rear shock absorbers compared to the new 'Cross Country' truck shocks both compressed and extended. The larger bore diameter resists heat build up which causes the oil inside the shock to foam and the shock will lose its damping ability and eventually to fail completely. The longer housing allows greater wheel travel particularly when combined with the longer springs. |
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| Aftermarket Suspension Kits |
| Previously on this site I mentioned 'Tough Dog' suspensions available for the Kia. I've since been advised that this has now been discontinued by the manufacturer. I haven't been able to confirm this as yet but have no reason to doubt it. However I did get a response from Timothy Wojciechowski who is the IT & Marketing Manager of Ironman Suspension. These guys offer a complete solution to improving the factory Kia Sportage set-up (often criticised in reviews) with a 2" lift spring & shock absorber kit. The shocks feature a foam cell, arc welded construction so should be more than up to the job. Check out their website at www.ironmansuspension.com They're situated in Victoria but offer online ordering and are very happy to answer any questions you may have. Give them a call on 1300 731 137 or e-mail them via the website. The part numbers (and prices current as at August 2003) are : Springs - Front (pair) KIA001B $ 150 + GST Springs - Rear (pair) KIA002B $ 150 + GST Strut - Front (each) 12770GR $ 180 + GST Shocks - Rear (each) 12771GR $ 110 + GST '20 KIA' will soon be sporting at least a front set of these struts so will let you know how we go ! |
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