Suspension stuff

[yellowK20]

Well guys I just spent the entire afternoon reading 4-link threads in COG. Theres alot of good info in there......... actually probaly too much I'm no closer to figureing out a rear suspension then I was before. I've pretty much ruled out a leaf spring rear suspension. because of departure angle concerns. i'm leaning towrds a 4-link but the task seems a little daunting. my main isssues are what to use for a spring??? Coils,Coilovers,Airbags,Airshocks, Capped hydro rams,1/4 eliptic, torsionbar/linkarm setup???? I'm thinking coils is out unless I have some made with the spring rate i'll need . 1/4 eliptic seems to be to "heavy" and "bulky'' . Coilovers and airshocks....expensive. Airbags and capped rams seem kind of ghetto . And the torsion setup seems cool but probaly beyond my ability to setup effectively.

And then theres the radiusarm/track bar idea or the "onelink" trailer ball setups

I'm a Bit stumped here guys what works what doesn't

 

[olejunky]

i don't run a blazer but my truck started out as a half ton chevrolet. I 4 linked mine with 4 lift grand cherokee front coil springs, don't have anything to complain about. The other advice i have is i did all the research all the drawings and what it came down to was advice i got from some guys at a urocc competition. (who were competing) THey said when building it's simple make the lower links as long and level as possible nothing over a 10 degree angle. And the upper ones as close the same length as the lower ones and they have to be level. To help with stabilizing the axle left to right i angled my lower links in towards the fram about 4 inches and it works great i flex so much i have ruined 2 shocks because of over extension i can post pics if you want. I love mine wouldn't change it for anything

 

[yellowK20]

well my rig isn't a blazer either it's gonna be a 93 K3500 ex-cab with sas I'd like to see some pics if you have them

 

[olejunky]

i'll have to take some pics when i get a chance are you planning on leaving the entire body on yours and trying to street it also, or is this a trail only rig also i will have to try and dig some pics up of the springs mounted and everything because about 2 days ago i cut all the spring mounts off and everything is cleaned up awaiting some 2.5 fox shocks but i can give you pics of my links

 

[yellowK20]

it's gonna be street-legal ......well in New Mexico anyways . The cab and front clip will be mostly intact Minus some extensive trimming and square tube rockers But rear will be bobbed and receive a "bedcage" there is a chance that might hang some Skins on it but that would be much later down the road. do you think its worth screwing with Coilsprings???? or should I just go with Coilovers or Airshocks right away????

 

[olejunky]

if you have the money i would definitely go with coilovers or the airshocks i went through several different kind of springs before i found the ones that i liked. I have a trail only rig so i wasn't so concerned with how it handles anywhere but on the trails. Your plan is a little more complicated. In my opinion it would be hard to get coil springs that would handle good enough for you on the road and still be soft enough for good compression and drop offroad. Even with the springs that i ran i could easily over extend them on droop and i made my coil spring mounts where the top allowed the spring to slide up and down about 5" before it even started pulling on the spring at all. So i would definitely consider coilovers or air shocks if you have the $$$$$$$$$. i only had 80 bucks in my 4" lift grand cherokee springs compared to 650 bucks for air shocks

 

[yellowK20]

650 for 2 coilovers??? or for one??? Also what info do you need to know before ordering a set?? I really only want to do this once I realize thats a lofty goal but I want to get everything ironed out before I start cutting My plan is to get the truck running, do the SAS on the front with 56" springs and then move to the rear

 

[ntsqd]

FIW I'd stay away from air shocks. They work fairly well in a lightweight buggy, but as the vehicle gets heavier they go downhill fast. The problem with them is that they have a rapidly rising spring rate and a spring rate that varies substantially with the temperature of the air in them.

 

[olejunky]

i am not realy familiar with coilovers but i have done quite a bit of research on the fox shocks which are charged with oil and nitrogen not air so they don't react to heat or cold very much at all. Because the nitrogen is very stable, they do have a high spring rate. I went with them because they seemed alot easier for me to use, mainly because you can set them up once you get them yourself no ordering springs to go with them or figuring out what you need by guessing the coil over thing had me cross-eyed. there is a great write up on the air shocks on pirate 4x4 on the tech page it is a good read i recommend it

 

[yellowK20]

Thanks guys for your replys It's Cool stuff to learn about


"Fox Airfloat shoxs" like the ones for ATV's ???? Nitrogen charged would be probaly the way to go .........

 

[ntsqd]

For that heavy of a machine I'd really look into the rising spring rate aspect. A little rising rate is a good thing. Those tend to have much more than that.
BTW the heat affecting the increase in spring rate isn't from ambient conditions, it's from rapid cycling of the shock. Whether charged with air (~70% nitrogen) or with 100% nitrogen (what I'd recommend) the pressure will be affected to a noticable amount. If you're able to run them at low charge pressures (which I doubt is possible on a machine that size) then the increase may not be a problem. The higher the charge pressure the more noticable the increase should be.

 

[olejunky]

when searching for info just be sure that you are looking at the fox shocks 2.0 or 2.5 there are alot of different kinds out there but those are the only ones that replace your suspension they have a 7/8 shaft and spherical joints top and bottom to allow for the travel and i really wouldn't worry about changes in temp and usage to make them react different it says right in the article on pirate 4x4 that if ther is a change it is so minimal you won't notice it. That article also gives you tips on how to set them up and what he set his up at and what the weight of his vehicle is very useful info have fun you are already 6 months ahead of me when i started it took me 3 differetn designs on my links before i got it right where i wanted it