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Suspension Travel

PeteH

PeteH

1/2 ton status
Joined
Mar 26, 2003
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Location
San Jose
just wondering if anyone has some real suspension travel numbers(up and down).
56s/63s/linked,wrap bars,shackleflip..even ttb ford? i want to know what you have?
the reason i ask is that i'm still stuck on the prerunner idea...of having the shackle in the normal up right position. yes the shackle flip turns the shackle around and gives you lift, and minimizes wrap., but the spring will be flat? some ranger peep (prerunner) flip their shackle mounts upright like ours and use bigger springs with bigger arc. with more arc it gets to move more . I think if you dialed it in correctly you could get a lot of droop and definetly get a lot of tire stuffage. my thought on springs, also is that it will be better for weight distribution along the frame in stead of linked(even though i wouldnt mind some coilovers out back.:D )
then there is of couse the toyotas that have the spring along the frame, the shackle attatces to the top of the frame rail and the frame rail goes through the shackle and the spring attatches the the shackle underneath the frame.

i dont want to start an heated argument saying that yours is the best, but i do want to get a discussion....:wink1:
 
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I have stock 56s in the front. I get around 14" of droop and 2" of compression... if the frame doesn't flex first.

I have stock 64s in the rear. I get around 11" of droop and 6" of compression.

I expect to get more droop when I get heavier tires and axles under it. It flexes more than necessary as it is. I'll also be relocating the rear springs to under the frame, hopefully that doesn't cause an instability issue. Right now I can burn donuts on dry asphalt.
 
:D thanks for reply , i like the travel #'s...what axles are you planning to put under it and what tires?
 
he has a 10 bolt front and 14 bolt rear and i beleive hes gonna be running 1 tons
 
CyberSniper said:
I have stock 56s in the front. I get around 14" of droop and 2" of compression... if the frame doesn't flex first.

I have stock 64s in the rear. I get around 11" of droop and 6" of compression.

I expect to get more droop when I get heavier tires and axles under it. It flexes more than necessary as it is. I'll also be relocating the rear springs to under the frame, hopefully that doesn't cause an instability issue. Right now I can burn donuts on dry asphalt.
Click to expand...


why only 2" compression?
I havent had the time to try and figure this stuff out.. but my stock leafs... well 6" superlifts... stock length I get MAAAAD compression.... to which I want to put a bumpstop to stop from flexing into the cab and upper wheel well.....

my droop is not GREAT but ok.... my shocks are limiting me..... this is gonna be a summer project....
RootFlex2.jpg

RootFlex.jpg




truck flexes better on droop... just this is where it came down when I shut the truck off.....






<hijack off>
 
RootBreaker said:
why only 2" compression?
I havent had the time to try and figure this stuff out.. but my stock leafs... well 6" superlifts... stock length I get MAAAAD compression.... to which I want to put a bumpstop to stop from flexing into the cab and upper wheel well.....
Click to expand...

The leaf springs in the front are damn near flat. I only have 2" before I hit the bumpstops. I can't raise the bumpstops any more because if I do the pitman arm will get stuck between the U-bolt nuts. I already had sticks get caught up in the suspension and almost kill me and a passenger... turned right, the truck leaned to the left, the pitman arm got bound up, and I couldn't turn until I slowed down.

I've been looking for a set of used 4" lift 56" springs but the ones I do find I can usually get for a hundred bucks more brand new.

I know I can get more droop out of the front springs. They're not really all that arched compared to shackle angle and such. They aren't even on the stock keepers yet. If I have someone sit on the tire I can get an easy 2" more flex.

PeteH said:
:D thanks for reply , i like the travel #'s...what axles are you planning to put under it and what tires?
Click to expand...

My goal is 44" TSLs but I'd probably run 42" TSLs, 42" IROKs, or 44" Boggers (in that order). In reality, 42" TSLs are more suited to what I want to do but it snows a lot here so I want some wide tires for snow wheeling... and 42" TSLs are the same width as my 40" TSLs... and 42" IROKs are another 1.5" skinnier. 42" IROKs are 3" skinnier than 44" TSLs. I'm going to have a difficult time funding tires at all this year with all the money going into axle parts so there is no way I can afford a set of TRXUS ATs for snow wheeling. I'll never have the motor to turn 44" Boggers but I can run them until I find another set of tires.

The current plans are to run this axle:
2_s.jpg


and this axle:
02_S.jpg
 
[hijack] Re: Ranger pre-rnnrs changing to compression shackles. I don't see that much in the Dez, but I haven't looked at many Rangers either. I'll make a point of looking at the next race. Yoters & S-10's come w/ comp shackles.

Something I think that is often overlooked about tension shackles is that they offer more free droop than a compression shackle, IF they are laid out right.
They can 'free-fall' in droop gaining some zero rate wheel travel.
It's just much harder to make lifts work with them and non-stock springs mean lots of work to get them back in the right place.[/hijack]
 
There is a thread on here with a couple of guys not using a shackleflip and extending the shackle. I have seen pics in the last week or so, but I cant find the thread now.
 
ntsqd said:
...It's just much harder to make lifts work with them and non-stock springs mean lots of work to get them back in the right place.
Click to expand...

but theres still those who get custom leaf springs and use track bars but still flip it..why not just just track bar, custm springs and no shackle flip.(y spend money on that). oh yea, i always see you on rdc. what would you think bout putting the spring under the axle like some of the dzrt trucks? it would even help slide the axle over rocks in some situations. and help out with wrap.


Leper said:
There is a thread on here with a couple of guys not using a shackleflip and extending the shackle. I have seen pics in the last week or so, but I cant find the thread now.
Click to expand...

Bubba Ray Boudreaux's doing it and hes getting some nice flex.
 
PeteH said:
but theres still those who get custom leaf springs and use track bars but still flip it..why not just just track bar, custm springs and no shackle flip.(y spend money on that). oh yea, i always see you on rdc. what would you think bout putting the spring under the axle like some of the dzrt trucks? it would even help slide the axle over rocks in some situations. and help out with wrap.
Click to expand...
Looking for an old posting of mine I see that I didn't spot this.
I don't see a huge advantage to a tracbar in the rear, and it could quite easily hurt articulation.
As to spring-under, in this application it isn't the most ideal as it hurts clearence. If you're trying to build a multipurpose rig then maybe. Individual call on that.
 
Prerunners usually put the springs under the axle for spring wrap reasons. there are alot of theorys out there and what might work in a lighter truck may not work in a heavier truck. I have 60" Dodge springs on my blazer with the shackles pointing down and really cheap shocks and I can nearly keep up with some trucks around here with prerunner style suspensions. They are not cheaply built trucks either. If I had better shocks and a secondary suspension I really think I could keep up with them no problem. This is on twisty dirt road and in sand dunes. So IMHO I would build a suspension that would be multi purpose and fairly inexpensive and then get awesome shocks (most any bypass will do) put hydralic bumps on but make them removeable and then you have a truck that can rockcrawl dune run prerun mud snow etc. It may not be the absolute best truck there but it can do all those things
 
I'm running stock length 6" BDS fronts with 6" shackles and a zero rate. I also moved the shackle mount and used ford gen 2 towers. I get about 7" of compression and 6" of droop out of the front. I could get slightly more droop but it's not worth the other problems that would come with it. In the back I've got 56" superlift 4" lift springs with an ord flip kit. I switched sides on the shackle hangers and ran 6" shackles. I am very pleased with this setup. I get about 6" of compression and 8" of droop in the back. The tires hitting the inner fenders in the back on compression are what limits my compression and the shocks limit my droop. Wen I say limit, I mean that it's almost at max flex when the tires hit or the shock runs out. I love my setup and think that it is an excellent compromise of streetability and serious off-road performance. Keep in mind, i put probabaly 10k street miles a year on the blazer. I've put these pics on here 100 times and everyone is probably sick of seeing them but it gives a good idea of what stock length front springs and 56" rears are capable of. In the last two pics my truck was backed all the way up to the building. The passenger rear tire was 54" off the ground at it's lowest point and all other tires were touching.

trucks 045.jpg

trucks 052.jpg

trucks 060.jpg

trucks 074.jpg

trucks 071.jpg
 
Your tire pref list is backwards :D

Way to frickin' go on the front axle. You'll love it. One of the few things Furd did right and Chevy wrong.

CyberSniper said:
The leaf springs in the front are damn near flat. I only have 2" before I hit the bumpstops. I can't raise the bumpstops any more because if I do the pitman arm will get stuck between the U-bolt nuts. I already had sticks get caught up in the suspension and almost kill me and a passenger... turned right, the truck leaned to the left, the pitman arm got bound up, and I couldn't turn until I slowed down.

I've been looking for a set of used 4" lift 56" springs but the ones I do find I can usually get for a hundred bucks more brand new.

I know I can get more droop out of the front springs. They're not really all that arched compared to shackle angle and such. They aren't even on the stock keepers yet. If I have someone sit on the tire I can get an easy 2" more flex.



My goal is 44" TSLs but I'd probably run 42" TSLs, 42" IROKs, or 44" Boggers (in that order). In reality, 42" TSLs are more suited to what I want to do but it snows a lot here so I want some wide tires for snow wheeling... and 42" TSLs are the same width as my 40" TSLs... and 42" IROKs are another 1.5" skinnier. 42" IROKs are 3" skinnier than 44" TSLs. I'm going to have a difficult time funding tires at all this year with all the money going into axle parts so there is no way I can afford a set of TRXUS ATs for snow wheeling. I'll never have the motor to turn 44" Boggers but I can run them until I find another set of tires.

The current plans are to run this axle:
2_s.jpg


and this axle:
02_S.jpg
Click to expand...
 
ntsqd said:
Looking for an old posting of mine I see that I didn't spot this.
I don't see a huge advantage to a tracbar in the rear, and it could quite easily hurt articulation.
As to spring-under, in this application it isn't the most ideal as it hurts clearence. If you're trying to build a multipurpose rig then maybe. Individual call on that.
Click to expand...

haha, i forgot bout this thread...

yea,..the spring under would hurt clearance but it wouldnt be much more then a properly set up link system (with bars attatched below/middle)..but yea i'm just aggreeing with you.

but anyways ..still confused bout all this suspension stuff..back and forth from ck5 and race dezert makes my head hurt. its just hard living in norcal (nothing but crawlers) and a heart from so cal (lovely prerunners). itd be nice to have a rig thatd could crawl and speed down the desert. eerrrgg why cant someone just find the perfect medium!!!:eek1: :rotfl: :yikes:
 
There is the wrap advantage to spring under, but more importantly you can run a spring with more arch in it (more ultimate travel b4 going flat) and not have a monster truck ride height.

FWIW I flog the snot out of my LA yota chasing desert racers and exploring. Works pretty good considering it's 4 leafs & 2 live axles. The rear is just getting some remote res 7100's after having some non remote 7100's on there. The front still has a set of much beat on 5100's. Those are the next damper priority, have some 12" stroke remote 7100's for there.
I'm working on a Marlin for it. Be the only (?) chaser with a doubler in it. Have the assembly done, just need driveshafts, x-member, and the hi/lo only shifter. That latter part isn't something off the shelf in my application.
I'm using the GM 65" leafs in the rear and some lift spring in the front. Once I've got a few other things sorted out I'm toying with coils and radius arms for the front.
 
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