Loose rear springs at full extension

[sewebster]

If I jack up the rear of my truck so that the wheels are off the ground and are at full extension, the tops of the springs aren't touching anything. Is this bad? They are some springs the previous owner installed from a Ford something. They give me about 1" lift... just not sure if this means they could be shifting around when I go over bumps. Probably it isn't a big deal since he (previous owner) drove it a lot with this setup, just not sure...

[OldSlowReliable]

That'll happen with stiff short springs... the trick is soft long springs to get the same lift but not "drop a spring" on big articulation..

 

You won't likely hit full extension on the street, but offroad you run the chance of dropping it...

 

You can either get softer springs, get spring retainers (DIY job), or just put em back in if they ever fall out..

[WyKi]

My Path is dropped (Previous owner) not alot but enough to notice that it is.. and well I did the same as you, lifted her up the most and while washing the bottom and greasing some stuff, I found that the springs are cut. And I was like ok....So much that I could take the spring off with my hand with no struggle what so ever... and makes me think whoa I shouldnt jump over bumps really fast You imagine that the springs will pop out, truck bottom out and roll over? But either way I still drive it fast enough and go over bumps... just not that fast anymore so yea... my opinion: i wouldnt give it much head..Personally I'd raise mine back up and use it more to go mudding but I'm gonna take these guys advice and buy another but completely 4x4 and leave my 2wd for the beach and stuff alike..

Edited October 30, 2010 by WyKi

[MY1PATH]

For ~1" lift OME makes a nice set of coils that won't get loose.

 

For Returning to stock height Moog Makes a decent set of Progressive springs. Its just too bad there aren't any progressive lift springs out there for our rigs.

 

 

If you wanna keep it an inch lower but have springs that won't get loose you need a 15" coil with 175-180LB per inch rate.

A cut coil actually gets stiffer so if they cut ~1" off you coil your aproximate spring rate is 190~200 instead of stock ~180.

[sewebster]

I guess you mean the OME 1.75 inch lift springs on this page?

http://www.rocky-road.com/pathfindersus.html

 

I probably don't want to lift it any more, since I just replaced the front shocks with standard ones, and at already 1" in the front I don't know how much more they can handle. But that's a good option to consider down the line. I don't plan on doing anything too extreme very soon, so maybe I'll see how things go. If I ever have a problem then I'll probably swap the springs out right away. Going back to stock probably wouldn't bother me too much either, so those variable springs might be nice. Thanks for the info folks.

[MY1PATH]

I guess you mean the OME 1.75 inch lift springs on this page?

http://www.rocky-roa...hfindersus.html

 

I probably don't want to lift it any more, since I just replaced the front shocks with standard ones, and at already 1" in the front I don't know how much more they can handle. But that's a good option to consider down the line. I don't plan on doing anything too extreme very soon, so maybe I'll see how things go. If I ever have a problem then I'll probably swap the springs out right away. Going back to stock probably wouldn't bother me too much either, so those variable springs might be nice. Thanks for the info folks.

 

 

The front shocks are the same weather you have 0, 1", 2" and 3" of lift. There will be no problems as far as the shock goes.

And yes nice Progressive springs would a good option; Stock ride comfort that tightens up half way thru its compression for trailers and heavy loads.

Edited October 31, 2010 by MY1PATH

[sewebster]

The front shocks are the same weather you have 0, 1", 2" and 3" of lift. There will be no problems as far as the shock goes.

 

Regardless of the shock brand? I was in a rush and could only get some Monroe ones...

[MY1PATH]

Regardless of the shock brand? I was in a rush and could only get some Monroe ones...

Yes! And the Monroe sensa-trac makes a comfrotable street ride no matter what height your front sits at.

[piste]

The front shocks are the same weather you have 0, 1", 2" and 3" of lift. There will be no problems as far as the shock goes.

And yes nice Progressive springs would a good option; Stock ride comfort that tightens up half way thru its compression for trailers and heavy loads.

 

How does this happen? I thought one would want/need longer shocks with a lift kit. I mean you just can't extend a shock up to 3 inches beyond unlifted suspension without impacting upward/downward travel limits. Am I missing something here???

[Simon]

What you're missing is this. With our IFS design, there's approximately 6" of wheel travel. At stock height, the suspension is set up at the halfway mark. So you have 3" of up travel, and 3" of downtravel. When you crank the torsion bars to lift the front end, you're simply changing the preload within that range of travel. So, basically, after lifting 2" you would have 1" of downtravel, and 5" of up travel. The shocks never change the range of motion, nor does the front suspension. It simply starts out at a different point than it would if it were stock.

[piste]

What you're missing is this. With our IFS design, there's approximately 6" of wheel travel. At stock height, the suspension is set up at the halfway mark. So you have 3" of up travel, and 3" of downtravel. When you crank the torsion bars to lift the front end, you're simply changing the preload within that range of travel. So, basically, after lifting 2" you would have 1" of downtravel, and 5" of up travel. The shocks never change the range of motion, nor does the front suspension. It simply starts out at a different point than it would if it were stock.

 

Thanks...but that crayola would still color me confused. What your saying is exactly why I'd think one would want different shocks/struts when putting on a lift...2" or whatever (BTW...I have an R50 but I believe the principles are the same here??). Instead of living with the situation you outline above where one has only 1" of downtravel and 5" of up travel....ain't it much better to have the same amount of each?....achieved by a shock/strut with a 2" longer rod?

[unccpathfinder]

its only bad if it falls out

 

[nunya]

couple zip-ties woulda prevented that

[sewebster]

Thanks...but that crayola would still color me confused. What your saying is exactly why I'd think one would want different shocks/struts when putting on a lift...2" or whatever (BTW...I have an R50 but I believe the principles are the same here??). Instead of living with the situation you outline above where one has only 1" of downtravel and 5" of up travel....ain't it much better to have the same amount of each?....achieved by a shock/strut with a 2" longer rod?

 

I think what he's saying is that the shock is not the limiting factor for the travel. So you just hit some sort of stop in either direction before the shock is fully compressed or extended. If you put in a shock with LESS travel than stock then potentially you could have a problem.

[MY1PATH]

x2

the front shocks on the wd only travel a few inches If you've ever changed one you'd see they can extend farther than the suspension can. On a live axle or a strut yes, shocks are limiting factor but on the wd21 IFS the bumpstops for the Downtravel are the limiting factor. You can get low profile bumpstops and UCA spacers and you will still be within the shocks range of motion.

Infact it would take allot of CUSTOM WORK to increase the front IFS beyond the stock shocks travel range and by that time; have you considered the travel range of the CV joint? and now you have More custom work to do...

[piste]

Thanks for the explanations...I don't have a WD and don't pretend to entirely understand that suspension but I get the general idea I think...but I do know my R50 quite well. There is definitely conflicting information in this thread....but it seems that's simply because different folks are thinking of different suspension designs but are making universal comments...including me! In order for a 1", 2", or 3" lift to have no impact on the shock range of moton ...then the "resting" distance between the top and bottom bolts of the shock would have to be unaffected by any lift. Because if that's not the case...then a shock on a vehicle that has 3" of travel in either direction on a stock setup...is then lifted 3"...then you end up with 6" of travel in one direction and none in the other. But what I understand MYPATH1 to be saying is that with a WD suspension...the lift does not impact the resting shock stance..or distance between top and bottom at rest. Which is not...what Simon sez....Thanks again for the edumacation. Knowledge is good.

[MY1PATH]

well this did start as a wd21 thread and me telling sewbster he can change his springs and not worry about HIS front shocks.

then you came along and asked a question thinking it pretained to your rig. easy mix up.