update and coilover number questions

[KYJ10]

Haven't really accomplished anything latley. Spend any spare time just looking things over and plotting my next move. Need to mount all my full hydro stuff, and plumb it. Mostly been rotating the rear four link to get some idea of where and how to set my coilovers.
Here are some crazy flex numbers. I have somewhere close to 40" of total travel. From one stationary point(ride height), with one side fully compressed and the other fully flexed. This is per side, from total compression to full droop. Had to high lift it up and take wheels off to do this. This was at the point where my rods where maxed.

Obviously I can't use that much travel, but it is kinda crazy looking! So the best I can get is 18" with the saws. I flexed it a few different ways, and always had more flex than the saws will take. What I mean was stopping the compressed side at certain points(like bumpstops), and max out the other in downtravel. Really kinda amazing what a four link will do.

So I need to figure out how with placement and angle side to side and forward, to squeeze all the flex I can out of the coils. It seems if you mount the coil leaning inward at the bottom, you would cheat and get more than 18" axle travel wise. Might loose some dampening, but the could possibly be compensated for by adjusting spring rates. Leaning them inward at the tops would seem to loose some travel. Does that sound right?
And what about leaning them toward the front or rear? All I can see this doing is costing you some travel. Looks like straight above the axle would get you the most flex.

Another thing I need to figure out is the amount of uptravel vs. down travel? Im not sure if the leaning stuff would really net you that much more flex, so lets just stick for now to 18" travel. I was thinking somewhere in the nieghborhood of 7" uptravel and 11" down. But not sure? Maybe 6 up and 12 down? Prolly make another call to BTF and poly, but any insights would be great.

Need any more info just ask. Other than that, I got bored and decided to order a flowcooler water pump, and (2) 5 point harness sets from summit. Should be here tuesday. Just more stuff to mess with b4 I get it rolling. Prolly order me a syntho rope soon. I have been seriously eyeballing a set of double bead hummers from 6x6 or staz. both are priced about the same. Anyone interested in my single bead stealies? My stealies are at 4.25" BS, but would like to do the hummers at about 6" bs, which might limit me to 6x6, cuase I think staz said 5 was his max. Just would love to pull in the full widths a little, without shortening the axles. I will prolly get it up and running, the do the wheels, but just throwing the possibility of selling my rims out there to see if there would be any future interest. Dennis

[Stuka]

Having them narrow on the axle will let you cheat a bit, although you will loose some stability as well. However, any time you have the shock at an angle, the shock/coil will travel a smaller distance than the axle. It will also make the spring/shock softer than it if it was in the vertical plain straight over the axle. Some people lean them forward, so the top is about 10-12 inches in front of the axle, this lets you get more travel, then you can adjust the coils for the correct spring rate. Although with the shock/coil at an angle, the spring rate will drop as it gets compressed, but how much it drops depends on how much of an angle its at. The farther the shock eyes are apart from each other in either the lateral or longitudal plain the more the shock/spring rate will be effected, however it will travel a smaller distance at the same time. So its your job to find a happy medium :)

[KYJ10]

happy medium is the key. I will prolly start with them as close to the old perch locations as possible, maybe in just a inch or so. After looking things over again, I think leaning the tops forward is my best bet, for ease of install and also to protect them in a roll. Still need to figure out where to set my up and down travel at?

[rockjeep44]

I'm running 16" Fox coilovers. In the rear I have 5.5" compression 10.5" droop and the front has 7" compression 9" droop. Good luck getting the full amount of travel with 18" shocks. That will be sick if you do but I'd be willing to bet you'll run into binding issues with something. Maybe not though. Here's a couple pics to give you an idea of the axle I'm running on the shocks.

Rear...
http://www.rebelrockrunners.org/gallery/albums/suspension/DSC00142.jpg

http://www.rebelrockrunners.org/gallery/albums/suspension/DSC00137.jpg

[KYJ10]

As far as binding, my axle will flex until the upper hits the lower, and at that point, my links won't rotate left to right, so I know the rods are maxed out. The only thing I havent conected(other than coils) is the drive shaft. And being centered, Im sure no binding issues will arise as long as I limit strap it right. But I see no reason why I can't get the full 18" out of the coils. I flexed it measuring from the original 144ff perch and came up with right under 40" of travel. So I think if I move the coils in another inch or so, i can squeeze out more travel so to speak. Dennis

[War Wagon]

Dennis,

You go man, wish your ride was ready for the ECI. Zack says hello.

Jim

[KYJ10]

After talking things over with poly, I realize that while I might be able to get 18" of travel, most will never be able to use that much. So we discused my setup, and he was saying that the 16" 2.0 would be fine. The 2.5 really more for more cooling issues in rigs that see mucho up and down such as desert and high speed stuff, more than weight concerns. So I think I will go with the 16" saws also. Mount them inside the original perch locations, so I can squeeze that extra travel if I ever need it. Prolly go with the tripple rates and call it good. Dennis

[KYJ10]

and hello to you and yours. Wish I could make it, but prolly not this year. But I hope definatley to get done this summer, and make a few trips to the parks here in KY. They recentley opened 2 and both are supposed to be pretty nice. Dennis