long travel rear suspension with 35" tires?

[troyboy162]

I'm home finnaly and got this picture to show the clearence at max stuff with the other side at expected long travel droop. Its tight...There is about 2.5 inches of room. I expect there will be some rub when I go to MTR tires. The rub hoever would be at slow speeds with low preasure tires. Id guess a ghetto solution will be to cover the shock in a thick vinyl like motocross stuff. That should be fine...ghetto, but fine.

[Seanz0rz]

Could you cover the shock with some smooth sheet metal? No edges towards the tire, just a nice smooth place for it to rub against if it does?

[troyboy162]

yeah I thought about that too. Thin smooth sheet metal held in place with hose clamps. Its all coming together, but 35" tires make this right on the hair edge of doable.

[Seanz0rz]

I wonder how my 33" tires would fair with your design? This is something I want to do eventually, probably in a couple of years (if I still have the vehicle by then)

[troyboy162]

You'd have roughly another inch of clearance in all situations. I;d have to look at it hard but that might allow you to get rid of any spacers and possible suck the tires up into the wheel wells giving you more up travel.

edit : just Tested up travel the best I can right now. I think i will be able to get 12-13" of travel using the poly bump stops I already have while still having enough bump to keep the tire off the shock during flex. Its another give and take... I'll need a tall enough bump stop to keep the tire off the shock during flex, but also short enough to allow the tire to kiss the outside fenderwell and give me the full 13" travel during landing. Uh yes shes gonna get jumped lol. At least once anyhow.

[Seanz0rz]

What about full compression on both sides, like you will encounter in the desert? Does that force the tires up into the edges of the wheel well?

Your truck is going to be intact for tomorrow, right?

[troyboy162]

yeah nothing has shown up yet so I just put the rear end back together (dented my shocks a bit grr). The parts may be here tonight but I just found out the top hats are going to be here next wednesday. Oh well its been a good day of testing today anyhow.

Full compression on both sides will not tuck into the wheel wells for me so it will be bump stop limited before contact happens. My truck rides a bit stink bug anyhow so ride hight will be about center in the travel. I dont know whats ideal but that shouldnt be too horrible.

[troyboy162]

2 full days of flex testing and 2 full days of fab (im slow) and its finally on. I worked extra hard and ended up being able to remove my spacer in the rear as well. the 12" shocks are defiantly recommended. By the time you strap and bump it will be more like 11" of travel. A couple notes

-mounting high up in the wheel well is not the way to go. I was excited to mount my shocks higher then anyone else I had seen. The problem is the frame gets in the way. Or if you mount them outward a bit to clear the frame, then you are deep into the tire at stuff. My final mount point is lower then most.

-I mounted off the stock lower shock mounts with a extention. This solution is ok but certainly not attractive. the lower mount is tucked super close to the drum brake. That ended up working well.

-Too early to tell but I think the PSI in the shocks has increased my ride height. I need to load the truck with junk first before I get too excited.

-the shock is dangerously close to the frame to get good clearance on the tire. I flex tested as best I could with the springs out and all was well. However I havnt proofed all the scenarios with the springs in. As you can visualize flex with the springs in does not allow a tire to stuff as hard, so the whole axle is in a lower part of the arc. I think I'm good but I need to reasure myself with some more testing.

-oh and limit straps and bump stop pads are not done yet...

[Seanz0rz]

Looks great! I am excited to see it in action! And I might just have to copy you.

[Good Times]

lookin good Troy.

How much is that lower mount tucked in? I had similar issues with you on the lower. Even though the first rendition of my lower mounts were pretty tucked in (looked almost like yours with it being super closer to the brakes and tires) I still had to reinforce the mount from potential abuse with obstacles. Didn't think I'd hit it since it was pretty nicely tucked in but not to my surprise it did see a bit of abuse from random objects hitting it.

Can't wait to see you dial that in to perfection. Once done you'll love it!