Stretched TJK (bigger rubber & extra inches)

I have a good plan for limit strap design. I ordered the clevises, straps and some 3/4" DOM. I plan on making a bracket that sleeves over the lower coilover mount bolt & also attaches to the LCA mount. While that is on order and my sway bar mounts are being cut, I'm trying to figure out a good bump stop location.

First question (and I think @toximus said get rid of it).. Is the nitrile stop on the coilover shaft needed? I think I can make room for another 1/2" of travel and at the moment, they're the limiting factor. I'm fine with leaving them if they serve a purpose.

The picture attached shows the axle at full articulation. The laser represents the top of the axle tube @ full bump. You can see that the laser touches the top of the tube at the same vertical plane that the coilover is bolted to the axle. Mounting a bump stop at this location is about 5-1/2" away from the frame rail. For my application, can I rely on the shock body to act as the bump under articulation or do I need to move the bump stop out? I can mount the bump stops further inboard to take the weight of the vehicle under hard bump but under articulation they won't support.

20220319_083028_resized.jpg
 
Last edited:
whats wrong with further inboard?
if your 70-80% of the length away from the drooped end at the peg point it's gonna act as a hard stop, no? it's not like it can teeter further since the opposite end is also controlled.

or what about the back of the tower where it meets the frame you could drop a stub and mate it on the back of the axle above the CA mount if you want to stay out further. i assume you have some sort of AR sys operating in front of the towers.
 
someguysjeep said:
whats wrong with further inboard?
if your 70-80% of the length away from the drooped end at the peg point it's gonna act as a hard stop, no? it's not like it can teeter further since the opposite end is also controlled.

or what about the back of the tower where it meets the frame you could drop a stub and mate it on the back of the axle above the CA mount if you want to stay out further. i assume you have some sort of AR sys operating in front of the towers.
Click to expand...
Further inboard would rely on the coilover nitrile bump at full articulation and bear no support on bump stop. Yes to AR up front. I'm not concerned about sway bar mount interference as this will be pushed forward of axle. I have a good amount of "real estate" on the frame to mount bump stop cans such that the bump stop can center on axle tube.
 
sierradmax said:
First question (and I think @toximus said get rid of it).. Is the nitrile stop on the coilover shaft needed? I think I can make room for another 1/2" of travel and at the moment, they're the limiting factor. I'm fine with leaving them if they serve a purpose.
Click to expand...

Get rid of it while cycling the axle. Because it can fall off and you need to make sure bad thing don't happen if it does. Put it back on once you're done.
 
I’ve seen debate on this subject, but I personally would never, ever rely on the shock, coilover or otherwise, as the bump stop. I’ve always set my bumps at full articulation to allow as much uptravel as possible for the tire. Doing it this way you do give up a little up travel at full bump - especially with a long travel suspension - but if you set the bump at full stuff than your tires are into the fenders at full articulation.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Irun
NashvilleTJ said:
I’ve seen debate on this subject, but I personally would never, ever rely on the shock, coilover or otherwise, as the bump stop. I’ve always set my bumps at full articulation to allow as much uptravel as possible for the tire. Doing it this way you do give up a little up travel at full bump - especially with a long travel suspension - but if you set the bump at full stuff than your tires are into the fenders at full articulation.
Click to expand...
How much up did you build in? The more up, the more time/distance the shock has to slow the travel speed before full compression.
 
jjvw said:
How much up did you build in? The more up, the more time/distance the shock has to slow the travel speed before full compression.
Click to expand...
I’m at 6 up both front and rear. I also run pneumatic bumps which hit their hard stops just as the shocks runout of travel. I run limit straps for the other direction.

In my mind - cloudy though it sometimes may be - you take a hard enough hit without bump stops and the shock or the shock mount will pay the price.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Irun, TRE3TOP, Woodrow and 1 other person
NashvilleTJ said:
I’m at 6 up both front and rear. I also run pneumatic bumps which hit their hard stops just as the shocks runout of travel. I run limit straps for the other direction.

In my mind - cloudy though it sometimes may be - you take a hard enough hit without bump stops and the shock or the shock mount will pay the price.
Click to expand...
Have you had any hard hits at full articulation?
 
Limit strap measurement... do you measure with clevis all the way down and deduct an inch to compensate for stretch? With the axle at full droop, I have 16" from clevis mounting point to axle mounting point. I want to limit about 1/2"-3/4" of shock travel at droop.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Wildman
I'm revisiting limit strap mounting @ the axle. I should have planned better before cutting lower link & coilover mounts. With towers, instead of hoops, it really restricts you to where you can place bump stops on the frame. With my build, a clean install will force me to place the bump stop in front of the coilover but with respect to the coilover location, I can center bumps directly over the axle.

I really want to keep limit strap in line with the coilover and what real estate is left, is behind. Picturing how the strap will behave, I prefer it to fold away from the tire as the shock compresses. That being said, and the construction of it, the strap must be oriented specifically (see picture) ?

My thought is some 3/4", .120 wall DOM welded to the lower coilover mount and gusset it to the link mount. Obviously, I need to factor coil spring & strap width and a Long Gr.8 1/2" bolt to keep everything together. Might not look pretty..

Limit strap placed there could act as a good brace for brake line...

20220320_081225_resized.jpg
 
sierradmax said:
I'm revisiting limit strap mounting @ the axle. I should have planned better before cutting lower link & coilover mounts. With towers, instead of hoops, it really restricts you to where you can place bump stops on the frame. With my build, a clean install will force me to place the bump stop in front of the coilover but with respect to the coilover location, I can center bumps directly over the axle.

I really want to keep limit strap in line with the coilover and what real estate is left, is behind. Picturing how the strap will behave, I prefer it to fold away from the tire as the shock compresses. That being said, and the construction of it, the strap must be oriented specifically (see picture) ?

My thought is some 3/4", .120 wall DOM welded to the lower coilover mount and gusset it to the link mount. Obviously, I need to factor coil spring & strap width and a Long Gr.8 1/2" bolt to keep everything together. Might not look pretty..

Limit strap placed there could act as a good brace for brake line...

View attachment 318074
Click to expand...
That seems fine, the strap does a really simple job so I wouldn't worry too much if its in line with CO or not, do whatever you think looks cleanest. I side with the guy in video, i just tried to keep it semi short and tucked away so when its folded up it doesnt hit the driveshaft or tire.
 
  • Like
Reactions: sierradmax
NashvilleTJ said:
I’ve seen debate on this subject, but I personally would never, ever rely on the shock, coilover or otherwise, as the bump stop. I’ve always set my bumps at full articulation to allow as much uptravel as possible for the tire. Doing it this way you do give up a little up travel at full bump - especially with a long travel suspension - but if you set the bump at full stuff than your tires are into the fenders at full articulation.
Click to expand...
There's not really any debate, there is just lack of understanding and limited choices through product selection. If you pick the wrong fender, then yes, your full bump fucks under articulation. Depending on fender and tire size and travel, that can be as much as 4-5" you are leaving on the table at full stuff. That is not a good way to do things.

I've been over this with some owners time after time after time and no matter how many ways they ask the question in hopes to change the answer, it doesn't change.

I want fenders with flares from GR.
Great, we can limit full bump or raise the ride height much higher.
No, I want the lowest ride height and most travel I can get.
Great, toss that fender choice and we'll get something that the tires don't hit.
No, I want those fenders.
Okay, more ride height, less full bump for you.
No, I want less ride height, more travel.
Change fenders then.
No, I want those fenders.
I'm fixing to start throwing rocks at you.
Okay, I'll get the Crawlteks on the way.

Good boy.
 
  • Like
  • Haha
Reactions: Longwhitejeep, psrivats, Apparition and 3 others
mrblaine said:
There's not really any debate, there is just lack of understanding and limited choices through product selection. If you pick the wrong fender, then yes, your full bump fucks under articulation. Depending on fender and tire size and travel, that can be as much as 4-5" you are leaving on the table at full stuff. That is not a good way to do things.

I've been over this with some owners time after time after time and no matter how many ways they ask the question in hopes to change the answer, it doesn't change.

I want fenders with flares from GR.
Great, we can limit full bump or raise the ride height much higher.
No, I want the lowest ride height and most travel I can get.
Great, toss that fender choice and we'll get something that the tires don't hit.
No, I want those fenders.
Okay, more ride height, less full bump for you.
No, I want less ride height, more travel.
Change fenders then.
No, I want those fenders.
I'm fixing to start throwing rocks at you.
Okay, I'll get the Crawlteks on the way.

Good boy.
Click to expand...
I get it on the fenders - definitely a trade off. In my case I needed the tire coverage of the 6 inch fender, with the direct trade off of giving up a couple inches of full bump. I’m happy with the compromise for my needs.

But that was not the basis for my debate comment. I was referring to using shocks as bump stops. I am curious as to your thoughts there.
 
NashvilleTJ said:
I get it on the fenders - definitely a trade off. In my case I needed the tire coverage of the 6 inch fender, with the direct trade off of giving up a couple inches of full bump. I’m happy with the compromise for my needs.

But that was not the basis for my debate comment. I was referring to using shocks as bump stops. I am curious as to your thoughts there.
Click to expand...
I can't readily recall or count the number of Fox style shocks and coil overs I've installed. I've never NOT had the shock be the hard bump where an absolute limit has to be determined or damage will occur. That is done at full bump. I have yet to have a single shock damaged to the point that it had to be removed from the rig for any reason.

That isn't likely to change any time soon. (hard bump is also calculated without the shaft bumper in the event it gets blown out)
 
  • Like
Reactions: jjvw, NashvilleTJ and starkey480
mrblaine said:
I can't readily recall or count the number of Fox style shocks and coil overs I've installed. I've never NOT had the shock be the hard bump where an absolute limit has to be determined or damage will occur. That is done at full bump. I have yet to have a single shock damaged to the point that it had to be removed from the rig for any reason.

That isn't likely to change any time soon. (hard bump is also calculated without the shaft bumper in the event it gets blown out)
Click to expand...
I've seen shocks with bent shafts. I've seen shock brackets torn off of axles. I've seen frames bend because the shock was used as a fulcrum, and I've seen shocks pulled apart.. but I've never seen a shock damaged from being over compressed.
 
  • Like
Reactions: someguysjeep and mrblaine
Top Bottom
Back