Spring Spacers effect on wheel travel

Submitted: Friday, Nov 01, 2002 at 01:00
ThreadID: 2270 Views:2079 Replies:1 FollowUps:7
This Thread has been Archived
Hi all,

I have recently had the Tough Dog shockies & springs put in all round on a Pathy. This has dramatically improved the wheel travel but it only raised the ride height by 30mm, so I am thinking of having Spring Spacers put on the rear to get that little bit of extra height.

I am wondering if these would have any affect on the wheel travel. Would these spacers restrict the compression of the spring at all, so as to not allow the opposite spring to fully extend, thus reducing the wheel travel?

Cheers!
Matt
Back Expand Un-Read 0 Moderator

Reply By: Slunnie - Friday, Nov 01, 2002 at 01:00

Friday, Nov 01, 2002 at 01:00
Hey Matt, I found in my application that 20mm shims made no difference to available wheel travel. It will increase the load required to reach the bumpstops though, so in this respect it will make a difference to effectiveness of the articulation. If you have bumpstopless shocks it will also cause damage when topping out, though this shouldn't be a problem with the toughdogs.

Regards
Slunnie
AnswerID: 8117

Follow Up By: Janset - Saturday, Nov 02, 2002 at 01:00

Saturday, Nov 02, 2002 at 01:00
What springs do Pathies have, coil or leaf?
Regards
0
FollowupID: 3840

Follow Up By: Slunnie - Sunday, Nov 03, 2002 at 01:00

Sunday, Nov 03, 2002 at 01:00
Coils all round AFAIK. The tricky bit though is the fronts are McPherson struts. I'm not sure how secure shims are in that application, though the rears I would expect to be ok.

Regards
Slunnie
0
FollowupID: 3841

Follow Up By: Matt - Sunday, Nov 03, 2002 at 01:00

Sunday, Nov 03, 2002 at 01:00
Hey Slunnie

Thanx for the info, I appreciate that.

Yeah, I will just be going for an increase at the rear, the front is too much trouble on the Pathy.

Cheers
Matt
0
FollowupID: 3850

Follow Up By: Janset - Sunday, Nov 03, 2002 at 01:00

Sunday, Nov 03, 2002 at 01:00
Slunnie.

Have you considered installing airbags inside you coils? I have received good reports about them.

Regards
0
FollowupID: 3852

Follow Up By: Slunnie - Sunday, Nov 03, 2002 at 01:00

Sunday, Nov 03, 2002 at 01:00
Hi Janset,

I guess the idea of the shims is more to alter the ride height of the vehicle rather than to increase the load carrying capacity of the springs or change the spring rate, but because the spring with shims is now in an environment where it can be compressed even further than originally, this is why it takes more load to hit the bumpstops. I like the idea of the polyairbags. One of the fellas here that runs them in his Patrol thought that they also improved the ride with a couple of psi in them when he had the std springs (he now has TJM I think), but the whole concept behind them is fantastic.

The shim set up I ran was fine, though after an extended trip decided the spring shock package I had was not suitable and redid the whole lot again with Lovells/Rancho.

Regards
Slunnie
0
FollowupID: 3854

Follow Up By: Janset - Monday, Nov 04, 2002 at 01:00

Monday, Nov 04, 2002 at 01:00
Yeh.
My Troopie has Lovel leaf springs (mining specs) with Koni shockers.
After fitting them I gained only 1 inch average in heigh. But with my vehicle set up perminently as a camper, furniture and all, a fibre glass Trekka top, 140 ltr long range fuel tanks and 90 litre belly water tank I was still down at the rear.

Fully loaded for a trip I weigh in at 3 1/4 tonnes. To overcome this I engineered longer drop rear spring hangers, an increase of 2 inches. When fitted the actual lift was 1 1/2 inches and now it rides nice and level and handle like a sports car, well, not quite :)
Regards
0
FollowupID: 3869

Follow Up By: Slunnie - Monday, Nov 04, 2002 at 01:00

Monday, Nov 04, 2002 at 01:00
Hey Janset,

It sounds like you have set up the Troopy really nicely for some good distance comfortable touring. It sounds like you have put some good thought into it.

How do you find the Lovells Springs. I have found the coils to be excellent so far, and they are manufatured very close to spec, just a touch over (sag factor?). I recently did a Simpson trip, and one of the fellas has a Troopy with 2" Lovells (custom spec). This thing must have been about 4t he thinks and apparently never hit the bump stops on the journey. Mind you he had 2XARB diff locks and so didn't need to have momentum for the dunes.

I am developing a good expedition setup and had them make some stiffer 4" lift springs to replace the 2" lift King Springs that were in it. Janset, Lovells are pretty good at doing custom work.

Regards
Slunnie
0
FollowupID: 3883

Sponsored Links