Front Flex?

Walking Eagle · 03-09-10, 10:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yoopercharged

Has anyone played with the idea of putting a larger sway bar on the rear?

Yes - the idea has been played with. Every time Nay say's the truck will get out of control if you let the front flex, myself or someone else says you can control it with swaybars, either heavy duty, or advanced torsion bar style.

I thought Slee said he had them, but I may have misunderstood, can't find on his site.

MAF offers them, or at least did,

Sway Bars

I still lean toward the anti-rock style -

Currie Enterprises CJ Axle Parts

Just don't think anyone has tried it on a 80, or if they have they haven't shared. With the multiple mount points on the arms, you could tune it, or swap mount points for road and off-road to make it tighter or looser as needed.

It can be done cheap-o w/ torsion bars form the front of a Taco - or so I've heard.

the video is pretty interesting

http://www.currieenterprises.com/cestore/antirock.aspx

Walking Eagle · 03-09-10, 11:37 AM

finally found some make your own torsion bar stuff. Been looking for this off and on since it was mentioned on x-treme 4x4

Low-buck sway bar or expensive experiment - Pirate4x4.Com Bulletin Board

Anti Rock Sway Bar Install on 88 Runner - Pirate4x4.Com Bulletin Board

Super cheap junkyard swaybar - Pirate4x4.Com Bulletin Board

UCBerzerkeley · 03-09-10, 01:04 PM

any conclusion on practical benefits vs. drawbacks assocaited with the SE arms?

Walking Eagle · 03-09-10, 01:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by UCBerzerkeley

any conclusion on practical benefits vs. drawbacks assocaited with the SE arms?

Conclusion? Wouldn't someone need to actually try them to have a conclusion? You can read the Aussy forums and see what they've concluded. From observation and studying it I'd say the following -

Benefits:

* Bolt on
* Reversable (can always go back to stock)
* Eliminates some of the bind from the stock arms
* Claim they keep the swaybar, but I don't see any photos with it, or how it would fit.

Drawbacks:

* Clearance to tie rods is at best 'tight' and may require switch to infront steering
* Not part of a complete system - aka still have to do springs and shocks to get most bennifit
* Expensive to be the first to try it in states.

there is stuff form down under....

Superior Engineering Flex Drop Arms – Test | 4X4 Blog

Superior Superflex radius arms - Perth4x4.net Forums

but then again, those guys like drop boxes too (drop arms) :flippoff: (see sig line if you can't read that as sarcastic)

Superior engineering radius arms?? - Ausfish Australian Angling Forums

Walking Eagle · 03-09-10, 01:58 PM

this post

Perth4x4.net Forums - View Single Post - Superior Superflex radius arms

basically says it cures exactly what Akarilo and I are looking to cure

Walking Eagle · 03-09-10, 02:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nay

Ok, this is interesting. These two pics of the modified arm at full flex on a ramp appear to show that the arm can hit the tierod on both ends of stuff/droop. Not good to have that has the limiting factor.

It would seem that this is a potential significant compromise for anybody looking for a long travel suspension given the 80 in the pics is only on a 3" lift with "OME 3" shocks".

Of course, someone could read the rest of the thread where those photos are from and find out

"the arms in the photos are one of my early test sets and as you can appreciated it way easier to trim than it is to add! I had measured and measured,but underestimated just how well they do flex. Now i have exact dimensions on a working model the drawing files have been updated to suit. Yes it also has a larger HD tierod as well. I like to test for every situation and it was put on to find the maximum clearances required. "

Outer Limits 4x4 Board :: View topic - Toyota LC 76/79/80/100 Superflex Radius Arms

Walking Eagle · 03-09-10, 02:57 PM

another intersting side note if you look to page 3 of that thread, is that 'crankycruiser' had an x-link he made himself, like the dobsen deal, and not has the SE arms. I sent him a PM to see what his take is on the two options. Be nice to get feed back from someone who's run all 3 ways.

Nay · 03-09-10, 05:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Walking Eagle

Of course, someone could read the rest of the thread where those photos are from and find out

"the arms in the photos are one of my early test sets and as you can appreciated it way easier to trim than it is to add! I had measured and measured,but underestimated just how well they do flex. Now i have exact dimensions on a working model the drawing files have been updated to suit. Yes it also has a larger HD tierod as well. I like to test for every situation and it was put on to find the maximum clearances required. "

Outer Limits 4x4 Board :: View topic - Toyota LC 76/79/80/100 Superflex Radius Arms

Good point

And yet I emailed SE to ask about caster alignment with the arms and they didn't know what a DC shaft was, and then when I told them I never got back another response even after requesting again.

Maybe they just don't want to bother shipping overseas, but it doesn't give me a grand worth of goosebumps to be the first to try when all we can find is a couple of arcane Patrol threads talking about how great this setup works.

Walking Eagle · 03-09-10, 07:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nay

Maybe they just don't want to bother shipping overseas, but it doesn't give me a grand worth of goosebumps to be the first to try when all we can find is a couple of arcane Patrol threads talking about how great this setup works.

wouldn't know - haven't talked to them. Intersting to see the rallycrossing stuff though on you tube - some high speed stuff without a floppy body.

I'm willing to be the first to try it, why not, right, I mean, if I can fab it out of stock arms - at least I did find an answer in there about the swaybar - the first ones didn't have the mounts, in 2010 they are adding them - they put it on top of the bracket on the flex on side, and then put an offset bracket on the 'normal' side. If I ruin a set of arms and $100, well, I've blown worse on worse....

oh, and it's only a good point, cause I take the time to dig and only present evidence I can back up

Nay · 03-09-10, 07:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Walking Eagle

wouldn't know - haven't talked to them. Intersting to see the rallycrossing stuff though on you tube - some high speed stuff without a floppy body.

I'm willing to be the first to try it, why not, right, I mean, if I can fab it out of stock arms - at least I did find an answer in there about the swaybar - the first ones didn't have the mounts, in 2010 they are adding them - they put it on top of the bracket on the flex on side, and then put an offset bracket on the 'normal' side. If I ruin a set of arms and $100, well, I've blown worse on worse....

oh, and it's only a good point, cause I take the time to dig and only present evidence I can back up

Yea, sure it's definitely worth the view, I'm glad to see you try it.

I think the swaybar issue is probably a bit overblown, although I do like mine for loaded down long range trips despite that fact that it has been sitting in my garage since early Nov.

That's an easily solvable problem with some high end shocks, which the 80 deserves anyway.

Walking Eagle · 03-09-10, 08:36 PM

interesting

YouTube - Rob Marshall Racing at Expo2009 Gymkana

Hefty · 03-09-10, 09:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nay

I wheel sometimes with a guy in my neighborhood who has a full size Bronco, rear leaf and front coil, with Duff radius arms I believe and coils like the FOR Gen II (progressive with the stacked dead winds).

That thing out-flexes my 80 big time and is very stable from what I have seen - he just needs a front locker and some 37's or bigger.

Just like this (not bad for 8" of lift - that's what you get with a good rear leaf system):

Hey thats Adrian. I was leading that trip to chinaman when we took that pic.

We bronco guys know how to get flex out of our rigs

I will be starting on a custom lift/conversion on an 80 series soon. I'm shooting for good street ride but still allow for about 12in min travel F&R

By the way Nay I live in Monument too. Saw you yesterday at pets mart

Ebag333 · 03-09-10, 10:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nay

And yet I emailed SE to ask about caster alignment with the arms and they didn't know what a DC shaft was, and then when I told them I never got back another response even after requesting again.

Maybe they just don't want to bother shipping overseas, but it doesn't give me a grand worth of goosebumps to be the first to try when all we can find is a couple of arcane Patrol threads talking about how great this setup works.

I'm not surprised. I haven't read a lot of really good things about them customer service wise, and I know they went after Crankycruiser for calling his Cranky-link a cross-link or x-link.

Nay · 03-09-10, 10:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hefty

Hey thats Adrian. I was leading that trip to chinaman when we took that pic.

We bronco guys know how to get flex out of our rigs

I will be starting on a custom lift/conversion on an 80 series soon. I'm shooting for good street ride but still allow for about 12in min travel F&R

By the way Nay I live in Monument too. Saw you yesterday at pets mart

Small world.

Do tell on the custom conversion, let me know if I can help. 12" F&R would be pretty ideal for the 80 and should be very doable with stability at 6"-7" of lift, which would open up 38"/39" tires in a hurry.

Nay · 03-09-10, 10:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Walking Eagle

interesting

YouTube - Rob Marshall Racing at Expo2009 Gymkana

Flatlanders

Walking Eagle · 03-10-10, 05:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ebag333

I'm not surprised. I haven't read a lot of really good things about them customer service wise, and I know they went after Crankycruiser for calling his Cranky-link a cross-link or x-link.

Not SE - Dobbin Engineering

home

They were just protecting their design. The one thread I read there were so many people asking Crankycruiser about the design rather than Dobbin, that it was hurting their ability to control the information about their product. Slee or MAF or FOR would all get upset (and some have) if someone was saying a bunch of stuff about a home brew version of what they've spent the money to develop.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nay

Flatlanders

Ya', that's the point. High speed flat turns and the truck is flat, even with the flexier arm.

Hefty · 03-10-10, 07:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nay

Small world.

Do tell on the custom conversion, let me know if I can help. 12" F&R would be pretty ideal for the 80 and should be very doable with stability at 6"-7" of lift, which would open up 38"/39" tires in a hurry.

It will be on Ardents 80. We're shooting for about 4inches max lift and 35-37's but still allow full travel. Haven't decided exactly which way to go yet with the design but it will be simple and functional. Should be adaptable with different lift heights. I personally am trying to keep the COG as low as possible. Gotta finish the new prototype for the 80 series rear bumper & swing outs first.

Chris

Ebag333 · 03-10-10, 10:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Walking Eagle

Not SE - Dobbin Engineering

home

They were just protecting their design. The one thread I read there were so many people asking Crankycruiser about the design rather than Dobbin, that it was hurting their ability to control the information about their product. Slee or MAF or FOR would all get upset (and some have) if someone was saying a bunch of stuff about a home brew version of what they've spent the money to develop.

Whoops, you're right. Wrong company.

And there's a ton of threads about knock off Slee/IronPig/4x4 Labs/Hanna/etc bumpers/sliders/skids/whatever. I have yet to read one single thread where Christo's threatened someone because they called their bumper a short-bus knock-off.

In fact there was a thread where one person admitted he stole a little bit about his bumper design from several manufacturers (unfortunately I can't find the thread). In the thread several people discussed how similar certain designs were....but none of the folks attacked the OP for "stealing" their design.

Protecting their design? About the same as the music industry protected their music by suing their customers. Look how well that's worked out for them.

Walking Eagle · 03-10-10, 11:19 AM

I could argue that Slee's stuff, certainly not the bumpers, isn't patiented and therefore anyone could use the design, but I won't

I'll just say I aparently didn't read the thread you're talking about, cause the only one I read I don't recall them threatening anyone. As I remember the thread I read, Crancky crusier started out calling it an x-link, people got confused between his self fabing and Dobbin, and Dobbin asked him to not use their name for their patentiented technology. I don't remember it being rude or threatening, but I don't remember if I washed my left foot this morning in the shower either.

They sure seem to have some strict laws about modifying vehicles over there.

Which is irronic, cause they also seem to be more willing to go outside the box on their designs!

I also noticed in all this digging, that crankycruiser now has super flex arms (SE) rather than his cranky-link set-up. PM'd him about it and he was nice enough to reply - he got 'defected'. He was running 7" lift, not is only running 4", so rather than do another housing he did the SE arms, cause then he can swap back if they defected him again -aka for inspection. Says they are better tha std arms, not as flexy as his cranky-link - I'll see if he would pop in here and give his .02 on how he's set up and why.

Tapage · 03-10-10, 01:21 PM

Just for reference a Patrol buddy here got SE arms with no really much problems at all .. and actually ( I would ask to confirm ) I got the impresion that he's pleased with the Customer service ..