80 suspension travel (6 Viewers)

[martoo]

G'day everyone, have been putting some thought into messing around with the front suspension in my 80. Currently, front has minimal travel, and have compared to a friends 80, his is the same. Wanting to try put longer shocks in, bump stop extensions, longer brake lines and see how it goes. I want to retain the height it sits at, (currently 2" springs and 2" shock in the front, no idea about the rear, believe that's all factory, but in saying that it travels pretty decently in the rear). Has anyone done this before? Will be putting it on a flex ramp this weekend, will drop the swaybar and shocks to grab some measurements and see what i can actually fit. Cheers

 

[GW Nugget]

G'day to you also, lots of good info on ih8mud about the 80 series suspension.

 

[Hornd]

Start here:

 

[Izeloz]

I got noticeably more front flex on my '91 by ditching the front swaybar. I haven't noticed any poor driving charcteristics like excessive lean in corners, but that's probably because I drive a brick that doesn't go very fast. After driving it for a little while with it removed, I just kept it off. With my type of driving, I have only seen benefits. I kept the rear swaybar to balance things out. The rear doesn't need help with more flex, as you've noted.

 

[TheBussman]

To get more travel you want longer shocks but also springs that are designed to work longer shocks like the dobbs VT coils. if you just run the longer shocks with normal coils they will fall out at full extension. Bump stop extensions are great for making your big tires not rub but they do limit your travel.

 

[TheBussman]

Start here:

great video for IFS trucks. not everything applies to solid axle trucks.

 

[Hornd]

great video for IFS trucks. not everything applies to solid axle trucks.

The Rears are Solid Axle but Displacement still Up and Down.

I got noticeably more front flex on my '91 by ditching the front swaybar. I haven't noticed any poor driving charcteristics like excessive lean in corners, but that's probably because I drive a brick that doesn't go very fast. After driving it for a little while with it removed, I just kept it off. With my type of driving, I have only seen benefits. I kept the rear swaybar to balance things out. The rear doesn't need help with more flex, as you've noted.

He did Video Exactly on this Topic - Data Included.

 

[martoo]

G'day, took a minute, but dropped front and rear swaybars, front shocks and flexed it at work (don't mind the expensive flex ramp lol).
So at full droop, it measured 630mm from shock tower on chassis to shock mount on the diff.
At full compression, it measured 530mm. 100mm articulation in the front end.
Shocks measure 680mm open, 430mm closed. so the suspension isn't even cycling as far as the shocks will allow. Now, few months back i installed some new terrain tamer radius arm bushes, these don't press fit like factory, literally bit of a push and they're in. These bushes take up all the room between the arm and the diff, and i'm taking a wild guess, but i think this is binding and not allowing it fully articulate. What do you guys think?

 

[GW Nugget]

Great R&D work there, its a leaning curve & you will get things sorted out in time.
Thee rear is doing most of the flexing so stay focused on the front.
You can play around with the hitch pen hack, put I never liked the road manners under braking, it is unpredictable.
Nice Bull Bar, I like those Ozzy Bull Bars... Dans customs is my favorite.
Follow my journey here. My build thread page 12 forward.
The front control arms bind in the brackets; you could grind the tops of the control arms to allow more flex.
Or get aftermarket arms like the SuperFlex arms.
You can send me a DM with any Q's you have.
Have fun reading

Happy Trails...

Gary aka Nugget from Central California.

 

[06reg4x4]

^^ resident 80 suspension guru.