Do You Still Have Flex With A SOA? (1 Viewer)

[daddyo]

I have never seen a picture of a SOA really flexed up.

If you get a SOA, then you have plenty of lift to fit big tires, but does that mean that you have to use bump stops to keep the tires from flexing up into the wheel wells? What am I missing?

Please straighten me out here folks.

Andrew

 

[Stainless 40]

I have seen SUA cruisers do just as well as SOA rigs...the big diff is that you can fit the bigger tires....most people use bump stops...I have never bothered on mine...it has seen plenty of seasons on the Rubicon, Fordyce and the like with no problems with the tires...if you plan on doing the SOA yourself, be prepared, it's alot of work...good luck.............

 

[DBS311]

When I went from OME to the SO, I gained a lot more flex. A flat spring will flex better than an arched one assuming that leaf thickness, metal composition, etc. are the same. It also rides a lot nicer than a lifted SUA setup. Check out the thread a page or two back about a SOA shop in SoCal. Mine is actually on there with a forklift under the tires flexing it some. That was with brand new springs as well. It has softened up since then and articulates even more.

 

[Mark W]

You've got it backwards. SOAs don't reduce flex. The increase it tremendously. Room for the tires to move and room for the springs to flex (backwards even). No need for stiff highly acrhed springs. Nice soft and flat stock springs are perfect for an SOA.

No comparision between a SUA and a SOA rig.

Mark...

 

[daddyo]

Those pics are with 33" tires. How could you do that with 35" (or larger) tires? The tire won't fit into the wheel well, right?

My point is not that the springs won't flex, but how can you allow them to flex much with rubbing/cutting/shredding on the body?

Andrew

When I went from OME to the SO, I gained a lot more flex. A flat spring will flex better than an arched one assuming that leaf thickness, metal composition, etc. are the same. It also rides a lot nicer than a lifted SUA setup. Check out the thread a page or two back about a SOA shop in SoCal. Mine is actually on there with a forklift under the tires flexing it some. That was with brand new springs as well. It has softened up since then and articulates even more.

 

[DBS311]

Trust me, 35's do not even come close to rubbing at full stuff. With 37's on now the only rubbing I get is in the front, and it is only a small area of the wheelwell. This is caused by my front springs sagging a little, so I can either get some long AAL's or some Alcans.

Those pics are from the front, so you can't really tell how much room there is in the wheelwell. If you search some threads about 37's, you might run into a pic of my truck from the side.

Anyway, to answer your question, yes, I did get bumpstop extensions for the front and back. When you do a SOA and gain 6+ inches of lift, you need to extend those stops or you'll do some damage.

 

[pismojim]

SOA = MUCH MORE FLEX

It's trigonometry. Moving the springs on top the axle increases the leverage on the springs. That means more flex. It works the springs harder. Running 35s I've rubbed a bit even with bump stops. The springs will reverse arch pretty easy.

These pics are soon after SOA with used OME heavies. No problem flexing...

 

[lowtideride]

Yulp flexs way better...I took my add-a-leafs out and now it flexs a buttload more than the picture below....

 

[daddyo]

Thanks for all the replies, and great photos too. The proof is in the pudding, so to speak.

Andrew