Builds GW Nugget's Family Haulin Lx450 build (1 Viewer)

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The best suspension set up for what driver, and in what situation will it be used mostly? There are as many “good” setups as there are owners.
 
Does any of the information above have or give any value to the 80 series community or am I the only obsessed suspension freak on ih8mud trying to figure this all out on my own?
Or is this all old news & everyone has moved on because I've been stuck in the suspension phase of my build for the last 4 years.

I'm tired myself of being stuck here, but I want to know for sure, for sure, for sure that I have the best ride & handling 80 series I can have.
The thought of rather then a 3" or 4" suspension is a 2" suspension lift is closer to the stock geometry therefore better high speed maneuvering, turning while under hard braking & just a better more predictable feel on the road.

At this time I'm still holding onto the 1" body lift & a 2" suspension idea.
Currently waiting on a pair of 50mm front "RED" coils coming from AUS...
Man, don't stop now. This is beyond a doubt the best suspension thread on here.
 
Man, don't stop now. This is beyond a doubt the best suspension thread on here.

I agree.

in fact, I was thinking we should get DuroBumps in on this after you come to a conclusion on lift height vs. bump length - he can conjure up various durometers to decelerate the suspension over a certain range of travel to soften up the ride - and from what I've seen so far, it appears that the 80 market doesn't have many good bump options other than spacing them...?
 
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Does any of the information above have or give any value to the 80 series community or am I the only obsessed suspension freak on ih8mud trying to figure this all out on my own?
Or is this all old news & everyone has moved on because I've been stuck in the suspension phase of my build for the last 4 years.

I'm tired myself of being stuck here, but I want to know for sure, for sure, for sure that I have the best ride & handling 80 series I can have.
The thought of rather then a 3" or 4" suspension is a 2" suspension lift is closer to the stock geometry therefore better high speed maneuvering, turning while under hard braking & just a better more predictable feel on the road.

At this time I'm still holding onto the 1" body lift & a 2" suspension idea.
Currently waiting on a pair of 50mm front "RED" coils coming from AUS...

I have a demanding job, a 5 year old, a 1 year old and a 200 year old house. I need to you keep doing this research because I just don't have the time! I'll try to contribute to this discussion, as time allows, but I can barely keep up on small projects and upgrades. I really appreciate you sharing all the technical detail behind going low with 37s. This is exactly what I want to do. I am at 23" hub to fender and don't want to go any higher. So, your work really benefits me a lot.
 
Thanks for the positive feedback gents.






After testing this 1" suspension lift, it only gave approx 3" of up travel in the front.
I'm glad I did this, I learned a lot from it.



Next will be a 2" suspension lift with an 1" body lift. Stay tuned for the findings...

Knowing now the front stock OEM bump stops have only 1" of crush we add the stock spacing of 2" to total up travel at 3" the rear is 4".
With that knowledge it's just math. Stock front up travel is 3" then you suspension lift say 3" then you have 6" of up travel then lower the bumps 2.5" to fit 37s.
3+3-2.5=3.5" of up travel in the front. Same math for rear 4+3-2.5"=4.5" of up travel...


For me, my bumps are 1" & rear 2".
The front math is 3"+2"-1"=4" up travel.
Rear will be 4"+2-2"=4" up travel.

20171130_120609-png.1763971

How to measure the rear frame bumps.

bumperstopper-png.1151421




Also the general consensuses is 20" from center of hub to bottom of flare (COHTBOF) is were 20 year old spring generally net. So, if you have a 23" COHTBOF it is a good indication it is approx. 3" of lift front & rear.
 
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As of you that follow my thread know I have been bent to achieve 3" of lift in a nonconventional way of 2" suspension & 1" body lift. It has been my weird winter project, but most don't understand or have given any though to it why I have gone this direction.
In my way of thought, the closer to stock geometry the better. So to me a 2" suspension lift is better than a 3" if I can achieve the same or more up travel then a 3" suspension lift.

I did do the math in the last post but may I try to explain in another way.
If the 1" body lift also lifts the fenders up, it would allow 1" more up travel correct? This would mean 1" less bump stop is needed.
With my current 2" suspension set up I have an equivalent of lowering my front bump stops 1" in the rear is 2".
If I had just an 3" suspension lift I would need to lower my front bump stops 2" & 3" in the rear.
Both would achieve on my current set up 4" of up travel front & rear.
So there you have it...

Then one needs to think of the pros & cons of a body lift:
Better air flow under the hood & transmission.
Exhaust is further away from the body, less floorboard heat.
Lower COG.
It allows the sliders go strait out from the frame rather then going down the up from the body.
The list goes on...

One con I know of is the bumpers need to be lifted, but in some cases it's less noticeable if the fender flares are removed.

Also the same pro-con for a 2" suspension lift vs. a 3" suspension lift.
The closer to stock geometry means less correction trying to get back to stock geometry.
Less caster correction.
Less correction for rear control arm geometry.
Less panhard correction needed.

The only con I have found is the frame height is lower.
 
Here is my rig with the 3" of lift in front & 2.5" in the rear. The up travel did end up 4" in front but the back is 3.5" since the rear is a 2.5" lift.

Screenshot_20200315-000129.jpg

Ther red 50mm custom coils Jasen @ Trail Tailor made for me ended up 25mm coils. I added my 25mm coil spacers, so all is well.
They are great on & off road. I am very pleased with them, they are a bit softer then my Slinky's which is what I wanted.
There is one other set available if any one is interested.
Jasen would be willing to make more if there is a large enough demand. He has to order a minimum of 20 sets.



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20200229_161107.jpg
 
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ARB did me good, they warranted my twin air motor that stopped pumping. Here is my vid I made. Enjoy!
 
Those new coils are so cool. And, it is so cool that Trail Tailor was willing to make a custom set for you as well.
 
What was the problem with the slinky coils you ran before? TT winds coil springs now? I do like red better than whatever that color is in my springs. ;)
 
What was the problem with the slinky coils you ran before? TT winds coil springs now? I do like red better than whatever that color is in my springs. ;)
They Slinky coils gave 3" of lift.
Trail Tailor's brand of coils are called TourFlex designed by Tough Dog & manufactured by King.
King makes the Tough Dog & the TourFlex coils.
I didn't like the red but it has grown on me.
The TourFlex brand has been more popular with the 100 & 200 series folks. He said " I have over 300 satisfied 100 & 200 TourFlex customers" & he just ordered another 140 sets from AUS.
 
I have the 3 inch tourflex on my 80 and love them. They are very comfortable on the street and great off road. After going from OME to the tourflex with tuffdog oil shocks I felt like the suspension was absorbing vs. fighting bumps in the highway and off road.
 
They Slinky coils gave 3" of lift.
Trail Tailor's brand of coils are called TourFlex designed by Tough Dog & manufactured by King.
King makes the Tough Dog & the TourFlex coils.
I didn't like the red but it has grown on me.
The TourFlex brand has been more popular with the 100 & 200 series folks. He said " I have over 300 satisfied 100 & 200 TourFlex customers" & he just ordered another 140 sets from AUS.
So your answer is that 3” lift is a problem?
 
Ther red 50mm custom coils Jasen @ Trail Tailor made for me ended up 25mm coils. I added my 25mm coil spacers, so all is well.
They are great on & off road. I am very pleased with them, they are a bit softer then my Slinky's which is what I wanted.
There is one other set available if any one is interested.

I might be interested in those - any idea on price?
 
They are 2" MAF & measure 2.5".
I dont want anything perminate like welded.
I need to move axle forward 1".
Im hopping to get a set of Delta arms to address the caster, axle forward & control arm flex freedom all at once.
 

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