how to figure axle travel

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

landwagon

landwagon

10 Year 15 Year 20 Year
Joined
Mar 23, 2005
Threads
74
Messages
1,267
Location
Ivydale W.V.
I'm tring to see how long of a shock I need to use the full movement of the axle. the axle's are spring over on stock springs and there is 4 inces out of the wheel wells with 35 by 15 tires( 38's when done ) not that that maters much. the shock mounts will go where they have to all ready tubing the rear. thacks for the help.

Tim
99 taco trd
87 fj60
tlca 14863
 
Go drive it up a hill and measure..

Think RTI ramp..
 
Yep, that's the best way to know for sure in the real world. FInd a ditch and cross the rig up,or use a forklift/loader to do the same.

Some try to lift the rig with kacks under the spring/axles, but the leverage is not as much as when the load is on the ites and you won't get as much travel, up or down.

BTW, it's articulation that you are concerned about axle travle will always be less than articulation travel.


Mark...
 
well I have the axle out to clean the frame up and tub the rear, so I sould build the the truck to that point and pick it up the tow motor mesure the open and closed length too see the travel 10 inch, 12inch what ever, then build mounts to fit that shock?


Tim
 
If you are talking about the rear of a '60 and you have not done something funky with your rear suspension, then it willbe difficult to fit a 14 inch travle shock. Probably prohibitively so. And probably unneccesary. IIRC a RS99010 is about a 12 inch travel shock and that is about the most that will fit if you are going to connect the shock to the crossmember at the top and the axle at the bottom. That is assuming that you are SOA.

It will also be more than enough travel in my experience.


Mark...
 
I'm not using the factory shock mounts front or rear, I will use tube and mount where I have to get the shock lenght I need. the rear I'm going to mount as close to 90 digrees as I can, up through the floor, I just want to use the springs to there max. she's a trailer queen now.

Tim
 
Your posts are pretty hard to read. Proof reading would help a lot.


How much your axle moves depends on what your suspension setup is like.

Mounting your shocks at 90 degrees will be contraproductive. You get more vertical movement of the axle for the same amount of piston stroke in the shock if the shock is mounted at an angle.More angle equals more axle movement to piston movement. It also equals less dampening so you have to decide what wroks best for your rig.

Nothing over or under rated about bumpstops and limit straps. You just have to decide what your needs are.


Mark...
 
I have done everything I lnow to get the rear of my 62 to move more. Even with the Superior shackles and 12" travel 9000s it still doesnt want to flex back there. The forklift thing will work but a deep crack will work better, being more real world flexing. I have some pics of the rear of my 62 lifted from the front by a forklift. You can see how little it really moves in the rear. Under forced articulation on the trail the rear works only marginally better. My point in this is of course only an opinion, but I wouldn't waste a bunch of $ trying to make an articulation king out of the rear of a 60. Mine flexes as well as any one I have ever seen, but on the trail, it hasn't taken me where a less prepared 60 couldn't go.
P11010001.webp
round_up_00286_jpg.webp
 
I have to pretty much agree. I'm considering a long leaf buggy spring conversion under the back of a '62 I am starting soon. But the stock FJ60 rear suspension doesn't have a lot of atriculation designed in.


Mark...
 
No.
 
I also have the classic case of MR. no flex in the rear. I am getting rid of the add a leafs and having a 4 leaf set up and a limiting strap to help with suspension un-loading and wheel hop. I know the stock bar will not hold up to a limiting strap. the rear of Velveeta Wag might sag a little but it won't be all that bad of a thing since it is SOA on 2 inch lift springs. I will post up if flew improves but am not ecpecting any thing to write home about.
 
Mark, I'm just trying to figure out how much travel the truck has front and rear. I understand all trucks are not the same. I just thougt I could find out which shocks to buy for max flex so I can get my mounts made. also the front shocks are mounted at about 90 dergees, why not the rear, I have the room? I thought I read shocks work beter that way. gsmtr is coming fast.



Tim
 
The fornts are mounted that way largely because that's the only way they will fit. ;)

Shocks don't work any better or worse based on how they are mounted. But they are more effective at dampingmotion if the motion is aligned with the travel of the piston in the shock. Straight on in oher words. But many shocks are mounted at many differing angles in various vehicles. Since it is easy to get a shock that is stiffer than you need, mounting a shock as a fairly sever angle is an easy way to gain mor movement of the axle for the saem length of shock. It also allows you to fit a longer shock in the first place.

The front axle is very different than the rear because the springs are further inboard which creates greater movement of the axle under articulation for the same spring deflection. It also creates greater leverage on the spring which translates to greater deflection of the spring under articulation for the same load. And of course the shocks are mounted outbord of the spring which means that the shock needs more travel than one mounted at the same angle and inboard of the spring.


Mark...
 
FJBen said:
If you want super travel out of the rear, consider a 4 Link rear setup. Then you can use 14" shocks and USE them. Like the others have stated. the SOA and SUA rears just don't flex *THAT* great.
Click to expand...

Like an 80 series?

How would a 4-link work with leaf springs?

Trying to picture it in my head and am having a difficult time.

Thanks.:cheers:
-onur
 
Mark, I know you are very knowledgeable with this stuff. This is my first computer, and really the first time I've used a computer this much. I only use it for mud and knowledge though. I have a hard time explaining myself, at least what I see in my mind so here I go somemore. Has anyone ever moved their rear springs into the same width as the front springs. Would that be good or bad?


Tim
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Back
Top Bottom