- Thread starter
- #101
That's great news to open up flex further for the right crawler setup. This just keeps getting better. Thx for breaking ground!
Long Travel AHC (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter TeCKis300
- Start date
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That's great news to open up flex further for the right crawler setup. This just keeps getting better. Thx for breaking ground!
- Thread starter
- #102
These real time updates rock. Much better than staring at work that's piling up. Thx.
New RTI champ incoming… LX 570!
I’m mostly hoping to get my front coil support closer to the rear, and helping to support the winch that will go in soon. I don’t ever expect this IFS to articulate exactly how I’d like but even some small improvements are welcomed.
Ultimately, I want to find a longer shock and fabricate a higher top shock mounting position. Not as high as Monica but probably 2-3 inches, and actually have higher up travel.
Ultimately, I want to find a longer shock and fabricate a higher top shock mounting position. Not as high as Monica but probably 2-3 inches, and actually have higher up travel.
Aside from the AHC hose length, i dont see why you couldnt refab the top bucket to sit an inch higher.
There is space there. I wish i could weld at home. And have a tire machine. And an alignment rack... LOL
so this preload kit does two things?
A spacer on top to push the shock down (does this droop bias or actually increase travel?)
And shortening the spring length via the collar (spring rate increase? or the rate stays the same but starts at a higher value?)
Trying to understand the mechanisms at play.
A spacer on top to push the shock down (does this droop bias or actually increase travel?)
And shortening the spring length via the collar (spring rate increase? or the rate stays the same but starts at a higher value?)
Trying to understand the mechanisms at play.
Basically, makes the coil effective into the range we are hydraulic lifting up, and the spacer restores the down travel lost on a normal system.
That being said, our shocks have a lot of range.
This is hyptothetically gonna give me a 2" lift, with normal ahc pressures. However, the real lift amount and pressures is still trial and error.
Since im not weighed down, i may have to lift even more to further load the ram shock and get ahc to rebound correctly.
We are all stacking spacers because we are lifting more and dynamically, so the shock is not overextended, then the bump stops to prevent overcompression.
Theres spacers in the kit for the top (7.5mm aluminum) and washers for the bump stops. But im gonna be doubling up with my existing spacer.
But, you already know all this. You are grinchy, driveway king.
Jason Andrews
Modaholic
Interesting. That’s been one of my few complaints of the LX. I never felt like sport mode did anything with regard to stiffening sway bars and reducing body roll thru corners when engaged. Just feels like the shocks are more stiff on compression and extension.
I was asleep during suspension class, trying to catch up now
You lx boys having too much fun! Y’all don’t have to deal with the damn kdss. Keep it up.
I almost put oem spacers on my lc but recent cv damage of Yellowjackets rig scared me.
I almost put oem spacers on my lc but recent cv damage of Yellowjackets rig scared me.
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Were gonna make the LC boys jelly with this one!
And this time its not a wheel and tire thread! LOL
Lol for sure y’all making some very interesting upgrades. Slapping 35s on the lx seem much easier.
LX just slaps hard. LOL
All installed. I kinda wish I had purchased the longer studs @TeCKis300 used, just to see more threads. The factory stud only protrudes a very small amount. We used red thread locker and the supplied nuts.
Ran out of time to install the rear LX600 shocks, but maybe next week. We’ll see.
I’ll let you know if I have any adverse effects from this Westcott kit install but it feels the same to me so far. Likely an effective way to increase spring rate a little for heavier front ends or to compensate for the sensor lifts done by most of us.
I used the front only kit since I already addressed the back of my rig…
westcottdesigns.net
And here is the video that helped us understand the steps better…
Ran out of time to install the rear LX600 shocks, but maybe next week. We’ll see.
I’ll let you know if I have any adverse effects from this Westcott kit install but it feels the same to me so far. Likely an effective way to increase spring rate a little for heavier front ends or to compensate for the sensor lifts done by most of us.
I used the front only kit since I already addressed the back of my rig…
2008-2021 Land Cruiser (200 Series) Preload Collar Lift Kit - Front Only - Westcott Designs
2008-2021 Westcott Designs Front Only preload collar lift kit for the 200 series Toyota Land Cruiser. The kit features CNC machined preload collars and spacers.
westcottdesigns.net
And here is the video that helped us understand the steps better…
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All installed. I kinda wish I had purchased the longer studs @TeCKis300 used, just to see more threads. The factory stud only protrudes a very small amount. We used red thread locker and the supplied nuts.
Ran out of time to install the rear LX600 shocks, but maybe next week. We’ll see.
I’ll let you know if I have any adverse effects from this Westcott kit install but it feels the same to me so far. Likely an effective way to increase spring rate a little for heavier front ends or to compensate for the sensor lifts done by most of us.
I used the front only kit since I already addressed the back of my rig…
2008-2021 Land Cruiser (200 Series) Preload Collar Lift Kit - Front Only - Westcott Designs
2008-2021 Westcott Designs Front Only preload collar lift kit for the 200 series Toyota Land Cruiser. The kit features CNC machined preload collars and spacers.
Remind me your total lift?
I actually did studs in my spacer/UCA install, because unlike you and apparently @grinchy, I did my homework
Gonna double nut it when im done this time. Match mark it too.
I never was very good about my homeworkRemind me your total lift?
I actually did studs in my spacer/UCA install, because unlike you and apparently @grinchy, I did my homework
Gonna double nut it when im done this time. Match mark it too.
View attachment 3186913
And… um… as far as total lift, I really don’t know. And I don’t really have any similar reference points left, I don’t think. I really don’t think it’s sensor adjusted much more than anyone else.
On a side note. Now that I’ve done some Hwy miles, I’d say I can definitely feel the difference in the front preloaded rate while in the higher speed low mode. Still not perfectly matched to my rear Terrain Tamer coils w/ 50mm spacers, which I expect w/o a rear bumper but better. I won’t mind going over that speed threshold now (which is actually closer to 78mph with the tire size accounted for).
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I found increasing my front spring rate (15-20% is my estimate) helped SIGNIFICANTLY after I added a bunch of weight to the front (on top of a bunch of already added weight on the rear and underneath).
My truck has never weighed more, but it rides better now than it did unmodded on factory 20s.
My truck has never weighed more, but it rides better now than it did unmodded on factory 20s.
I never was very good about my homework
And… um… as far as total lift, I really don’t know. And I don’t really have any similar reference points left, I don’t think. I really don’t think it’s sensor adjusted much more than anyone else.
On a side note. Now that I’ve done some Hwy miles, I’d say I can definitely feel the difference in the front preloaded rate while in the higher speed low mode. Still not perfectly matched, which I expect w/o a rear bumper but better. I won’t mind going over that speed threshold now (which is actually closer to 78mph with the tire size accounted for).
Trying to follow but the westcott kit bolted on or did you have to modify it because of shock body diameter?
No modifications needed. It ended up being bolt on although I recommend the longer top studs
- Thread starter
- #120
Thinking out loud as @grinchy brought up a topic I've been noodling on for awhile.
As an example, assuming stock 105 lb/in rear springs. Let's assume at neutral ride height, a coil is supporting 600lbs. By definition, that would be compressed a bit more than 6". For every 1" travel in droop, the spring will push back with 105 lbs less by definition.. So say 3" droop, and now the spring pushes down with 285lbs at that extended position.
Doing the same math for a higher rate linear spring, let's say something at 150 lbs/in. At neutral ride height, supporting 600lbs. After 3" droop travel * 150 lbs/in, it's only pushing down with 150lbs of force at that extended position.
Trying to convince long travel peeps to stay with soft coils! If there are load concerns, use pre-load rather than higher rate springs.
EDIT: That said, if you really have that much more installed weight, some increase in spring rate may be called for, balanced with above.
Sensor Lift and Harsh Ride
AHC is supported by two elements: 1) coil spring that is linear rate 2) hydraulic accumulator that is progressive rate. Combined would be overall progressive rate. The reason that some AHC sensor lifts ride harsh is due a few possibilities.- Too much load on the hydraulic accumulator pushing the accumulator into a very high rate region (i.e. too much spring rate).
- Too much load potentially into bottoming out of the accumulator if worn.
- Too little droop travel and articulation
- EDIT: Too much weight or sensor lift in combination with above.
Long Travel wants Lower Spring Rates
Adding pre-load to the stock AHC springs, front or rear, is potentially a better solution than increasing spring rate with aftermarket springs to address load. The premise is long travel suspensions work better with lower rates springs to maximize articulation. The focus on spring rates is often to support a load. I think it's intuitively understood that higher spring rates can limit compression. But it's just as important to consider rates and how they effect droop travel. A higher spring rate coil spring gets unloaded far quicker in droop travel which may also limit articulation in that direction.As an example, assuming stock 105 lb/in rear springs. Let's assume at neutral ride height, a coil is supporting 600lbs. By definition, that would be compressed a bit more than 6". For every 1" travel in droop, the spring will push back with 105 lbs less by definition.. So say 3" droop, and now the spring pushes down with 285lbs at that extended position.
Doing the same math for a higher rate linear spring, let's say something at 150 lbs/in. At neutral ride height, supporting 600lbs. After 3" droop travel * 150 lbs/in, it's only pushing down with 150lbs of force at that extended position.
Trying to convince long travel peeps to stay with soft coils! If there are load concerns, use pre-load rather than higher rate springs.
EDIT: That said, if you really have that much more installed weight, some increase in spring rate may be called for, balanced with above.
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