The Daily Chat Thread

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You heading to Rausch or already there?
 
Field & Forest

Gretchen didn't show up today. :o

There were 3 of us from YT there along with another guy in my old tan YJ. Western Mass and another club actually had the NEA reservations for the weekend, but there were only 2 from WM and 5 from from the other which is why F&F opened it up to other NEA members. Only $10 per person.

YT representation at our events at F&F doesn't take a back seat to any other club in the NEA!

I rolled my 4Runner at Pete's Pass. Unfortunately, no one took any video or pictures except for those I took in the aftermath. I thought it was just one full roll, but some of the witnesses said it was 2. The rumor back at the camp was it was 2 and a half, but I started on my wheels and finished on them, so how could that be a half of any kind unless they counted the half behind the steering wheel? :doh:

The truck box opened up and left some debris, there was stuff in there that I didn't even know I had gotten with the truck. The roll of toilet paper was appropriate considering the situation, but not needed. The roll cage saved me from any injuries, I didn't even break the windshield or the taillights. Honestly, I don't recall any jostling at all, not even a seatbelt burn. It was like being inside a ball.

I just hung onto the steering wheel, kept my limbs inside and and didn't panic. I recall thinking it isn't going to just stop with a flop. Like many accidents, it was all slow motion with time to make weird observations about what was happening. I was just very happy that I didn't have a passenger on board, especially my wife, as there aren't any grab bars on the dash.

Mostly the truck is still OK with some scrapes on the cage, a couple tweaks in the cage and a rear quarter that looks like old tinfoil. :hillbilly:

Anyhow, Rick sustained the most damage to his buggy trying to follow Evan over a huge rock on Pin Ball. He broke the main leaf on the driver's side front along with the inner and outer axles and the ujoint on the passenger side front. So much for chromoly Dana 44's with 40" Iroks. Surprising, he was actually able to drive it back to the trailer in 2WD after winching off the obstacle.

Here's some pix and videos I took.

http://s1108.photobucket.com/user/LCCRUISER/library/FIELD n FOREST 21 July 2013
 
thats awesome
so was it going down the hill
or off to the left coming out
 
I wish I knew where pete's pass was.
 
I think it on the UA route.
 
I wish I could see the video, photobucket loads then the screen goes
blank! :frown:
 
Kina,

I was at Pick your Poison on Pete's pass and took the right hand route up after failing on the left. I got off camber coming across the top heading to the left side and the front passenger tire crawled 3' up a tree while I was looking down the other way. I was up on 2 before I knew it.

Rick swears it was 2 full rolls and suggested I wear a helmet like Nate. I'm just happy I didn't get even a bruise as I didn't have the harness on, just the regular seat belt. Great cage!

(The pictures below were taken later in the day.)

Anyway, I think the truck droops too easily in the rear which allows too much roll from side to side. Here's a picture of the truck from the front later in the day. Nothing to drastic here, eh?

F n F 21July2013 Larry PinBall 2.webp

Now look at the rear at the same time. Extreme extension while the opposite shock still has travel, I don't think the springs are too soft.

F n F 21July2013 Larry's Flex 1.webp

Here's a closeup. The spring is well out of the bucket.

F n F 21July2013 Larry's Flex 2.webp

I think I need to limit the droop be either attaching the coi to the top of the bucket, adding a limit strap or adding a plate on the centering pin that catches the top coil before it drops way out.

The shocks have 14 inch travel. By the time they limit the droop the rear is way high and the momentum yanks the axle off the ground on that side.

Anyone have any constructive suggestions?

On top of the days events offroad, I realized my tow truck had a flat tire when I left the parking lot and hit the pavement. Onboard air from fellow wheelers got me home. It's the second flat in 2 weeks, this time the front rather than the rear. The tires have plenty of tread, someone wants me to stay home.

F n F 21July2013 Larry PinBall 2.webp


F n F 21July2013 Larry's Flex 1.webp


F n F 21July2013 Larry's Flex 2.webp
 
How is that street legal?
 
not sure why you are asking. i don't think i ever said it was.
 
No you never did. I just noticed the tags.
 
I recall you had tags at one time.

I initially considered doing some updates so it would be legal until i wheeled it and realized I loved hitting trees and rocks. On some of the trails we use, the vehicle has to be either registered or have an OHV sticker, so I registered it. It's a better ownership trail if I ever sell it to someone in a title state.
 
Anyone got any constructive advice on the rear suspension?
 
Larry,

I'm not much of a buggy guy but with that much travel maybe little winches to suck in the slop for off camber stuff may be ideal?

I do see that there is some sort of limiting strap there already.
 
Anyone got any constructive advice on the rear suspension?

There are a few ways to control this. Essentially the suspension is too soft for the weight of the truck. So you can:

can make truck lighter.
get stiffer springs.
revalve dampers to be slower(will still be floppy just less sudden)
add a sway bar
ditch the 3 link for 4 link and mess with your roll axis.

limit straps are meant to be used as hard stops when suspension droops rather than relying on your damper to stop the travel. Running a shorter limit strap will mask the situation by limiting your articulation.

A suckdown winch is a cheap($50-100 Harbor freight) masking solution. Ie pull truck down when you don't want it floppy or let it out to allow it to articulate..

also. without the top of the spring attached your spring rate is zero when the axle is trying to droop. When its attached the truck is trying to extend that spring. So it will stiffen the articulation and help it be less floppy.

my $0.02. hope it helps.
 
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Also if he captures the top and bottom of the coil it will stretch it. This will weaken the spring I believe. As coil springs don't like to be stretched.
 
An unstable rig is not a very fun rig to drive.
 
I appreciate everyone's input.

The limit strap in the center was Rick's idea since he has one on his rig. However, his is only there to limit down travel to the point that the ujoint angle doesn't get too high on the drive shaft and then bind. That's not my problem, but I humored him anyway since he's a good friend.

A center strap actually really doesn't affect how much the end of the axle can droop unless it is very short. That only makes the center a pivot point. I'll be losing that strap soon.

I'd definitely like to have limit straps on the shock mounts to prevent abuse to the shocks so they can't limit out at full extension.

The shocks are about 35" extended and are angled toward the center of the rig. They sit at about 3-4" exposed rod on the level. They are 14" travel, but the angle of the shocks makes that closer to 20" or so. I could limit them at 32" and still have about 16" of travel.

I already have the winches that I need to do the suck down, but I would rather cure the problem first rather than just addressing the symptom.

I don't want to go from the 3 link with the Y to a 4 link. This isn't my personal build and I don't want it to become a huge project. I bought it to go wheeling out of the box instead of sitting at home and lamenting while Minnie is laid up because I have zero time to work on her. Minnie is crying in the meantime.

I don't think this rig is too heavy at all, especially in the rear since most of the frame rear of the axles is gone and the body is hollowed out back there.

I considered stiffer springs, but the ones I have never seem to bottom out. The rear does sit about 1.5" higher than the front, so maybe the rears could be lower and shorter.

Dumb question on my part being a leaf spring guy, but aren't most coil springs attached top and bottom on vehicles including 4WD?
 
Dumb question on my part being a leaf spring guy, but aren't most coil springs attached top and bottom on vehicles including 4WD?

No they are usually not. I know the 80's are not. I puked a few coils, Before I zipped tied the bottoms.
 

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