Tough Dog suspension help rides ROUGH! (1 Viewer)

[MastiffDad14]

Good afternoon,

I was hoping someone could point me in the right direction on how to cure my suspension woes.

Currently using the tough dog shocks can’t recall the style but they were the better ones with rear adjusting front and rear along with TD torsion bars and constant load heavy coils. Longer sway bar links and diff drop, Upper total chaos control arms in the front and rear upper and lower adjustable tough dog control arms.

The truck is fully kitted out with front metal bumper, sliders rear slee bumper, drawer system and fridge. The rear suspension seems to be doing OK but the front just doesn’t feel planted at all and I can feel every bump in the road, hit a pothole and you practically go through the sunroof. Is it my torsion bars or are my shocks just not doing their job? Any help is greatly appreciated.

 

[Bisho]

Did you just install this, or was it fine and now it’s not?

 

[MastiffDad14]

It

Did you just install this, or was it fine and now it’s not?

Great question, I should have specified. It’s always been this way. I installed the suspension components about 12 months ago. I’ve been driving the vehicle more and it’s just bothering me.

 

[jLB]

I’m not sure that I can exactly answer your question of “torsion bars vs. shocks?”, but I can say that I found the TD torsion bars too thick/stiff for my needs, and I’ve been much happier with the thinner/softer OME torsion bars, but I also changed the shocks to Dobinsons IMS/MRA around the same time. The combination of the two was a significant change, especially in the front suspension.

 

[Bisho]

I have Tough Dogs with the factory torsion bars and I like the ride. I probably need a bit bigger TBs, but like @jLB, I think the Tough Dog TBs are probably overkill.

 

[srburnsy]

It

Great question, I should have specified. It’s always been this way. I installed the suspension components about 12 months ago. I’ve been driving the vehicle more and it’s just bothering me.

Before you go swapping out your springs, just check you front suspension droop, you should be aiming for around the 70mm from ride hight. Unfortunately you'll find those shocks to be similar length as factory shocks, this means you can't do much of a lift.

 

[jLB]

Before you go swapping out your springs, just check you front suspension droop, you should be aiming for around the 70mm from ride hight. Unfortunately you'll find those shocks to be similar length as factory shocks, this means you can't do much of a lift.

True. I found the 41mm front shocks to be “stockish” length, but found the 53mm “Ralph” shocks to add a little travel over stock, and too little droop does make the ride absolutely awful.

 

[srburnsy]

True. I found the 41mm front shocks to be “stockish” length, but found the 53mm “Ralph” shocks to add a little travel over stock, and too little droop does make the ride absolutely awful.

Yep, there's not many shocks out there that are longer than the stock length of 440mm. Usually because manufactures know that longer shocks can't be used with the stock UCAs.

If using aftermarket UCAs you can go to a maximum shock length of 461mm, that's only a 20mm longer shock but it equals nearly 40mm of additional droop at the wheels. This is the only way you can do a true 2.5" lift.

 

[jLB]

Yep, there's not many shocks out there that are longer than the stock length of 440mm. Usually because manufactures know that longer shocks can't be used with the stock UCAs.

If using aftermarket UCAs you can go to a maximum shock length of 461mm, that's only a 20mm longer shock but it equals nearly 40mm of additional droop at the wheels. This is the only way you can do a true 2.5" lift.

Yep, I learned that, a while back, the hard way, and how I ended up with the extended length Dobinsons IMS on my 3.

 

[srburnsy]

Yep, I learned that, a while back, the hard way, and how I ended up with the extended length Dobinsons IMS on my 3.

Yeah be careful with some of the Dobinsons shocks, I've seen them coming out with a little too much length, had an argument with them over it about 12months ago. The shocks must be the component that limits the down travel, not your ball joints! Was like talking to idiots.

 

[jLB]

Yeah be careful with some of the Dobinsons shocks, I've seen them coming out with a little too much length, had an argument with them over it about 12months ago. The shocks must be the component that limits the down travel, not your ball joints! Was like talking to idiots.

In my testing, with aftermarket UCAs, I’m shock limited, but that might vary based on which UCAs are being used.

 

[srburnsy]

In my testing, with aftermarket UCAs, I’m shock limited, but that might vary based on which UCAs are being used.

I think most aftermarket UCAs are similar in that regard, however, I think some of the extended length Dobinsons are put together on a Friday. Lol

Out of curiosity, what UCAs are you using and what was the open length of your Dobinsons?

 

[jLB]

I’ve got (previous gen) SPC on one, (previous gen) Nitro on one, and Trail Tailor on one.

It’s been a while, and I think in imperial instead of metric, offhand I don’t recall the standalone length, but I’m seeing ~24.75” (628.65mm) center of hub to fender lip in front, at full droop (across all 3).

 

[srburnsy]

I’ve got (previous gen) SPC on one, (previous gen) Nitro on one, and Trail Tailor on one.

It’s been a while, and I think in imperial instead of metric, offhand I don’t recall the standalone length, but I’m seeing ~24.75” (628.65mm) center of hub to fender lip in front, at full droop (across all 3).

Yep, that's exactly what I get with my Blackhawk UCA's.
I've seen those Dobinsons shocks set at 8mm longer than the arms allow. Certainly best ti always check them like you have already done.

 

[awesomeissquid]

Yeah be careful with some of the Dobinsons shocks, I've seen them coming out with a little too much length, had an argument with them over it about 12months ago. The shocks must be the component that limits the down travel, not your ball joints! Was like talking to idiots.

I thought it was best practice to not have the ball joints or the shock maxing out? Isn’t that why professional setups run limit straps.

 

[jLB]

I thought it was best practice to not have the ball joints or the shock maxing out? Isn’t that why professional setups run limit straps.

Well, you don’t want to be continually topping out the shocks, but the factory design does use the shock as the limiter for droop.

 

[srburnsy]

I thought it was best practice to not have the ball joints or the shock maxing out? Isn’t that why professional setups run limit straps.

Yeah never the ball joints but it's perfectly acceptable to use the shocks as the limit. The key here is to have a minimum of around half of your total available suspension travel as droop, the droop is measured from your ride hight, this is so you're not constantly topping out your shocks.

Yes, some race setups will run limiting straps, but that's only really necessary when racing and you're pushing the working limits.

 

[MastiffDad14]

Thanks for all the responses, ill check the droop today. Hopefully that is the issue, I am going to assume it is since there is no way I would say this rides well.

 

[Bisho]

Probably ought to ping @TRAIL TAILOR

 

[MastiffDad14]

Ok, took some measurements.
DS Front 22 1/4"
PS Front 21 1/3"
Both Rears 23 1/4"
The DS Front had less than 1.4" of droop.

I am going to lower it down to around 21 1/3" to match the passenger. With the drivers side unloaded and raise in the air the torsion bar bolt is stuck, can't get any movement with a breaker bar sprayed PB, going to try again in 30 min.