Mid Travel Advice

[oldpainless]

I've got some money burning a hole in my pocket and I have been researching on a mid travel build for my truck. I've got the build mostly figured out for my 2000 Silverado 1500 4x4. Coilover conversion in the front, UCA arm swap, possibly converting to 2500 CVs (I've been told they can handle angles better), Deavers out back with single or double bypass shocks. Most of the wheeling that I do is out here on Colorado. Lots of fire roads, washboard, old mining trails. My big question is; is it worth spending the money on the build? I am really looking to smooth out the ride and be able to drive faster on the rougher washboard and rocky roads. A lot of the trails I am on are not technical and most of the time I don't even need to use my 4wd, but my truck rattles me to death on the small bumps and rocks. I realize a mid travel kit will kick ass out in the desert of the western slope and Moab, but 90% of my trips are here in the high country. Looking to see what others have noticed in their builds and experience, was it worth? Most of the answers I have found have been from guys charging in the desert or more about how the suspension performed in the big rocks. Lastly, I'm looking for some advice on the rear leafs. I know Deavers are the way to go for offroad. However, I do tow occasionally and in the winter I will often put a snowmobile in the bed. Am I going to have any issues with the Deaver springs?

Thanks.

 

[Stryder106]

I have a 2002 Avalanche, same torsion frontend. Who did you find for a coilover conversion? I was toying with the notion (still am honestly). My truck does really well in washboard, but nothing on it is stock anymore. What shocks are you running? I am running custom built Fox 2.0 with 7/8" shafts, adjustable reservoirs, and twin valving. The rear of my truck is a 5 point with coil springs - I'm using Hummer progressive coils from Eibach with custom fabbed control arms and track bar. In the front I use Cognito UCAs and MOOG PS LCAs (nobody makes a better one). Also in the front I just installed RCV axles, the rear has G2 axles. 4.88 gears and an ARB airlocker.

If you still have stock shocks, take a hard look at the Eibach Pro Truck Sport shocks - I can vouch for those as my Av was the development vehicle for them.

FWIW - it sounds like we do similar stuff - and I typically run 45-55mph on the washboard very smoothly.

 

[oldpainless]

Atomic Fab and Performance makes and JD Fabrication both make coilover kits for our trucks. I'm running Ranch rs9000xls. They are ok, somewhat adjustable. If I do pull the trigger on ill be going with Fox or King coilovers. The DSC on the Foxes seem really nice, King makes a similar adjuster but it does not seem to work quite as well as the Fox adjuster. I already have the Moog LCA and I'll be doing the Cognito UCA as well. I also have G2 axles but I have an open diff right now (sucks). I may re-gear again so I have been waiting on doing the locker.

 

[Stryder106]

Ahhh - the Atomic fab. Yeah - I looked at those and decided against them as I had heard mixed reviews. JD Fabrication - their site is RED (malicious code in it) and they never picked up the phone when I reached out to them before. If you go with either one, let me know how you like them.