nother question...rear load carrying

[kodiak1232003]

went camping recently, all loaded up with gear kids, wife etc.


my LJ wrangler did fine, but i could feel the truck bounce and JUST touch the rear bumpstops, when we'd hit a rough patch.


seems like i just need a bit of stiffening or clearance in the rear.


solutions?
1. don't worry about it.(we had a lot of gear hanging over the axle)
2. small width coil spacer
3. Rear Only.........OME springs/shocks
4. full OME spring/shock kit


if we end up getting a roof rack to spread the load over the whole roof, and not just in the very rear of the truck, do you all see it improving if we're not adding any more gear than the previous trip (other than the rack)

 

[tjbliley]

It sounds like alot, but get the OME springs and shocks. Get the heavys in the 2" lift. This along with the Safari Kongo Kage and aluminum basket will give you exacty what you need. Only issue is the setup is pricey. Kage will alter your COG and you will feel it when you wheel. You can remove the Kage whenever you need by tipping it back and leaving it at base camp. I have been running this setup for a few years and it helps cause I am running it on a TJ.

 

[goodtimes]

I would spread the load between the front and rear axle first. Once that is done, see if the spring rate is sufficient. If not, then consider increasing the spring *rate*...not the amount of lift (unless you want more lift....). Just keep in mind that increasing the spring rate will give you a harsher ride, particularly when the jeep is unloaded. Softer valving in the shocks can help this, but you only have 2 choices...go with what someone else thinks is right for your application (even though they don't know what your application is), or go with custom valved shocks (big $$$$).

 

[kodiak1232003]

I would spread the load between the front and rear axle first. Once that is done, see if the spring rate is sufficient. If not, then consider increasing the spring *rate*...not the amount of lift (unless you want more lift....). Just keep in mind that increasing the spring rate will give you a harsher ride, particularly when the jeep is unloaded. Softer valving in the shocks can help this, but you only have 2 choices...go with what someone else thinks is right for your application (even though they don't know what your application is), or go with custom valved shocks (big $$$$).

great post, thanks...

thats what my wife and i are thinking, too: if we get our rack installed and spread out our medium to light weight stuff(ground tent,mess tent,camp chairs and table) up top- the only heavy item that is "rearward" of the axle is the cooler which we figure at about 60-80lbs...

if that doesn't work we can always go to an OME or higher spring rate (non-lift) set of springs like you guys recommend


sounds like a plan

 

[ntsqd]

I would contend that if you are not hitting the bump stops on occasion that you are not using the suspension to it's fullest potential.

I do not know where the idea came from that hitting the bump stops is bad, but I do believe that it is erroneous.

 

[kodiak1232003]

I would contend that if you are not hitting the bump stops on occasion that you are not using the suspension to it's fullest potential.

I do not know where the idea came from that hitting the bump stops is bad, but I do believe that it is erroneous.

thats an interesting perspective. i never thought of it that way. I automatically assumed that it was a bad thing, When in retropect, with a bit of distribution of gear, i'll bet the suspension will be working exactly like it was designed to...(like i said, it was only when i hit a freeway joint or went over un-sealed road ruts going about 15-20 mph...

neato.

 

[goodtimes]

I would contend that if you are not hitting the bump stops on occasion that you are not using the suspension to it's fullest potential.

I do not know where the idea came from that hitting the bump stops is bad, but I do believe that it is erroneous.

I understand what you are saying, but keep in mind that bump stops are rarely intended to be active parts of a suspension system. They are there to prevent bad things from happening when your suspension is pushed beyond its capacity. If you are hitting your bump stops (pushing your suspension beyond its capacity) while driving down the freeway hitting expansion joints, it is definately not up to the task of off road travel.

 

[kodiak1232003]

I understand what you are saying, but keep in mind that bump stops are rarely intended to be active parts of a suspension system. They are there to prevent bad things from happening when your suspension is pushed beyond its capacity. If you are hitting your bump stops (pushing your suspension beyond its capacity) while driving down the freeway hitting expansion joints, it is definately not up to the task of off road travel.

yeah, it's not like i was bouncing off them the whole drive. I could just barely feel it bump once/ maybe twice on the trip there and back. (hour trip)

definitely going to address it though...

 

[ntsqd]

I understand what you are saying, but keep in mind that bump stops are rarely intended to be active parts of a suspension system. They are there to prevent bad things from happening when your suspension is pushed beyond its capacity. If you are hitting your bump stops (pushing your suspension beyond its capacity) while driving down the freeway hitting expansion joints, it is definately not up to the task of off road travel.

True, there is such a thing as too much of a good thing in this case, particularly if they are any sort of low profile design. The bumps should make occasional contact at the outer edge of your use - what ever that might be. The smaller they are, the less frequent the contact.

It looks to me that the OE's are trending towards bringing the bumps into play earlier in the travel. Those found on the rear of mid 80's to some point newer (current?) Nissans are a semi-active component as they have a lot of designed-in compression travel. (<-Hint: See if those fit the application.) Second gen GM IFS trucks have the bumps as an active & nearly always in contact feature of the front suspension.

 

[86cj]

I have been dealing with the heavy Jeep LJ rearend issues since new and you guys are really on the same page as me. I did not find it to be a problem so much offroad as I take it easy, but the Jeep would hit the bumpstops hard on bridge abutments and frost heaves on the expressway and unsettle the whole suspension. "Especially scarey in a long sweeping curve at say 75MPH".

I lifted my LJ in april 04' at only 36 miles, long before any LJ specific springs were out yet. I used a 2" spacer lift and the stock rear springs were always on the the bumpstops. I then installed 3" BDS springs and found that I still had the problem with the BDS rear springs (although better) and decided to wait while some higher rate springs became available for the LJ. I switched to Bilstein 5100 shocks and again it helped but still was not happy. I have had air bags on several of my other cars and trucks for many years with zero issues so I called SUMMIT racing and ordered some $66 AIR LIFT bags. I am now happy and the Jeep is completely stable and can handle the weight load just fine. I still might upgrade the rear springs in the future. I know it is not the best choice but I have really seen no downside to the bags. I can deflate them to really flex and play with pressure when unloaded and no top. I do have less faith in these bags than all my other vehicles just because the way the bumpstop pushes into them. (I used a 2" spacer on my bumpstop from my BB lift and airlift bags for a standard TJ no lift.) So far these have been on for 2 years and several crosscountry wheelin trips loaded real heavy.

I should also say that the front spring rate seems to be almost perfect and the bilstein 5100's are for a 3" lift.. I do run a ARB bumper but no winch yet.


I also agree about the active bumpstop on some vehicles. My ZR-2 blazer lives on the bumpstops and can handle high speed fire roads and whoops my LJ would never think of. My IFS one ton chevy smashes them on everybump. The bumpstops on some TJs are very small rubber ones and can be upgraded to a yellow factory poly type, but I don't believe the Jeep ones should be active.

All that being said I have been looking at some AIR bumps like POLY PERFORMANCE uses and weld them in.........

 

[ntsqd]

If you can find some & figure out a way to use them, the Nissan bumps I mentioned above are what desert racers used b4 Hydro-Bumpstops became available. They have roughly a figure 8 shape, with the smaller 'o' being the first point of axle hsg contact.
Cheap to free at the JY and $88 each from the dealer.