Question about parts/lifts on giant new trucks

[Pathrat]

So I am reading and article in Petersens 4x4 about lifting your late model truck, i.e. Chevy Half Tons, Dodges, etc. I was really hoping to buy a $45K truck and jack it up so high that the hood is taller than I am. JK, I was reading the article thinking I might pick up some sideline bits of info I could use to decrease the level of my automotive ignorance.

When I see these stupid big Overcompensators with 6 or 9 inch lifts, I sometimes see sets of shock/coils or struts bundled together instead of just the standard issue one. Is this to provide more stability so the thing doesn't blow over in a strong wind or so the sway doesn't snap a part or what?

The article mentioned these extended shocks and coilover products that attach to "A-arms". I couldn't find what the A stands for. What is this and what does it do?

Thanks ahead of time

[Brody]

Hey Pathrat

I'll try to answer this one, too.

Most of the bigger trucks like you mentioned are really never used for wheeling and are, like you mentioned, overcompensaters. You will probably see lift blocks under 90% of the rigs in the rear, which are totally ineffective and will blow out off road.

The multiple shocks are kind of an 80's retro look as most rigs don't really need them. There are circumstances where, if you do the math right, you can use 2 lower rated shocks in place of a higher rated single and get better results, but 90 % of the time it is just for looks. Shock technology has come such a long way that single shocks or remote reservoir shocks work better than most double set ups. The 'new' thing is to use remote reservoir shocks or even double remote reservoir shocks, whether you need them or not. Again, just for looks, especially on these style trucks. You might want to run double shocks of some kind if you have a big ******* diesel, but those come from the factory with single shocks, too. Remote reservoir shocks work well off road and are designed to allow for more shock travel by moving the fluid outside the shock, thus allowing for a longer shock arm and more travel, not to mention keeping the fluid cooler. Take a look at most of the trail and rock crawling rigs and you will see that almost all of them are using single shocks.Most rock buggies are using a single air shock, which work exceptionlly well off road, but not for a multi purpose ride. Air shocks(with or without adjustable coilovers) on a link suspension with no secondary springs (like coils or leaf) allow for just about the maximum travel and are the set up for most competition crawlers for that reason. Quite a few of the Baja rigs are using a single shock with a coil secondary, but these rigs are taking massive jumps, too, and the suspension design is different.

'A' arms are what you have on most Indenpendent Front Suspensions (IFS) ,like on your FJ. Stand, or kneel, facing your wheel from the side like you were going to check the air, and imagine looking down from the point of the 'A' towards the legs. Then look underneath your rig and at both the top and bottom of the front suspension, you will see the this 'A', with the top at the wheel side and the legs attaching to the frame.. These are the 'A' arms are are the controlling factor in your up and down wheel travel. The after market lift kits usually provide longer 'A' arms and better pivot balls (where the arms attach and rotate), which allow for more droop and wheel travel , but also keep the suspension in alignment. If you were to lift your rig from the center point on the diff and allow for the wheels to drop all the way down until they stop, you can see where longer 'A' arms and better pivots make this happen. And you can see why it gets tricky and expensive. Take a google at the Total Chaos (cool set ups), Demello Off Road, or Camberg Engineering (Racing?) sites and see the what these guys are doing with IFS and TTB (Ford's Twin Traction Beam) suspensions. It is pretty cool as most of these guys tell you why, too.

Hope that this helps.

[Pathrat]

Of course it helps, and I actually understood most of your first paragraph on the first read! All I have to do now is google double remote resevior shocks. I plan to print out the second paragraph and follow the directions. Once again, thanks for passing on what you know. :)

[Funrover]

Remote res. shocks are what I have. You will see in the picture they are like normal shocks except they have an extra container attached via hose. that is the difference that Pete was talking about. The "double" you are talking about is the fact that they mount 2 shocls per wheel. ending up with 8 shocks total!

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c353/Funrover/My%20Rangie/IMG_0099.jpg

[Pathrat]

:wrench:Thanks Aaron! It is so much easier for me to get it when there is a visual. :clap: