4speedfunk
Well-Known Member
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- 4,250
- Location
- Tardville
You'll want to clamp the top end of that coil to the bucket...don't rely on vehicle weight alone. No way I would trust that rubber donut and piece of tube to keep that spring seated in place. Its very possible your suspension will out-droop the spring tension...not good. I got into some whoops over the 4th of July (approx. 30 mph) and completely bounced my coil springs off the sides of buckets. Bent the crap out of the springs and the buckets. After inspection, I realized the capture plates had come loose. Whatever the method, get your springs bolted in tight...metal on metal is fine.
Today I cut some small pins (1/2" long) from 1/2" bar stock. I plan to weld three of them to the bucket surface, just inboard of the coil. They are shorter than the thickness of the spring stock, so when I clamp the capture plate down tight, it still does its job. The idea is that even if the plate works loose...the three pins will keep the coil centered on the bucket, and prevent it from sliding off to one side. Extreme suspension like this pretty much requires that the spring be mechanically attached top & bottom...especially in the terrain you like to tackle. I under-estimated the importance of this and never really re-checked the capture plate bolts after I got things assembled. I paid for that one. Next time...those bitches will be tight, and the springs will not be allowed to move or rotate whatsoever!
4" up-travel between the DL and TR is about what I got. Just make sure the bump stop limits the travel to 3"...otherwise, you'll be breaking stuff. If you do end up keeping that donut on top of the coils, make sure to account for that in the bump-stop travel as well. It might seem stiff but, that donut could give you additional squish when you drop 3000 lbs on it at 30 mph. At all costs...you do not want to shove that tie-rod upward and into the pitman arm.
Today I cut some small pins (1/2" long) from 1/2" bar stock. I plan to weld three of them to the bucket surface, just inboard of the coil. They are shorter than the thickness of the spring stock, so when I clamp the capture plate down tight, it still does its job. The idea is that even if the plate works loose...the three pins will keep the coil centered on the bucket, and prevent it from sliding off to one side. Extreme suspension like this pretty much requires that the spring be mechanically attached top & bottom...especially in the terrain you like to tackle. I under-estimated the importance of this and never really re-checked the capture plate bolts after I got things assembled. I paid for that one. Next time...those bitches will be tight, and the springs will not be allowed to move or rotate whatsoever!
4" up-travel between the DL and TR is about what I got. Just make sure the bump stop limits the travel to 3"...otherwise, you'll be breaking stuff. If you do end up keeping that donut on top of the coils, make sure to account for that in the bump-stop travel as well. It might seem stiff but, that donut could give you additional squish when you drop 3000 lbs on it at 30 mph. At all costs...you do not want to shove that tie-rod upward and into the pitman arm.
