What have you done to your Tacoma today? 1st Gen Edition

Well at least it's just the valve cover and not the block

 

Would've sucked major ass if is what the block.......

 

I did that
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/cracked-valve-cover.523077/

 

Damn, Hercules! How tight did you get those bolts?!

Jk. Should be able to JB weld that up to tide you over for a while.

 

How would a longer spring help with lifting his truck more? If you keep the rate at 650 lbs/in it seems the only thing that would change is the threads showing on the body while the preload would be the same no? Assuming coil bind isn't a factor

 

He'll still have to preload but when you preload a longer spring the stiffening effect felt is lesser. It's like lessening the pressure with a wider pipe but still maintaining total flow.

 

bingo.

 

Ah okay kinda makes sense thinking about it that way thanks for clarifying

Edit reconfused now

 

I love this debate for some reason most think using a spring compressor to install the spring doesnt count as preload

How? A 600lb spring takes 600lbs to move an inch and it will take another 600lbs to move the next inch. Does not matter if the spring is 16" or 100" its still 600lb for each inch of compression

 

Not as simple as that. There is a shock involved too. As well as the geometry of that upper and lower BJs and arms.

 

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the application of preload isn't linear so neither would its effect be as well?

 

2" of preload is 2" of preload. The total length of the spring doesnt care that you preloaded 2". Again a 600lb spring takes 1200lb to preload 2", so why would it matter how long the spring is?

It really is that simple, the spring is a constant rate spring, meaning its always 600lbs of pressure to move 1". The spring does not care about your geometry. Yes all of that will affect which spring rate you choose, but if you choose a 600lb spring then your specific application will compress that spring the same total amount no matter how long the spring is

 

I only brought it up by thinking about hooks law so wasn't sure if it was that simple or if there was more factors.

 

Okay that makes sense, but surely spring length plays some factor other than covering the travel then if it is truly this simple. I am actually having a super tough time visualizing it, but I believe you. Need to bust out solidworks and simulate it so it makes more sense to me tho...

 

The spring in the system will certainly be impacted by where that preload occurs. The shock alone plays a role in that it does not behave/respond to spring tension that same in all positions of the stroke.

 

There are more factors, its no longer a spring system, its a spring and damping system. Moves from a first order to a second order equation. with some damping constant that effects velocity

 

I will next week

Got one of those too this morning

 

Nice, did the guy at the shop have soft hands? lol jk

 

Didnt see that one coming

 

I agree here. I have 550lbs springs on my kings. I can't remember the exact numbers...but when setting my ride height it took like 4 attempts. I added .5" of pre-load. This measurement was based off how many threads are showing on the shock body. I think i got like 1.0" of lift...so i went another .5" but then i have like 4" of lift

So the 1st 0.5" of pre-load gave me 1" of lift
but the 2nd 0.5" of pre-load gave me 3" of lift

I thing this is because as you pre-load the spring more and more it reacts in more drastic/immediate ways. Same idea apply's to vehicle speed...its easy to go from 20 to 40mph..but to go from 120 to 140mph requires far more power, due the the additional forces at the higher speed.

So the longer the spring, the less pre-load you would have to apply to get the same lift height (sort of). because the spring would have additional pre-load in the "stock" position since its longer.

I am referring to "pre-load" as exposed threads on the shock body in this situation. Not whatever the actual numerical/mechanical pre-load is in terms of spring rate.