ADS Off-Road Racing Shocks - Information, Pictures, & BS Thread

Appreciate the info from all. Going to drop the PSI more next go and give it hell. I do think I should’ve gone 650# coils from the get go because they are extended length (14”) and I didn’t even consider the 1” would affect ride quality since the stock coils were 700#, but 13”. Lesson learned

 

@TMFF's "air down" solution will be most helpful but also remember that each structure has their own natural frequencies. A periodic force such as washboard can produce "brain rattling" responses if the periodicity is near one if the structure's natural frequencies. The Tacoma Narrows Bridge collapse is the classic example of structural failure due to wind producing forces near the bridge's primary natural frequency. So another tuning option is to adjust your speed, causing the forces due to the washboard to change their frequency. Hole in the Rock trail in Utah has long straight stretches of washboard. I found that, for my truck, 53 mph gave me a fairly smooth ride and I did not air down. However, I don't mind I little slipperiness, especially when no one is around.

 

Hole in the Rock trail is an awesome experience.

 

Amen to that! We run ADS COs and rear shocks with clickers, and the IVD add-a-leaf in the rear. My philosophy regarding lift height, whether on our Tacoma or our Jeep, is to lift just enough to clear our tire size of choice through the full range of suspension travel. We're running 285/75R16s on the Tacoma, with ~1.25" lift in the rear, and MAYBE 2" in front (likely closer to 1.75"). The truck rides and handles great, without a sway bar, even when loaded. Admittedly, there's times when I'd prefer a little more aggressive look, but I have to remind myself that looks, at least suspension-wise, aren't our goal.

 

Spot on! I run true 32" tires with 1.5" in front (22.5" hub to fender) and 2-2.5" rear (24.5" hub to center) and I am about 3/4" from the tire touching at full turn. The rake is good for me because of loads and the CV's are happy. The only time the front is higher than the rear is when I pin the throttle.
I do need to try some trips without the sway bar when I am not towing my trailer though

 

Dang. I feel like these guys have quality control issues. Leaking connections, short hoses. My set was sent without the top out control even though I was told they would come with them. Spending that much they should do better

 

I think most kits would call that a 2.5" lift. The third gen is 1" higher than the 2nd gen, but the lifts are all based on the 2nd gen height. So a 2nd gen stock is ~20" hub to fender, a 3rd gen is ~21", and a pro is ~22". 22-22.5" is the sweet spot IMO for the ADS. From what I've seen with Fox and Kings you can get closer to 23" if that's important.

 

They're a pretty small operation, from what I've seen. We buy through a friend's shop here in Houston, who knows them personally. Doesn't necessarily excuse issues like leaking fittings and what not, but I think it's a little more understandable when it's literally one or two guys building the shocks. We severely damaged a 2.5" rear
shock on the rear of our Jeep, and sent it back to them to rebuild. It took about six weeks to get back, for the reasons mentioned above.

 

F**K!

 

It was no easy feat, believe me. Effectively, the entire weight of the Jeep was on that shock, on a big rock. The shocks are completely custom built, so they had to have a new body turned, in order to rebuild it.

 

Should have just flipped that Jeep to the other side and straightened that back out!

 

That is the gnarliest bend I have seen on a shaft that thick except the one time a guy fell down the stairs with a boner while drunk at a party

 

Put a bypass in there...

Because, "race car."

It can be very difficult to get a shock to dampen all of the varying conditions a truck will endure. Wash boards are extremely difficult to get good ride quality out of with a single shock. If you cater to a wash board too much it'll probably be too soft for any hard hits, etc.

This...

 

I was hoping you would comment. I missed you. I don't rock-crawl rarely ever, so your idea of a bypass sounds good...If only I could afford them lol

 

I haven't been following the thread lately. Too many install pics...

I mean I'm not a "tuner" so maybe @TMFF has had success with wash boards but from my experience they can be difficult to work with. Bypasses give you the ability to have a lot of free bleed in the ride zone so you can make the shock work in that zone. They also have cons such as cost and noise.

 

I thought about bypasses, but honestly I think they are overkill for my needs. Plus, I have airbags so I am not sure bypasses would help. I can keep the airbags as low as 5psi (to the point you can squish them with your index finger)

 

Alright y'all!
About to pick up some ADS 2.5 ext travel RR from Headstrong off-road.
Who else is running them? Recommend em?

 

I didn't know you ran bags in the rear. Do you carry a lot of weight on the reg?

 

Not every day, but this is my new toy and I use it every other weekend. It’s 4000lbs full of water including a bed of gear.

Along with the bags, cranking up the rear clickers helps a lot and the ride is very smooth

 

I have read a flutter stack can help for those fast moving short shaft inputs. Though you might have them already.