hoverlover’s “there are many like it, but this one is mine” extra long title bs thread and build too

Howdy Kurt, how's the world treating you? I'll have some pics to upload when I get to Seattle

No worries, I'm pretty out of touch lately myself. I did sell it and I got exactly what I wanted for it. I'll send you a PM

 

I'm good brother. I just dropped that to see how you were, and that I thought you were already back! I really wanted to bug you about shocks too when you're bored.

Hey, did you watch the Whirlybirds while you were sick? C'mon man!

 

I was back! Then I went out of town again. Now I'm back for a while.

What can I tell you about shocks? Been a while since I've done my homework but I think I still remember enough.

I started Whirlybirds but my current living situation doesn't include a DVD player. I was going to watch them on my laptop but go figure my laptop doesn't even have a CD drive. The Bell 47 was a decent helicopter, it's cool seeing it in its heyday.

 

Well, I guess you will have to ask Santa for a DVD player for the bus for Christmas! I haven't checked to see if you've done much, but you haven't posted so I figured it's still waiting.....

Shocks won't tax your knowledge, just your memory. I never got to ride in your smooth truck, but you're a pilot - you know what whump bang feels like probably better than most.
I want to have the ~3" front lift I have, without the spacers, and enough shock/spring to carry the bumper and winch which was added. The OEM set that came from Mark can't seem to handle the weight - he said likely not. On the back, I just have a spacer block (1/2" I think), and it's got lean to the back I hate. I want level, and lift matching.
Everyone I trust who has had them said the Old Man EMU fronts and "the softer" spring - I forget the number - will do just fine for me. It would be a lot less than a King set up, but you had both.... so
On the rear, I think it was Toytec that offered an AAL that would match the lift. I'll have to dig up the parts again. They had a Old Man EMU package with the fronts.

In your OPINION, should I just spend the money for Kings if all I really care about is ride quality? It was your comment about not doing that first that still sticks in my mind. I might go to HF, and just use Park Roads, or I might get to do a trail ride like we did last June out in the Hill Country. Not interested in mud or rocks at all. Too much work for me.

I was just headed out to do some work, but if you have an opinion, I will gather up what I looked at later on for your perusal.

 

Don't worry, the bus already has a dvd/Blu-ray player. It's just at home and I'm not living at home right now.

I'm working on an update for the thread. It'll have some details and some pictures from the recent trip to Seattle.

Man, you're playing a dangerous shock game. Here's one of the links I saved that helped me understand some of the differences.

https://accutuneoffroad.com/articles/digressive-vs-linear-vs-progressive-pistons-shock-valving/

Well, since you asked my opinion, I'll be honest and tell you I won't waste time or money on another set of OME shocks ever again and I can't comfortably recommend them to anyone else. I'm sure plenty of people have good experiences with them. I did not. The set I had was completely lackluster. It rode like dogshit and did not travel smoothly off road.

My advice: get a nice linear or progressive shock and be done with it; ride quality is everything. I think I got a bit spoiled and I'm probably going to be stuck on Kings for life. King or Fox would most likely keep you happy riding on clouds. Even though you're not looking at going crazy with your truck or limit-testing the shocks, it sounds like you'd love the Kings.

I would recommend their basic, entry-level coilover for the front. No clickers, no reservoirs, you won't need them, it'll just cost a ton more to add them, and if you change your mind you can always add them later. For the rear, I'd have to look at your leaf pack and how much squat she has. It could be as simple as adding more leafs or overload springs. I kept both overload springs in my Dakar packs and I'm glad I did. It had a slight rake and never squatted.

Does the nose drop when you hit the brakes?
Does the rear squat when you hit the gas?
Neither should move more than an inch or so of spring travel unless you are panic-braking or blown and running ethanol.

You have a steel front bumper and steel winch cable, right? anything else up front?
Steel rear bumper in the rear also, right? Spare tire in the factory location? Anything else in the rear? Tool box, etc?

 

Thanks and appreciate it it much. I kind of thought t bgg at was your opinion. I'll get my list together later and get back to you.

And, I'm still always here if ya need someone to yak at.

 

OK, I am ignorant and don't know the right words to search with apparently. I was trying to use my bookmarks on the King stuff....
I'll start here.

• Brandon gave me some brand new SPC Cam Bolts, which I figured I'd do anyway.
• I had chosen these JBA UCA as good for me: JBA STD High Caster Upper A-arms for 2005-14 Toyota Tacoma, 4Runner, FJ Cruiser (jbaoffroad.com)

But I will be darned if I can find ANY Kings with internal resi's, for 3" lift. They all got external, or are for OEM replacement, no lift. I must be doing something wrong.

Pardon my garbled phone message. I knew you'd had experience with OME, and you are more "articulate" in your explanation. Others say that they'd be "fine for me", but I don't want it to ride like a beat up truck!

Yes, on the front is the DV8 steel bumper, and winch. I also have an aluminum front skid that I haven't mounted yet.

In the back, the bumper was replaced with Brandons old DV8, there is no hitch bar (but I plan to put it back). Normally carry about a 40 trouble bag, and the Ez-Up, with 40 pounds of bagged sand. I AM considering a Decked system next year. Yes, I use it to haul stuff. No, no overlander stuff is going on, though I should probably get a high lift jack.

 

And I forgot - the rear:

Rear Springs replaced at 164K (9/16) and VERIFIED for recall as done (1/19)
I was either gong to do the Toytec AAL for 2" lift and leave the spacer, or do the light duty Dakkar for 2 1/2" lift.
Really, the AAL seems the right thing to me.

 

Hi again, and NO RUSH on input. I just tried looking things up, but I'm at a loss as to the right stuff. I think the non-resi Kings are "Smoothie Emulsion". But I could not find them in a kit.
So, maybe working backwards will help. I'm not doing this until April because that is when I get two incomes for a couple months.
This was the King package I looked at that seemed to have the right lift and spring pack AAL. (Since I have new springs anyway), and it's about 2.5" - 3"

 

Dammit.

I had an entire post almost completely typed up for you and I forgot I wasn't done with it and closed the window. Normally the site saves it as a draft and I can come back to it but for some reason I can't get it back

Oh well, I'll type it again (what I remember at least)!

You can always have a set custom built for you by Down South Motorsports. It cost me an extra $150 for DSMS to custom valve my shocks to my specs and it was worth every penny. I told them all the trails I do are creepy-crawly slow and asked them to valve them for a comfy highway ride; they did not disappoint! If memory serves me correct, your truck sits similar to how mine did. I would think you would have the same luck I did with some extended travel Kings. Give DSMS a call and see what it would cost to get a set of shocks made for you. I know I've seen extended travel Kings on someone's truck that did not have the resi's.

For the rear, I dunno, I've had mixed results with the add-a-leafs for maintaining or improving ride quality. Mixing and matching spring rates can work but it's like 50% knowledge and skill and 50% luck for stability, traction, flexibility, and ride comfort. I'm not saying I'm against them, I've just found them to be a bit hit or miss. I was very happy with my heavy duty Dakars. They rode just a bit on the stiff side with nothing in the bed, but it was still an improvement over stock. And, can't forget, the height they added to the rear matched the front nicely. Have you looked at the expo's?

 

Sorry you did that work - I've done that, and it usually IS there. But it's Monday. I will leave it simple for starters = What's an Expo?

 

Non resi kings only for the 1st gens that I’ve seen, however fox, icon, radlfo, and toytec have that option that I’m aware of.
PS Evening Alex

 

​

 

I'm not giving you guys the ole Irish g'bye! I've got something I'm still working on to reveal soon enough

Want a hint?

Spoiler: HINT

 

Oh hell! Gonna be good

 

Do they go round and round?

 

Of course! But I think they're too small. Gonna have to move up to 37's.


By the way, the BajaDesigns LP9 Pro is a HUGE light!!

 

More pics soon, just waiting on transfer case parts. Some are hard to find because it's been discontinued for years. Maybe I'll just roll up at CnC