Alabama thread!

This one is better
https://accutuneoffroad.com/shock_selection/

 

And here I am getting the smallest lightest winch, minimalist bumper made, gonna swap to al. skids with UHMWPE skins. All that to save the weight for the LCA pivot, bracing between the 2 front xmember, warfab frame chop/reinforcement.

Ok so not sure if you're understanding the article or not. It is correct that the # of threads does not equal the preload. Lets say you have a 12" vs 14" spring in your CO for examples sake at full extension of the CO that collar you adjust which is the upper spring perch before it makes contact with the spring takes many more turns on the 12" than the 14". Preload comes after that so unloaded CO fully extended the amount you compress the spring from that point is preload.

Next scenario which I think is where you are getting at we'll use the 14" spring. Start from 0 or the upper perch all the way at the top of the CO and you thread it down till it contacts the spring that gives you X # of inches before the spring becomes preloaded. This means the shock must compress X # of inches before the spring takes affect at supporting the vehicle within that range. Once you hit that lower limit you are into preload from there. So if you are within that range you are correct in stating that it doesn't affect preload in that range. Think of jeeps when they flex out and you see the spring dangling there not doing anything that's what happens if you set the upper perch in that range before the vehicle supported by the spring.

People use the # of threads showing or the measurement from the top of the CO to the perch because that's quick and dirty way of getting an easy reference as to the preload of a spring. In reality it is the distance in which you compress the spring. So a 14" spring compressed to 13" has 1" of preload but could have 6" of CO threads showing or a 12" spring compressed to 11" could have 8" of threads showing yet the same spring rates 2 different amounts of threads showing yet the same amount of preload. Now here's a curve ball the 14" spring will be able to compress more and then you can also use more of the travel of the shock controlled by the spring before you get into spring bind as long as the coil windings and dia. are the same.

So yes they do compress the spring and adjust preload. The ones like this do not as the CO threads into the lower mount and you adjust preload and ride height separately. If you look at the lower mount there is a jam nut there, loosen that you can move the shock body in the lower mount without affecting anything with the spring.

 

lol in that same article it shows the pics of the trucks and what spring rate it reccomndes and mine is the 700lb one but maybe since i have a lighter motor it needs 650lb. Idk im happy with it except for certain times offroroad.

this looks like mine lol. Especially with my RTT on the truck.

 

That pic is in direct disagreement with what they state in the article you linked . Preload is absolutely the compressing of the spring. How do you think you get preload. It doesn't just magically lengthen the shock. You have to understand an linear rate spring for every 1" it compresses it compounds by X (being your spring rate). So to compress a 600# spring 2" you need 1200# of force if you already compress it which is preloading it before it's installed 3" then you effectively have 1800# of force at which the spring is trying to expand.

I've lost all respect for AccuTune now no more will I do business with them.

 

Yes the preload comes from tightening the distance between the spring perch and the lock collar which pushes the the coil over up higher or gives it lift. Def compresses the spring.

 

The picture I posted describes it perfectly. The weight of the truck determines spring rate and how compressed it will be on it's weight. Adjusting the collar on our coilovers after the fact only moves the shock body to raise the ride height and does not compress the spring further on these coilovers. I may have mispoke about the 5100's, they don't appear to compress the coil. Only example I can think of would be a dual rate coil with two collars.

I think I get what you’re saying, yes stepping down in spring rate or changing coil length while keeping the same vehicle weight would affect how much the coil is compressed from the get go compared to the other. Adjusting the collar doesn’t compress the coil though and only changes ride height.

 

No it does not.

Do me a favor go to filthy motorsports/crawl pedia and read their articles.

The COs that I pictured moves the shock body in the mount thus decresing the distance of lower mount to upper mount without increasing or decreasing preload. In no way shape or form do the COs that we use do such. All that is fixed by your spring rates, lengths, CO length, and preload determ. You can preload a 600# spring till it's coilbound or get 5000# springs 0 preload and they'll have the same distance eye to eye installed in the truck because they wont compress but you did compress the 600# spring to get the same desired ride height as the heavy ass spring and the distance is still the same eye to eye. When you start taking preload off the spring the ride height starts dropping.

AccuTune did a total disservice and completely misrepresented how these work, what preload is, and it's adjustments for ride height and such.

Here's another test you can do so that I can prove my point of it compressing the spring. Take your coilover loosen it completely so there is no pressure on the spring it measures it's static length 0 preload no weight on it at all. Now install your coilover crank down on it till you get your desired ride height. Uninstall CO and measure the springs length I guarantee it's compressed some thus preloaded and not just moving the spring on the shock body.

 

Here read this specifically the part how to add preload. You are jamming the upper perch into the lower fixed perch and compressing the spring. This increases the force at which the spring now needs to compress thus adding ride height. Our COs are just universal ones with adapted top plates and lower spring perches.

 

Yes, a lighter rate spring would require the collar to be turned more to keep the same ride height as a heavier spring since the weight of the truck is constant. I’m not denying that a bit, I’ve proven I had to do that even though it wasn’t much. My 650lb coil is more compressed than the 700lb coil (and was from the get go), but it had nothing to do with the collar adjustment only the relationship of the trucks weight and the spring rate. It’s a linear relationship and the trucks weight is constant.

Turning the collar does not compress the spring, it will only move the shock body because the shaft is free to move, thus raising the truck. No way around that one.

 

Go do the scenario I told you to with fully unloaded spring measured length off the truck then put the CO back on the truck crank the adjuster till you get the desired ride height and take the CO off the truck again and measure the spring. It will be compressed and preloaded. It is not just moving the body of the shock it is compressing the spring adding preload. Until you do it yourself with actually measuring things it's not going anywhere. I linked you to filthy/crawl pedia they also have the youtubes I think even BK did some on it.

 

With the coil off the truck it will be longer, of course. I’m saying if you took your coil over while on the truck on its weight, measure coil length, turn adjustment collar either way, measure coil with weight still on it and it will be the exact same measurement. All that will have changed is the ride height. The adjustment collar did not compress the spring it only moves the shock body.

you could take a coil over off the truck, adjust the collar and it will not compress the coil a bit until maybe you’ve extended past the shocks travel and the shaft is fully extended. Weight is constant.

 

Buddy I hate to tell you but the spring will be compressed you can adjust that collar off the truck and preload the spring and the measurement of the spring will change and the measurment from the top mount to the bottom mount will stay constant all that collar is is a preload adjuster it adjusts ride height by adding or taking away preload. The collar has nothing to do with the shock body and everything to do with being the top spring perch.

That's the last I'm going to say about it other than do exactly what I said and see for yourself.

 

You’d have to have an adjustment nut on the other end of the spring to be able to compress it in this set up.

Threaded body of the coil over is attached to the top mount, moving the collar down pushes down on the spring and forces more shaft (along with the lower mounting point) out of the shock. Spring length is unchanged since the weight was constant. All that was moved was the assembly.

To simplify it, adjusting the collar no more compresses the spring than a spacer lift would.

 

Evenin fellas

 

Getting my some mountain house for tomorrow

 

Ok bud it's a fixed length shock you don't magically get a longer shock by compressing the spring. Spring length changes because you compress it that's how preload works. AccuTune really fooled you with a completely incorrect diagram, gif, and tech article. They completely spread totally wrong and bunk.

 

@Brian422 and I gonna be the only ones having fun this weekend. Everyone else will be standing in front of someone else's BBQ watching them burn the shit out of meat and slathering BBQ sauce over everything just to have some taste.

While drinking 80 degree bud light wishing it was colder, with someone else's kids screaming in the background.

So if you wanna come hangout get some wheeling and maybe camp a night come on down to hawks pride!

Edit: cold beer!

 

You loose travel in one direction adjusting the collar (given the same spring rate and weight) because you’re moving the shaft’s position inside the shock. Nothing is being compressed by the collar adjustment (edit: while on the trucks weight)

 

I'm jealous!!! I wanna go!

 

Ok sure what ever you.

This will blow your whole thinking out of the water take the CO apart measure from top mount to bottom. Install spring loose in CO. Now adjust collar and start tightening and compress spring. Measure spring height and the CO length. I'll let you guess what happens but it's not what you say is going to happen.

You don't loose any travel of the shock. The thing AccuTune didn't explain is by compressing the spring adding preload you are getting closer to coil bind or spring completely compresses before the shock reaches full bump. Why is that because adjusting that collar compresses the spring. So the spring becomes your bump stop limiting travel.