Mid Travel BS 2.0

And been wanting to make the switch to ADS for a few years now. Just been having budgetary constraints taking my funds to other places. A lot cheaper to revalve what you got since that’s the big key to making things work well anyways. My biggest problem right now is heat. After a good run my shocks are too hot to touch. Couldn’t even turn the compression adjusters on my coil overs one of the last times out they were so hot. After meeting, hanging out, and talking some tech with the guys at ADS, I’m sold and they will be what I go with for future upgrades and the wife’s 4Runner build. If production times stay the way they are and my financial situation goes the direction I hope it does, I’ll be upgrading the rears to some 3.0x16 5 tube bypasses and adding some 2.5 or 3.0 triple bypass up front to “finalize” my build for a few years early next year. Then get the wife some 2.5 coil overs and triple bypasses for the 4Runner

 

ADS seems to have a good thing going. They aren't based in CA, therefore their plating options are not as suppressed by the EPA regulations that others are held to. From what I've seen and heard, they are essentially a King knockoff with some nice features that King doesn't offer unless you go "Pure Race."

Where ADS looses me is how they use to flaunt they build a "race" shock and maintain their quality as such but I challenge someone to find the last time a race vehicle with ADS was on a podium. Additionally, they claim they maintain their product quality to their "race" spec but when I rebuilt a set for a friend they straight told me to run a very low nitrogen PSI because it's "not a race vehicle." I'm not saying that's illogical or wrong, it actually makes a lot of sense when talking about shocks. I'm simply bringing to attention the inconsistencies between their claim and their product.

Also, @snowsk8air2 and @not_nick mentioned hose, and resi port size. Fluid displacement is directly related to the shaft size of the shock as well as the motion ratio of the vehicle. Without these variables taken into consideration, you're basically measuring dick size.

King's Prerunner Series has a standard 5/8" tube for their 2.5" shock and correct me if I'm wrong but a staggered tube layout? To get the overlapping style with the 3/4" tube you'd have to go Race, correct?

Fox is a 3/4" tube with overlapping layout on their 2.5-3.5" shock. You can run a 1" but that's a very vehicle specific conversation.

I can't speak for Radflo on this topic. I'd be interested to hear some insight.

At the end of the day, my rant is virtually irrelevant unless specifically talking about bypass or "race" C/O. The comparison really needs to be focused on the direct OE replacement shocks that each company offers which is what 99% of Tacoma owners run. Posting all of this in a mid-travel thread is essentially a waste of time but I'm bored and enjoying a nice adult beverage.

https://accutuneoffroad.com/bypass-shock-tech-part-ii/

 

Cheers buddy and you’re right. Lots of details going into what’s best for each truck. And like you said, it’s above the pay grade of the mid travel thread lol. Weird though on the low psi they said to run. How low was it? Part of my secret coilover specs is a very high psi. But not mid travel again

 

And to everyone on here.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CP7KlGAjVIL/

 

All of the details should be taken into consideration but ain't nobody got time for dat!

It's not necessarily weird, it's more ironic. It actually makes perfect sense when having a conversation about ride quality. They recommended 125 PSI. King's standard pressure for their Prerunner series is 150 PSI.

 

Well double that is what I’m running. They say don’t go over 300psi which is a little concerning as things heat up like my shocks do lol. But yeah, this is the internet and I need to know what’s going to make my truck perfect right now!!!

 

The problem you have is lack of volume. A 2.5" rear shock for the amount of work your truck is doing isn't going to give the durability you want and a single shock up front is also going to be a downfall.

 

Yup. Hence the desire to add either a 2.5 or 3.0 bypass up front and upgrade to a 3.0 out back. Not sure that ads does finned resi. Don’t think they do which would be a nice compliment to keeping the rear a single shock for at least a few years

 

For what you do, a 3.0 up front for sure. Not sure about the finned resi. The concept doesn't make a ton of sense to me in the first place. Money better spent elsewhere IMO. I'd be curious to actually see some data on the topic though. Not just "influencers" talking about shit they know nothing about.

 

2.5 vs 3.0 will come down to valving and vehicle weight up front I think. Don’t want to not be able to push enough fluid for the 3.0. My heat transfer classes tonight me things that make me somewhat skeptical on the finned resi thing as well. Technically, the reservoir should only be filled with nitrogen which is not affected by heat as much as the shock oil. The nitrogen is there to keep the shock piston from cavitating in the oil as it cycles quickly. So without having any data or doing any math, the theory behind it says having a finned shock body I would guess would be at least 10x more beneficial than having a finned resi. So one more drink and then save your money on not doing finned resi?

 

There's a lot to consider when talking about what size shock to run. The key idea is finding a balance to increase your oil capacity and have the range of valving required to tune the vehicle. A lot of it comes down to how the vehicle is used too, therefore generating more or less heat.

Agreed. You also have to look at the basic concept of how a shock works. As the shock is stroked, the shaft displaces fluid into the resi. That same fluid is then forced back into the shock body via the IFP, but there is really no circulation. So even when looking at the general concept of a finned resi, which is to increase surface area and more effectively dissipate heat, the fluid that you're trying to cool is only in the resi for milliseconds at a time and not well circulated. So you're not effectively cooling the same fluid?

Again, I'm no engineer so I could be WAY mistaken on the concept. I'm trying to draw a dummy image.

 

I thought it was pretty crazy that radflo specs their shocks at 200 psi.

 

All I can say is I’m already looking at shock upgrades and I don’t even have my front shock setup yet. My first trip to the Johnson valley whoops with my new JDfab +4 front and just the fox coilovers up front and my king 16 inch triples in the rear, the shocks got smoking hot…as in 3rd degree burn hot. Hopefully when my King coilovers and bypasses show up in September for my front that will alleviate some of the heat. Otherwise My first change will be putting 3.0s on the rear.

 

if everybody donates money to me i will purchase coilovers from every brand and il let you guys know which ones are the best. sound like a plan?

 

That’s standard spec for Fox and others. Icon is 250 psi on their IFP to prevent cavitation.

 

Except King, they're 150 psi.

 

I didn't specify which others. Only on their Prerunner series.

if you read my previous posts, I already stated that

 

that goes to show that most of what I have worked on is king.

I always enjoy tearing apart and learning about different shocks.

 

I absolutely agree. It allows me to discuss the differences between the products based on experience, not just what the latest trend or my neighbor told me.

now if I could only find someone local with some Radflos.

 

Yea.....A lot of people say that one shock is better than the other (most of the time because those are the ones they have), but don’t have any experience with the ins and outs different shocks to actually make a comparison.

Here is an OE replacement radflo I recently rebuilt......