Long Travel BS Thread

Hey guys, new to long travel. Looking for rear setup, currently have Deaver stage 2 leaf springs, Archive hammer hanger and shackle, King 2.5 remote resi. King 2.5 with UCA up front. Pretty generic setup. I do have a super pacific camper (360lbs) sitting on the bed, I just feel like rear always get bounced around more and can't keep up with the front.

what's the maximum I can do max out the rear performance without cutting into bed or go spring under? (semi daily, only a daily for me during winter months)
I researched and looked at different ways, would shock relocation with a new 12x2.5 shock help to keep up with the front? And any recommendations for shock relocation kit?

I think piggyback shocks look cleaner, but most of the shock relocation I seen use a long hose with remote resi, is there a reason why?

 

It sounds like you pretty much have everything you could want for the rear minus shock relocation and some *slightly* longer shocks.

Have you tried getting your shocks revalved? Would probably help a lot. Most people who slap shocks on a truck don’t ever get them tuned and valved.

If you’re down to spend some cash, there are SUA setups that don’t cut into the bed. Someone posted a pic of one in here in the last week. Or, just cut into the bed and get a minimalist bed cage. There’s some out there that have a very small bed space penalty.

I’m not super familiar with that camper you have, but having some weight in the rear for SUA is good, but not sure that THAT much is good.

there’s tons of people in here, all of whom are much smarter than I am when it comes to this stuff and I’m sure they’ll chime in but I would try valving the shocks and see how you like them.

 

With that much weight in the back (camper + gear and tools I assume), the battle is keeping arch in the spring to keep the rear out of the bumpstops. If the stage II deavers you have it on still have good arch, shock valving and getting a good bump setup (either hydros or a good set of rubbers such as durobumps) will go a long way without drastically remodeling the rear end. Without changing geometry (SUA and beyond), there isn’t a ton to gain in terms of travel within the stock ecosystem besides a little droop. So what you can do is maximize performance with the up travel you have, IE tune the shock and bump zone.

 

What are you running up front so we have an idea why the rear end can’t ‘keep up’?

 

Axle rebuild time. Ordering new balls from McMaster-Carr since I can't find CV parts anywhere, question is related to the axles. OEM shaft requires cutting to rotate the star end enough to remove balls for full assembly, what are folks doing to remove the extended axles to get access to disassemble the outers? TC +2 axles.

 

Question for the cage, and back half, builders in the group.

Bend Tech Pro. Do any of you use it? Is it pretty straight forward? Is it worth the 300 bucks? Thoughts?

 

It’s a learning curve like anything. But it will save you monster amounts of material.

I don’t use it for everything. But if I’m doing a complicated piece it’s automatic.

 

That, pretty much sums up exactly what I was thinking about it.

I'm getting ready to dive in to building a cage. I've done a fair amount of fabricating, but never something as complex as a cage. I'm thinking the 300 bucks would probably pay for it's self on the first cage. Not to mention, I'm looking to build a race spec cage. Being that I don't feel 100% up to speed on the cross bracing locations etc, I'm thinking it would be best to do a design and take it to the (relatively) local Ultra4 pre tech location and see if they can critique it for me, before I go all Yosemite Sam on it... and then have a fucked up cage.

 

Hopped in the truck at the grocery store and saw something dangling through a gap in my skid.. it’s a bolt off the drivetrain flange. HUH!?

anyone know the torque spec offhand?

 

Damn how the hell did you see that?

 

65ftlb

 

happened to catch my eye as I was walking up to the truck. better question is of all of the places it could have been ejected, how did it end up in a hole cut in the skid to get at a bolt?

going to go sacrifice some sockets to my engine bay preemptively as penance

 

A couple ugga duggas

 

Update: I ended up paying $450 for some tech to tell me a ground was loose

 

I think that might be how I got here when I was doing my front diff, haha.

 

I always use blue loctite on my driveshaft bolts

 

95.6% of the time, it’s a ground.

 

Learning your bender is paramount with or without the software. Every bender is a little different. We've talked about that before in here, but in reference to bendtech speciffically..... That is an incredible tool, but its precision is useless if you can't be in the same ballpark of precision with your bender. Kind of like putting an expensive optic on a gun, when you're just not that good of a shot (yet). Practice some bends, or force yourself to not always rely on the software. If you can do the math and measuring manually and turn out a good piece of tube, the software will be a great tool. If you can't put multiple bends in the same plane, the software won't be super helpful, and may even be more frustrating.

 

Was a pain in the ass. Did it in the summer and park outside. Shit peeled right off for the most part after being on for 4.5 years. Horizontal surfaces were the worst because of UV damage. Gave up on the roof and just rewrapped over it lol.

Some day. They’ve been on the to do list for a few years now.

looks like you got it! Sorry been on a bit of a hiatus since koh.

 

Good advice. I'm fairly familiar with my bender. I've built bumpers, swing outs, shock hoops, and other assorted stuff. I have a pretty good basic understanding of it and the principles of it.

The main things I'd be looking at with the program is:

- To get an overall plan for the cage that can be looked at by tech, and critiqued. That way I know I have a good overall plan on where everything needs to lay out.

- Be able to keep the measurements, so if I'd like to replicate it, I have the files.

- The coping templates for some of the more intricate intersections may also be helpful.

I also have tube tracers, etc, to get the copes and notches right.

I also just recieved a set of 4 Prototractors...



I'm really hoping they help ease the layout on the main hoops etc.