Bump Stops.. Trim or not Trim?

Any opinions on this? Positive or Negative?

 

I have very good shocks and springs, but I still have OEM UCA's and control arms. On the road even with 3" lift and 33's the truck drives 100% better than stock except for couple issues. If I have sudden impact, like a pretty deep pot hole at a descent speed, like 35MPH or so they do bottom out. The smoothed over speed bumps, the ones that aren't just a piled up bunch of asphalt are fine at same speed, but the ridged speed bumps will make the front bottom out at same speed. The same with descent buckles in the highway at full speed. I know the shocks and springs can handle additional movement, but with OEM UCA's and control arms will cutting the bump stops put too much load on them? (The speed bump examples are to try to explain the situations that make it bottom out, I'm not trying to achieve speed bump impunity, LOL!)

 

Bottom out or top out? I think you mean top out. There is a thread that suggests there's a bunch of travel left on 5100s with stock bumps. A spacer or trimming the bumps will make some of that extra travel available - if your setup actually has extra travel.

I think Wheeler's super bumps might be a better solution to your issue.

 

SuperBumps in the front is the way to go. Still using stock rear, rarely bottom out so no need to change. Yet.

 

I love that rear setup, Ding! I drool every time you post that pic

 

Nice setup! Had the same frequent bottoming with the factory 2-leaf pack. Put in a low-mile takeoff 3-leaf pack + Icon AAL with stock overload. Haven't bottomed out but once or twice since. For me, the rear bump upgrade would be a solution in search of a problem. Might do it anyway.

 

My solution was airbags. Once I lifted the front, I just put more air in the bags as a temporary solution. That solution continues to serve the purpose, with the help of OME rear shocks.

 

I have Dakar's in the back and really do not have any issues in the rear. As far as Super Bumps... consider them ordered. Being that inexpensive, with you guys reviews, I'll order right now

Thanks guys!

 

I like my Dakars / Superbumps set up

 

Best bet is to cycle the suspension if you are unsure. I'm not even sure what type of shocks you have but regardless there is an easy way to figure it out. The easiest way to figure out what your max should be to use the most shock travel before it bottoms out is this method right here.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/tc-to-fox-air-bump-stop-mathematics.357377/

There is a lot of info on the thread but if you want the simplified version of it all, please refer to the information in bold, highlighted halfway down and almost all the way down. Note, regardless of the bump stop you use even if it is stock rubber or not, this method applies to all bump stop setups.

 

Thanks, but I am concerned about the front. I may be asking to much, but isn't that the whole point for all of us we mod stuff until its's perfect I do not think I have seen any issue that has not been solved here I like a smooth ride as well as truck being functionable in crazy situations when i need it. I know even a Mercedes SUV can't hit a pot hole at speed without bottoming out. But lets face it guys we are a little different in that same scenario. We build our own suspensions and tune them by trial and error, one piece at a time, one year at a time, and one beer at a time Hundreds of you guys have tested god knows how many suspension setups. Between all of us there has to be a perfect solution . My original thinking was this... my struts are over rated, the springs are over rated, so I know they can take take the travel, but I was worried about adding the extra stress to the rest of the OEM system by trimming or removing the bumps to allow more travel. I eliminated every other uncomfortable aspect involved in driving this truck through trial and error. Literally, except for these exact situations (the sudden shock scenario) that I am trying to eliminate. It rides 100% better than stock and literally better than my friends GL. I built a pre-runner (not a Tacoma Pre-Runner model a pre-runner for the track) years ago, and it was on the opposite side of the spectrum. You could run over a brick of concrete on concrete at speed once, or "woop-to-do's" on sand/dirt continuously and be fine, but if you hit a series of "woop-to-do's" style buckles in the concrete on the highway at speed the truck would start the "Covered Wagon Bouncing" With all the time and skinned knuckles here there has to be a way to put a front end damper so we can hit anything on or off-road and be comfortable.. I'm ordering the Super's regardless, just wanted to kinda clarify. I have taken this thing apart and put it back together so many times in the last almost 10 years I can do it in my sleep one day with you guys help we will make a perfect truck

Thanks you guys!

 

I went with Timbren when I bought my 2006 Taco along with some Bilstein HD shocks. The front Timben bumps were installed with a spacer giving less than 1/4" travel before engaging. I am very pleased with the performance.

 

I am going to apologize by saying I didn't read the first couple sentences of this because I am one too many into the wine, but the method that I posted for the rear is applicable to the front as well. It works both front and back as long as you follow the directions. Hope this helps.

 

DoorDing is giving you excellent advice. If you want to squeeze every last bit of travel out of your suspension, you will need to take time and tune the bump stops so that at full bump your shock has not yet bottomed out, otherwise you break the shock as has been pointed out.

This is pretty straightforward with air bumps and the precise amount of shock travel to the end of bump stop travel can be easily measured and set. With rubber bump stops, the total amount of compression a bump stop can take is not as clear. Bottoming on a speed bump vs. bottoming at high speed will give different results due to the higher dynamic loads in a high speed bottom. Be careful.