Long Travel BS Thread

I built my own bedcage and haven't postioned upper shock mounts yet. Also will be notching frame.

 

How else would you properly set your bumpstops without cycling it??

 

Yeah lol. Everything gets cycled. Proven kit or not.

 

If I do a complete SUA setup from JDFab I would trust it would work. If I was to do air bumps would they be setup correctly for a full pack if they were setup with just the main? (even if blocks are used the flex will not be the same). If there is anything that created variables than I suppose it would be best to cycle it. Hence why I asked what kit or was the plan to something custom. If it is a well thought out, well designed and tested it may not be needed. Even if one does fine tuning is usually needed. Yes, doing it should get you close. Not implying this is the case. But sometimes people ask questions that raise the question of: "do they have the knowledge to even do it".

 

Ouch

 

Cycling is ALWAYS needed. You just want to take a chance? What if your driveshaft is too long or you have some form of interference issue? What if you blow a tire through your bed tub because you needed to limit it some? What about blowing a bed side off. The list goes on and on. Cycle. It’s not fuckin hard and adds a massive amount of insurance.

 

It doesn't exactly matter what it's at now, but it is good to measure since it won't be all that much different after sua install. What's important is that the pinion and the straight part of the driveshaft (and/or transmission output) are the same angle. You can measure compared to the ground or zero out an angle gauge on anything - as long as they're the same at the height the vehicle spends most time. It's easiest to set up the suspension with everything tacked together except the axle perches so you can adjust the pinion angle (make strong tacks but not in a way that's difficult to cut out for adjustments). Set the truck down and get the pinion and driveshaft measurements. Jack it back up again and adjust till it's all right, which might take a couple tries. Then break down the leaf pack to the main leaf and install with a cut up piece of wood to take up the space where the rest of the leaves would be. Cycle a couple times with the axle level and a couple times on either side. Then adjust anything necessary to get it working smoothly (also may take a few tries; be patient) and tack in your shock mounts and bumps while you're at it. There's a small chance that your truck may sit a tad low or high once everything is in the right place and if your springs are a little soft or stiff for the vehicle weight, so don't be afraid to double check with the leaf pack assembled again and maybe even add or subtract a half a degree of pinion angle if the springs are way off to the point you'll need a different pack instead of a leaf less or more. Once it's all good you can final weld and that's that. It's not difficult, just tedious and takes patience to do all the work and still take care to make sure everything is working together how it should

 

not gonna happen on a tacoma without cycling still. Your performance goals will determine the leaf pack you get. The leaf pack will determine where the mounts end up. And on a tacoma the frame tapers inwards and likely isn't where it was from factory so you'll never know how to design the hangers for the spot they end up at without either cutting off the rear half of the frame to make it straight, or getting the leaf pack in place and lining up a prototype to see where it lands and how it cycles. You could absolutely get a decent prototype made up based off of measurements and looking at other trucks set up the same as what you're after. But a finished product first time that works perfect likely ain't gonna happen without engineering efforts greater than just setting up what you can irl first. Even on stock length spring under axle springs you gotta cycle it anyways for shocks and bumps and it still might be in need of adjustment from frame flex or manufacturing imperfections

 

These trucks are nowhere near as rigid and well made as would be necessary to do that without a lot of luck on your side. Great trucks, fantastic even. I would know, i own one . But the beefed up aftermarket parts are likely straight and the frame likely ain't

edit: also why take that risk on parts that cost thousands, with multiple parts attached that cost thousands, on a truck that costs many thousands and has the ability to kill you and/or others ..... when the alternative is to take the like 4-12 hours to cycle the suspension a couple times and make sure it works as intended

 

Can agree wholeheartedly on this. I designed my SUA in a pretty primitive fashion on the truck. I then took that info and designed everything on the computer for “final product”.

I’m one of those guys that would much rather mock up and design on the truck, THEN go to the computer with something I know is going to work.

It would take quite the competent and intelligent engineer to nail things with only a 3d scan to work from and not have a single revision that needs to be made for final product.

I dont doubt some may possess that skill. But I’d much rather see it in front of me before I waste time and material.

 

I need to join LT truck rehab. You assholes make me want to throw a bunch of parts on the new truck and party.

 

I toooooold you s……..

 

Not gonna happen.

 

A lot of work goes into making control arms and other products bolt to your truck in the same shape they were designed to be and within the tolerances expected. I wouldnt buy any weld it your self suspension kit unless it came with weld it yourself fixturing.

 

If these parts are welded crooked or fail, it will be way less catastrophic, than a set of control arms incorrectly built or a truck you chase alignment issues on FOREVER

 

After this sidework is done I will have the cash the order my sua kit and shocks plus some. I told myself I was going to cash flow this entire project and not use my CC for a single part, and the Lord has blessed me with extra work to make that happen.

 

Does anyone know any local guys in AZ who cerakote shocks? Or is it worth sending them to someone not local?

 

How else are people supposed to learn? Sure, they may not have the knowledge at the start but I find going through the process is the best way to learn new skills. @IvanhoeTaco has shown his capability of taking on new tasks with his bed cage build, which turned out great, IMO.

Also, “proven kit” is subjective. Some of the recent findings that have come from JDs product specifically don’t give me the confidence to install and not cycle.

 

When you say primitive design do you mean CAD(cardboard aided design)? Or did you actually partially design it on the truck in metal? Also I plan to have the springs and everything before I design anything. And since you brought it up, does anyone have experience with getting a professional 3d scan of their truck? Just a rough estimate of cost?