Squeaky Penguin's (Trip Reports) Build Thread

Uniballs aren't that bad. I've only replaced mine once. It's the lower spherical bearings on the shocks that are constantly going out.


Or, just get the TC arms and put the delta joint in those.

 

I am already on an expensive path, I got the icons for a screaming deal (as cheap as SPC's) and I still need to afford the coilovers.

Since I am going with the custom measured setup with numbers I will be sending to ADS like we discussed, do you think there is any value in getting an alignment first then measuring? Or just measure the top of the bucket to the shock eye with no coilover and no baseline alignment with the new UCA's?

 

How often were you going through bushings?

 

Never, I ditched em before I had too lol. My point was they aren’t high maintenance like squeaky greasy bushings are, relatively.

 

Alignment might very slightly affect that measurement, but I doubt it' worth worrying about. You'll have a bigger margin of error based on where you decide to limit downtravel in relation to CV and OTRE binding. I would just leave it where ever you have it as that will be close to aligned.

 

I’ll be interested in how this number differs, if at all to the typical setup they sell.

 

Not entirely sure what's going on with this..but I'd guess very little or no difference. Only so much you can do in that space.

 

There will be more details in my thread eventually, but been working with Tyler from ADS on getting new shocks for my truck. He asked me to measure from the top of the coil bucket to the shock main eye bolt where the CV's and tie rods potentially bind at full droop. Mostly I think for the top out protection that they are introducing/have introduced, but also I think to see if we can squeeze a longer shock in that area with stock length lca's/tubular uca's. So I am in the process of doing that among other things. My only concern is that if the shocks are allowed to go right at the max of cv articulation and bind, I risk blowing CV's much easier.

 

Hopefully they wouldn't set it right at that limit and build in a bit of a buffer, but straps are the answer as every setup will still differ a bit, even with that measurement being the same.

 

Yup, planning on running straps even with this "top out protection" as well.

 

All that they are installing is a linear spring inside to slow down the last 2-3" of rebound, maybe shorter with the 5" travel shocks our trucks have. It's been a standard issue part on airshocks for years.

 

I remember that being pretty standard on mountain bike suspension.

 

Probably still is, Air shocks do not have much for rebound so the internal spring helps them a ton. At least till the parts break inside and wreck the entire shock.

Pic for fun of some SAW Air shocks. The thick washer the spring is caught with below the piston broke and the pieces destroyed the internals.

 

So you two are going to help me rebuild my MTB suspension, right?

Going to dive into that this winter. Just need to figure out heading to Moab again in a couple weeks first.

 

Just like truck stuff, but smaller, exact same principles. On bikes they can cram more features and do-dads in though, as well as a LOT more on the fly adjustability. But the rebuild, seals, valving etc is all the same. Have you done your moto shocks?

 

Nice carnage!

 

hm interesting. I'll look forward to what you find.

 

Not really. The forks are open cartridge, so not much to mess with. Swapped oil, messed with oil volume, and seals. Rear shock is pretty much like our coilovers, except has a nitrogen bladder setup thingy and requires some special tools and the nitrogen setup. I send it off for service as Tim told me to go fly a kite.

Going to try to figure out the stuff on my bike, but we'll see where I get.

 

LS swap the bike.... why not do it the first time around instead of waiting til you break it

 

'Built' a bike rack. Bought an add on for another rack and welded it up to fit my needs. Actually not too bad to use the swingout still either.










Should be solid and out of the way enough to allow me to get to most any campsite still.