Total Chaos outboard shock mounts

you can cycle them negative. Most let theirs go just a bit negative. The more negative you let them go the fast they will wear out. Springs are a wear item though and need replaced depending on usage.

 

This. It's not the end of the world to go negative, just as long as it's not the "norm"

When you cycle, you go full droop, to full bump, then account for the approximate amount of deflection that the bump will accommodate, depending on what you have.

If you already have shocks, it's best to set the shock up at full bump, then whatever droop you get is where you will strap it.

If you don't already have shocks, set the truck up at full bump, and measure all of your clearances. Then droop it out, and measure again. You want to find the longest shock you can that will conform to the the compressed and extended measurements of where you want to mount the shock.

 

The setup of the OP is pretty dang similar to what I'm looking at doing. I've been planning on getting the ADS 2.5 10" shocks with resi and clicker adjust and the 90 degree fitting. After looking around through threads and talking to people, I think the added 2" overall compressed length of these ADS one's won't allow for me to stick to the original thought of putting them under the bed, inside of the frame, similar mounting to stock, just with a new crossmember to raise the mount points. These wheel well mounts seem like an excellent option. Does anyone know if you can fit the 12" ADS shocks in there with this type of mount, while still doing SOA? I've started tossing the idea around of doing the SUA conversion, but it's a DD that I use to play with too, so I don't know if it would really be necessary. Anyone have thoughts on the different SUA conversion kits? I've seen a couple for around $1500 incl the Deaver springs, so that's not a deal breaker in terms of cost since the springs alone will be like $800-900.

I'd think that putting these on the outside would increase stability although reduce wheel travel, being out further along the axle. I saw that TC makes a mount for the 2.5 shock that includes a place to locate a bumpstop. Anyone have any additional details or thoughts about what would optimize this setup? If I did the SUA conversion, what kinds of shock length would fit in there?

I'm currently running 255/85r16, but was considering bumping up to something slightly wider. Think I'd have issues with the tires rubbing on the shocks? I'd definitely be using a spacer, probably the 1.25" or 1.5" ones.

I'm also debating on springs, but am pretty sure that I'll go with the custom Deavers so I can carry my weight (400 pounds baseline with the fiberglass topper and the sleeping bed/storage system that's made of wood and carpet in the bed of the truck. It'll also likely be loading it up with an additional 200-400 pounds for heading out on trips, not counting another person. I'd initially planned on going with Dakars due to the ability to carry weight, but it sounds like those would really limit up-travel. It could be that I'd be best off doing some slightly softer Deavers and adding airbags to mitigate droop when really loading up. Haven't done much research into bags yet though so I'm not sure how the affect performance and ride.

I'm debating about whether I should do the MCM Fab front LT kit or just do the UCAs and call it extended travel... I'd imagine it'd be an unstoppable beast with the full LT kit up front and the SUA conversion in the back, but that's getting awful pricey.

 

oh boy..brace yourself.

First off, there are no SUA kits at all for 1st gens. Its all custom work.

Not worth running a 12'' shock most likely without custom leaf springs and cycling them to see if you'd even get past 10'' of travel. Most leaf spring in our mounting locations won't break 10.5'' usually.

12'' shock on a SUA setup is useless and pointless. Why limit your self when you could pull 18'' with 16'' shocks through the bed? Its too much work to not do it that way and really benefit from it.

The TC kit will NOT fit 2.5'' shocks. Ever. Too close to the frame so you'd have to run 2'' shocks.

If you did a SUA with the TC kit, you could only run..well a 10''. Anything else will be too long as the longer travel shock you get the longer the shock body gets. The longer the shock body gets the higher you have to mount it to keep it from bottoming out. You can't run a 12'' shock with the TC even or you'd have no up travel. If you did custom hoops in the wheel wells you could but again, probably not worth it with our leaf spring geometry. but you couldn't put bigger hoops unless you go near vertical with the shocks anyways to fit in the wheel wells which again means you'll be limited by the shock body and you can't run hydros with a shock mounted in the wheel well. The setup is already optimized..TC did that for you.

if you did a SUA setup, might as well do it right with a bed cage and 16'' shocks to pull near 18'' of travel especially if you want front LT.

Yes you would rub even with the tall skinnys, they are still tall and when you flex out, the wheel gets angled in. You'd need spacers or aggressive offset wheels.

All for getting custom springs if you have a lot of weight, well worth the investment. air bad...if you want to go fast which im assuming you do as you are talking about all this go fast suspension..probably not a good call

LT is a DEEP hole of money. You need fiberglass to have LT which adds 500 bucks. Then due to the fact you suddenly can go a lot faster over stuff because it works amazing...you'll need to guesset..everything. And then you'll break everything. Its kind of a neverending hole.

That said SUA also doesn't haul weight well. You'd likely be replacing leaf springs every 2 years or so depending on how much you wheel and at 900 a pop from deaver..that aint cheap.

Sorry to rain on your parade there, just slapping you back to reality a bit

LT is awesome, but not for everyone..

 

Thanks for the info! Yeah, I'm definitely not interested in cutting into the inside of the bed since I'd like to preserve that as usable space. If they're in the wheel wells, I'd definitely plan on spacers. I've read that 1.25"-1.5" make the flex rub less. I'd plan on using the hoops, like the OP did. For the front being LT, I'm not going to go crazy, it's just be like 9 or 10" travel coilovers. Whatever the ADS bolt in is. So, not true LT.

That's a great point about the wear of the SUA and the wear. What causes that kinda wear on the springs from that? I'd think there's be less S flexing due to the geometry. I'd think that 10" would be plenty of shock for me for the rear. I just want to make sure I'm planning appropriately to make them fit. With those hoop mounts, shouldn't that move the angle forward enough to get the shock more clear of the wheel when flexed? It seems like it was working with the OP's setup. Although we never got to see any updates regarding flex pics post em up!! Haha

What's the difference between deaver and alcan springs?

 

You can't run a 9 or 10'' shock for front LT. No one makes a 9'' one and if you ran a 10'' you'd be pulling 15'' of wheel travel or more and need to do custom towers/hoops up front. All 3.5'' LT kits run a 2.5x8 shock.

The wheel wells are not as big as you think they are for stuffing a big shock in. Especially if you want to angle them. If you mount them as far forward as the TC kit your out of the wheel well but you won't be able to go as high so again, probably a 10'' shock only. For one the wheel well isn't straight up and down so you can't run tubing all the way up it. Then don't forget that the shocks will be mounted under the 1.5'' tubing so you loose 1.75'' or so from the top just for the tubing and clearance. I've spent a lot of timing look at this and thinking about it and measuring to build my own setup. Will's setup with hoops really goes about as high as you can without cutting up the wheel well.

The OP uses the TC kit which is very far forward but works. @lotsoftoys has some photos of his TC kit in his build with flex shots and they rub. There just isn't the clearance even with spacers to get rid of rubbing totally. Not without going to a wider axle.

SUA springs have a ton of arch in them. This puts a lot of the load on the tail end of the spring. They just wear out faster.

Deaver is made in Cali i think and Alcan is in CO...about it. Think a set from Deaver is around 900 and Alcan usually runs 700. Deaver has a big name for SUA stuff. But both will make whatever you want and both are great choices. Alcan is in Grand Junction so you could save shipping if you just drove there to get them..

 

Here are some pictures of my install on the Solo Motorsports kit. I don't have the tire on, but if you look in my build thread I have some pictures that give an idea of how much the 2.5's will rub. I have small, 267/75R16 tires on 3.5"bs wheels, so I have about optimal clearance without resorting to spacers or a wider axle.

 

And here I am wondering why I thought 2.5's were a good idea on a first gen outside the frame lol. In retrospect, i'd have just gone with the TC kit, and a 2.0 with a big resi. TC's kit really only goes on one way, in one spot, and leaves room for a hydro bump.


If anyone is interested in a set of 2.5x10" kings that are dialed for the rear of a Tacoma, i'd consider letting them go for the right price.... the more I read this thread hahaha

 

I think TC should have included a ***** only use a 2.0 smooth body shock with this kit*****

 

To be fair both Solo and TC told me they didn't recommend a 2.5 lol.

 

Why would they recommend against a 2.5”? Don’t the solo hoops work with that? I swear I saw a 2.5 from TC, or at least they said there is when I spoke with them. I don’t want to screw up my build by simply getting the wrong thing for the application. I have much to learn and all these posts are super helpful.

 

I’d been planning on doing the setup of the suspension on my new frame before getting it powder coated, then doing the frame swap. Kinda seems like that might not work. Do the swap then figure out what works with a frame that is straight. Just feels silly to have to cut off mounts and repaint them when it could all be sealed so nicely with a powder coating

 

No neither kit recommend it because the 2.5'' shock body is too big around. Meaning you'll definitely rub outboard the frame all the time. The TC kit mounts are plate and so close to the frame a 2.5'' shock wouldn't fit even if you wanted it too.

even with 2.0 shocks you'll still rub. just not as bad

 

I'm still waiting for my setup from Solo.... 6 weeks and counting.

 

What did you get from them?

 

Shock hoops, 2.5 Kings for the front, and 2.0 Remote Reservoirs for rear. I'm not mad but they must be swamped.

edit* I really liked Willbecks rear setup.

 

yeah not surprised. Plus I bet a lot of that waiting is on King more than Solo.

 

Yea that is what I’m thinking also. I have everything else ready for a complete tear down minus 4 items lol

 

I'm really liking it also, did you strap the rear by any chance ?

 

Have you guys considered Frenching the shock towers into the frame to resolve the clearance issues? It's pretty common for Jeep guys to do so even on full width axles.

I have a set of 1/4" steel towers from Barnes4x4 that I'm going to run to outboard the rear shocks on my YJ