Advice on suspension for a quicker offroad pace...

[59bisquik]

I am toying with the idea of trying something a bit quicker than rock crawling out in the desert. I currently have a FW D44/8.8 SAS, 35's, Skyjacker leafs out back and 5.5" progressive EB springs up front, finished off with Fox 2.0 Reservoirs all around.

Looking to duplicate something like the Early Bronco trucks that ran in Baja. Granted that there were a few with a 4 link out back, but I am interested in the others that are setup very similar to my B2. What mods could I do to help with the quicker offroad pace???

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

Extended radius arms.
I've read that someone experimented with 1/4 elliptic springs on the rear... the rules were changed the next year.
I don't have the time or money to experiment but my thinking is a soft primary spring [for wash-board] and hard secondary [for bigger bumps] or an equivalent [progressives]. An old school trick I've heard of but not tried is tennis balls stuffed inside the front coils.
If your doing a lot of high speed, then shocks with reservoirs are a good idea, if not, old school thought is to use more shocks. The thinking is that the shock fade is delayed for a while... but harsher ride for the beginning is my thought. Just re-read and see you have reservoirs.
Apparently it's hard to fit 63" chevy leafs into the b-II, and I haven't done any actual measurements, but the 97+ ford spring and mounts might work really good, they are stock with the rear mount below the spring eye, same as everybody is doing with the chevs when they flip the shackle mount.
I would also check out copykats build, as he has a lot of good ideas. He's not on this board any more, but is definitely worth a look.
Good luck,

Richard

 

[59bisquik]

I have HUGE extended radius arms. The skyjackers leafs are very soft and not sure how much better the 63" leafs would be. I am very familiar with Copykat, the big difference is that he is still TTB.

I was thinking some air bumps might be a good start. Also thinking of having my Fox's revalved to be a lot stiffer on the rebound to help with bounce.

 

[Bennybooster]

Actually for desert running you want some harder coils than you have for crawling, the guy I am building my race truck with has 700ppi coils on his coilovers, I am going to run 500ppi, then get some bypasses. Then bumpstops.


I would look at some KOH rigs to get ideas

 

[NMB2]

Actually for desert running you want some harder coils than you have for crawling, the guy I am building my race truck with has 700ppi coils on his coilovers, I am going to run 500ppi, then get some bypasses. Then bumpstops.


I would look at some KOH rigs to get ideas

coilovers work differently. his spring rate will not be 700ppi.... two 700ppi springs would be 350ppi

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

I HATE writing twice, there's too much to remember! I had almost a page already written and somehow deleted it. Anyway, I think that you already know, but I'll post for those that don't;
http://race-dezert.com/home/
http://www.dezertrangers.com/vb/index.php
http://www.desertrides.com/
http://www.prerunnermaniac.com/
http://www.class3racing.com/home.php
There is a lot of knowledge to be learned, but in some cases, you will have to put on some gum-boots.
If your interested, I have a lot more not so well known, and not necessarily desert racing related links that I can post. They have a lot more math to get through. I saved them for when I have some time to try to learn a little.

Richard

 

[59bisquik]

Thanks guys!

 

[AaronC]

Thanks guys!

Thats a nice B2 you have. Bronco 2s are just too short to run fast in the rough. No matter how dialed in you get it, the short wheel base will haunt you. If your over the B2, sell it. Pick up a 4 door explorer with a TTB front end, if your still wanting a SUV..

 

[59bisquik]

Im not talking fast as say a TTB Ranger by any means. Just keeping up with early Bronco's that are out there running. (I guess I mean fast considering the setup!)

Solid axle, leaf sprung rear, same wheel base.

Thanks for the compliments... but sa for selling it, I inherited it and will never sell it!

 

[RockRanger]

How much up travel do you have? With my 3 linked 44 front I have around 5-6" of up travel. I can move at a fairly quick pace. Two of us in solid axled rangers on 37"s started at the lake bed then up aftershock and back to lake bed in an hour and a half. Both of us had maybe 5 trips combined to johnson valley so we no way know all the short cuts. We had to stop a few times to make sure we were going the right way. The TJ coils I have are a bit soft. I would like some stiffer springs but they work for now. I run some cheapy white shocks so it is no hi end machine. My friend in the other ranger can flat out kick my ass in the rough with his coil overs and radius arm setup though. I think that is cause he has better springs and shocks all the way around. Plus his supercab wheelbase helps vs my standard cab short bed wheelbase.

 

[59bisquik]

I probably have the same amount of up travel. Most of it is droop. It does fairly well now for its wheel base. I think I am gonna have the shocks revalved and stiffened up a bit.