Firezapper and I were talking up at the Ford Nat. (he was doing the talking and i was takin notes) about flex and making ramps to check on all kinds of problematic areas during articulation. Plus they're cool to take to the shows and strut your stuff sort to speak
Better then what I had done at the show...any one posts that pic and I'll delete it in a heart beat ha ha
He said instead of making one high ramp make two shorter ramps and put one at LF and RR or opposite. Then measure both tires off ground and this will give you your total flex. Plus it lets you know how one axle is flexing while the other is doing the same. So I think I'll be making two ramps.
In the above pic using 10" travel coilovers I have the mounting points for the shocks to give me a total of 36" of flex. One shock still had about 2" of travel left. Could have had more total flex by adjusting shock mounts for more droop but that just does not leave enough for a safe stuff.
There is still travel left for more droop but this is a safety cushion. I'll have limiting straps and or bump stops to limit the flex.
I think next spring I'll be ordering all new longer travel shocks. This will put it at 40" or over of total flex. But then again that's good for braggin but if it's not usable flex meaning enough traction to the tire that's doing the drooping then what good is it
This is not why I posted this pic, but it really shows the amount of rear steer when flexing meaning the axle is not perfectly at right angles to the frame. It would be if the upper radius mount pin was through the joint and the mounting bracket. But it's not, the center line of the bushing is about 2" from the hole in the bracket meaning that this side of the axle has slid toward the back. But this is not that drastic and i really don't notice it on the rocks.
On this side of the axle which is drooped the two bolt holes directly right of the shock would be a good mounting position for limiting straps.
The bump stops could be a little more problematic due to where to set them for articulation flex or where both sides of the axle go up the same amount.
And this is compounded by having a wristed rear radius arm suspension
I really need to get going on the rear triangulated 4 point. But as Zapper mentioned even though I'll have two different mounting point at the top center section i might have to still run a track bar for street. But if it's just a simple matter of getting used to a slight side to side movement i won't run a track bar. It's the larger side sideway shove of the track bar that I want to completely eliminate by going triangulated 4link. But only getting the job done will I know. Just so many things to do on this rig.
Like grease all those joints while it's up in the air. Might mention that the truck did well in the rain on I-81 on the way home with the rear locked and no doors, thought it was not going to rain ha ha so I never even took the doors to the show. But felt good on my sun burn.
Off topic, but wait untill Zapper gets started on his knew suspension...be worth following.