Inside the strut vs. outside the strut lifts

[TangoBravo]

Sorry if this high jacks the thread but I was wondering why does it seem all the lifts have to go inside the strut assembly? why not have one that bolts to the top of the strut and then to the stock mounts on the truck, this would do away with needing to take apart the strut all together. Is this idea what we are talking about here mark? I may be missunderstanding the new design.

[markmc]

The distance from the frame where the strut mounts and the lower strut mount stud is a fixed dimension.
Anything added to the lenght of the strut assembly will not fit in that distance.

Kinda like trying to install a 9 foot shower curtain rod when your walls are only 6 foot apart.
Sorry, best way to decsribe it..

[TangoBravo]

So the half inch spacer that goes on top of the assembly could not be made into a 3 inch spacer is what your saying? What I am thinking of is a spacer that is kind of like a wheel adapter it would use the existing studs on the top of the strut assebly to bolt the spacer to then the top of the spacer would have studs of the same specs as the ones on the top of the strut but it would add three inches to the top of the strut instead of putting the 3inches inside the strut.

[fishsticks]

The other issue is that we can only extend the total length of the strut assembly by about 3/4" before the CV tripods will bind at full extension. Those of us who are 4WD will run into that limitation long before we max out the ball joint angle with flipped UCAs. Adding any sort of spacer outside the strut assembly effectively lengthens it.


ReadyLift makes a lift that installs completely outside the strut. I don't believe anyone on here has actually used it other than for testing purposes. My guess is that the ReadyLift designers actually rely on the balljoint to limit total travel on our platform.

[TangoBravo]

I am not very good with mechanics of things like that so please forgive me but it seems to me that if you put 3" inside or outside the strut it should cause the same problem, either way your lifting the truck by extending the strut either by the inside or the outside am I right?

[fishsticks]

The total length of the stock strut assembly is limited by the strut itself, since it can only extend so far. So adding spacers inside the strut gives additional resting height (lift) but you have not lengthened the strut assembly at all. When the wheel is totally unloaded, it still only extends to the same point as a stock setup.

Adding spacers outside the strut assembly adds resting height as well, but when the wheel is totally unloaded, the assembly can now extend the stock amount PLUS the amount of the outside spacer.

After flipping my UCAs I was only able to add 7/8" of shim to the outside of my lift and not lock up my tripods at full extension. Even with only 7/8" they were binding a bit. I ended up adding 11/16" to the length of the strut itself (with washers). I don't run any top shims at all now. It's working for me so far. Mark could do something similar with his new lift by recessing the top of the strut hole a total of 11/16".

Going beyond that would require lowering the front diff, or being 2WD.

[TangoBravo]

Oh ok I see so sort of like adding stiffer springs, it doesn't raise the truck so much as it just doesn't let it sag. Got it sometimes it just takes me longer then the adverage bear I am special . But I understand now, I am interested though the ready lift you were talking about that really causes a big issue with binding then right? So it is basically a 2x4 lift is what your saying and that's why mark is going with the design he has because we need one that works for 4x4 TB's

[fishsticks]

When I was experimenting, I seem to remember that at the (nonflipped) max upper ball joint angle, the CVs still turned freely. My guess is that the Readylift folks are relying on the upper balljoint as the stop for total travel in their lift. Not a good plan IMO for other reasons.

Flipping the UCAs gives us balljoint angle back. Using a Readylift with the extra travel ability of flipped UCAs would put you in CV bind territory.

So yeah, basically Readylift + flipped UCAs = 2WD, Total Show Poodle, or complete moron lift.

[TangoBravo]

Got it ok I am sorry for the Mark I was trying to suggest a design idea and ended up learning why that would be a bad design idea. As always what you have going on seems to be yet another top of the line product thanks for all your hard work and inovative ideas.

[teebes]

So yeah, basically Readylift + flipped UCAs = 2WD, Total Show Poodle, or complete moron lift.

The readylift works just fine, it does extend the overall length but they designed it just short enough not max out the uca (not flipped). It sits maybe half an inch longer than a BDS setup (which also adds to the overall length of the strut, while ALSO preloading the spring).

[fishsticks]

So yeah, basically Readylift + flipped UCAs = 2WD, Total Show Poodle, or complete moron lift.

The readylift works just fine, it does extend the overall length but they designed it just short enough not max out the uca (not flipped). It sits maybe half an inch longer than a BDS setup (which also adds to the overall length of the strut, while ALSO preloading the spring).

How does the Readylift get 2" of lift then? It would need to be 1.3" tall. I haven't had enough coffee to visualize that working properly this morning. We're in danger of a thread hijack here as well.

[Trail X]

Would you like us to move this into the vendor section? Or keep it here?

[OregTrailBlazin]

Would you like us to move this into the vendor section? Or keep it here?

I would at least split it, kinda got off subject and I wouldn't want it to take away from Marks post...

[fishsticks]

Would you like us to move this into the vendor section? Or keep it here?

I would at least split it, kinda got off subject and I wouldn't want it to take away from Marks post...

[Rob93]

Flipping the UCAs gives us balljoint angle back. Using a Readylift with the extra travel ability of flipped UCAs would put you in CV bind territory.

So yeah, basically Readylift + flipped UCAs = 2WD, Total Show Poodle, or complete moron lift.

Since this is going to be split anyways, i'll put in my say.
As much as I don't want to be called the "Total Show Poodle," one of these days I'm going to experiment adding a bit more front lift to my tb, I have the 86 springs and marks full lift giving me about 4" now. I might do your washer technique or see how much more outside spacer I can fit in.... since it's almost all mudding around here, might as well try and fit the biggest tires I can lol

[fishsticks]

On poodles: I was tired last night and started to type without thinking. Ignore my inflammatory comments on groomed canines.

Experiment on!

[That1Guy]

On poodles: I was tired last night and started to type without thinking. Ignore my inflammatory comments on groomed canines.

Experiment on!

I was about to say that not all 2wd are show poodles. With my experience of our platform and me being 2wd last years west coast meet was proof that I was able to go anywhere that the 4wd guys could take me to try and get me stuck. Now that's not anything compared to what this coming trip should have in store for me but we will just have to see how that goes

[Rob93]

On poodles: I was tired last night and started to type without thinking. Ignore my inflammatory comments on groomed canines.

Experiment on!

Ha, no hard feelings, I probably take my truck out more then 90% of the 4x4s on the OS, so in my eyes I don't consider myself one

[TangoBravo]

Mark sorry about jacking your thread I thought I might of had a good idea that's all I was trying to do. Feel free to get rid of my posts if you would like you know clean house so to speak I wouldn't mind a bit.