Having 2 spacers in the front end?

[DmccartneyFF2TB]

Would having a 2 inch rough country spacer on top and a susp maxx on the bottom work any one ever try? I wanted to just get stiffer springs but i still want to keep some travel in the front end. I dont know just a thought.

[MrSmithsTB]

Check out fishsticks thread on flipping UCAs. It won't work because of the lack of space. The LCAs can't provide enough extension to allow fitting that much outside of strut spacer, and with your CV joints may bind. The stiffer springs provide the only safe way to really get more front lift.

[TangoBravo]

So how much lift are you looking at outside the strut? I have 3" outside no binding issues, my ball joints are doing well. I am happy to report that I have no bad side effects from having 3" outside the strut. In my opinion adding stiffer springs without having extra weight in the front just to achieve lift is not completly safe like some will lead you to believe. With that being said it can be argued that anyway we modify our vehicles insn't the safest thing. In the end I have a nice comfy ride it feels stock but is lifted 3".

[DmccartneyFF2TB]

So how much lift are you looking at outside the strut? I have 3" outside no binding issues, my ball joints are doing well. I am happy to report that I have no bad side effects from having 3" outside the strut. In my opinion adding stiffer springs without having extra weight in the front just to achieve lift is not completly safe like some will lead you to believe. With that being said it can be argued that anyway we modify our vehicles insn't the safest thing. In the end I have a nice comfy ride it feels stock but is lifted 3".

I have the 2" rough country spacer already i was thinking about putting a susp maxx 1" or 1.75.

[bartonmd]

So how much lift are you looking at outside the strut? I have 3" outside no binding issues, my ball joints are doing well. I am happy to report that I have no bad side effects from having 3" outside the strut. In my opinion adding stiffer springs without having extra weight in the front just to achieve lift is not completly safe like some will lead you to believe. With that being said it can be argued that anyway we modify our vehicles insn't the safest thing. In the end I have a nice comfy ride it feels stock but is lifted 3".

What lift do you have? You didn't touch a spring compressor, and added 3" to the top of the strut?

Also, doing a stiffer spring is as safe or safer than doing inside-strut spacers... You're doing exactly the same thing, either way... Using the spring for lift... You are either adding preload to adjust ride height, or changing spring rate to adjust ride height... I say that the stiffer spring rate could be safer, because the TBs are already under-sprung in the front end for a soft ride, from the factory... At ride height, as long as the strut isn't topped out from WAY too much preload, the struts are seeing the exact same amount of force on them... Also remember that the stronger springs we're using for lift are out of the EXT trailblazer, that shares the exact same strut...

But... There may be something that I'm not seeing, so why is it not as safe?

BTW, doing an inside-strut spacer with the stock spring rate will feel exactly the same as what you feel now, except in really deep potholes, where yours will go a little farther, then bind on the upper ball joint, and if you've got your upper control arms flipped, it'll bind on either the upper ball joint, or the CV shaft...

Mike

[fishsticks]

I have the 2" rough country spacer already i was thinking about putting a susp maxx 1" or 1.75.

I considered doing the same thing, since currently my front suspension doesn't compress much. The net effect would be similar resting height to using the RC lift with 87 or 88 springs but with more give under load.


My concern would be the Smaxx spacer shifting out of place since it won't attach to the bottom of the RC upper mount. I haven't looked at a front Smaxx/MarkMC front spacer to see how big the center hole is. It would need to be roughly the same diameter as the shaft of the shock. I suspect it's actually much larger.

I abandoned the idea since I'm currently adding a good chunk of weight to the front of the truck. No reason you couldn't experiment with it though.

[DmccartneyFF2TB]

Yea i wanted to go with 87s but i still want some wheel travel. So i figured if there are just 2 spacers i would still have the same wheel travel with the springs i have now and still get the same lift if i where to put 87s in. I dont know i could try it they both cost the same any way.

[fishsticks]

Yea i wanted to go with 87s but i still want some wheel travel. So i figured if there are just 2 spacers i would still have the same wheel travel with the springs i have now and still get the same lift if i where to put 87s in. I dont know i could try it they both cost the same any way.

Let's be clear on something. You will actually LOSE overall wheel travel by using spacers over springs. The springs are all the same uncompressed length, and you may reach coil bind if you compress the whole assembly down to the bump stop.

BUT, the front suspension will be "softer" and begin to flex under less load than with stiffer springs.

A lot of people think our front lift kits "preload" the front springs, this is not true. The spring has no idea you've installed a lift and still has a resting height the same as without. All you've done is essentially move the top perch down. We would only get more spring preload if the lift caused the springs to fully extend the shock at rest, which would be bad for other (obvious) reasons.

[bartonmd]

Let's be clear on something. You will actually LOSE overall wheel travel by using spacers over springs. The springs are all the same uncompressed length, and you may reach coil bind if you compress the whole assembly down to the bump stop.

Absolutely correct

A lot of people think our front lift kits "preload" the front springs, this is not true. The spring has no idea you've installed a lift and still has a resting height the same as without. All you've done is essentially move the top perch down. We would only get more spring preload if the lift caused the springs to fully extend the shock at rest, which would be bad for other (obvious) reasons.

They do preload the front springs... Preload is the amount that a spring is compressed while there is no weight on the suspension. Or in other words, how much the springs are loaded with the suspension at full droop.

You're talking about the spring length at static sag. As I said above, the spring length at static sag will be the same with the lift kit or without... And yes, it would be bad for there to be so much preload that there is no static sag.

Also, I do think that the coil bind you're talking about is a lot of what causes the springs to fatigue and cause the front end to sag...

Mike

[TangoBravo]

To each there own, I have maxed my travel both on compression and totally unloaded and I have no binding everyone speaks of. But I seem to be the only one running this set up so I guess Im out front on this one. I hear alot of people say what my type of lift should do or that it might do this or that, But I like mine and have had no problems from it. However my lift is one piece it isn't split up or anything I have a 3" blocks in rear and 3" for lack of better words above strut spacer in the front. From start to finish I was done with all four corners in just over 2.3hrs no taking apart the strut needed. Plus this type of lift works best for what I do as where stiffer springs would not.

[bartonmd]

To each there own, I have maxed my travel both on compression and totally unloaded and I have no binding everyone speaks of. But I seem to be the only one running this set up so I guess Im out front on this one. I hear alot of people say what my type of lift should do or that it might do this or that, But I like mine and have had no problems from it. However my lift is one piece it isn't split up or anything I have a 3" blocks in rear and 3" for lack of better words above strut spacer in the front. From start to finish I was done with all four corners in just over 2.3hrs no taking apart the strut needed. Plus this type of lift works best for what I do as where stiffer springs would not.

You wouldn't know you were binding your upper ball joint... The upper ball joint is just currently your down-limiting component... It's not something that will (probably) blow your front end apart at highway speed the first time it tops out, but it's really, really not a good idea to have the down-limiting component be the ball joint...

Mike

[fishsticks]

Let's be clear on something. You will actually LOSE overall wheel travel by using spacers over springs. The springs are all the same uncompressed length, and you may reach coil bind if you compress the whole assembly down to the bump stop.

Absolutely correct

A lot of people think our front lift kits "preload" the front springs, this is not true. The spring has no idea you've installed a lift and still has a resting height the same as without. All you've done is essentially move the top perch down. We would only get more spring preload if the lift caused the springs to fully extend the shock at rest, which would be bad for other (obvious) reasons.

They do preload the front springs... Preload is the amount that a spring is compressed while there is no weight on the suspension. Or in other words, how much the springs are loaded with the suspension at full droop.

You're talking about the spring length at static sag. As I said above, the spring length at static sag will be the same with the lift kit or without... And yes, it would be bad for there to be so much preload that there is no static sag.

Also, I do think that the coil bind you're talking about is a lot of what causes the springs to fatigue and cause the front end to sag...

Mike

K, we're on the same page. My understanding of terms is just incorrect.

To each there own, I have maxed my travel both on compression and totally unloaded and I have no binding everyone speaks of. But I seem to be the only one running this set up so I guess Im out front on this one. I hear alot of people say what my type of lift should do or that it might do this or that, But I like mine and have had no problems from it. However my lift is one piece it isn't split up or anything I have a 3" blocks in rear and 3" for lack of better words above strut spacer in the front. From start to finish I was done with all four corners in just over 2.3hrs no taking apart the strut needed. Plus this type of lift works best for what I do as where stiffer springs would not.

Do you realize we aren't talking about your outside the assembly setup, but the theory of combining spacers INSIDE the assembly? I think maybe you don't.

Having 3" of lift outside the assembly poses it's own possible problems, but that's not what this thread is about.

[TangoBravo]

Ok I will shut up then, I am lost tonight possibly looking at too many things at once

[DmccartneyFF2TB]

Ok well not im lost haha well i am going to just go with springs a body lift and larger tires..