Anybody trim front bump stops?

[thehoe92]

well what I meant by city driving was an average driving speed 35-45 mph where big dips won't effect the suspension travel as much as if you were going 65+
potholes are quite annoying to me to hear the metal on metal contact but we have fairly decent streets where I live

clean95 got some polyurethane bump stops with his lift kit (not sure why lol) and I am debating which ones to use.. I have 2 different types

one that looks like this and from what I've read most people will trim them


and the others look like this


I haven't done it yet because I'm not sure how I would go about installing them whether I would tap into the upper control arm or just drill a hole and get 2 spacers and use the supplied nut

either way I go I wouldn't know how to get a drill up in that tight space

 

[WHITEOUT]

+1 on not removing!! I have been messing with my front suspension for the last few months to get it better. I have completely removed stops- Like said, pretty good on the streets, but on freeway it is horrible, way to bouncy!!! I have used stock "honeycomb" stops, and trimmed ones. I have also gotten Z71 stops and used, and trimmed down Z71 stops and tried them.

Now I have 2" drop spindles w/keys cranked up(cranked down alittle now for better feel), using Belltech SP shocks, and currently trying trimmed down stock stops. One thing I have noticed when messing with the front suspension and bump stops is that having your keys cranked all the way up, or all the way down, is going to affect the suspension rate as much as the jounce stops. The front stops are meant for "progressive" rate for the torsion bar spring, and when added Z71 stops, which are bigger, it lifted front end of course, but since my keys where cranked up, it made front end SUPER stiff but smoother. I then trimmed down stops alittle, and still too stiff, and jarring. I then started cranking down keys alittle, inturn it made suspension softer. I have since tried stock stops, stock cut stops, and more trimmed Z71 stops, and some other things. But again, even with stock stops, with keys cranked alittle down it feels way better then anyway I have tried without having any bump stops in. Personally think these front ends are meant to have jounce stops in place with the torsion bars. IDK, everybody has there own feel. Also something called the Z-height?? been hard to figure out online exactly how to measure.

 

[Nortex]

My problem is on a good bump my pedals and all bounce. I have trimmed front stops and mcg drop keys at 2" and there is maybe a 1/2" of clearance now with belltech shocks. How much diff is there in the drop keys and spindles. If I ggo spindles and only want 2" or 2.5" should I use the stock keys or the drop keys?

 

[WHITEOUT]

From my setup what I am learning, and how I want it to feel, with 2" McGaughy spindles and drop keys, I used to have them cranked up all the way, but doing that made my torsion bars be stiff since they were cranked up. I decranked about 4 turns and have felt a difference in suspension travel, and softness. But.... Also cutting bump stops are going to affect suspension feel as well, depending on torsion bar rate. When I first got Z71 stops, felt much better, but also lifted front end about 1/2", inturn made suspension not able to travel upward as far with keys cranked and bigger stops. So it seems if you decranked drop keys all the way,(not having spindles) suspension would be super soft and minimal at best. IMO. I have never just had keys, so I may be wrong, just going with information I'm learning. I trim my bump stops alittle at a time, while decranking my keys alittle, to get bump stops sitting on LCA, but not crushing it so much it makes it jarring. I still haven't fully figured it out, still working on getting it alittle better
I'd get spindles personally.

 

[Nortex]

I have maybe 1/4 to 1/2 inch sticking out of the metal housing and 1/4" between the a arm and the bumpstop now. Could I be bottoming out the bumpstop and hitting metal. Should I have the a arm sitting on the bumpstop?

 

[06xl]

What's does cutting the bump stop do???

 

[Nortex]

We are working on that answer now lol

 

[WHITEOUT]

I have maybe 1/4 to 1/2 inch sticking out of the metal housing and 1/4" between the a arm and the bumpstop now. Could I be bottoming out the bumpstop and hitting metal. Should I have the a arm sitting on the bumpstop?

Doubt it. Have someone bounce front end to see. I completely removed stop for acouple days to feel how it rode and never hit metal to metal. you cut jounce stop right? I personally think it feels better with jounce stop resting on LCA alittle. I have found that if it's not enough, get bad sway on dips at highway speeds, sketchy. And if LCA is crushing jounce stop too much, seems to be "jarring" over hard bumps, potholes ect... But again, adjusting your keys, ie. torsion bars spring rate, is gonna affect front suspension feel.

As far as cutting jounce stops, no biggie if you don't cut too much and make it pointless. I would never cut more then 1/2" of it off, and taking from top or bottom of jounce stop will affect the feel also.

Again, this is all from my personal experience, and testing different jounce stops, there heights and front torsion bar rate(keys). And everyone may like a different suspension feel. Pretty sure Max likes his Z71 jounce stops not cut. I like a stiff suspension, but able to take hard bumps better without being jarring, and by adjusting keys, and getting jounce stop positioned for a overall better ride is a tricky game. IDK

 

[Nortex]

thanks for the insite

 

[Boomer73]

what would it affect to cut the whole piece off... metal and all

Mine are completely gone - metal and all. No problems.