Growing up doesn't have to suck

[iamdub]

KW is the parent company of belltech, IE they have coilover product lines from from 1k-10k
although i think they just let belltech do whatever they want

I forgot all about that. Good pernt.

 

[iamdub]

All of these companies manufacture a handful of shock lengths, and just change the ends to fit the application. This is where researching valving profiles comes into play, and knowing the shocks' effective range. Atomic Fab was a huge help with the Viking shocks, and you can order them by length and effective range.

I just happened to have the XJ shocks on hand from a past project and the dimensions matched the BT drop shock so I rolled with it. I've tested it for about 35K miles now and am satisfied. Especially for what it cost.

 

[iamdub]

5K service (oil change and tire rotation) last night. Catch can had the expected 2 oz. Drain plug magnet had about the same iron on it as last time. Engine might be eating itself and the clock is ticking. It's been a hard 30K miles.


230K badge of honor:




I also noticed my next project. I'm sure this is my fault:







The output seal has been like this for a while. But, now that I gotta do the pinion seal, it only makes sense to pull the shaft once and do both at the same time.

 

[iamdub]

Took some measurements to get an idea of the drop from under-mounting the struts.


Control arm is right at 1":




The bar pin on the new Bilstein strut is right at 1/2" thick. This means the strut will sit 1.5" lower. Wouldn't this equate to nearly a 3" drop? Just to try to get half-assed numbers, I eyeballed the lower control arm from the center of the ball joint to the center of the pivot bushing to be 17". The center of the strut mount is about 7" inboard from the center of the ball joint. If it were half way (8.5"), then it would yield a 2:1 (200%) ratio, meaning a full 3" drop from the 1.5" difference. Since it's 7", or 41:100 (41%) of the 17", does that mean it'll only drop 82% of that 3", making it a 2.46" drop?

I'd like to know what to expect before I build the new struts. I have some ~5,000-mile struts from a '22 Sierra. I wanna use the top plates/mounts. They have a spacer built into them that's about .25" thick. If undermounting the struts yields a 2.5" drop, then that built-in spacer would put me back at the ideal 2" drop (approximately). I'd have the same drop I have now but with full OEM strut travel. Any further drop or reduction of drop could be easily fine-tuned in as small as ~3mm increments by adding a custom-thickness spacer (high grade washers?) under the control arm or on top of the top mount.

 

[kbuskill]

Took some measurements to get an idea of the drop from under-mounting the struts.


Control arm is right at 1":

View attachment 424137


The bar pin on the new Bilstein strut is right at 1/2" thick. This means the strut will sit 1.5" lower. Wouldn't this equate to nearly a 3" drop? Just to try to get half-assed numbers, I eyeballed the lower control arm from the center of the ball joint to the center of the pivot bushing to be 17". The center of the strut mount is about 7" inboard from the center of the ball joint. If it were half way (8.5"), then it would yield a 2:1 (200%) ratio, meaning a full 3" drop from the 1.5" difference. Since it's 7", or 41:100 (41%) of the 17", does that mean it'll only drop 82% of that 3", making it a 2.46" drop?

I'd like to know what to expect before I build the new struts. I have some ~5,000-mile struts from a '22 Sierra. I wanna use the top plates/mounts. They have a spacer built into them that's about .25" thick. If undermounting the struts yields a 2.5" drop, then that built-in spacer would put me back at the ideal 2" drop (approximately). I'd have the same drop I have now but with full OEM strut travel. Any further drop or reduction of drop could be easily fine-tuned in as small as ~3mm increments by adding a custom-thickness spacer (high grade washers?) under the control arm or on top of the top mount.

While I have never taken all the measurements and done the "maths" I know that Rough country sells what they advertise as a 2" drop kit that comes with grade 9 hardware AND a .25" spacer to go between the control arm and strut bar. That .25" spacer, in theory, should add .5" of drop but again I never cared enough to take measurements when I did it.

I just bought the hardware without the spacer from Rough Country and combining that with the Belltech 2" drop spindles assumed I had APPROXIMATELY a 4" drop up front.

I know you are very precise (read anaI) about your measurements though, so keep us posted.

I always figured, what is a 1/4", give or take, amongst friends... lol

*** EDIT ***
I forgot how woke this forum has gotten with the nanny system that censors everything. Turns out you can get away with spelling AnaI if you spell it with a capital i at the end instead of an L, so take that nanny state.... lol

 

[OR VietVet]

5K service (oil change and tire rotation) last night. Catch can had the expected 2 oz. Drain plug magnet had about the same iron on it as last time. Engine might be eating itself and the clock is ticking. It's been a hard 30K miles.


230K badge of honor:

View attachment 424127


I also noticed my next project. I'm sure this is my fault:

View attachment 424128


View attachment 424129


The output seal has been like this for a while. But, now that I gotta do the pinion seal, it only makes sense to pull the shaft once and do both at the same time.

I have seen the same seepage stain at my output seal but no drops out of the holes on the rubber sleeve. Fluid level stays good. I agree though to do both while shaft is out BUT, it looks like the pinion seal is just seepage too, unless the pic of the stain is after wiping away the wet.

 

[89Suburban]

I'm getting the itch to swap my struts back under the arms again to get another 2" of drop. This shit is addicting. Damn you people. Which also means the rear will have to go lower at some point as well.

 

[Geotrash]

I have seen the same seepage stain at my output seal but no drops out of the holes on the rubber sleeve. Fluid level stays good. I agree though to do both while shaft is out BUT, it looks like the pinion seal is just seepage too, unless the pic of the stain is after wiping away the wet.

I'm in the same boat but unless I see drips, like you, I'll let it ride.

 

[iamdub]

I somehow missed all the following replies.

While I have never taken all the measurements and done the "maths" I know that Rough country sells what they advertise as a 2" drop kit that comes with grade 9 hardware AND a .25" spacer to go between the control arm and strut bar. That .25" spacer, in theory, should add .5" of drop but again I never cared enough to take measurements when I did it.

I just bought the hardware without the spacer from Rough Country and combining that with the Belltech 2" drop spindles assumed I had APPROXIMATELY a 4" drop up front.

I have that same hardware kit- "720BAG3". RC's drop kit including the spacer being advertised as a 2" drop is where I'm confused. Without that .25" spacer, I should be around a 1.5" drop with just the undermount.

I'm a visual learner. I swear I once found an online suspension visualizer where you could mark pivot points and link lengths and it'd show the degree and distances of change at any chosen point along the link. I couldn't find anything this time.

I know you are very precise (read anaI) about your measurements though, so keep us posted.

I always figured, what is a 1/4", give or take, amongst friends... lol

Not many record empirical data so when I'm elbows-deep, I like to be thorough. Also, when you're at the bleeding edge of being too low for driving without much concern, .25" can be a lot.

*** EDIT ***
I forgot how woke this forum has gotten with the nanny system that censors everything. Turns out you can get away with spelling AnaI if you spell it with a capital i at the end instead of an L, so take that nanny state.... lol

I use Windows special characters (search "Character Map") to sneak past the nannies.

Example: Aņal

 

[iamdub]

I have seen the same seepage stain at my output seal but no drops out of the holes on the rubber sleeve. Fluid level stays good. I agree though to do both while shaft is out BUT, it looks like the pinion seal is just seepage too, unless the pic of the stain is after wiping away the wet.

It was just as I found it. No drips. But, I don't expect it to get better.