Looking for a link to a general suspension setup article

[FASTnSPEEDY]

Hey,

I out on the east coast, and on our race truck (IFS Toyota Pickup) we're running Total chaos suspension with King triple bypass shocks and coils overs. (With Deavers in the rear)

I was wondering where a good link/article is about suspension setup? I come from a MX background and understand that stuff a fair bit, but I no almost nothing about setup. (Mainly concerning on how the truck noses on jumps, and big landings)

We've played with adjustments and it's gotten a lot better, but I'm not sure the right way to work on that stuff is. Since no one else in the region runs this stuff we're stuck.

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[matt_helton]

how is the truck balanced? cell/spares in the rear or cell at center? ext cab? long bed? V-6 or 4cyl?

assuming the truck is of average build and balance i would start looking at these things if the truck is ***** kicking or nose diving.

under sprung front end.
not enough comp valving up front.
rebound that is too slow in the rear.
rear shock angles(ive seen some nutty ones)
or leaf to shackles angles/lengths wrong.

post some pics or some more details and maybe we can figure out more of what is going on.

[FASTnSPEEDY]

Here are some quick stats.

We don't carry a spare, we do short course racing. The truck is a 1986 Toyota X-cab 4x4.

It has a 22r moved back 15 inches from stock.

One thing that I can think of, (I know nothing about shock numbers so this may be all wrong.) in the front, we went down from the coil that came with the kit from a stiffer to a softer coil. (This may be wrong, but I thing it was #600 to a #500, again, those numbers may be all wrong, but I know they are softer.)

I don't think that the angles of the shakcles, shocks, or springs are wrong, as this isn't the first vehicle that the team has built. It's just the first with the triple bypass and coil overs.

Here are some pics.
A link to a shot of the engine compartment.






This pic is real blurry, but it gives you an idea of how the shocks are mounted.












(We don't run the 33's in some of the pics anymore, it's 31's now.)

[Jkrell]

why did you run the rears upside down?

[FASTnSPEEDY]

why did you run the rears upside down?

That's a good question, and it has a funny answer. We put them on, and then realized we put them on upside down. (after a few minutes of testing )

They are right now though. It's funny to look at them now and even think we could do that, but that was before I started reading these west coast sites and no one out here runs kings.

[matt_helton]

500 up front sounds good.

the rear dosent appear to have too much uptravel or travel period. lol....ever thought of running a spring under set up with longer leafs? or is that against class rules?

are your rear rebound tubes open all the way? if not then do that and jump the truck and see if its better. the valving could be way off too but start by opening the reb. tubes.

[Moss2]

If those rubbers on the shock shaft are in position after running the truck it looks to be to stiff in the rear. I would be careful taking away rebound as suggested above on a truck that already nosedives on a single event jump. That sounds like a good way to crash but maybe I didnt understand what he wanted to do. I would soften compression until you know you are using all your travel and the front should be a little firmer than the back. Those big standoff shock mounts probably make the springs do funny things and maybe a little kick when it transfers from compression to rebound. Mounting the shocks closer to the axle centerline and out farther towards the wheels would be something I'd look into.

[Moss2]

Those look like pretty long shocks for the travel you can get with that setup. You may be almost into the final tube on the compression a few inches from ride height. Only using the stiffest part of the shock.

[FASTnSPEEDY]

500 up front sounds good.

the rear dosent appear to have too much uptravel or travel period. lol....ever thought of running a spring under set up with longer leafs? or is that against class rules?

are your rear rebound tubes open all the way? if not then do that and jump the truck and see if its better. the valving could be way off too but start by opening the reb. tubes.

OK, this is what I get for putting up pictures when I'm tired and working on two things.

The picture of the truck from the side is before the deavers and the SUA switch. I'll see if I can find a picture of the setup not, but from the side only shows the (then) new stuff upfront.

I'll try that, we have a "race" this week that we will use to test everything reccomended out.

[FASTnSPEEDY]

If those rubbers on the shock shaft are in position after running the truck it looks to be to stiff in the rear. I would be careful taking away rebound as suggested above on a truck that already nosedives on a single event jump. That sounds like a good way to crash but maybe I didnt understand what he wanted to do. I would soften compression until you know you are using all your travel and the front should be a little firmer than the back. Those big standoff shock mounts probably make the springs do funny things and maybe a little kick when it transfers from compression to rebound. Mounting the shocks closer to the axle centerline and out farther towards the wheels would be something I'd look into.

The rubbers were put there by hand, those pics were taken as soon as the shocks had been put on. On a normal race the rubbers will be an inch or two from the bottom of the shaft. (remember the shocks are mounted correctly now)