Why we love 4x4s and mud tires!

[etlsport]

Sue, I think I just figured out why your vehicles seem to shake..

[VX KAT]

Sue, I think I just figured out why your vehicles seem to shake..

Yeah, dat's what I be tryin' to tellz you guyz all this time!

I FINALLY decided to cut my bump stops down last week....and this road was MUCHO smoother (well, before it became a mudhole). I got a set of them from a junkyard, so now I have the OEMs and the OEMs cut in half! I think I shoulda done this a long time ago!

p.s...the NTGs are great on all this terrain ..it's on the dang highway at 55 ish that there's the shakin'...guess I should stay on these roads..cuz it don't shake here!! Problem solved!
I think I've got them as good as they can get. Just have to figure out if I should return the one with a "flat spot"...that one's still out of wack. I am SOOOOOO tempted to put them on the VX!!

[vt_maverick]

I FINALLY decided to cut my bump stops down last week....and this road was MUCHO smoother (well, before it became a mudhole). I got a set of them from a junkyard, so now I have the OEMs and the OEMs cut in half! I think I shoulda done this a long time ago!

Hmmm... sounds more and more like the bump stop thing is something I should do sooner rather than later. Sonya's #1 complaint with the VX is the harshness of the ride, especially in the back when going over bumps.

What donor vehicle did you yank your extra set off of? Another VX? Or a Trooper or Rodeo perhaps?

[VX KAT]

Hmmm... sounds more and more like the bump stop thing is something I should do sooner rather than later. Sonya's #1 complaint with the VX is the harshness of the ride, especially in the back when going over bumps.

What donor vehicle did you yank your extra set off of? Another VX? Or a Trooper or Rodeo perhaps?

They're off a VX. Now I only drove about 10 miles with them this way so far (due to the mud road, I'm avoiding it cuz my VX is all clean and purdy and ready to go), but just that 3/4 mile on the dirt road I could tell a difference. Just enough in my mind to make it "worth it" to me. Especially knowing I have a spare pair should I want to go back.

[Marlin]

Hmmm, maybe I should make a trip out to your house sometime...
As for the bump stops, do you think you are really getting full rear shock compression on the dirt road? There is a lot of space between the stop and the axle. I might have to try this sometime, I will get some off of a rodeo, I think they are the same. If not, I can get them off of the VX here and try it out. Mine are about shot, can't imagine why...
Nice looking driveway Sue!!!! Did the tow hook get there today?

[Triathlete]

One thing to be cautious of with the shorter bump stops...especially with larger tires...when you stuff the suspension your tires may get into the wheel well lining and with a bit of skinny pedal will rip it out. Also if you go to short and stuff the suspension your shocks could possibly bottom out which can cause them to break or fail.

[nfpgasmask]

The pea sized hail came through Reno too. The Impulse got pelted. I was nervous. Gladly, it was small enough to not do damage like you said.

Bart

[VX KAT]

As for the bump stops, do you think you are really getting full rear shock compression on the dirt road? There is a lot of space between the stop and the axle.

A LOT OF ROOM !!?? Tim Parker (SBC) took a look at mine and said there was like 1/2"....Dave's FJ has about 7" just as somewhat of a comparison.
No, I don't always achieve full compression on the dirt road, there are some deeper ruts and bigger potholes I've hit though where it just slams down in the rear...has knocked my rear door off kilter twice so far...

I presume cranking T-Bars or lifting give it more space? Is that correct?

[samneil2000]

A LOT OF ROOM !!?? Tim Parker (SBC) took a look at mine and said there was like 1/2"....Dave's FJ has about 7" just as somewhat of a comparison.
No, I don't always achieve full compression on the dirt road, there are some deeper ruts and bigger potholes I've hit though where it just slams down in the rear...has knocked my rear door off kilter twice so far...

I presume cranking T-Bars or lifting give it more space? Is that correct?

If you put on the OME springs and gained 2 to 3 inches, that space would be between the bump-stop and the axle. Mine was/is the same way. I lifted but then added larger bump-stops and they aren't real far from the axle now.
I don't think messing with the torsion bars would affect the rear geometry much if at all.

[vt_maverick]

One thing to be cautious of with the shorter bump stops...especially with larger tires...when you stuff the suspension your tires may get into the wheel well lining and with a bit of skinny pedal will rip it out. Also if you go to short and stuff the suspension your shocks could possibly bottom out which can cause them to break or fail.

So do you think cutting the OEM rear bump stops at the middle of the "figure 8" shape is going too far?

A LOT OF ROOM !!?? Tim Parker (SBC) took a look at mine and said there was like 1/2"....Dave's FJ has about 7" just as somewhat of a comparison.
No, I don't always achieve full compression on the dirt road, there are some deeper ruts and bigger potholes I've hit though where it just slams down in the rear...has knocked my rear door off kilter twice so far...

I presume cranking T-Bars or lifting give it more space? Is that correct?

Ditto, looked at mine last night and it's not much clearance at all. Marlin, maybe yours has so much more distance because you're lifted?

[PittVXr]

A LOT OF ROOM !!?? Tim Parker (SBC) took a look at mine and said there was like 1/2"....Dave's FJ has about 7" just as somewhat of a comparison.
No, I don't always achieve full compression on the dirt road, there are some deeper ruts and bigger potholes I've hit though where it just slams down in the rear...has knocked my rear door off kilter twice so far...

I presume cranking T-Bars or lifting give it more space? Is that correct?

Here is a pic of my rear bump stop. Is this a normal amount of space to have on a stock VX? I can't even squeeze my finger between the bump stop and the rear axle. If lifting it will put more room between the bumpstop and the rear axle thereby improving the ride I think I may have to go that route. I can't go through another winter of hitting potholes and feeling my teeth rattle.

[Triathlete]

...there are some deeper ruts and bigger potholes I've hit though where it just slams down in the rear...has knocked my rear door off kilter twice so far...

Still talking about the VX...right?