Ideal suspension package, coilovers?

locostuntguy

Active Member
Joined
Sep 18, 2009
Location
Angier, North Carolina
I know this has been beat to death on all the forums. I have searched, but now it is time to spend money, so I'm going to ask.

I'm going to 3 link the front of my commando, and 4 link the rear. I plan to run coil overs. My question is, what would be the best package to build?

There are quite a few good threads in this forum, about 4 link, coils etc, but nothing in the same thread.

I was thinking about a Ruff Stuff 3 link and 4 link packages. Not sure about what coilovers though. I've read on pirate, that you can find kings for about the same price as FOA's. Also read, that you can get alu links for bout the same price as DOM and adaptors.

I"m not trying to have the best of everything, just want a good package for daily driving, and trail use.

The specs I've gathered so far are,
2.5 coilovers with reservors
36" link lengths
equal up and down travel on the shocks

What i'm not sure about is,
double or tripple rate setups
how much travel front and rear
Is it worth it to do poly on one end, and hyme on the other?

BTW, my jeepster now has a TBI 350, 700r4, dana 300, 44 front, 12 bolt rear, sitting on 37's

Thanks
 
First off we have a ton of suspension parts in stock from joints to coilovers (which we are going to have a sale on in the vendors section tomorrow) so try to keep you money local if you can.

First question is why 2.5 coilovers? Why not 2.0s?

I've personally never had good luck running a poly bushing on one side and a joint on the other. 14" travel coilover chew the bushings up.

What exactly are you trying to figure out? Just spring rates?
 
locostuntguy said:
I know this has been beat to death on all the forums. I have searched, but now it is time to spend money, so I'm going to ask.
I'm going to 3 link the front of my commando, and 4 link the rear. I plan to run coil overs. My question is, what would be the best package to build?
There are quite a few good threads in this forum, about 4 link, coils etc, but nothing in the same thread.
I was thinking about a Ruff Stuff 3 link and 4 link packages. Not sure about what coilovers though. I've read on pirate, that you can find kings for about the same price as FOA's. Also read, that you can get alu links for bout the same price as DOM and adaptors.
I"m not trying to have the best of everything, just want a good package for daily driving, and trail use.
The specs I've gathered so far are,
2.5 coilovers with reservors
36" link lengths
equal up and down travel on the shocks
What i'm not sure about is,
double or tripple rate setups
how much travel front and rear
Is it worth it to do poly on one end, and hyme on the other?
BTW, my jeepster now has a TBI 350, 700r4, dana 300, 44 front, 12 bolt rear, sitting on 37's
Thanks
Click to expand...

Don't waste your money on FOA's. I doubt you'll find kings that cheap. King, swayaway, fox, radflo are all very similar quality. If you can work with a local machine shop, AL links can be had for well under 150 a piece. Thats still gonna be more than dom

2.0's will be fine. You don't need 2.5's unless you are heavy, or want to go fast. 2.0's are a little easier to package.

Don't get stuck on an exact link measurement, what looks good on paper may never fit under your rig

You want triple rates. The tender coil, or triple rate spring will keep the springs seated at full droop. Otherwise they like to fall off the bottom spring cup, make noise, and gouge up the shock shaft.

Poly on the end of the link with long travel suspension sucks.
 
This is what I would run on you Jeep with the little bit I know about it.

3 link the front, 2" .250 wall lowers with a cartridge style joint (ballistic or johhny joint, I prefer a 5/8 bolt) I would mount the upper on the diff via skilled welding or a truss, the upper arm could be 1.75 .120 wall since its cheap and light and will be plenty strong. I'd make the trac bar out of 1.5 .250 wall with 7/8 heims at both ends. I personally don't like bushings on trac bars. Make the track bar parallel to the drag link and as close to the same length as you can. People offer ignore the later of the two and since its parallel they think its okay and going to drive great.....wrong, it could be much better if done properly. Run at least a passenger side high steer arm.

The rear I'd run a single triangulated 4 link with the same material for uppers and lowers as the front. Make sure you have a couple holes for the uppers on the frame side so you can dial the suspension for your driving. DO NOT follow the theory of having your upper 70% of the lowers, I try to make mine as close to the same length if not a touch longer so the pinion moves up as the suspension droops.

You would do just fine with a 14" 2.0 coilover. You may need to triple weight it depending on your selection of spring rates to prevent it from up seating. If you run a lower spring rate you can crank the spanner down and the springs won't unseat, this can be tinkered with to have no negative effects but that's a tech article within itself.

For steering I would run 7/8 heims with 7/8-3/4 high misalignment spacers. For the tie rod I prefer 7/8 heims with 3/4 balls with safety washers.

That is about all the free information I am going to give out on the forum. If you have any questions call me.

Alex
 
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