Custom Alcans anyone

[gslander]

This. I have a set of custom spec'd Alcans, and it was probably the dumbest waste of money I've spent on my truck (~ $600 in '06 monies). They were/are too stiff for what I wanted, and cannot be easily replaced. I'd find an of the shelf part, rear XJ, Chevy 63's or 58's and pack or remove as needed.

I had deavers on the rear of my Tacoma when I first lifted it and I would agree. I bent those into an S while on 33s pretty quickly. The used all pros I ran for the next 10yrs didn't have any issues, and now I'm running some general spring Chevy 63s which are fine. I learned dont ever take the spring clamps off and they last longer.

 

[Clubbs]

I've got spring clamps and even tack welded them in place at the end of the second spring on my last trip to IVY. Used up my last spare pack there too.

Pretty much made the decision to link it at this point.

Looking at coil overs and such at the moment and hedging for some black Friday discounts coming up hopefully.

 

[R Q]

I've got spring clamps and even tack welded them in place at the end of the second spring on my last trip to IVY. Used up my last spare pack there too.

Pretty much made the decision to link it at this point.

Looking at coil overs and such at the moment and hedging for some black Friday discounts coming up hopefully.

ORI's have come a long way in the last few years too but I haven't priced them. They give you more real estate to work with up front for sure.

 

[OnlyOneDR]

This. I have a set of custom spec'd Alcans, and it was probably the dumbest waste of money I've spent on my truck (~ $600 in '06 monies). They were/are too stiff for what I wanted, and cannot be easily replaced. I'd find an of the shelf part, rear XJ, Chevy 63's or 58's and pack or remove as needed.

I had deavers on the rear of my Tacoma when I first lifted it and I would agree. I bent those into an S while on 33s pretty quickly. The used all pros I ran for the next 10yrs didn't have any issues, and now I'm running some general spring Chevy 63s which are fine. I learned dont ever take the spring clamps off and they last longer.

The problem with both a Nissan Hardbody and a Tacoma is the fact that the leaf pack is nearly flat to start with. A new pack with more lift has to be more stiff to raise the rear, and the flatness of the pack does nothing to combat wrap. Without a traction bar you are bound to bend springs or have to deal with spring rates akin to dump truck springs to keep them alive.

Mine are spring under with decent arch.

 

[Clubbs]

ORI's have come a long way in the last few years too but I haven't priced them. They give you more real estate to work with up front for sure.

ORI struts would be the preferred units for this rig for certain. I've got a pair in my cart at a few different parts houses watching prices float around, but that's some serious coin to drop on this parts bin.

So far other than the sniper kit, this rig has been assembled from stuff I had laying around, fabricated from scrap or bought used / junkyard parts. I suppose the more capable it becomes, the more challenging trails we hit, the more legit the parts list must become. Otherwise I'm in perpetual leaf spring replacement...

 

[WARRIORWELDING]

ORI struts would be the preferred units for this rig for certain. I've got a pair in my cart at a few different parts houses watching prices float around, but that's some serious coin to drop on this parts bin.

So far other than the sniper kit, this rig has been assembled from stuff I had laying around, fabricated from scrap or bought used / junkyard parts. I suppose the more capable it becomes, the more challenging trails we hit, the more legit the parts list must become. Otherwise I'm in perpetual leaf spring replacement...

You hit the nail on the head. Budget build or basic execution becomes a greater hindrance if the terrain and destination escalates on the way.

A well built three link or the y-link long arms like Rubicon Express sold for TJ's along with the hydro is about as far as you can go for a very Street able "steering safe" rig. Outside those options are a parallel Four link and packaging the uppers would blow for any length on a CJ.

On a side note..say you went ORI and blew a seal running highway speed? Do they have failsafe at all to prevent suddenly collapsing?

 

[Clubbs]

On a side note..say you went ORI and blew a seal running highway speed? Do they have failsafe at all to prevent suddenly collapsing?

That's a good point. Supposedly they have redundant seals.... Do you know if one fails and your riding on borrowed time though???

In a similar but worse scenario:
My son was driving home from school (the built CJ was his daily while in highschool) he swerved, clipped a tree with the front right 40" mickey, plowed through a culvert ditch thing jumped back on the other side of the intersection before everything stopped. Front right leaf spring snapped in half by the rear spring hanger. The other spring and antiwrap bar held the axle in place enough keep it controllable and he drove it from there about a mile to a parking lot and then up on the trailer. That was spring pack number 2. I can't imagine a deflated ORI would be worse than that, but depends on the speed. I mean dropping one corner down 5 inches would be unnerving, but with the right link geometry it shouldn't swerve and change lanes I suppose.

Risk to everything we do with fabricated rigs I guess ...

 

[Kamel]

The problem with both a Nissan Hardbody and a Tacoma is the fact that the leaf pack is nearly flat to start with. A new pack with more lift has to be more stiff to raise the rear, and the flatness of the pack does nothing to combat wrap. Without a traction bar you are bound to bend springs or have to deal with spring rates akin to dump truck springs to keep them alive.

Mine are spring under with decent arch.

I spec'd mine with Toyota front eye, Nissan rear eye, and about 3-4" longer with a military wrap and anti-wrap leaf. They do control wrap well I would say is the best thing about them.