2004 6.0 NV4500 Tahoe

[randeez]

Drop the rear about 4 more inches and let it ride

 

[Dantheman1540]

Drop the rear about 4 more inches and let it ride

But that would mean I'm available and I thought we had a good thing going.

 

[Dantheman1540]

Well made it to work and nothing fell off, it is kinda floaty but I think that's because the alignment is not right and it has no front sway bar right now. The Hellwig came in yesterday but it was missing the end links and the frame mounts so I'm sure it will be a bit before they send me the right parts or whatever they decide I'm worthy of.

I really need to start doing some research on how to make the rear ride better. Not sure if it's the cheap KYB replacement shocks that are probably shot or the springs just don't ride well. I'm open to suggestions on that one.

 

[Dantheman1540]

Swapped from the pro comp eyelet adapter to the stud top with atomics custom bushing which feels like maybe Delrin because it is some hard stuff. That swap alone gave a full 3" of drop! It looked cool being slammed but I'm after ride quality so I added a bunch of preload probably 6-8 turns total and got both sides to right at 34" floor to fender height. The rear is 34.5" so a half-inch of rake is just about perfect. Although I'm betting it will settle another half-inch or so which is fine.

I think it rides a little rougher with the preload on the spring but I didn't give it much of a test drive.

 

[iamdub]

Swapped from the pro comp eyelet adapter to the stud top with atomics custom bushing which feels like maybe Delrin because it is some hard stuff. That swap alone gave a full 3" of drop! It looked cool being slammed but I'm after ride quality so I added a bunch of preload probably 6-8 turns total and got both sides to right at 34" floor to fender height. The rear is 34.5" so a half-inch of rake is just about perfect. Although I'm betting it will settle another half-inch or so which is fine.

I think it rides a little rougher with the preload on the spring but I didn't give it much of a test drive.

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I don't see it actually preloading the spring. Doesn't it just change the perch height? The spring isn't compressing any more or less with the adjustment of the perches and it's supporting the same weight. Yes, there is slightly more weight on it the lower you go, but I don't think it's enough to really alter the feel unless you compare its far extremes of adjustment.

 

[Dantheman1540]

I don't see it actually preloading the spring. Doesn't it just change the perch height? The spring isn't compressing any more or less with the adjustment of the perches and it's supporting the same weight. Yes, there is slightly more weight on it the lower you go, but I don't think it's enough to really alter the feel unless you compare its far extremes of adjustment.

This is why TYF is the best forum I've been part of. I'm not sure why but I was totally under the impression that cranking the spring perch up was adding more load to it, therefore, changing the spring rate making it ride harsher. Once you challenged me I went to google for further investigation and found this helpful article http://www.superstreetonline.com/ho...on/1706-coilovers-and-what-youve-gotten-wrong

So you are correct and my placebo got the better of me during my mile drive home.

 

[iamdub]

This is why TYF is the best forum I've been part of. I'm not sure why but I was totally under the impression that cranking the spring perch up was adding more load to it, therefore, changing the spring rate making it ride harsher. Once you challenged me I went to google for further investigation and found this helpful article http://www.superstreetonline.com/ho...on/1706-coilovers-and-what-youve-gotten-wrong

So you are correct and my placebo got the better of me during my mile drive home.

It was fresh on my mind from a recent discussion with the guy that now has my S10 Xtreme. He did a full front and rear coilover conversion and swore that he would be adding preload and making it ride too firm if he cranked it up any and he's gonna have to order different rate springs once he determines his desired ride hight. The best I could tell him was to stand on the ground next to some stairs while holding a cinder block on the top of his head. Then, step up on the stairs however many he wanted to go and tell me what has changed. That cinder block didn't get heavier and he didn't squash any. All that changed was his and the cinder block's height position.

I'll have to forward that article to him.

Anyway, they do ride better than the t-bars, yeah?

 

[Dantheman1540]

It was fresh on my mind from a recent discussion with the guy that now has my S10 Xtreme. He did a full front and rear coilover conversion and swore that he would be adding preload and making it ride too firm if he cranked it up any and he's gonna have to order different rate springs once he determines his desired ride hight. The best I could tell him was to stand on the ground next to some stairs while holding a cinder block on the top of his head. Then, step up on the stairs however many he wanted to go and tell me what has changed. That cinder block didn't get heavier and he didn't squash any. All that changed was his and the cinder block's height position.

I'll have to forward that article to him.

Anyway, they do ride better than the t-bars, yeah?

Good analogy with the cinder block, I say yes they ride substantially better. Of course, I also replaced all the control arms which likely helped a little and the kyb shocks were pretty old. So comparing the coil spring to the torsion bar is a different question and I am unable to answer that accuratly. Also not having sway bar on right now taints my impressions some, hopefully it does its job and eliminates the front end steering funkiness, along with an alignment.

 

[randeez]

dubs an idiot...

the spring does compress, the total extended length of the shock doesnt change.

say the shock is 20" extended, the spring 10" and carries 600lb/in. if your truck puts 1800lbs on each shock, with no preload the spring would compress 3" on each side. the length of the shock would be 17" compressed

now if you put an inch of preload on the spring, the spring is essential a 9" spring and the shock is still 20" extended. but you have to overcome the first 600lbs before it drops any more... the additional 1200lbs only compresses the spring 2" and the shock is 18"

in conclusion,
white ty-raps

 

[iamdub]

I can't argue being an idiot, but you're saying the shock stays maxed out at all times with no extension (droop/uptravel) left in it?