Coilovers not sitting in the lower retainers

[bigredkacy]

I have a set of 20" travel FOA's and i can not seem to get them to sit in the lower retainers. Any idea what the issue could be?
They seem to have a good amount of preload. Just when i go out they both come out and end up messed up.

 

[wizzo]

so when you fully extend your shock, the spring is pre loaded? meaning the upper adjustment is run down and touching the spring or tightened down further?

 

[zjtrey]

I'm with wizzo.. I bet the springs are losing preload at full droop, you're probably lucky your lower retainers haven't fallen off.. I found one on the trail at harlan a couple weeks ago LOL...

you may need to get the triple rate kit if you cant resolve it by preloading the springs further or limit straps..

 

[bigredkacy]

On the valve body i have about 2 more inches of preload i can add.
So you are saying i should try to give more preload and full droop to see if that works?

 

[wizzo]

preload is when the shock is fully extended, run the top adjustment down to the spring, then any further adjustment down is preload. basically it sounds like you have no preload, that is why the bottom is falling out.

 

[wizzo]

problem is, when you run the top adjustment down, it's gonna raise the ride height of the vehicle up. so you can do what zj trey suggested and get a triple rate spring or you can get taller and/ or softer springs so you can actually preload your springs.

 

[bigredkacy]

Thanks for the advice.
I will give the preload first, and if not and the ride is to high ill do the triple rate.
I read the bible and everything. I am still trying to wrap my head around the entire coilover setup.

 

[John Galbreath Jr.]

Do a search on "Coilover Tender Springs" this will solve your problem.

 

[Eddyj]

Other than them falling apart how would you say the quality of them are? Any leaks?

 

[FullThrottle89]

Other than them falling apart how would you say the quality of them are? Any leaks?

i have been running them on the front of my jeep for about 6 rides now, so far no leaks and holding up decent. sorry for the hijack

 

[bgredjeep]

Why on earth would you need 20" COs when you have the shocks mounted inboard of the frame like that.

 

[bigredkacy]

They work good, i have only have 3 runs on them.
but they absorb alot of the desert terrain and mud.

Here are some pictures from our local play ground

 

[bgredjeep]

It just looks like you could get the same flex from a more common 16" shock since they are mounted so close together. Lots of unused travel in the flex pic you posted.

 

[TBItoy]

so does your front end flex at all?

 

[huff75]

What length springs are you running?

 

[Pumpkin]

Running a factory ford set up in the front there is no way it flexes in the front. I bet he is not using 14in of travel on the rear coil overs mounted that far inward.

 

[bigredkacy]

There are multiple reason why I did the setup like this.
I am building it for multiple purpose. Mud, rock and speed. And so far it has handled all of that we'll. I can drive down the street or in the desert at 60mph and it's straight as stock. I can play in the mud and not worry about it being able to perform and to play on the rocks. Nothing seems to be an issue right now. I am happy with the amount of travel I am getting. I had no room to put the coilovers on the outside of the frame with the tires.
I was going to go leaf again but had all the stuff to do a 4 link so why not. We work on these things to learn. I know I could have done better to achieve more flex and I am willing to learn for another build.
What could I have done differently or change now?
FOr the front I have a Dana 60 kingpin with Deaver coils and 16travel shocks and 20" extended radius arms, which before the coilovers used to max out. What would cause the front not to flex anymore since I added coilovers the the rear? Spring rate to low?
For the engine I just put in a 521 stroker from a 69 460 running off propane.
Thanks for the help and ideas for the future.

 

[ranger11]

Re: Re: Coilovers not sitting in the lower retainers

When I linked the rear of my ranger it seemed like the front didn't work as good as it use to. The rear works really good now but the rear coils are softer and the rear doesnt transfer to front like it did with leaf springs. I plan to put coilovers on the front so its tuneable.

 

[pachary]

Going out on a limb here, but if one end flexes way easier than the other........

Will the not so flexy end flex even less until the "soft" end limits out?

 

[ranger11]

Re: Re: Re: Coilovers not sitting in the lower retainers

Going out on a limb here, but if one end flexes way easier than the other........

Will the not so flexy end flex even less until the "soft" end limits out?

Yup that's what I think.