Need help with suspension

[Wes in TN]

My buggy does something funky that I don't like on climbs.

Here is what it does on climbs:

As you can see all the weight transfers to the right rear when I'm climbing something. It's bad enough that the paint on the right rear springs is gone. There rear end is centered and square.

I'm used to leaf springs on all four corners, I miss that stability and predictability. I want to tune this suspension to be more "balanced".

These are the only shots I have of the rear suspension. I'll try to get some better shots later.

Any ballpark ideas of where to start to fix this? I want the rear to be more "stable" with less side to side lean. Is a sway bar the best way to address this or would tweaking the coilovers and upper frame mounts have any affect? I'm lost when it comes to setting up link suspensions and could really use some help.

 

[redneckengineered]

Let's see the front too.

 

[Wes in TN]

Front:

More rear:

 

[Wes in TN]

More if they're helpful.

 

[BamaTJ]

I think a rear sway bar would help. Looks like it is torque loading. could possibly be valving and/or spring rate, but I kinda doubt that given the setup.

 

[shortcut]

What spring rates are you using...does your coilovers have a collar above the snubber to adjust how far the shock will compress on the bottom spring..that made alot of difference for me...have you checked the nitrogen pressure?also curious as to why you put the shock mounts on the backside of the axle seems that would.cause the axle to twist or.put alot of pressure on the upper 4 link mounts...Nice looking buggy btw..

 

[CHASMAN9]

Have you tried swapping the rear shocks over? Might be valving stuck and unloading under pressure. That will at least eliminate the possibility of them. A sway bar would help out as stated.

 

[payne97]

Yea rear sway bar will help
What r your knuckles set at (what degree)

 

[redneckengineered]

A rear sway bar will help but that's just a bandaid for a bigger problem. It shouldn't be torquing over that drastically in the first place. I can't put my finger on why yet though. Whoever said to swap shocks I thought was a good idea and a good place to start. Do you have a climb nearby where you can test changes in a controlled setting?

 

[TOYTOACRAWLERS]

with correct shock valving spring rates and nitrogen pressure that shouldnt be an issue have never had to use a sway bar on a buggy with coilovers

 

[Neal3000]

have you used the link calculator to make sure your anti-squat etc is where it needs to be?

 

[Wes in TN]

I will swap the shock side to side tonight. The springs are 125/250 and the snubber is set to pick the lower springs up at 3" of travel on the drivers side and 2" on the passenger side. That was my first attempt to help what the rear was doing. If Jimmy has time he can speak better to the valving but I believe they are some sort of hybrid "KOH" valving, they say Kilby rear below the part number at the top of the shock.

Yes I have some stuff around our shop to play on and test changes.

 

[Wes in TN]

What should the nitrogen be charged to? I can check that tonight as well.

Negative on the calculator. I spend my days doing site work take offs and working out grades on job sites. By days end I'm usually too burned out to spend my spare time doing anything with numbers. I'll try and play with it some over the weekend. I'm wheeling this Saturday and would like to take a few educated swings at if before the trip.

 

[Wes in TN]

Yea rear sway bar will help
What r your knuckles set at (what degree)

About -4 degrees castor. Is that what you're asking?

 

[redneckengineered]

First, your top spring sounds way too light IMO. My old buggy looked real similar to yours in size and build and I ran 200/250 in the rear and 225/250 in the front. 125 is basically nothing. Second, I've always run between 150-200psi nitrogen pressure. Last, post up your measurements someone here can run the calc for ya.

 

[BamaTJ]

So spring rate could be a little light based on what you posted. I would try 150/300 or 175/275, somewhere in that area. Nitrogen should be set to 200psi. You can go up to like 250 and as low as 100 or so. Changing nitrogen pressures is a sort of valving bandaid, but it will mimick changing valve stacks. The higher the pressure the firmer the feel.

A good majority of rigs run rear sway bars and while it may be a bandaid, it may be all you need.

 

[InDaShop]

just visually the link seperation at the chassis looks real small. whats that measurement? In the bottom hole, in the middle, in the top.

 

[shortcut]

What should the nitrogen be charged to?


I run 200 in the front and 250 in the rear...

 

[Budget YJ]

I think the shocks are to stright up and down.
The body is rolling on the shock.
Do you have room to move the bottom of the shock out???
Looks like it would be harder to move the top in from pics.
Just my .02

 

[CHASMAN9]

First, your top spring sounds way too light IMO. My old buggy looked real similar to yours in size and build and I ran 200/250 in the rear and 225/250 in the front. 125 is basically nothing.


I was running triple rate springs with a 100# tender spring on top of 200/250's. On any slope at all, the 100# tenders would be the first to collapse and fall over immediately. Took them off and does not sway like that all any more. The way I was shown to test your spring rate was to take off both coils and put one on at a time and run the spindle nut all the way down to the spring. Measure spring length unloaded and then loaded. This measurement should only be about 1.5-2.5 inches of spring collapse. Anything more is to light and anything less is going toi be stiff. This method helped me dial in mine a bunch better. Good looking buggy also.