Which is more stable body lift or suspension
Mar 18, 2009 | 04:33 AM
#1
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From: Greenville, SC
Which is more stable body lift or suspension
Ok my friend and i are in an argument of which is more stable a body lift or suspension lift.
So which is more stable if you had the same amount of lift on one truck as the other?
-thanks
So which is more stable if you had the same amount of lift on one truck as the other?
-thanks
Mar 18, 2009 | 06:07 AM
#4
- http://www.4crawler.com/4x4/ForSale/...it.shtml#Lifts
So in that above case, put the two vehicles on a tilt table and see at what angle the vehicle tips over to the side.
Now if you are talking off-road, then it sort of depends. If you can put on a suspension lift with more wheel travel and axle articulation, then a suspension lift will win in uneven terrain most every time., since it is far more stable to keep all 4 tires on the ground at all times. However, if the lift has no additional wheel travel over stock, then you are back to the first case.
As a visual example, below are two vehicles crossing the Golden Crack at Moab. Not exactly the same spot of the crossing, but you can see how the first rig stays nearly level with all 4 tires on the ground and in the 2nd, you see more body lean and a tire in the air. Similar lift height on both rigs, although the white 4Runner has a 3" body lift and the blue pickup has 2" as I recall:
Mar 18, 2009 | 07:10 PM
#6
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From: Greenville, SC
Define what you mean by stable. There are two ways to look at that. On is simple center of gravity and there a body lift will have less impact on raising the CG than a suspension lift. Why? See below for a discussion:
- http://www.4crawler.com/4x4/ForSale/...it.shtml#Lifts
So in that above case, put the two vehicles on a tilt table and see at what angle the vehicle tips over to the side.
Now if you are talking off-road, then it sort of depends. If you can put on a suspension lift with more wheel travel and axle articulation, then a suspension lift will win in uneven terrain most every time., since it is far more stable to keep all 4 tires on the ground at all times. However, if the lift has no additional wheel travel over stock, then you are back to the first case.
As a visual example, below are two vehicles crossing the Golden Crack at Moab. Not exactly the same spot of the crossing, but you can see how the first rig stays nearly level with all 4 tires on the ground and in the 2nd, you see more body lean and a tire in the air. Similar lift height on both rigs, although the white 4Runner has a 3" body lift and the blue pickup has 2" as I recall:
- http://www.4crawler.com/4x4/ForSale/...it.shtml#Lifts
So in that above case, put the two vehicles on a tilt table and see at what angle the vehicle tips over to the side.
Now if you are talking off-road, then it sort of depends. If you can put on a suspension lift with more wheel travel and axle articulation, then a suspension lift will win in uneven terrain most every time., since it is far more stable to keep all 4 tires on the ground at all times. However, if the lift has no additional wheel travel over stock, then you are back to the first case.
As a visual example, below are two vehicles crossing the Golden Crack at Moab. Not exactly the same spot of the crossing, but you can see how the first rig stays nearly level with all 4 tires on the ground and in the 2nd, you see more body lean and a tire in the air. Similar lift height on both rigs, although the white 4Runner has a 3" body lift and the blue pickup has 2" as I recall:
Mar 18, 2009 | 08:00 PM
#7
- http://www.4crawler.com/4x4/ForSale/...it.shtml#Lifts
If you assume a typical vehicle with perhaps 25% of it's mass in the body and perhaps 10% in the axles/wheels/tires, then look at the various types of lifts:
* Taller tires will raise nearly 100% of the vehicle's mass higher at the rate of 1" for every 2" of increase in tire diameter, since essentially every part of the vehicle is raised. Thus a 2" taller tire (i.e. 1" of lift) will raise the vehicle's center of gravity 1".
* A suspension lift will raise about 90% of the vehicle's mass (all but the ~10% unsprung weight of the axles, wheel and tires) at a rate of 1" for every 1" of lift. Since 90% of the mass is being raised 1", the center of gravity will raise about 0.9" as a result.
* A body lift will raise only 25% of the mass of the vehicle (i.e. only the body) so a 1" body lift will only change the center of gravity of the vehicle by that same ratio, or 0.25".
* Taller tires will raise nearly 100% of the vehicle's mass higher at the rate of 1" for every 2" of increase in tire diameter, since essentially every part of the vehicle is raised. Thus a 2" taller tire (i.e. 1" of lift) will raise the vehicle's center of gravity 1".
* A suspension lift will raise about 90% of the vehicle's mass (all but the ~10% unsprung weight of the axles, wheel and tires) at a rate of 1" for every 1" of lift. Since 90% of the mass is being raised 1", the center of gravity will raise about 0.9" as a result.
* A body lift will raise only 25% of the mass of the vehicle (i.e. only the body) so a 1" body lift will only change the center of gravity of the vehicle by that same ratio, or 0.25".
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Mar 19, 2009 | 03:04 PM
#9
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From: maple ridge, British Columbia, Canada
Body lift all the way!
The run of the mill 4-5" bracket lift you can buy for our trucks does nothing but space the stock suspension down 4". Stock travel, and its weaker (more leverage put on IFS mounts).
go with a body lift!
The run of the mill 4-5" bracket lift you can buy for our trucks does nothing but space the stock suspension down 4". Stock travel, and its weaker (more leverage put on IFS mounts).
go with a body lift!
Mar 19, 2009 | 11:01 PM
#10
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From: (Rednecks Inbreed In) Kansas
Mar 19, 2009 | 11:13 PM
#11
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From: Lawrenceville/Statesboro, GA
I don't disagree. I just think that if you drive like a sane person with the amount of lift you are running then both a BL and a suspension lift will be stable. If you plan on driving around turns going excessive speeds and driving crazy then a BL is better because the center of gravity is not as bad as it would be with a suspension lift.
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