So I’m back to wheelin IFS stuff. So far I have the BJ spacers, the Rancho shocks, the 4crawler diff drop, IFS brace, and some nice new CV’s to compliment the ARB locker. I want the best I can get from IFS without spending a ton: good CV angles, decent flex, reliability. What I don’t have is a garage so I either need to “borrow” some space for a day or do this outside, either way I want to make sure I do as much as possible at once. I’m wondering about bump stops up front. I know on one of my past trucks I used some ultra low stops to squeak a little extra travel out of the IFS and they seemed to work. I’ve seen in the spacer installation instructions that I am actually suppose to make the stops bigger not smaller, but I’m wondering what the limiting factor is that makes this desirable. If the shocks have enough travel and the hubs will only be locked for low speed stuff, why not shorten the bump stops for some extra travel? Also, what else am I missing? I’ll make my own skid plate to protect everything, but want to put all the current stuff in at once if I can, especially if I find a warm place to do it. Sorry to make folks read so many words.

 

I think that it will over extend the cv

 

Your compression stops (bottom ones) can be low profile. The cv has no problem when things go up. It's the droop stops (upper) which need to be stock or maybe even shimmed. Test it to see how much you need. Once the spacers are on, jack up the front so the tires don't touch the ground (Can do it with the tires off too). Lock the hubs and turn the cv's, if you feel resistance, the bumps need shimming.

For good flex, stick with the stock torsions. After market t-bars are no good for flex.I have also seen people modify the inner cv's to allow for a bit more dropout. ALso cross linked airshocks can help out a bit.

Other than tha, you are on the right track. With Bj spacers, you can fit 33x10.50 tires no problem. Check out Marc P on this board.

And of course you'll want to disconnect your anti-swaybar.

 

you will also bottom out the factory tie rod ends. with factory bumpstops, they come close.

also, check for interference between the shock body and the compression bumpstop. you may need to grind some of the metal ring that is part of the bumpstop. the interference usually happens at full droop.

 

How much do the diff drop spacers affect the driveshaft angle? Since it only drops the rear of the diff, I suspect there's quite a change.

 

That's a good point. I assumed with just a 1" change it would be no big deal, but the angle actually changes more than that. Roger? Anyone? I would think someone would have said something if it eats up driveshaft joints.

Sounds like the upper bump stops should stay stock, and swapping out the lowers for an extra 1/2" travel doesn't seem worth it.

Anything else? My truck's seem to find their way to very remote locations so I want this to be either reasonably strong or easily fixable. I plan to switch the CV studs out for bolts and carry a spare CV as that is probably the weakest link. Anyone know what the bolt sizes are that I need to replace the CV studs? It's nice to have the stuff there rather than running to the hardware store with the truck in pieces.

 

Just Grind off the Splines and reuse the original hardware. You only need to do this to 2 or 3 of the studs to get the CV out. It makes installation and removal a little easier to have some studs in there.

 

Thanks. Cheaper solutions are good.

 

i disagree, i still found it a PITA to drop out the CV shaft with anything less than all 6 studs turned into bolts. with all of them bolts, all you have to do is drop it down instead of trying to wiggle it off of the rest of the studs.

 

Keep it as close to stock as possible.

I got good travel with a bumper/winch/spacers and aftermarket bars completely relaxed.

The stud thing is a must do. That really gets to be a pain.

I have seen the bolts make for a 12 minute trail swap.

 

I have some of the same questions. I intend to keep things pretty simple . . Stock bars, 1.5" BJ spacers (SDORI), 1" body lift (4Crawler), 1.5" lift rear springs (Alcan), rear lower a arm truss (Downey?), front and rear ARB lockers, rock sliders (Marlin), 33x10.5 15 tires, and maybe bumpers and a winch down the line . . . . . I have Bilsteins (1139 front, 1140 rear). Can we do without the diff drop? (Roger's page on diff drops says that the problem arises with lifts over 2") Do I need new shocks? Ditto the bump stop question! (I'll do the Deathrunner evaluation) Am I moving too far from stock with any of this?

 

i have no diff drop and no problems with my spacers

Diff drops have been reported to be great and RB's is no exception, except some have reported driveline vibration at HWY speeds. Since i need mine to run at hwy speeds i didn't get one, and it's been fine.

I have a question, how do you get those studs out? You grind all of them?front and rear, or are there tack welds you just have to get through and then they pop out?

 

I found this thread on the cv mod:

https://www.yotatech.com/forums/show...t=cv+stud+bolt

[Edit] Cebby describes the air hammer method in this thread:

https://www.yotatech.com/forums/show...t=cv+stud+bolt

 

thank you, that will be happening in january as well now too

 

Sounds like our plans are very similar. I should have most of the stuff done by the end of the month (hopefully) and can let you know any issues I find in the installations. I may just leave the diff drop out for now and look over everything else first.

 

Thanks Adrian. For now I'm planning on keeping the stock T-bars and see how it rides with the ARB bumper and winch. Will for sure swap out the studs when everything is taken apart. Anything else you found that you would or wouldn't do again?

 

I'll revive this thread with a new question:

How much is an IFS truss really needed if you put on BJ spacers?? Are either really needed for mostly rock crawling type of wheeling??

 

They are pretty much unrelated. The truss is just to keep the lower arms from moving and throwing off your alignment. The spacers increase the distance between upper and lower arms, giving you a lift of whatever height the spacers are, and they will increase wheel travel by that same amount.

As far as needed, is anything really needed? Depend a lot on your definition of rock crawling, everyone seems to have a different idea. Neither of these parts will hurt performance, no matter how you use your truck.

 

I didn't really need any of the mods I have made. But I can take on bigger challenges, like the Blanca Peak trail. Only made it up half way when stock. Took 1/2 hour just to get back off the debris field that I was on before anyone else could make it up. Should be straight forward now.