Like a brick on a skateboard

[Mogman]

I have plenty of time to "stare" at my new toy until the revised BOS gets here and the title work begins, which I want to get settled before any actual work begines.

Looking at the FAV it looks like it was not driven much after its release from gov. service which is strange considering the guy lived in Nevada which has tons of off road opportunities.

The only two things I can tell were done to it after he bought it was the oil cooler fan and it looks like he bought 10 new Bilstein shocks, 4 are still in the limit straps they came in, 4 are on the front, 1 is on the rear and 1 is missing.

There are also only 4 shocks total on the rear as two were removed, so it looks like he was trying to improve the ride for some reason..

The answer came as I was sitting there enjoying an adult beverage last night, the rear suspension is ether not timed correctly and or it has the wrong torsion bars in the rear, the suspension is sitting there on the tabs that limit the downward movement.

This thing must ride like a brick on a skateboard!!

Also the baskets were not built in such a way that the suspension could be tuned or changed without removing the baskets, it looks like that will be a relatively easy fix while the machine is torn down for restoration, (trimming the basket floor that sticks out behind the basket frame) there is a small adjustment available but the actual timing cannot be changed with the baskets in place.

A correct suspension has both up and down travel available, as set up this does not.

 

[Crapgame]

Did you determine if your torsion bars being broken was the cause of your range of motion maxed out?

 

[Mogman]

No the bars were way too stiff, there was not enough weight to compress the torsion bars, from the pictures I have seen of actual deployed FAVs that would not be the case as they were well overloaded, I did another write up about the bars, the FAV I have weighs less than a bug (1600lb), I ended destroying the bars to get them out of the chassis but they were rated MUCH higher than the Porsche bars I replaced them with (for a 2400lb Porsche IIRC)
But I suspect loaded as they were for a patrol shift in Nevada they rode like crap with the original bars.
Hopefully with all the work and copious amounts of never seize I can easily change the bars if I need to.
The original bars are still available from SwayAway if that becomes necessary and other Porsche weight bars are also available., but I doubt I would ever have it loaded that heavy.

 

[87cr250r]

Just remember that anti-seize is meant to protect from galling during the tighten of fasteners. It is not primarily intended to prevent corrosion or wear. There are other products that work much better.

 

[Mogman]

Just remember that anti-seize is meant to protect from galling during the tighten of fasteners. It is not primarily intended to prevent corrosion or wear. There are other products that work much better.

Thanks, I have been using it for almost 50 years and it has not let me down yet.
From their web site
" Anti-seize is a lubricant that helps protect metal parts from corrosion and wear. "
Certainly not saying there are not better products but considering the life this machine will have, as in not sitting outdoors for another 20-30 years I think it will do.