Soften M1123 suspension

[Vapor Trail]

I read spacers make the ride horrible. I'd like to get softer riding springs and maybe longer shocks if necessary and get 2" higher for 40" tire clearance and still keep the CV angle good. How can I accomplish this?

 

[Maxjeep1]

I read spacers make the ride horrible. I'd like to get softer riding springs and maybe longer shocks if necessary and get 2" higher for 40" tire clearance and still keep the CV angle good. How can I accomplish this?

Body lift!

 

[coolboatguy]

I read spacers make the ride horrible. I'd like to get softer riding springs and maybe longer shocks if necessary and get 2" higher for 40" tire clearance and still keep the CV angle good. How can I accomplish this?

It doesn't work like that. Horrible ride comes from lack of down motion on lifted trucks. The springs don't know where they are. They don't know there is a spacer above them.

 

[badger_610889]

Looking a bit more into the suspension, I find the absorbers to be surprisingly short, limiting wheel travel. Lifting would be interesting to increase travel, I don't see the value of using a spacer really.

 

[Maxjeep1]

Looking a bit more into the suspension, I find the absorbers to be surprisingly short, limiting wheel travel. Lifting would be interesting to increase travel, I don't see the value of using a spacer really.

I see value in a spacer personally because I want my truck level. Only way you can do it is longer springs or spacer. Body lift raises everything

 

[badger_610889]

That makes sense. Though it could highlight a need for different spring rates to get the vehicle to run flat.

 

[Maxjeep1]

That makes sense. Though it could highlight a need for different spring rates to get the vehicle to run flat.

Spring rates are magical and you can throw money away trying to figure it out. I know that I need 2” of lift and spacer gives me just that.

 

[Maxjeep1]

Coolboatguy has this all figured out and I seen his stuff and it’s good! His ride height was not as tall as my m1123 but his suspension works great…

 

[coolboatguy]

Looking a bit more into the suspension, I find the absorbers to be surprisingly short, limiting wheel travel. Lifting would be interesting to increase travel, I don't see the value of using a spacer really.

Lifting does not increase travel. In fact it diminishes it.

 

[Maxjeep1]

Lifting does not increase travel. In fact it diminishes it.

Shouldn’t travel stay the same? You will lose down travel and have more up travel?

 

[coolboatguy]

Shouldn’t travel stay the same? You will lose down travel and have more up travel?

In theory yes. But... with reduced rebound is increase in ride roughness and quality, which in turn decreases speed. With reduced speed comes reduced forces on suspension and thus decreased travel especially with really stiff suspension.

 

[badger_610889]

Lifting does not increase travel. In fact it diminishes it.

Lifting by using longer springs and dampers is what I have in mind. I've raced quite a bit in Baja and off-road endurance. It takes a while to setup a suspension right and I'm by no mean an expert but I've given enough feedback and been involved in setup a few times to get a good idea of the recipe and nothing serious can be done without at least two scales. That increases the speed of iterations dramatically.
One of the engineers told me once that you have to be freaking good or lucky to setup your suspension well without balancing the car, particularly if the level matters (for esthetic or aerodynamics)
So I can have an idea of how much skills and knowledge you might have put in your truck to get it setup well, most people tend to underestimate how tough it is to do it right.
I don't have the equipment and my expectation with my humvees is low to be honest so I won't change my setup at least until I get more serious into off-road, but I can appreciate the value and potential challenges.

I saw your posts about springs, did you change the dampers?

 

[coolboatguy]

Lifting by using longer springs and dampers is what I have in mind. I've raced quite a bit in Baja and off-road endurance. It takes a while to setup a suspension right and I'm by no mean an expert but I've given enough feedback and been involved in setup a few times to get a good idea of the recipe and nothing serious can be done without at least two scales. That increases the speed of iterations dramatically.
One of the engineers told me once that you have to be freaking good or lucky to setup your suspension well without balancing the car, particularly if the level matters (for esthetic or aerodynamics)
So I can have an idea of how much skills and knowledge you might have put in your truck to get it setup well, most people tend to underestimate how tough it is to do it right.
I don't have the equipment and my expectation with my humvees is low to be honest so I won't change my setup at least until I get more serious into off-road, but I can appreciate the value and potential challenges.

I saw your posts about springs, did you change the dampers?

I have full coilovers with 8 inch travel. But my original comment stands. Spacers vs longer springs are the same because you are not going to block the springs either way.