Up travel? How much is enough.

I would like to run some longer travel shocks to permit more droop. Doing this obviously will decrease the amount of up travel permitted by the shocks. So...how much up travel is enough. I do not ever plan to jump, prerun, JeepSpeed race, or anything of the sort. This rig is strictly for driving to the trails and wheeling. Rocks mostly, some mud, snow, etc mixed in.

5.5 inches of lift, 35 inch tires. Considering a shock that will give 4.5 inches of up travel and 7.5 inches of down travel.

Opinions...hopefully based on experience.

John, it all depends on how low you're willing to put your bump stops. Personally, I like up travel because it allows for a better ride with less bottoming out. It also allows more stuff over a big rock without the body being pushed up by hitting the bumpstops.

My feeling is to tune the shock placement (up/down travel) to the spring compression, so the spring and shock are working together. This means flexing it out and measuring to get the right shock length. I know what you're asking, but I still think you're better off with the right shock for your available travel rather than just getting extra droop.

To answer your question more directly, 4.5" of up travel might be OK. I've run with 5" of up travel, but that is with a very stiff coil and with soft bumpstops, with the bumpstop compressing about 2". You will compress the bumpstop much more on a hard hit than you will while articulating, so you'll need some shock shaft still showing when you're at max articulation. I'm assuming here you're talking about the front since you're using a 12" travel shock, but the same would apply to the rear.

I have 4" of up travel on my rig right now. My front 44 and axle truss would get friendly with the oil pan currently with any more up travel. I daily drive and do mostly trail riding like Uwharrie and Tellaco when I get the chance. Its doable but its very easy to bottom out. Have to watch out for the huge mall speed bumps :viking: I would shoot for 5" if I had to do it again so thats why I plan on going up to 5.5" coils and 35s. My current 33s and 4" work alright but I would like a bigger tire and more uptravel. Just a matter of time and money.

AARON