Who's running limiting straps?

Who's running suspension limiting straps and why? Ive been tweeking my bumpstops and noticed the coil seperates from the upper coil bucket a few inches before my shock extends to the max and I'm thinking about using some kind of strap. Does it really hurt to let the springs extend till they get loose at the top or should I set the straps to stop it from happening? Any suspension limiting discussion welcome. Thanks.

it should be fine, but if you are bottoming out your shocks, you should get longer shocks. just dont let your coils come all the way off the tower or you will lose it. i would get longer shocks and put a strap on just to keep the coil in it when it is at the bottm of the tower.

The shocks only have 3/4" collapst so I can't go longer. How much abuse do you think a Bilstein will take extending it all the way from time to time? Are they any better or worse than others?

I bought some limiting straps so that my shocks weren't limiting the travel. I trashed a set of shocks pretty quick up front but they were also my bumpstops.

it would make sense that them limiting things wouldn't be too bad.

Some people use a limiting strap in the center of the axle to keep it from unloading on uphills and not hinder articulation much.

Having the coil unseat is NOT a problem, and contrary to popular myth, does not suddenly make that tire useless.

Set the straps about an inch shorter than your shock; they'll stretch a little bit and keep the shock from supporting the weight of the axle.

Stumpalump said:

The shocks only have 3/4" collapst so I can't go longer. How much abuse do you think a Bilstein will take extending it all the way from time to time? Are they any better or worse than others?

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The Bilstein documentation actually says that it's alright to use the shock to limit downtravel as long as it's a gentle stop. Jumping the truck or having the coil rapidly extend to full length is what will eventually damage the bottom seal.

I made my own using an old seatbelt and 1/4'' steel. Mounted them next to the shocks. Like vetteboy suggested they are about 1'' shorter then my next limiter, which is my brake line.
You can see it in this picture if you look closely.



I feel that a tire that has little or no weight on it (the coil is unseated) provides no traction. It will simply spin because there is no down force to make it stay in contact with the surface. I have lockers, so that point is worthless to me.

Vetteboy, why do think that a tire that has no coil holding onto terra ferma is not useless.

I'm going to make some out of 1"x3/16" Nylon webbing that we use on Horse halters and some heavy d-rings. The front I'm setting with a ton of downtravel, So good straps are a must on heavy axles.

a unseated coils allows for very little traction to that tire, and the spring unloaded has no good side effects, only ill ones...

Limit the travel to unseated by about 1" and your good. Keep in mind though that the limiting strap if to far inbound or outward, can be effectively too short or too long (compared to what your tring to limit) if not located correctly.

Starboard M said:

Vetteboy, why do think that a tire that has no coil holding onto terra ferma is not useless.

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A few reasons - as long as you haven't yet maxed out your shock or limit strap.

One is the weight of the tire and ~1/2 the weight of the axle housing still on it. I'm hefting around 39.5 Iroks on steel beadlocked wheels with a Dana 60; that's a few hundred pounds of downforce just from the tire sitting on the ground. The guys who run water in their tires, even moreso.

Second is the cantilever effect from the opposite tire. Picture it like a seesaw with the pivot at the spring/bumpstop. Press up on that side (like when the tire is stuffed), and the other side will press down. Not an equal amount; it'll be a ratio depending on the distances from the pivot to each tire, but it's something.

Remember that this is a VERY common occurance with coilovers; they're actually designed to permit the coil to be unseated and even have ways to make sure it goes back together properly when it's re-weighted (tender coils).

I run them #1 so my gear box doesnt rip off again (steering is not set up yet and Im waiting till I get the High stear on). #2 so my coils dont fall out, or seat back wrong.

Set up your center limiting strap right and it limits unloading and articulation. It's hard to dial it in perfectly because of the way that the axle swings side to side because of the trackbar. Mine has two straps to center and it limits passenger side droop about 1-1.5" more than the driver side.

A tire on the ground is better than one in the air. Period. Mine is limited when the coil is 1" from dropping out. Next time you unseat your coil, go out and pick up that tire. There is still some traction and lateral stability coming from that tire.

I didn't want to use my shocks to limit travel so I use axle strap load binders. They are only one length so they have to be mounted just right to work but they were like $6 at the local Farm and Ranch store and they have a breaking strenght of several thousand lbs.

here's a pic of the early test, before I installed the bumpstop.