Crappy ride solution?

I've got a Rockkrawler 8" Longarm. It wheels great but rides like a rollercoaster. I'm trying ot think of a cheap way to stiffen the front end and this is my thought. I'm going to get a 10" grade 8 bolt and clamp about 5 or 6 rings of my coils together. I'll set it up so they can't expand or contract. I have 11 rings total in my coils, I'm hoping this will remove some of the roll when I drive and I can simply unbolt them whem I ride. Thouhts?

Stiffer shocks?

Dan

I've thought about that but that would mean adjustables and also would cost way more.

Stiffer shocks are the better answer, as locking out coils will overstress the remaining coils and lead to spring failure.

Is the anti-sway bar hooked up? If not, installing it with proper links will achieve the much of the same result that locking coils together is intended to achieve for side to side rocking. The anti-sway bar limits the travel to the swing arm range of the bar, with an increase in effective spring rate as the bar arms rotate away from being level to the ground.

If the rocking is front to back motion, hobby-horse rocking, then you can address the rear shocks as an option and tune out one or both ends of the rocking motion with different shocks.

I though the rockkrawler systems came with tuned shocks (or are they not)?


--


BTW, Dan, while you may hate the Adventure Pass program (cute Aviatar) due to it's double taxation concept (user fees) the program is funding more dollars this year to Off-Highway Vehicle and Street-Legal Vehicle (OHV/SLV) friendly projects than the CA State Green Sticker program (other than Law enforcement grants).

What other program shares the upkeep costs of driving on roads and trails between the backpackers and campers (who use the roads to reach trailheads) and the wheelers? A fair percentage of OHV/SLV registration and road tax revenue are now funding habitat restoration where abandoned roads and trails are located in designated Wilderness and Sensitive areas (OHV/SLV enthusiast funds improving Wilderness values), and the AP program is the only program where Wilderness enthusiasts help (fund) improvement of OHV/SLV values. Since OHV/SLV enthusiasts openly share our roads and trails with the Wilderness enthusiasts (saving them many miles of hiking to trailheads), I believe it's fair to share the cost of maintenance for these shared roads and trails. What do you think?

The AP program is also the only funding program that allows the local District Ranger to direct funding allocations without national oversight (i.e. if OHV and 4X4 Clubs help them, they can help us). The funds do not go into the general fund, or a national pool (not like campground fees or entrance fees) so keeping the revenue local is an advantage.

The last thing to remember is as of this year (2003) holders of a Golden Eagle or Golden Age Passport (the same passport program the National Parks honor) are now exempt from the AP fee program (i.e. show the passport at a Ranger Station selling the AP and pick up the pass for free).

could I lengthen my discos, no shorten and restrict sway?

csudman said:

could I lengthen my discos, no shorten and restrict sway?

Click to expand...

Yes (in one direction: extension or compression).

When you locate the anti-sway bar arms at an angle away from level it reduces the leverage the vehicle lean has on the bars spring rate (it effectively reduces the lever arm of the bar to resist a vertical load from the disconnect link). The problem is that the effective leverage is not working the same lever arm on both ends of the bar: one arm end twists shorter (away from level), while the other twists longer (more level). The effect is an imbalanced anti-sway bar, and imbalanced ride around corners.

Shocks are still needed to dampen the rocking. I know good shocks are not cheap, but they more effective that other solutions.

Ed, I hate to hijack this thread, but... I used to live in Forest Falls, CA, small mountain community. We used to get ticketed by the rangers if we parked along the street in front of our own house. You can't expect visitors to buy an AP to go to a house party. Also, being a favorite spot to come to for the Inland Empire snow seekers, there were a lot of cars parked up at the parking lot, every day, with the AP, yet they couldn't even keep the bears out of the dumpsters. Not to mention the campground is almost never open, and the facilities almost never maintained. Not my idea of local revenue.

Seems to me that the great R.O.C. (republic of california) has created itself yet another self funded bureaucracy that seems to spend 80% of its funds on enforcement, printing costs, and administration, leaving a measly $1.00 of your $5.00 pass for doing something productive. Like removing graffiti from an 'AP required' sign.

The double taxation thing just gets me going. You can't really call it public land if there is a fee for general admission.

I don't want to step on any toes here, it's just something I feel passionately about.

Dan

Dan Turner said:

I don't want to step on any toes here, it's just something I feel passionately about.

Dan

Click to expand...

No problem, and I understand the conflict (and even agree) when they start ticketing guests of homeowners (something that was never the intent of the program). If we get a chance to wheel together this makes for a great discussion.

I apologize for the interuption to the thread topic as well.

Ed, we'll have to make it a point, if for any other reason, another excuse to go wheeling. Your posts and responses are always well thought out and educated, which almost makes me feel light on ammo for such a debate. LOL.

See you soon, Dan