"#1. I like the Tru Turn system but want more than the suggested 2" drop up front. Prefer the tires tucked under the fenders and realize I may have to go with 9.5s. At the very least I'm wanting 3" of drop. Which leads me to the question. I'm centering the entire suspension around the Tru Turn as a system. I'll get the Tru Turn system (including tall spindles), muscle bar, and the Strong Arm UCAs/LCAs."
-No problem dropping another inch so long as you understand what compromises you will make, or what other areas can be changed to make it correct.
-No matter how long your front shock is you only have 5" of overall suspension travel when set up properly (5" between bumpstops. . .you don't want the ball joint being the part that tries to stop the suspension!)
-We typically use 60% of available stroke for compression (so 3").
So if you install the kit in a "stock" vehicle, and you drop the coil overs to give you one additional inch lower, you now only have 2" of compression travel before the car bottoms out (not to mention the control arms a out of whack, but on a street car this not as bad as bottoming out).
Most people think the solution is to put a longer shock in it ("well, if Ridetech uses a 3.6" stroke shock, I'll use a 6" stroke and have that much more!") WRONG! You can have a 24" stroke shock in the front end, but you still only have 2" of travel before it bottoms out!
Your desire is to place the fenders over the wheels. . .easy enough. . .just use half height body bushings (or channel the subframe, as you mentioned.)
Half height body bushings are great (we use them in the 48 Hour car), but may not get you low enough. Channeling the subframe will get it there, however, this is no longer a "bolt-on" effort, and most won't go that far.
"Why couldn't I add the Chicane kit, or my own top hat, to allow the use of standard coil overs with spherical rod ends top and bottom. Then I could use a long coil over with the same suggested suspension travel and mount it deeper up top. I also realize the LCA may no longer be parallel with the ground (if it is at all) and would slightly alter the intended design, but with the improved design RideTech engineered into this system through the suspension travel would another inch of drop really alter it that much? I've even considered going as far as channeling the front subframe into the floor pan to give more drop. And air suspension isn't the route I want to go. These are still designed at a specific ride height."
-Please see above.
-One other thing to think about. . .the shock on the front of the vehicle must control almost 2 times the weight that the rear shocks do (front is around 2:1 motion ratio, while rear is closer to 1:1)
-So let's use an example (with very simple math). . .a car weighs 3000#, with a 50/50 split; straight axle rear, 1:1 motion ratio; double a-arm front, 2:1 motion ratio. Each corner holds up 750#, however the rear coil over is pushing directly on that weight, so it is lifting only 750#. The front coil over is in the middle of the control arm, so it is actually holding up 1500# per side.
-If you valve the shocks the same they won't be "balanced" or "matched" as they have to control such radically different weights.
-All of our shocks can be custom valved if required. If you stick with what's in the kit you don't need to pay additional for the valving. . .it's already done.
-You can use a different top mount if you'd like, but the only thing it's giving you is a bearing mount instead of a delrin stud.
If your bumpstops are in the same place (they should limit travel just before ball joint bind) it DOES NOT provide more stroke.
-Bottom line all you want can be achieved. . .you just have to make sure you know enough to accept the compromises, or be able to fix or change anything that will help achieve your goals.
|