Thread: What is Your Travel Spilt? (UpvDown Travel)

After Reading a few threads about down travel etc.

I thought i'd post a poll.

Also posting you over all travel would good

edit: suspension travel




Ben....

It is difficult to get most 4x4 suspensions to travel to the upper/lower limits in a static situation that allows measurement. Many suspensions will travel further in dynamic situations as the wheel loads can be much different.

Where do you propose suspension travel is measured?

Wheel travel is difficult to measure - tyre width, wheel offset and other factors will upset comparisons.

Shock travel limits from the static ride height are easiest to determine, but it is difficult to relate the inclined rear shockie travel to suspension travel. Some suspensions (particularly radius arms) can bind before the shockie limit is reached.

Axle travel at location of bump stops is difficult to compare - how much will the bump stop compress - will heavy duty springs even allow the axle to hit the bump stop, the front axle travels in a relatively small radius arc.

IMHO it is not particularly useful to consider suspension bump and droop in isolation from other variables that should also be considered.

There are many compromises and what is good is some situations is poor in others. Sway bars (anti-roll bars) and shockie selection are other components of the suspension which can be used to advantage in some cases.

Like Slunnie said, most just put in some lift springs. The lift will give more up travel, but if the spring rate is high, the forces at maximum bump travel can be excessive. Sway resistance changes with spring rate. Unless other mods are made, the extra bump travel (from lift) is at the cost of lost droop travel.

Many will claim what they have done is great, even though it may not be ideal. Others who use their vehicle in a different way, and for different purposes may find the same set-up unacceptable.

Slunnie mentioned percentages. The ride height is often expressed as a percentage determined as below:

At static ride height on level ground, determine how much the suspension or shockie is compressed. Express this compression as a percentage of the total travel.

For example take a 10" travel shockie compressed 6" at static ride height. Assuming the shockie limits travel, the droop travel is 6" and the bump travel is 4" (at the shockie). Then ride height is expressed as 60% (6"/10" x 100%).

If offroad use is the main consideration, the ride height percentage should be lower as the required/anticipated speed increases.

According to Sway-A-Way: for high speed offroad racers, the usual ride height varies from 30% to 50%. For low speed rock crawler applications, the usual ride height varies from 50% to 70%.