Lowered 620 - Looking to raise the front a smidge

[Ron1200]

I have a lowered 620 KC and my commute to work is via some rough county roads. The smooth roads are fine, it's the bumpy stuff that's affecting the ride and handling negatively.

 

I've got the rear sorted out. Now I'm looking to adjust the front. I'm looking for input...

 

The truck now sits with the bump stops just slightly touching the lower control arm. So effectively, my suspension travel is limited to how much the bump stop will compress. I've been searcing the forums and read where some take the bump stops completely out. I was looking at doing this, however it would only get me about an inch. I don't think that 1 inch would give me enough travel to be useful. And if it were to bottom out, it would be a hard hit.

 

If I were to leave the bump stops in and raise the truck slightly (enough to have 1/2" between the bottom of the bump stop to the lower control arm), would this provide enough travel to be useful. What are others using?

[Zeusimo]

KYB Gas-A-Just , Delete Bump Stop Brackets, And Raise Shock Mounts 2" :P

It All Depends If You Want To Maintain Lowered Height

[Zfighter76]

the bump stops are like 1 and 1/2 to two inches i think. look bigger than an inch. slam it and deal with it, comes with the lifestyle, gotta "live the low life" haha.

[DatDoug]

I use a sawzall & cut the bumpstops. Leave about 3/4". Get some shorter 74 Pinto shocks or do like Zeusimo said & raise the upper shock mounts for full travel.

[RedBanner]

Call coumty ask them to fix the road. Ollz, sometimes you gotta go moar higher. Is the bump stop cut any as it sits? Or can you raise it a little and cut the bump stops alittle and move the shock perch alitte? Run less or more air in th tires? I totaly agree on leaving at least "some" bump stop.

[]2eDeYe]

Also remember, 1" at the bumpstop is about 2" or so at the wheel. :)

[Farmer Joe]

i dont have bump stops in my truck...

 

if theyre still there, just get rid of em, or cut em down..

 

youll get some more travel back right there..

 

if you do have to raise it, youll have to tighten up the adjuster bolts.

[izzo]

i removed the ones on my 80 720. frame hit the tension rods. probably not a good scenario, man.

 

What year of KC was that again? If its 78-79 then you can always get hardbody 2" drop spindles, with some hardbody calipers/rotor/hub and then adjust the the torsion bars accordingly. more spendy this way, but it works better and gets you your suspension back. I might do that to my 620 here soon.

[Ron1200]

Hay... thanks for the input. I'll try to get some pics up to show what I'm dealing with. The bump rubbers are not not very big. Like about 1" is all. Maybe the ones I have are after-market.

[RedBanner]

2eDeYe' date='28 September 2011 - 09:06 AM' timestamp='1317229590' post='554290']

Also remember, 1" at the bumpstop is about 2" or so at the wheel. :)

good to know man +1

[Zfighter76]

anyone ever cut the upper bump stop "stop"? there is a metal piece which the rubber bump stop hits on the upper control arm and it looks as though it you could get in there with an acetaline torch and a cutting tip, and cut it quick or with a rotory cutoff tool you could gain even a couple more centimeters before bottoming out. i just indexed my torsions today and for some reason even with the bolts adjusted all the way out its higher than when i had them non indexed.??? idk, i was thinking about custom making adapters or spacers or something to run just the arms off a tacoma. i saw some today and they are big around and clear coilovers. i could weld on a mount higher up and use the tacoma front discs, hub assembly, and all and just have to modify the steering, no big deal. i might go to a junkyard and see what can be done just for kicks.

[]2eDeYe]

another thing is that my shocks bottom out. I have no bumpstops, but I do plan to raise the shock towers. I'll know if I need the bumpstops again then. :lol:

[]2eDeYe]

anyone ever cut the upper bump stop "stop"?

 

The upper stops limit down travel, which becomes an issue when lifting the front end.

[Zfighter76]

2eDeYe' date='28 September 2011 - 07:01 PM' timestamp='1317261696' post='554498']

The upper stops limit down travel, which becomes an issue when lifting the front end.

not the upper stops, but the part of metal that contacts the top of the lower rubber stop. it protrudes from the upper control arm down about a half inch maybe, which, theoretically would allow the wheels to go up another inch. its hard to explain the part im talking about, its about a 1/4 inch piece of steel elded to the botton of the upper control arm. yeah there is no point in doing anything to the upper rubber stop

[Ron1200]

This is what I'm dealing with... Here is a photo of the bump stop. You can see how it touches the lower control arm.

 

[Farmer Joe]

take it out... but then you just have to make sure that you don't bottom out the shocks if you do...

 

but then you get to where I'm at, where you need to raise the upper shock mount..

[]2eDeYe]

Is this a disc brake truck? If so you can drop that lower shock mount down into the control arm for more shock travel. Yello620 did this mod and has pic's in his build thread.

 

I would just get rid of the bumpstop after that. You will still be bottoming out the shock before you hit the pad.

[Zfighter76]

i bottom out on the shock haha, "sporty ride" lol. just take the bump stop off, your going to bend your lower control arm if you hit something hard and you literally have zero travel. 1/2 inch of travel is better than none

[Zfighter76]

This is what I'm dealing with... Here is a photo of the bump stop. You can see how it touches the lower control arm.

 

and in this pic see where the bump stop bolts on? that what i mean when i say you could cut that off, its not structual and it hangs down from the frame like 1/2 inch. if you get in there with a rotary grinding wheel you could cut that biotch off and get even more drop.

[Ron1200]

I like the idea of keeping some sort of bumper in there.

[Zfighter76]

then youre going to have to raise the truck a little, there is always a tradeoff, low height=bad ride, slightly raised height=better ride. you could always body drop your truck :fu: or go air bags.

[Ron1200]

Yep ... your right in that everything is a compromise.

Lower<- - - - - - - - - - - ->Higher

More $<- - - - - - - - - - -> Less $

Bad Ride <- - - - - - - -> Good Ride

 

I'll need to find my preference - on several different levels.

 

I have found (from the comments) that I can:

• Lower the bottom shock mount to get a bit more front shock travel
• Cut the bump stop
• Remove the entire bump stop support
• Adjust the torsion bars to add clearance

These are all inexpensive changes.

 

For more cash-ola I can:

• 720 drop spindles
• Bag it

Thanks for the insight

[Zeusimo]

What I Said Would Only Cost $100, And An Afternoon Of Work :D

[Zfighter76]

or become unemployed and have all day to do anything you want but no money to do it! the true definition of a ratsun member. but yeah, i don't know anyone who has cut the entire bump stop support off but i have strongly contemplated doing it when i have nothing to do...grinder sitting on the bench. but it has no structural support and looks like a good thing to get more clearance from the interference.

[Siqx20]

Bag it. That is all. Then u can slam in style