Checkin' out the new tires

[Maddawg]

Nice day here in California, so my neighbor and I took off for a few hours on the back roads of Hesperia. Mainly to check out my clearances with the new tires I installed. Well, I definitely need the body lift and a set of lockers as well. Lots of rubbing on the rear wheel whell clad. And stuck is a four letter work in my vocabulary as I almost managed that today in some soft sand. This bugger is just too heavy IMHO for any serious off-road activity.
http://i50.tinypic.com/11gj7nc.jpg
http://i46.tinypic.com/30d9cty.jpg
http://i46.tinypic.com/2ivzk3m.jpg
http://i47.tinypic.com/a4opiq.jpg
http://i46.tinypic.com/pnhpg.jpg
I admit I didn't make this approach it took another attempt at the one on the right to make the crest.http://i46.tinypic.com/ve3y1i.jpg

[Triathlete]

To heavy for serious off roading? Your joking, right? Have you looked at any of the Moab picture posts?
Did you air down your tires or were you running street pressure? You will be surprise at the HUGE difference running 10-20psi makes in traction (especially in sand)!
Nice pics by the way! :)

[Maddawg]

To heavy for serious off roading? Your joking, right? Have you looked at any of the Moab picture posts?
Did you air down your tires or were you running street pressure? You will be surprise at the HUGE difference running 10-20psi makes in traction (especially in sand)!
Nice pics by the way! :)
20 psi

[Triathlete]

For deep sand you want 8-10, if rocky with non beadlock wheels you want to stay a bit higher. On the rocks I usually run about 18 since I am a little paranoid about popping a bead....I know a lot of people that run 8-12 without problems.

[pbkid]

Ya, definately not too heavy for offroad. and im with Billy, gotta air down more for sand/mud. I run my tires at 15 psi in moab and have never had a problem with losing a bead. If i had a compressor to air back up i would probably run them at 8psi in moab.

FYI, for stuff like these pics there isnt much technical advise because hill climbs are really just a matter of power and cahones i believe. If you ever get out rock crawling and have traction issues, just click up your e-brake about 3-5 clicks and BOOM, rear locker. ;)

[VX KAT]

To heavy for serious off roading? Your joking, right? Have you looked at any of the Moab picture posts?
Did you air down your tires or were you running street pressure? You will be surprise at the HUGE difference running 10-20psi makes in traction (especially in sand)!
Nice pics by the way! :)

Billy ya took the words right outta my mouth......dawg you need to come to Moab and see us in action! And specifically check out Travis' pics (tjh)...he came in full stock mode with bald tires...covered everything!
Made most of us wonder why we pay good money for A/T and more aggressive tires...:_thinking....:laugho:



Here's Travis....deep sand at base of rock....
http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/3260/DSC_2570.JPG

there goes Travis right up....
http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/3260/DSC_2545.JPG


Here's Kat....
http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/3260/DSCN1884.JPG



Here's Kat again....:goof:.....with Travis quietly watching me....
http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/3260/DSCN1885.JPG



and again.....:rollo:......with Travis still watching...now wondering if he's going to have to strap me..... (he didn't)
http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/3260/DSCN1886.JPG


and FINALLY ...SUCCESS!.....well, have to admit it was only after we added some big rocks to that sand pit on the right side of truck...notice the big boulders are missing......:mbrasd::mbrasd:
http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/3260/DSCN1887.JPG

[Maddawg]

Very good! Now, no disrespect intended but thats nothing compared to what I was in yesterday. You couldn't even see my tread on my left rear tire because it was buried up inside my wheel well. Right front was up to the clad.

Also after driving around off-road for 40 some years I understand the importance of tire pressure, boy do I. What happened to me was because I didn't see it coming. You know, looks ok, ooops "quicksand". Got out with a little depressurizing and my buddy laying his weight on the left front fender. No biggie, been there before and will again for sure.

But before I do anymore serious off-roading I've got to get this baby up higher to prevent destroying my clad. If you guys aren't tearing up you're clad, then your tires aren't tall enough, or you're not trying hard enough, lol.

[Maddawg]

So now I'm debating lifting the back with spring spacers. I measured my spring height sitting level and its 10.5". I jacked to get the spring to 12.5" (representing a 2" spacer). Car just looked dumb, like a rodent looking for a hole. A 1.5" spacer probably is acceptable appearance wise, although still the nose down attitude. If nothing else I can go to the 2" diff drop and crank the front bars down about 1/2" to get the right look.

Anybody got any other advice (the body lift is out). Also to add the spacers to the rear springs, whats involved? Disconnect the rear shocks and what else??

[LittleBeast]

You just need longer bump stops, weird how you have been offroading so long and don't know this is a simple easy quick and inexpensive way to correct rubbing?
http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/thumbs/VXmodifications_003.jpg (http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=11034)
http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/thumbs/VXmodifications_002.jpg (http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=11033)

[Maddawg]

You just need longer bump stops, weird how you have been offroading so long and don't know this is a simple easy quick and inexpensive way to correct rubbing?

Whats weird is that you guys have been driving around off-road with those arse busting bump stops limiting your travel. I've been doing fine without them with the stock wheel and tire, however now that I have the 33's and a bit more offset I may have to put them back on temporarily until I can gain some more clearance. Like a body lift or diff drop/spring spacer combo:happyface

[Maddawg]

Also to add the spacers to the rear springs, whats involved? Disconnect the rear shocks and what else??

[yellowgizmo99]

dat's it. oh yea insert spacer.

[vt_maverick]

What kind of tires do you have? They look pretty chunky which might not be helping your sand traction either.

[Maddawg]

dat's it. oh yea insert spacer.

Is a 2 inch spring spacer 2 inches, or is it 2 inches taller than stock. Say stock is 2 inches, is the 2 inch spacer actually 4 inches for example?

[Maddawg]

What kind of tires do you have? They look pretty chunky which might not be helping your sand traction either.

They're Toyo Cross Country Mud Terrains. Yes, they are very agressive but I was running 20 psi and didnt expect any soft sand where I was running.:o
http://i49.tinypic.com/eptp4.jpg

[LittleBeast]

I have the 2" spacers I could sell you possibly

[vt_maverick]

They're Toyo Cross Country Mud Terrains. Yes, they are very agressive but I was running 20 psi and didnt expect any soft sand where I was running.:o
http://i49.tinypic.com/eptp4.jpg

90% of the offroading I've done in my VX is deep sand driving so I bought Goodyear Wrangler Silent Armors:

http://1010tires.com/Images/tires/Goodyear/goodyear_wrangler_sl_armor_lg.jpg

I bought them because they won't dig into the sand as hard as an MT and they're good in the snow. I can run these at 15 PSI and go through just about any sand I want in 4L. Drop them down to 8-10 PSI and I can go most of those places in 4H and cross deeply rutted sand without a problem in 4L. MTs won't float over the sand as easily as ATs so I'd say you need them to be at 10 or less anytime you think you might find yourself in deep sand.

[Maddawg]

Thanks Mav!! The best sand tire I have found was the Yokohama Dirt Digger II that I ran on my Baja Bug at around 5 psi at Glamis Dunes. I think they have been replaced by the Dirt Digger III which I had considered for the VX but mucho expensive.

[Maddawg]

I have the 2" spacers I could sell you possibly

Answer me two questions:

(1) Is a 2 inch spring spacer 2 inches, or is it 2 inches taller than stock. Say stock is 2 inches, is the 2 inch spacer actually 4 inches for example?

(2) How much Beastie Boy?

[LittleBeast]

I really don't understand what you are asking, but the spring spacer itself is 3" tall and the spring seats into the spacer 1" so it makes the spring 2" taller. Actual difference seen in wheel well to top of tire will be more like 1&1/2" to 1&3/4". If you already have OEM 912 springs it will make your total lift 4" or so. OME 912 by themselves only gives you about 2 to 2&1/2" lift. So OME 912's + 2" spacer will give you 4" to 4&1/2". The problem you run into when doing this is pinion angle. That is why I got the adjustable lower links. Without the adjustable lower links your driveshaft will probably start to vibrate past 40mph.

Once again though when I had the smaller 33" tires on mine I had no problems with rubbing because I increased the size of my bump stops slightly. I did not loose any up travel in the wheel. See this picture:
http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/thumbs/VXmodifications_065.jpg (http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=11049)http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/VXmodifications_065.jpg

[LittleBeast]

http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/VXmodifications_058.jpg
http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/3241/7-22-09_33_.jpg
http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/3241/7-22-09_32_.jpg
http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/3241/7-22-09_29_.jpg

Once again these are with the smaller 33" tires I used to have on and I had extended bump-stops to prevent rubbing. Worked perfectly, and I was not giving up any up travel but I was saving my cladding from damage from the tires. These photos were not even at full travel. I do have sway bar disconnects and 4.77 gears, and diff drop brackets, and ball joint flip and lower profile bumpstops up front, and adjustable lower links and 35" tires now. Let me know if you are still interested in the 2" spacers though. I ordered 1.5" spacers instead to go along with the 912's.

[subject47]

I must say on the bump stop issue I have been running 33in bfg m/t with my bumps shaved in half and have had no issue with rubbing at full articulation with the rear sway bar removed with only a 3in lift.

The only thing I can think of that is causing your rubbing is wheel offset or the width of the rubber you are using.

[Maddawg]

Wheel offset= 0
http://i50.tinypic.com/2nqeec3.jpg

[Ldub]

Is a 2 inch spring spacer 2 inches, or is it 2 inches taller than stock. Say stock is 2 inches, is the 2 inch spacer actually 4 inches for example?

No...you replace the stock "spring isolator" with the spacer...the stock isolator is only about 1/4" thick.

[Ldub]

Thanks Mav!! The best sand tire I have found was the Yokohama Dirt Digger II that I ran on my Baja Bug at around 5 psi at Glamis Dunes.

You'll be fine...as long as you have the A/C on...:smilewink

[Ldub]

The only thing I can think of that is causing your rubbing is wheel offset or the width of the rubber you are using.

Another "nail on the head"...

With wider tires/more neg offset, you want to extend the bumps, so that the tires don't tear up the cladding on full compression.

[Maddawg]

You'll be fine...as long as you have the A/C on...:smilewink

My off-road guy says the spacer always goes on the bottom. But WTF does he know. :grino: Always glad to get your inputs Ldub, I was beginning to think something had happened to you. I was going to send the posse over to your house to see if you were stinking up the place. :happyface:bwgy::happyface:bwgy: I'm also starting to wonder about Tom, long time no hear from him either:confused:

Ooops, wrong quote. Meant to be: No...you replace the stock "spring isolator" with the spacer...the stock isolator is only about 1/4" thick. Knock it off about the A/C, I turned mine off for the winter and doubled my HP, lol.

[Ldub]

My off-road guy says the spacer always goes on the bottom. But WTF does he know. :grino:

That's a commonly held belief...but not true of Isuzu.

Our lower spring perch is formed to accommodate the end of the coil, so it doesn't rotate. The top of the spring is ground flat, to fit the upper perch...:fyi:

Peruse this (http://www.vehicross.info/forums/showthread.php?t=13603&highlight=spring+spacer) for more clarity...:smilewink

:fyi:...I ain't dead or nuthin'....but I STILL stink up the place...:laughing:

[Maddawg]

That's a commonly held belief...but not true of Isuzu.

Our lower spring perch is formed to accommodate the end of the coil, so it doesn't rotate. The top of the spring is ground flat, to fit the upper perch...:fyi:

Peruse this (http://www.vehicross.info/forums/showthread.php?t=13603&highlight=spring+spacer) for more clarity...:smilewink

:fyi:...I ain't dead or nuthin'....but I STILL stink up the place...:laughing:

Didn't know that. I always thought both ends of the compression spring were ground flat. So the OEM spring is not??? I have after-market springs I don't recall for sure but I think they were flat? Not from Cal Mini or OME. Have you tried spraying your pits with WD40 it works well as an after shave too. Heheheh!

[Ldub]

Have you tried spraying your pits with WD40 it works well as an after shave too. Heheheh!

Ummmmmmm...No, haven't tried that...:_thinking

:fyi:, I don't ever shave.:rotate:

Sasquatch regularly emails me for grooming advice...:yesgray:

(eat the lice & ticks, they're high in protein...& if you get the right one, you'll be tripp'n balls for about seven hours)

[Maddawg]

Ummmmmmm...No, haven't tried that...:_thinking

:fyi:, I don't ever shave.:rotate:

Sasquatch regularly emails me for grooming advice...:yesgray:

(eat the lice & ticks, they're high in protein...& if you get the right one, you'll be tripp'n balls for about seven hours)

OMG You're not............?
http://i49.tinypic.com/atkpld.jpg

[Ldub]

OMG You're not............
http://i49.tinypic.com/atkpld.jpg

Yep...pretty much...:yesgray:

One of the OG plank holders...


Aaa-OOOOOOOO werewolves of Glyndon (http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&ved=0CDMQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fglyndonmn.com%2F&ei=P76ZUNeoHYnhqAHy74GACQ&usg=AFQjCNE7vL4XZw6_GHqAnbyUSLMVm07uqA&sig2=gCM0E0CBZpJUwZbmhNYfRA)...:smilewink

CK my gallery for further proof