Can't remove spring compressor from spring?

[drburke]

I'm throughly confused. I'm installing Mark's 3" lift, using Bilstein 24-103336 struts and Moog 81114 springs. I had to crank down the compressors REAL tight for Mark's upper mount to even receive the strut's top thread. Now that it's installed, I can't get the compressor off! The spring is too tight, even with the compressor all the way unscrewed. What did I mess up?



(You can see the connecting rod is removed completely)

[Moots1288]

Use a pry bar with one hand and try to pry the end of the compressor out with the other.

[JorDaneeKey]

Just watch your fingers!

[mikekey]

You put them too high!

[drburke]

I had to put them up that high, otherwise I couldn't have fit them with the spacer. However, it's done, and I appreciate the help!

A side note: I'm being told by a family member that the Bilstein's won't have any upward travel because they're compressed too much due to the spring. Because it's for a stock height, I need to get "a strut meant for a '4 inch lift'", and these won't do.

Now I've done my research for months now, and from what I can see in my hand and taking into consideration everyone else's experiences.. I'm right in calling BS, correct?

[Moots1288]

Get radflo coilovers!

[navigator]

Joshua, your mechanic friend is right, in a way. Though he says compression but it is actually extension.The stock length shocks won't allow as much down travel but there is no other shock option available to us (except radflo). The other part of the equation is if it did allow more down travel you would bind your CV joint. You can search for the washer mod and put a few washers on top of the shock (below the spacer) to allow a little more travel but you have to tweak the number of washers to get the optimal down travel without binding the CV.

[drburke]

Get radflo coilovers!

Gimme your paypal address and I'll get right on that

Joshua, your mechanic friend is right, in a way. Though he says compression but it is actually extension.The stock length shocks won't allow as much down travel but there is no other shock option available to us (except radflo). The other part of the equation is if it did allow more down travel you would bind your CV joint. You can search for the washer mod and put a few washers on top of the shock (below the spacer) to allow a little more travel but you have to tweak the number of washers to get the optimal down travel without binding the CV.

So in other words, yes he's right but there's nothing we (as a platform) can do? I see his point, and he's afraid that either the LBJ will give out, or the nut securing the strut at the top will shear off and this, the front end will be ruined. His suggestion was to use the stock spring and utilize the Bilsteins/mark's upper mount. I plan on getting a full steel bumper once orders are accepted again, so I feel this spring is necessary and, as such, I am resisting using the original spring.

[Moots1288]

Get radflo coilovers!

Gimme your paypal address and I'll get right on that

Joshua, your mechanic friend is right, in a way. Though he says compression but it is actually extension.The stock length shocks won't allow as much down travel but there is no other shock option available to us (except radflo). The other part of the equation is if it did allow more down travel you would bind your CV joint. You can search for the washer mod and put a few washers on top of the shock (below the spacer) to allow a little more travel but you have to tweak the number of washers to get the optimal down travel without binding the CV.

So in other words, yes he's right but there's nothing we (as a platform) can do? I see his point, and he's afraid that either the LBJ will give out, or the nut securing the strut at the top will shear off and this, the front end will be ruined. His suggestion was to use the stock spring and utilize the Bilsteins/mark's upper mount. I plan on getting a full steel bumper once orders are accepted again, so I feel this spring is necessary and, as such, I am resisting using the original spring.

Haha... No one set of radflos is enough for me

[TBYODA]

Joshua, your mechanic friend is right, in a way. Though he says compression but it is actually extension.The stock length shocks won't allow as much down travel but there is no other shock option available to us (except radflo). The other part of the equation is if it did allow more down travel you would bind your CV joint. You can search for the washer mod and put a few washers on top of the shock (below the spacer) to allow a little more travel but you have to tweak the number of washers to get the optimal down travel without binding the CV.

Does using the radflo shock's have the same extension issues that could bind the CV joint?

[Opeth]

Joshua, your mechanic friend is right, in a way. Though he says compression but it is actually extension.The stock length shocks won't allow as much down travel but there is no other shock option available to us (except radflo). The other part of the equation is if it did allow more down travel you would bind your CV joint. You can search for the washer mod and put a few washers on top of the shock (below the spacer) to allow a little more travel but you have to tweak the number of washers to get the optimal down travel without binding the CV.

Does using the radflo shock's have the same extension issues that could bind the CV joint?

Yup, you can only lift the front so much without high angle cv shafts or going SAS.

[TBYODA]

Joshua, your mechanic friend is right, in a way. Though he says compression but it is actually extension.The stock length shocks won't allow as much down travel but there is no other shock option available to us (except radflo). The other part of the equation is if it did allow more down travel you would bind your CV joint. You can search for the washer mod and put a few washers on top of the shock (below the spacer) to allow a little more travel but you have to tweak the number of washers to get the optimal down travel without binding the CV.

Does using the radflo shock's have the same extension issues that could bind the CV joint?

Yup, you can only lift the front so much without high angle cv shafts or going SAS.

Thought as much. As a fist time owner of a TB and still in the research mode on my lift needs and how much I really will wheel (my TB is also my DD). At this time it is a little hard to justify the 2.5 time price tag just on the front alone.

BTW my uncle owns Autofinshers not sure if you heard of them but maybe they have some contacts on making some better CV for our platform that I have read you are looking into on another thread.

When I get chance I will talk to my cuz on the subject. If they have some one maybe I could get them to use my TB as test bed and maybe get some free stuff or at cost.

[The Roadie]

Our suspension design is a "zero sum game". Meaning everything is a tradeoff whose sum is the same. You can't get more suspension travel due to the design of the upper and lower ball joints and the inner CV joint.

So all you can do (with either springs or an internal spacer - no difference) is change the resting height. If you get more downtravel from resting height to fully compressed on the bump stop, you have traded that increase for an identical decrease in uptravel.

Increasing total travel would also require new upper and lower control arms, because they are unequal lengths now, and changing the rest height screws up the camber.

One advantage our design gives us, that's a huge benefit on tight trails with rocks and trees, is the superior turning radius. Even before I decided to mod and wheel the Roadiemobile, the turning radius was one of the things that sold us. Mrs. Roadie also values a tight turning radius.

[mikekey]

Why hasn't anyone built custom control arms? It's fairly simple and straight forward from what I've seen.

[dvanbramer88]

Up here in NY; Jason (v7guy) has big plans brewing. Waiting on parts last I talked to him..

[TBYODA]

Why hasn't anyone built custom control arms? It's fairly simple and straight forward from what I've seen.

Ok I have to be a smart a$$. If so simple then get to it for the sake of the rest of us and you can make some $$. JK.

In my limited knowledge it looks to me that the upper is the shorter limiting part, I am I correct?

[fishsticks]

Why hasn't anyone built custom control arms? It's fairly simple and straight forward from what I've seen.

Because solid front axles are a thing.

[Trail X]

Our suspension design is a "zero sum game". Meaning everything is a tradeoff whose sum is the same. You can't get more suspension travel due to the design of the upper and lower ball joints and the inner CV joint.

So all you can do (with either springs or an internal spacer - no difference) is change the resting height. If you get more downtravel from resting height to fully compressed on the bump stop, you have traded that increase for an identical decrease in uptravel.

Increasing total travel would also require new upper and lower control arms, because they are unequal lengths now, and changing the rest height screws up the camber.

One advantage our design gives us, that's a huge benefit on tight trails with rocks and trees, is the superior turning radius. Even before I decided to mod and wheel the Roadiemobile, the turning radius was one of the things that sold us. Mrs. Roadie also values a tight turning radius.

I don't know if i'd call it zero sum... but its close.

Mike, I think there are some people looking into some custom arms, but again, you can't gain much besides correcting ball joint angles and increasing strength without addressing the elephant in the room... the real limiting element... the inner tripod joint.

[fishsticks]

you can't gain much besides correcting ball joint angles and increasing strength without addressing the elephant in the room... the real limiting element... the inner tripod joint.

Which ultimately means lowering the front diff. You then need to build a whole assembly to maintain the structural rigidity of the diff housing since the oil pan normally lends its strength to it. Now you have this giant piece of metal hanging down under the front of the truck that requires 37"+ tires to get reasonable clearance. Running those big tires with that 7.25" R&P is asking for headaches, not to mention all of the other "fuses" in that circuit.

[mikekey]

Up here in NY; Jason (v7guy) has big plans brewing. Waiting on parts last I talked to him..

I gathered as much from TECORE when he said he wanted to go bigger than 35's. I am curious what he's up to.

Because solid front axles are a thing.

Some of us like doing things the hard way.

Mike, I think there are some people looking into some custom arms, but again, you can't gain much besides correcting ball joint angles and increasing strength without addressing the elephant in the room... the real limiting element... the inner tripod joint.

I only mentioned it because I've seen people putting them together to save money on the Corvette forums. A lot of the track and auto-x guys build them. I've consider it myself.

And the principles are the same, but I haven't thought about what the real issues are with the CV's. I know someone mentioned RCV once, but they're like 2K.

So at the end of the day it'd be pointless huh?