Ride Height, Rake Actual Lift.

[skidoo_j]

Okay so this is ran into the ground over and over, but I'm having issues with what my measurements show vs what I"ve done.

 

1. Could someone post a picture of a brand new 4x4 Comanche from the side so i can see the factory rake.

 

 

My issue is I did an SOA with a Dana 44. I tried to minimize the lift by getting the lowest perches possible. I then used an XJ shackle with a limiting strap. So I'm guessing that should have net approx 4"

 

so I put rustys' 305 (i know some people will say it was a mistake but was what i could afford) then added 1.5" in spacers. I started with just .75 in spacers to net about 4" but the rake was just so much.

so i should have about 4.5-5" as the springs haven't' settled

 

 

I took my measurements tonight neglecting to take before lift for comparison:

 

 

front axle to frame: 11 5/8"

front center wheel to edge stock fender flair: 22.5

so net approx 4.

 

rear axle to frame : 12.25

rear center to stock fender flair: 24.25

so only 3"

 

but there is still a fair forward rake. I was originally thinking the rear springs were fatigued. as they seem to flatten with very little load, but if there were any taller the rake would still larger yet.

 

how much rake did the truck have stock???

[skidoo_j]

Picture before SOA and springs:

 

 

 

This is with SOA done and Rusty's 300 springs and stock spring isolators (maybe one .75 energy suspension isolator stacked)

 

 

 

current SOA, rusty's 305 stock isolators with two .75 energy suspension isolators stacked:

 

 

[skidoo_j]

My point for asking is i recently experienced dw again after riding it. and when i mesaured my camber ontop of the ball joints i found 9 degrees. so i've got to correct it. i can do it two ways remove .75 off the front of the truck, or i need to get longer uper control arms as i'm above 4.5" of lift, but then i only measure 4.

 

I'm just not sure if i've eliminated to much of the stock rake. I like how it looks and i guess that's ultimatly the decision i have to make but i'm just baffled how by product i should be 5-6" of lift but i'm measure 3-4

[skidoo_j]

Did the truck have 1.5" rake stock? That would account for my ffront lift appearing to be so much greater when leveling the truck. Or is the rear lift measurement thrown out of perspective because it's now SOA?

[imtehbeef]

Its late and I'm tired, but if my brain is still working right, there is a 2-2.5" height difference between the front and rear when measured from the center of the hub to the bottom of the fender flare.

[mvusse]

Stock is a bit over 2" rake, and looks about right in your pictures. But also just looking at the pictures, you gained more than 4" in the rear.

 

As for DW, what is your toe? With our inverted Y steering, lift causes toe-in. When I lifted mine 4.5", I ended up with 2" toe in, setting off DW at speeds as low as 25-35 mph severe enough to fry the alternator bearings. Reset the toe to 0 and all was well.

[dasbulliwagen]

The measurement you need to be worried about with more rake than you like is CASTER, not camber. Your caster should be be positive... maening with the steering knuckle angled back slightly. Factory measurement is I think around 7 or so, But with lifted vehicles it can't be that much because you need to find a happy medium between caster angle and pinion angle. So I would say you should at least try to get it to 5 degrees positive. You might need front control arm drop brackets or adjustable control arms to get this number though after a lift. Having corrrect caster will make the possibility of DW much lower, also like mvusse said, make sure your toe is correct as well. You might want to spend a few bucks and have this part done professionally. And since most shops toe and go, make sure to emphasize to them that you need to know that your caster is being adjusted as well, and if it doesnthave enough adjustment to have them tell you so you can make the appropriate modifications to get it where it needs to be.

[skidoo_j]

Your caster should be be positive... meaning with the steering knuckle angled back slightly. Factory measurement is I think around 7 or so, ...try to get it to 5 degrees positive. ..... You might want to spend a few bucks and have this part done professionally.

 

 

So I have adjustable lower control amrs, Had the "professionals" check the castor as I set the length based on 4.5" of lift. Had them set the Toe etc. However I had DW no more than 2 miles down the road. I had since corrected the DW for almost 9 months replacign ball joints tierods, bushings etc and setting toe myself. Driving almost 4k with out issues at speeds upto 85mph and 70 mph maintained for hundreds of miles. What brought DW back was i went off roading and knocked 1.5 oz off the passenger wheel and messed up the toe.

 

I just felt it was too touchy so i purchased a digital angle finder, zero'd to the ground and put it on the top of the ball joint and found my caster angle to be positive 9.5. which seemed high. So looking at it it appears my Lower control arms are too long, but i set them to length based on a 4.5" lift Hence begining to question the total resulting lift. I'm thinking now i need to get adjustable uppers and make them a touch longer and shorten the lowers.

 

 

i've read

 

center wheel to top fender stock 17.5 front and 19.5 rear so 2" but that's not the rake to me as the fender well in the rear itself is taller. I'm looking at the forward slope of the bed. if you look at the second photo the truck looks like a dragster. So what degree i guess would the slope of the bed be?