Front axle truss options

[mx5red]

Just throwing this out there since I was curious. Here are the options I could find for front axle trusses (not including C gussets). Looks like they need ~2” of lift and the usual additional bump stop spacing to keep these from hitting frame or oil pan, etc.
Don’t see any available from Motobilt, Cavfab at the moment…

Artec - ~1/8” designed for strength and light weight:

Barnes4WD - $80 3/16” says ~2” lift. Bridge over FAD

Rustys - $179 3/16”. collar under center axle tube, no lift description

TMR customs - $119 3/16”. Says 1.5” lift

EVO - $169. I believe 1/4” (description is for C gussets.. full kit says 3/16 for gussets and 1/4” for truss). Hoop goes over diff, does not specify clearance.

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[CrazyCooter]

So what is the "usual amount of bump stop spacing"? Kind of tricky here..... I'm kind of in the same situation as it seems you are looking for a solution but no definitive answer on what might fit?

No doubt in my mind that I NEED a front truss and I'm not even sure if my housing has sagged yet with the amount of shock testing I've done over the past year.

This thread https://www.jeepgladiatorforum.com/...talled-a-rustys-truss-kit.66619/#post-1098691 a few months back where an @Artec rep came on and said they never have had an issue, but ghosted the thread when I asked for actual truss heights and bump spacing they used on the vehicles he/she was referring to.

I dont install the supplied bump spacers any of the manufacturers send as they are always too tall especially when building a Rubi or Mojave with the larger fender openings. Twisting the vehicle up on a forklift testing clearance and then manufacture my own to maximize usable travel.

I personally like the Artec truss design the best, but it does possibly look the tallest of the bunch?

 

[mx5red]

So what is the "usual amount of bump stop spacing"? Kind of tricky here..... I'm kind of in the same situation as it seems you are looking for a solution but no definitive answer on what might fit?

No doubt in my mind that I NEED a front truss and I'm not even sure if my housing has sagged yet with the amount of shock testing I've done over the past year.

This thread https://www.jeepgladiatorforum.com/...talled-a-rustys-truss-kit.66619/#post-1098691 a few months back where an @Artec rep came on and said they never have had an issue, but ghosted the thread when I asked for actual truss heights and bump spacing they used on the vehicles he/she was referring to.

I dont install the supplied bump spacers any of the manufacturers send as they are always too tall especially when building a Rubi or Mojave with the larger fender openings. Twisting the vehicle up on a forklift testing clearance and then manufacture my own to maximize usable travel.

I personally like the Artec truss design the best, but it does possibly look the tallest of the bunch?

Haha I saw that thread.. no reply.
I just meant the lift manufacturers seem to throw in 2” bump for a 2” lift, etc.
So it seems like these are vaguely suggesting the same thing, couple inches extra bump stop. I’m sure it’s impossible for them to give specifics that fit everyone.
As for your example, I feel like I didn’t even need the extra 2” bump that came with my spacer lift. I tried to flex on some rocks when I had my 37s installed and they were not quite, or barely, touching the foam pads, and my tires look like they had plenty of room.?‍ I kind of want to try taking them out, but I don’t have time to try to check clearance that closely.

Granted, now there are other mods that may cause interference and need the extra couple inches of bump stop (stabilizer relocation).

 

[bakobobby]

Hmm put the Artec truss and friends on my axles last year never had a thought to binding due to it. Other parts like tires would bind way before the truss came in contact with anything. 4.5” lift and 37” tires. Think @CrazyCooter nailed it any suggestions from manufacturers will be far too conservative so if you want all that flex you need to dial it in with a ramp/pyramid/forklift.

 

[CrazyCooter]

I'm bumped for full stuff and the slightest rub on the inner plastic fender on 38s and I think the Artec truss would crash into my oil pan on a hard hit. I have a friend that has one, so I may have to hit him up for actual installed dimensions.

I'm not willing to give up any of my hard earned uptravel, so I need to pick wisely!

The @Artec rep claimed to have no bump spacers installed on the test vehicle with an RK kit. I find this hard to believe. That's why I asked for clarification. Anyone who has read that thread over the past 3 months and in the future will be potentially misled.

We also know that gas, diesel, XR, and 392 platforms have different front bump tube dimensions.

 

[bakobobby]

I think I have a total of 3” of bumpstop. Its what the teraflex install recommended and its at least 1” too much I come no were near rubbing or binding ifaict. When flexed out at the off road park there is quite a lot of room between axle/truss and oil pan. Idk where the amount needed would be but maybe the coil binds enough before it

 

[CrazyCooter]

I think I have a total of 3” of bumpstop. Its what the teraflex install recommended and its at least 1” too much I come no were near rubbing or binding ifaict. When flexed out at the off road park there is quite a lot of room between axle/truss and oil pan. Idk where the amount needed would be but maybe the coil binds enough before it

3" may very well be more than you need to keep the tire out of the fender. The Tera coils are lighter/longer than I usually install on my builds, so they may very well bind with less bump. Just have to test and see.

I run 1" bump spacer combined with a Metal Cloak durospring front bump cushion which I think adds about 1" by itself.

The truss clearance wouldn't really show up flexing the suspension since one side drops as the other stuffs keeping the clearance the same at the axles center. Hitting a strait across g-out is when you would find out you have a huge oil leak........

 

[bakobobby]

Also just to check does your pan look like this with the recess for axle to snug into?

3" may very well be more than you need to keep the tire out of the fender. The Tera coils are lighter/longer than I usually install on my builds, so they may very well bind with less bump. Just have to test and see.

I run 1" bump spacer combined with a Metal Cloak durospring front bump cushion which I think adds about 1" by itself.

The truss clearance wouldn't really show up flexing the suspension since one side drops as the other stuffs keeping the clearance the same at the axles center. Hitting a strait across g-out is when you would find out you have a huge oil leak........

Ok makes more sense now I was trying to do the angles in my head and figure out how the axle move back far enough to contact the oil pan. So assuming with short arms the upswing caused by enough compression brings the axle back in enough to make this a potential issue? Would long arms help here in the sense that would have less of an effect of axle moving back on up swing? Good thread learn new things everyday.

 

[CrazyCooter]

Also just to check does your pan look like this with the recess for axle to snug into?

Ok makes more sense now I was trying to do the angles in my head and figure out how the axle move back far enough to contact the oil pan. So assuming with short arms the upswing caused by enough compression brings the axle back in enough to make this a potential issue? Would long arms help here in the sense that would have less of an effect of axle moving back on up swing? Good thread learn new things everyday.

My truck is diesel, so different pan, but it does have a rounded notch to help clear the axle tube. From the pics I could find online of the installed Artec truss combined with some measurements on my own truck, it was closer than I wanted to guess on.

I can't see where arm length would make much difference since the tire has to be centered in the opening for max flex clearance. I tend to ignore the manufacturer's arm length recommendations in favor of my own so that max uptravel can be realized.

 

[bakobobby]

because I have the artec wanted to do some research seeing I can’t sleep worrying about blasting my oil pan ?

looks like they have some basic reqs which are 1.5” of lift and 1/2” of bumpstop. So I reckon with what @CrazyCooter is already running you’ll exceed those both. It says JL but this is from the JT page assume its same for both.

 

[CrazyCooter]

because I have the artec wanted to do some research seeing I can’t sleep worrying about blasting my oil pan ?

looks like they have some basic reqs which are 1.5” of lift and 1/2” of bumpstop. So I reckon with what @CrazyCooter is already running you’ll exceed those both. It says JL but this is from the JT page assume its same for both.

The amount of lift is kind of irrelevant, but the actual bump travel vs oil pan clearance is whats important. Again, the gas, diesel, XR, and 392 frames all have different length bump stop tubes and bump cushion configurations. Then the Mojave has the air bumps. I could only assume this was done because of actual axle to oil pan clearance.

 

[bakobobby]

I can't see where arm length would make much difference since the tire has to be centered in the opening for max flex clearance.

Longer the arm the less the axle moves forward and back for some given travel versus shorter arms. In my mind this could be an expensive but potential solution.

 

[CrazyCooter]

Longer the arm the less the axle moves forward and back for some given travel versus shorter arms. In my mind this could be an expensive but potential solution.

You are correct that the arc would change slightly, but the vertical location where the axle could make contact with the pan would not if a person set the tire for best fit within the fender. In my case I also have front geometry brackets that bring the arm angles pretty much back to OE.

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