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Long Arm vs. Short Arm...for my specific usage

PuddleJumper

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I know I've tried before and it wouldn't work. Maybe because it's so short? Buddy panicked when the truck started tipping so the video cut off. Door was within 2" of the rock but made it out unscathed. Then had to drive back up it because he's only on 2" and 35s in his Overland and wasn't willing to follow that performance.
u could probably run 39-40s on your setup.
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Zachanadandy

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you have the extension, so they work fine. The point is that they are a internal bypass shock which means they are designed to operate with ride height at a very specific spot. over or under extending the shock at ride height keeps it out of the bypass and in the soft all the time. This can make it feel oddly floaty and hard bumps will not soak as intended. that is why most lifts with stock mojave shock should be done with extensions.
The ride zone is the softest section actually. They get firmer at extension to slow the movement before topping out and get significantly firmer under compression to help with bottoming out. Yes you do need to keep them in the ride zone at ride height, but it's easy enough to do and well worth it to avoid spending $3k on shocks or downgrading when you lift. Longer travel would have helped yesterday, but I am otherwise very half with the current setup.
 

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u could probably run 39-40s on your setup.
Agree, but I like the current ride height and stability. Don't want to regear. Frequently loading heavy items like roof shingles while working on the AZ property and don't want any more height. Still drug frame, control arm mounts, etc plenty yesterday but this isn't our rock crawling rig. The wife's JLUR on the same springs, 39s, long travel fox 2.0s, and full metalcloak skids is much more at home there.
 

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The ride zone is the softest section actually. They get firmer at extension to slow the movement before topping out and get significantly firmer under compression to help with bottoming out. Yes you do need to keep them in the ride zone at ride height, but it's easy enough to do and well worth it to avoid spending $3k on shocks or downgrading when you lift. Longer travel would have helped yesterday, but I am otherwise very half with the current setup.
just realized i said that backwards lol. I also still spent money on used fox elites cus the boys at AMW4x4 said i have to lift 2in to fit a hemi. so I'm lifting 2in after these shocks come back from accutune.
 
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See...the video say it all. You want to stay with the 4 tires down as much as possible, to avoid these situation. With stock you can't, with extension you have probably good high ride and clearance, but you can't as the wheel at certain point won't touch...

That's the point of flexing more than stock.
 

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how come you can upload vids and i can't?
Size of the video file? There's a limit. I've had to trim some to get them to work.
File type may matter as well - this forum won't accept certain picture file types, maybe same for video.
 

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Size of the video file? There's a limit. I've had to trim some to get them to work.
File type may matter as well - this forum won't accept certain picture file types, maybe same for video.
Doesn’t seem to matter is it’s 480p 5 sec or 4k 20 mins.
 

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See...the video say it all. You want to stay with the 4 tires down as much as possible, to avoid these situation. With stock you can't, with extension you have probably good high ride and clearance, but you can't as the wheel at certain point won't touch...

That's the point of flexing more than stock.
You'll always be able to find the limit of travel if you wheel hard enough. I'd much rather lift a tire than downgrade shocks to something like a fox 2.0 or similar with longer travel. You'll run out of dampening, especially if you run any high speed stiff like desert washboards or if you jump it. If you don't do mojave type things and just want the best crawler you could build you stated with the wrong vehicle. You paid Rubicon money but traded a front locker, sway bar discos, and a 4-1 transfer case for way better shocks and hydraulic bump stops. Sure you can ditch the benefits of the mojave and add a front locker and sway bar disconnects if you're building a crawler, but you are now spending more for less. Mine sees freeway speeds in the desert dozens of times per year so I'll keep the shocks. Even if you go long arms and 40s the long wheelbase and long rear overhang make the gladiator a worse crawler than a far less built JLUR.
 
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You'll always be able to find the limit of travel if you wheel hard enough. I'd much rather lift a tire than downgrade shocks to something like a fox 2.0 or similar with longer travel. You'll run out of dampening, especially if you run any high speed stiff like desert washboards or if you jump it. If you don't do mojave type things and just want the best crawler you could build you stated with the wrong vehicle. You paid Rubicon money but traded a front locker, sway bar discos, and a 4-1 transfer case for way better shocks and hydraulic bump stops. Sure you can ditch the benefits of the mojave and add a front locker and sway bar disconnects if you're building a crawler, but you are now spending more for less. Mine sees freeway speeds in the desert dozens of times per year so I'll keep the shocks. Even if you go long arms and 40s the long wheelbase and long rear overhang make the gladiator a worse crawler than a far less built JLUR.
I don't want to build a crawler, never said so. But adding extension bracket, spacers rather than a right fit looks like is just masking what a car can do or not. I would never do grade the shocks, like I said I would go with the fox 2.5 elite, or falcon 3.3.
 

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I don't want to build a crawler, never said so. But adding extension bracket, spacers rather than a right fit looks like is just masking what a car can do or not. I would never do grade the shocks, like I said I would go with the fox 2.5 elite, or falcon 3.3.
Neither of those shocks are bypass though so technically in some ways they are a downgrade. You retain the reservoirs and gain both length and adjustability, but lose the bypass function. To keep that you're looking at about $6k in shocks alone. You'll also find the rear sway bar limits droop at about the same point the shocks do with 2" extensions and that's with long end links. Trying to get more travel than that becomes an entire rebuild and some redesign of the rear suspension. Brake lines, e-brake cables, abs sensor wires, locker wiring, sway bar, upper control arm geometry all need addressed. And even after you do all that you can get about 3" more droop before the rear springs want to fall out. If you watch the video and think 3 more inches of droop would have changed anything, I can assure you you're wrong. At some point you are going to lift a tire no matter what. You can find examples of some buggies that could get the rear axle 90⁰to the ground, and even the pros speed chasing that kind of flex. At some point chasing flex just means it goes from tires on the ground to upside down in a second when it runs out of travel.
 

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How about teraflex extended travel suspension, which will come with all the accessories like brake hose, breather, cable etc. to gain 16 more inches of extension? Does anybody know more about it? And about the bypass system suspension, I'm not sure I really need it, I prefer to have an adjustable system instead. I'm really far from the nearest desert where I can take advantage of them...
 

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Is there a reason, besides it's what the shops near you recommend, for being stuck on teraflex?

They have a history of warranty denial saying the parts were installed incorrectly. I would avoid that at all costs.
 
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Is there a reason, besides it's what the shops near you recommend, for being stuck on teraflex?

They have a history of warranty denial saying the parts were installed incorrectly. I would avoid that at all costs.
The two shops I know they install teraflex, but they didn't recommend it. I mean, they say it's good stuff, but cost more than other.

If you look at AMW, rebel, and other they all use Alpine IR. There must be a reason behind. I don't think AMW want to sell a 200k rig which is not performing as supposed. Isn't it?
 

Zachanadandy

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How about teraflex extended travel suspension, which will come with all the accessories like brake hose, breather, cable etc. to gain 16 more inches of extension? Does anybody know more about it? And about the bypass system suspension, I'm not sure I really need it, I prefer to have an adjustable system instead. I'm really far from the nearest desert where I can take advantage of them...
No experience with the kit, but it's up to 16" of total travel not 16" more extension. Their longest shocks for the JT only have 12.9" of stroke and 32.3" extended length. The mojave rears are 25.75" extended and with 2" extensions that's 27.75". You're spending a whole bunch of money and reworking the entire rear suspension to gain 4.5" more droop than you can get for $30. I run their extended brake lines, abs sensor extensions, and e-brake kit. I don't like the upper control arm relocation they use as the arms are still way too short which leads to a lot of pinion angle change throughout suspension travel. No idea how their sway bar compares to the stock one as far as ride.
 

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The two shops I know they install teraflex, but they didn't recommend it. I mean, they say it's good stuff, but cost more than other.

If you look at AMW, rebel, and other they all use Alpine IR. There must be a reason behind. I don't think AMW want to sell a 200k rig which is not performing as supposed. Isn't it?
Can you ask AMW why they're using Teraflex and let us know? 😁

I think there are better options, but I'm definitely curious what AMW would say.
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