whats a good number for rear travel?

[59weasel]

59 SWB. some of the rodders around here tell me i need "no less than 5 inches between the rear axle and the bump stops. i will be running a 4-link (or 4 bar) of one type or another and air bags. what do you think would be a good number? this will haul butt, and thats about it. no heavy stuff, just a couple suit cases for a wknd trip most likely. i want a smooth ride not a kidney killer, but low also.

[Hottrucks]

the great thing about bags is theres alot of room for adjustment at the push of a switch.....I can run as low as 2" on a good road but right now with the frost heaves being a foot tall I would want all I could get!! the limiting thing will be your shocks so set them up so they will bottom close to something rubbing then add a bump stop about 1/2" lower

once you get it up and driving a zip tie around the shock shaft will get pushed up as the truck rides around when you get home you can stick your head under the truck and see how much travel you have used

[lakeroadster]

For a "street rod" I was taught to use a 2x4 during fabrication to establish "ride height", so that would be 3-1/2" (bump-stop to axle). It works, I used this on my (2) old fenderless Ford Hotrods, one has air bags, the other coilovers.

The reality of all this though should be based on what your plan is for your truck.

Sounds like your truck won't be used as a truck. I say stick with the 3-1/2" rule for the ride height.

[SCOTI]

2" compression/extension is prob the norm; 3" should be the 'norm' plus a fudge factor. I drove my 74 for 3+yrs w/1" of clearance between the rear axle tube & frame rail. It sucked on bad roads, but was fine on the majority of smooth/highway travel. It was infinitely better w/the 2.5" c-section regardless of road condition.

[59weasel]

thanks guys! all this will be considered in the next few weeks, it wont be a show "sissy" truck, but i have no intention on hauling more than a couple suitcases like i was sayin. and it wont hit the road much in the winter here. as 6" is pretty much the norm here. and they don't plow for crap! that's what the JEEP is for.

[19seventeeCustom]

Originally Posted by SCOTI

2" compression/extension is prob the norm; 3" should be the 'norm' plus a fudge factor. I drove my 74 for 3+yrs w/1" of clearance between the rear axle tube & frame rail. It sucked on bad roads, but was fine on the majority of smooth/highway travel. It was infinitely better w/the 2.5" c-section regardless of road condition.

Thats good to know Scoti. I've been taking some measurements and it looks like when my drop blocks go in, I'll have just over 2" of clearance between the axle tube and the frame rail. Hopefully with new drop shocks, and shock relocators the truck won't ride too bad.