Suspension Flex question
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Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 694
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From: Minneapolis, MN
Suspension Flex question
Hey guys.
I've got a 2012 Regular Cab F150 5.0. Looking to do some light off-roading down trails this summer, and I'm gonna fit some larger tires to be able to do it. In trying to decide on what size and type I've been finding pictures of trucks that've been taken offroad and looking at what the suspension is doing.
And something bothers me greatly.
It looks like the rear axle of the truck flexes great. You can stuff the inside wheel and the other side droops very well.
However look at the front of the trucks. No matter what the back end is doing, it looks like the left and right side of the front suspension are pretty much at the same height relative to each other. Meaning the front suspension is hardly flexing at all. In fact the whole truck seems to just follow the terrain and attitude of the front suspension while the back is all over the place doing it's own thing.
Here's an example:
https://www.f150forum.com/members/wy...0&ref=gnr-next
This seems to me that the front suspension is way too stiff, and the rear suspension is way too soft. This is exactly the opposite of what I would've expected with a truck. I would've expected the back to be too stiff so that it was able to carry a heavy payload compared to the front.
Now the question is, are all of the examples I'm seeing on these forums just because the trucks are lifted and have stiffer aftermarket front springs? Or "leveling kits" which up the front spring preload also effectively increasing the front spring rate?
Is this maybe all due to the front sway bar being hella stout?
Can a stock suspension truck flex the front?
This is important to me because if adding some kind of lift or leveling kit is gonna make me lose front wheel articulation, then I'd rather bump down a tire size and keep my suspension stock.
Thanks.
I've got a 2012 Regular Cab F150 5.0. Looking to do some light off-roading down trails this summer, and I'm gonna fit some larger tires to be able to do it. In trying to decide on what size and type I've been finding pictures of trucks that've been taken offroad and looking at what the suspension is doing.
And something bothers me greatly.
It looks like the rear axle of the truck flexes great. You can stuff the inside wheel and the other side droops very well.
However look at the front of the trucks. No matter what the back end is doing, it looks like the left and right side of the front suspension are pretty much at the same height relative to each other. Meaning the front suspension is hardly flexing at all. In fact the whole truck seems to just follow the terrain and attitude of the front suspension while the back is all over the place doing it's own thing.
Here's an example:
https://www.f150forum.com/members/wy...0&ref=gnr-next
This seems to me that the front suspension is way too stiff, and the rear suspension is way too soft. This is exactly the opposite of what I would've expected with a truck. I would've expected the back to be too stiff so that it was able to carry a heavy payload compared to the front.
Now the question is, are all of the examples I'm seeing on these forums just because the trucks are lifted and have stiffer aftermarket front springs? Or "leveling kits" which up the front spring preload also effectively increasing the front spring rate?
Is this maybe all due to the front sway bar being hella stout?
Can a stock suspension truck flex the front?
This is important to me because if adding some kind of lift or leveling kit is gonna make me lose front wheel articulation, then I'd rather bump down a tire size and keep my suspension stock.
Thanks.
Last edited by Kytann; May 17, 2012 at 05:30 PM.
Member
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 34
Likes: 1
From: Peoria, AZ
That is the way these trucks are supposed to flex. The rear leaf springs were designed to do that. The front has an independent suspension and when you keep it stock it doesnt have the best articulation. Leveling kits do not change that at all. Most lift kits wont either. If you want more articulation then you need to look into a long travel suspension system. Like what most "pre runners" have...
I'm sure you have seen large rock crawling jeeps. They normally have a solid axle in the front with either leaf springs or much longer coil springs that have the ability to flex greatly.
I'm sure you have seen large rock crawling jeeps. They normally have a solid axle in the front with either leaf springs or much longer coil springs that have the ability to flex greatly.
Evil. Big. Oil.
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 280
Likes: 35
From: Kansas
That is the way these trucks are supposed to flex. The rear leaf springs were designed to do that. The front has an independent suspension and when you keep it stock it doesnt have the best articulation. Leveling kits do not change that at all. Most lift kits wont either. If you want more articulation then you need to look into a long travel suspension system. Like what most "pre runners" have...
I'm sure you have seen large rock crawling jeeps. They normally have a solid axle in the front with either leaf springs or much longer coil springs that have the ability to flex greatly.
I'm sure you have seen large rock crawling jeeps. They normally have a solid axle in the front with either leaf springs or much longer coil springs that have the ability to flex greatly.
The independent front suspension on out trucks wont flex like a solid axle long arm Heep. Nature of the best. That said, the IFS does do a decent job of keeping contact...it just doesn't look as dramatic. It's a compromise most if not all pickup trucks have adopted these days. The increased ride comfort an on road drive-ability of IFS out weighs the articulation losses. My Heep rides like a wagon...my truck like a sports car, frankly I wouldn't have it any other way.
Besides, the wheel base is way to long on any pickup to attempt serious off roading without major modifications. Still, my FX4 has surprised the heck out of me, even with it's non articulating front suspension at factory settings. My 2 cents.
PS: Anytime you see something really flexing out, it's sway bar is usually disconnected. Thus the option of Sway bar disco's on the Rubicon's...and even some models of RAM I think.
Member
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 34
Likes: 1
From: Peoria, AZ
This.
The independent front suspension on out trucks wont flex like a solid axle long arm Heep. Nature of the best. That said, the IFS does do a decent job of keeping contact...it just doesn't look as dramatic. It's a compromise most if not all pickup trucks have adopted these days. The increased ride comfort an on road drive-ability of IFS out weighs the articulation losses. My Heep rides like a wagon...my truck like a sports car, frankly I wouldn't have it any other way.
Besides, the wheel base is way to long on any pickup to attempt serious off roading without major modifications. Still, my FX4 has surprised the heck out of me, even with it's non articulating front suspension at factory settings. My 2 cents.
PS: Anytime you see something really flexing out, it's sway bar is usually disconnected. Thus the option of Sway bar disco's on the Rubicon's...and even some models of RAM I think.
The independent front suspension on out trucks wont flex like a solid axle long arm Heep. Nature of the best. That said, the IFS does do a decent job of keeping contact...it just doesn't look as dramatic. It's a compromise most if not all pickup trucks have adopted these days. The increased ride comfort an on road drive-ability of IFS out weighs the articulation losses. My Heep rides like a wagon...my truck like a sports car, frankly I wouldn't have it any other way.
Besides, the wheel base is way to long on any pickup to attempt serious off roading without major modifications. Still, my FX4 has surprised the heck out of me, even with it's non articulating front suspension at factory settings. My 2 cents.
PS: Anytime you see something really flexing out, it's sway bar is usually disconnected. Thus the option of Sway bar disco's on the Rubicon's...and even some models of RAM I think.
Evil. Big. Oil.
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 280
Likes: 35
From: Kansas
I wouldn't know much about it either except that I got into rock crawling a few years ago (don't ever do that, you end up sinking 20k into a jeep worth about 5, lol). All we dream about is flex...for that you must have coil springs, long arm suspension, and sway bar discos.
Then when you get really bad about the articulation disease you start parking like this. (Not my Heep by the way, lol)
Then when you get really bad about the articulation disease you start parking like this. (Not my Heep by the way, lol)
Inebriated 4 ur safety
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 2,524
Likes: 894
From: Texas
Daximus is right, it is a give and take on the IFS. If anyone gives you greif, then I would tell them that at least the truck you brought can tow theirs home. Most Jeeps and Yotas can't say that. For light off roading, the stock set up will do just down the trails. I have found that is very fun and challenging figuring out how to get my old stock truck into places it is not suppose to go versus my Jeep that will just crawled all over everything. It tought me a lot on the best line and aproach with the smallest of inclines. I have not gone into too much with my new truck.... yet.
Yeah, the IFS have no flex at all, but it still gets the job done.
Yeah, the IFS have no flex at all, but it still gets the job done.
Last edited by Al Kohalic; May 17, 2012 at 08:11 PM.
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 207
Likes: 10
From: Los Angeles, CA
If you want better travel without serious modification look into coilovers....sure you can do radical 18" travel systems, but you dont need to....camburg seems to be a favorite on this site for adding travel and performence with there coilover kits....without looking it up, off the top of head i think it will allow for somthing like 11" of travel of....not to shabby...
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Member
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 34
Likes: 1
From: Peoria, AZ
If you want better travel without serious modification look into coilovers....sure you can do radical 18" travel systems, but you dont need to....camburg seems to be a favorite on this site for adding travel and performence with there coilover kits....without looking it up, off the top of head i think it will allow for somthing like 11" of travel of....not to shabby...
