TOY: Re: Toyota 4x4 Mailing List V1 #572

["Evan Mills" <mudyota@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

>Perhaps somebody can explain this to me because it looks like some work
>for no gain to me. I don't see the point of drooping the tire past the
>point where the spring is unloaded. If there is no spring pressure on
>the tire then the only weight on the tire is that of the axle itself
>and the wheel/tire combo. Keeping the tire in contact with the ground
>is good if there is some vehicle weight on it. Beyond that point I
>don't see the need. Am I missing something ?

Sure. Leverage.

The whole reason that solid axle flex better than IFS is that they aren't  
isolated from one end to the other - sothey can act as a lever. The two 
springs act collectively as a fulcrum, when one side is up on a rock, the 
axle pivots downward on the other end, and is actually forced into the 
ground by the high-side tire. As on tire is forced up into it's wheel well 
the springspush the other one into the ground, so it's not just gravity 
doing it's thing.

Furthermore, the spring on the high-side is doing all of the pushing 
downward - because it is compressed beyond it's static position, which is 
where it will return if given the chance. The spring on the low side is 
pulling upward some amount - because of these same forces. The double 
shackles work just like normal when comressing - one is mashed against the 
frame - but when drooping, the shackle unfolds, preventing that side's 
spring from fighting the articulation.

Even if you don't buyt this, next time your truck is on an RTI ramp, try to 
lift the tire opposite the one all the way up the ramp. Good luck.

Remeber also, that all of this is driven by the weight of the vehicle its 
self. So if you get almost all the weight on the back end of the truck, you 
WILL be able to lift one of the front tires fairly easily no matter how 
flexy the suspension is.

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