anyone try the revolver from teraflex.

hit the little search button "newbie":flipoff2:

The revolver, yeah you might want to try getting all 4 works much better that way.

What do you want to know. I got them on all 4 corners

They are great, unless you need good traction on steep climbs or stability on steep drop offs. They were fun to watch, snappin opened and closed like a couple of hungry aligators on the ARCA rig that was running them, its a shame he was getting denied, because of the lost traction. I wish everyone I have to compete against, would run them.
They work sweeeeet on a ramp.:rolleyes:

I disagree. I have had tham on all 4 corners for 2 years now. I ran them for 18 months with no lockers and because of them I was able to keep the wheels on the ground and keep going. I have never had any stability issues on hills either uphill or down. The load transfer on a TJ is still more extream. I am sure there were many reasons why the ARCA rig was having problems not just the Revolvers. You also have to look at the the terrain you will be running. In the east when driving through the jagged granite boulder fields they do real well.

Originally posted by DE Jeeper
I disagree. I have had tham on all 4 corners for 2 years now. I ran them for 18 months with no lockers and because of them I was able to keep the wheels on the ground and keep going. I have never had any stability issues on hills either uphill or down. The load transfer on a TJ is still more extream. I am sure there were many reasons why the ARCA rig was having problems not just the Revolvers. You also have to look at the the terrain you will be running. In the east when driving through the jagged granite boulder fields they do real well.


I have been experimenting with Revolvers since before they sold to Tera. I have a set of Metal Made Rights that are probably close to 5 years old. Its is a fact that on steep climbs they will unload power to the rear wheels.... Period. I have tried them on the front, on the back, with aqntiwrap bars, without anti wrap bars, you can not eliminate the unloading properties, since their is no force on them when they are extended. If you dont believe it go out and try it. Place your wheels on a very steep climb(45 degrees or more) and start climbing, as the front tires get all the way up and only the back tires are at the toe of the slope, have a friend watch the shackles. Slowly start climbing, as your tire energy builds, watch the revolvers start to open, this is not due to suspension needs, it is a result of no spring force at the shackles, eventualy they get to a point where they release the pressure and they snap closed,(unfortunately, they allow the tire to break loose when they do).
I have showed this affect to many a genius that thought the revolvers were helping them so much, the smart ones tried their suspension without them, and realized the improvement.
I have let many friends borrow my set, so that they could experience the affect for themselves, no one has ever bought a set, if they used them in an unbiased test. Most people buy them then say they work great, either because they dont know any different or because they dont want to admit to wasting money.
We(mw, and 4 other Jeepers, who were curious) actually went out one day with them installed and I attempted a steep climb, we all watched the tires slip away in a futile attempt to climb the rock. We then removed them (used pipe clamps to lock them down) and I climbed the same rock, same line, nearly effortlessly.
If you take yours out and really test them, you will see what I am talking about.
Also without adding a cantilevered shock design, or some other long travel configuration, in the rear of a Jeep, there is no way to get another 9"( or whatever they advertise) of travel anyway. I have met people on the trail who swore how great their travel was, untill I pointed out that just because the shackles were opened doesnt mean they were traveling any farther than their shocks were limiting them.
And I watched a Sami flop on his lid when they unloaded on a steep drop off on a trail run outside Vegas.....yes they are unstable on steep downward manuevers.
Believe what you want, but they are a bunch of hoooey, and one of the best advertising campaigns I have seen. They suckered me out of a few hundred bucks.

I understand what you are saying and under the conditions that you describe they may be a problem, but for the wheeling I do I have not had an issue with them. Now that I am locked F&R maybe I don't need them, but until I recognize an issue they will stay on. They might be a good choice depending on the terrain and mod. level of your Jeep.

BTW, I get full extension of the shackles with 4" lift shocks in there stock location. It may be because the with the pinion rotated up for the CV the shock mount is high enough. Anyways, it is possible to do with the mounting points in the stock location if you pick the correct shock.

Originally posted by DE Jeeper
I understand what you are saying and under the conditions that you describe they may be a problem, but for the wheeling I do I have not had an issue with them. Now that I am locked F&R maybe I don't need them, but until I recognize an issue they will stay on. They might be a good choice depending on the terrain and mod. level of your Jeep.

BTW, I get full extension of the shackles with 4" lift shocks in there stock location. It may be because the with the pinion rotated up for the CV the shock mount is high enough. Anyways, it is possible to do with the mounting points in the stock location if you pick the correct shock.


Im not trying to argue with you, but if you are getting enough droop out of 4" extended shocks, then your up travel is being limited. You only have so much room in the stock location, to fit a shock. There is not enough to accomodate the full drop out of the revolvers and the full compression of the shock. There is just physically not enough room.
I would venture to say that as you push your rig harder, you will, begin to notice more and more the loss of traction caused by the Revolvers.
In any case, Im just trying to give my advice, based on years of testing by myself and dozens of other hard core wheelers, to someone about to spend money on, product that offers very little in return for the investment. there are many other ways to increase your travel, without the ill affects.
Im sure there are many others who will chime in if they are not just so sick of anwering revolver questions.
I like Tera flex as a company, i just hate to see a bunch of people getting ripped off by buying "Snake Oil".
Take my opinion for whatever you think its worth.
I digress.

H8, I am curious, is this behavior a result of the revolvers ability to twist? I run a missing link shackle on the back of my Zuk and have never noticed this, but my shackle doesn't twist, nor does it rest upon itself. Basically mine is configured like a mini 3/4 elliptical.

Damn, just think, Curt could have been in the top ten with his spring under YJ without the revolvers, unfortunately he had them and came in 25th. :p
Todd

Damn, just think, Curt could have been in the top ten with his spring under YJ without the revolvers, unfortunately he had them and came in 25th.

I have to agree with H8. One year we were on Pritchett Canyon's Rocker Knocker obstacle. We had 3 spring over jeeps and 2 spring unders. We each took a couple of tries at it and succesfully made it up the obstacle. Curt came behind us and took about half an hour to finally make it. Yes the shackles were unloading and reloading causing his tires to slip in an unusual manner. Prior to the experience I thought the shackles were a cool idea, but after that my thoughts changed.:(

I had them too and have since ditched them for a straight SOA setup.

I'm with h8 on this, although without the hill climbing experience (which might make my point of view somewhat more relavent for someone not quite so hard core as H8 :) ) I wasn't having unloading problems climbing steep walls - because I only recently (after ditching them) found any around here! So I cannot comment on that.

I've said it before, I'll say it again - they DO work ...... just not as well as straight SOA. I've done both and what I notice is more controlled suspension with straight SOA, which leads to a more controlled rig - which I could characterize as less tendency to shift over one way or the other. More traction out of drooped tires because there's more pressure on it. Less jacking/bouncing. I simply find it more controlled and predicable this way.

BUT I disagree with anyone who says they are garbage and don't work at all - they ARE a definite improvement for those with standard production 4 inch SUA lift kits, which is the primary market they are aimed at. So if a guy has a lot invested in a 4 inch SUA, and wants to eek out a little better performance while not majorly changing the suspension, for that purpose they work.

But they do not work as well as SOA. Plus with SOA you have way better ground clearance. AND it's much quieter - I found the revolvers 'chattered' noisily on washboards and stuff. The one way the revolvers are a lot better is if you daily drive it. I liked the road handling better SUA revolvers than I do SOA, but it's not such a big issue since I no longer daily drive it.

That's my experience, having done both.

Anyone know if a 3/4 eliptical setup suffers from the same types if issues? It seems to me the same principal would apply. I have been considering a 3/4 for my cj but have yet to be convinced of pro's outwieghing the cons.

Thoughts ??????

No direct experience myself, but I would suspect that it would suffer from much of the same problems, though perhaps to a lesser degree because it will resist drooping a bit more. But it would also have the added disadvantage of decreased reliablity (ie: the single leaf dropping off the frame would appear to my admittedly inexperienced eys at least to be more easily broken).

Just my 23c. (canadian, eh)

Originally posted by pmaddy
Anyone know if a 3/4 eliptical setup suffers from the same types if issues? It seems to me the same principal would apply. I have been considering a 3/4 for my cj but have yet to be convinced of pro's outwieghing the cons.

Thoughts ??????

Any other experiences out there with the 3/4 setup?

This is great thread... good insight and straight talk from those with actual experience. So many times random opinions are thrown around with no real testing or facts. Nice stuff.

Anyone

H8monday...DUDE I think I need what you guys have been smokin......at least in my cherokee I am able to climb things steeper after than revolvers than before.....The only negative effect I have experienced from them is on off camber spots where the up hill side wants to unload.....I have been on very steep inclines without and negative effects and they have never openned up on me during a climb....nore have I lost tracktion due to them.....during a climb all your weight transfers to the rear and keeps the things closed....if they are openning up you probalby hae the things installed backwards.......just kiddin'.......I will get out the video camera and tape some this weekend......I can see them unloading the front if you had them there.
http://imagep.webphotos.iwon.com//1000022638/1000022638_115200282136AM0.7218897.jpg
photo by AZrckcrawler on LOst world


I can see them being a possible problem on spring under......solution go to spring over.......ITs a soft primary spring that is twisting causing axle wrap....now I see!....The spring its self is causing teh problem.......forcing the shackle to open up.........OK MY BAD.........Id still like some of what you're smokin!:flipoff2: :D :flipoff2:

So what do you think about a 3/4 elliptical with a coil over to insure that traction to ground...

Brian, you must have a set of the special magic version. Two of the guys I tested with, have Cherokees, and I wont mention his name, because he is a Tera distributer unless he wants to comment on his own. We got home from a day of testing them and he flung them across the shop, and they laid there for weeks. He wont sell them to freinds.
Jake Hallenbeck used to try to get performace out of them with his Sami, but they did the same thing.

Take some video, Id love to see it.

I can see what you guys are saying is happeing. I never had it happen to me (yet). I am not super hard core though. The hill climbs I have never made them open.

SO far I like them. They open enough to help but not too much that they hinder.

Jsut thought Id throw in the "none hard core" $0.02

I have one of teh original metal made rite sets. about 4 years old now.....I will video them this weekend with the camera placed under the jeep directed at the revolver.....I dont think it is possible for a spring over to open up while climbing like you said....if they did then they would also open up under hard acceleration......I will let you all know wthat the camera shows sunday or monday.....so can I ahve some of what you guys smoke or not ;)

so can I ahve some of what you guys smoke or not


:smokin: :rasta: :smokin: :rasta: :smokin: :rasta: :smokin: :rasta: :flipoff2: :flipoff2: :flipoff2: :flipoff2:

Originally posted by NothernAZxj

I can see them being a possible problem on spring under......solution go to spring over.......ITs a soft primary spring that is twisting causing axle wrap....now I see!....The spring its self is causing teh problem.......forcing the shackle to open up.........OK MY BAD.........Id still like some of what you're smokin!:flipoff2: :D :flipoff2:


I dont run a spring under, and havent really even experimented with them, I also run a very well designed anti wrap bar, so its not entirely due to the spring wrapping.
Here are a couple of pics of the types of areas where the revolvers truly suck, they just dont allow enough pressure to the tires. But they also do the same thing on straight climbs, if the ground is somewaht loose, or if the fronts are in a position where they cant help the climb much.
http://bbs.off-road.com/wwwthreads_uploads/53-600414-MVC-003S.JPG
http://bbs.off-road.com/wwwthreads_uploads/53-600029-MVC-009S.JPG
http://bbs.off-road.com/wwwthreads_uploads/53-638611-MVC-017S.JPG

Now personaly, guys, I could care less what you guys use for a suspension. I am only giving my honest opinioin based on years of experimenting with these shackles. It doesnt affect me one way or the other. But I have a set sitting in my garage, if I thought they would improve my performance in even the slightest way, I would spend the 15 minutes and reinstall them.
Take it for, what its worth.

well I made a vid camera mount today....that will hold my vid camera paralell with the uni and inner fender and will play some on Sunday and see whats up.....I have also made a 3/16" plate that locks the two ends together with small holes drilled through the bolts and pins to hold them on....I had them made when I got the shackles three years ago... now may be the time to play with them too!

For what its worth... I had them on the rear and had them for 3 or so years. They didnt do much good, but they didnt hurt me from what I could tell. I went with a whole new design in the rear so I took them off. I had them laying around and wanted to see what the would do on the front just for fun. I have a schakle reversal. They are one of the best things I have done for the front end in my opionion. When I am on something really steep they open up. By opening up it does 2 things. 1. puts more weight to the rear tires by keeping the weight closer to the ground instead of the air 2. increases my wheelbase and makes the tires reach for new land. Alot of people talk Shit about them. I say run what you feel comfortable with. I will keep them on the front until I see more cons then pros.:flipoff2:

They are one of the best things I have done for the front end in my opionion. When I am on something really steep they open up. By opening up it does 2 things. 1. puts more weight to the rear tires by keeping the weight closer to the ground instead of the air 2.

So what you are saying is that you don't want your front end down lower when you are climbing? By making your vehicle more vertical helps you climb steeper hills?:confused: I thought the whole idea of most well designed vehicles was to have a lighter rear vs the front so that the weight is somewhat equalized during climbing. :confused: Or.... do I have this thing backwards?

We were at the hammers last January, and I loaned one of my sets to TinBender YJ(Robert) to try on his front leafs for a run, up JackHammer. I think he kept them on until the 1st serious rock climb at the bottom of Jack Hammer. Those things started banging and clacking, like a couple of "skeletons fawcking in a trash can", and we all laughed hystaricaly, as he was denied. Then we removed them and went on our way. :flipoff2:

Like I said, if anyone wants to try my set, Ill be happy to loan them to you so you can test them, they may work fine for the kind of wheeling you do, Im just saying they havent wroked in any configuration I can find, on extreme rock trails.

The biggest problem I see with using them up front, is that I already max out my 9012 shocks with just a well designed SOA. The last time I got on a ramp was at Moonlight Madness, when I wanted to compare my flex to Johns Scorpion (1550 + or -), I ramped about 1325, on the same ramp(I think they said it was 23 degrees).
The only way im gonna get more flex out of the front is to go to a shock with longer travel than 13".
http://bbs.off-road.com/wwwthreads_uploads/53-643024-MVC-004S.JPG
http://bbs.off-road.com/wwwthreads_uploads/53-643026-Mvc-014flex.jpg
If you guys are running SOA suspensions and are not getting awsome flex, you need to work on the geometry, these pics were taken a couple years ago, before any of the fine tuning was even done on the suspension.

If you look at this picture, you will see that this is excactly the type of flex that a revolver would open up if I had them attached at the front shackle hangers(shackle reverse). They would fan out at the rear of the front passenger leafs,...but I could not get any more wheel travel, because the shock is already maxed out at the axle. So all it is doing is creating decreased pressure on the passenger side front tire, which will allow the tire to bounce upward very easily until the revolver has closed up.
http://bbs.off-road.com/wwwthreads_uploads/53-643026-Mvc-014flex.jpg

The trick to good travel, and good traction, is shock placement and spring design.

H8: nice soa action

what springs are you running and whats the width on the axles?

now i see 14 bolt and 44...did a search and found your 8.8 for sale...fawk! thats exactly what i am wanting right now!!!!! and the price was great.

still curious on width, didnt see that...

I used home made hinged shackles for about three years while I had a four inch spring under configuration. They allowed me to do things and go places that I could not have done otherwise. They are kind of a band-aid fix for a crappy suspension. If you have little flex you can run them and the pro's outweigh the cons. When you finally go to a well designed suspension you will no longer need/want the revolvers.

can you do a rear shackle reversal on a cherokee....HMMMMMMM?

The rear shackle on a cherokee is already in the optimum position.

Originally posted by GhettoRig
I used home made hinged shackles for about three years while I had a four inch spring under configuration. They allowed me to do things and go places that I could not have done otherwise. They are kind of a band-aid fix for a crappy suspension. If you have little flex you can run them and the pro's outweigh the cons. When you finally go to a well designed suspension you will no longer need/want the revolvers.

EXCACTLY!
Providing you make allowances, at your shocks to achieve extra travel at the axle. I have seen many folks on the trail that thought( no,..swore) they were getting more travel because the shackles were opening, but they were still being limited by the stock shocks. I just shrug my shoulders and walk away, if they dont want to listen.

Originally posted by NothernAZxj
can you do a rear shackle reversal on a cherokee....HMMMMMMM?

Shackle reversals are only performed on the front springs, you already have coils up front :rolleyes:

Originally posted by ab88
H8: nice soa action

what springs are you running and whats the width on the axles?

now i see 14 bolt and 44...did a search and found your 8.8 for sale...fawk! thats exactly what i am wanting right now!!!!! and the price was great.

still curious on width, didnt see that...


The axle width in those pics are about 61" wide, probably about 79" wide track width, using 36x12.50 SX tires, and 15x10 MRT wheels with 3" backspacing.
Springs were:
Rear: YJ lengths springs with Rancho 2 1/2", main leaf and second leaf, and 6th leaf. The 3rd, 4th , and 5th leafs were stock YJ leafs.
Front: Rancho 2 1/2" main leaf, and 2,3,4,5 springs stock YJ.
(I was only running at a 4 cylinder at the time).
I currently run axle width of about 63" and track width of 83". I use a combo of Grand waggy springs in the front and Cruizah springs in the rear.
http://bbs.off-road.com/wwwthreads_uploads/53-600026-MVC-008S.JPG (dont mind the 10 point penalty, Im about recieve due to driver stupidity,...and lack of hydraulic steering):rolleyes:

Hey H8! How do you like the 83 inch width for competitions? Do you feel too wide to fit between the cones? I'm asking because my new setup makes me 83inches (including the bulging sidewall) on my front axle and 80 in the rear. I have misgivings about it being too wide for UROC.

H8monday, your rig is kickass. you guys have me thinking about doing away with my buggy springs front and rear. I run 9012 on all four corners. and on the front I can max my shocks out. I go to Tellico NC and on some climbs my jeep will start to spin and bounce. I can't stand the bouncing, it usually leads to broken parts.

I would like to see more pics of your jeep. Do you have any of your anti wrap bar?

Originally posted by Rodney YJ
H8monday, your rig is kickass. you guys have me thinking about doing away with my buggy springs front and rear. I run 9012 on all four corners. and on the front I can max my shocks out. I go to Tellico NC and on some climbs my jeep will start to spin and bounce. I can't stand the bouncing, it usually leads to broken parts.

I would like to see more pics of your jeep. Do you have any of your anti wrap bar?


Try a set of Bilstien 5100 shocks up front.
They have a 14" travel version, and they run about $70.
the nice thing about them in the front is that they are nitrogen charged, so they deliver a positive downward force(unlike the R9000's which are basicly neutral in any/all positions). the downward force of the Bilsteins seems to have a positive affect in minimizing front wheel hop. The extra inch of travel is nice also.
I tested a set up front, for a day on the trail, and they seemed to work awsomee. I just bought a set yesterday, and Im gonna start testing them more extensively.
Im still using R9000s in the rear, because I like the fact that I can control the firmness of the dampening from the cab. I will probably test the bilsteins in the rear also,... later on.