FToy bouncing badly, causing breakage..

[bunchr1]

It's been a while since I've posted, mainly because nothing has really happened other than swapping my FToy to Propane. That being said, I took it this past weekend 'wheeling and major carnage happened. Backstory:

The first trip out was nothing major, just had to tweak a few things. The second trip I was really easy on it because I still ran stock Birfields. The THIRD trip out I had Longfields and I decided to see what it could handle. That is where my current problem started. I was going up an obstacle that is an almost straight-up climb about 25 feet high. I hit it a couple times and it always started to bounce when I got to the top. I had my tires at 4psi, no trac bar, and the TG 5" springs with a leaf removed in the rear packs. Shocks are Rancho RS5000's.

I made it, but i ended up bending a rim because of the rough lands when it bounced. Between trips, I built a Trac Bar using a Budbuilt bar welded to the axle (using heims instead of bushings because that's all he had at the time), and a simple shackle at the tcase crossmember (heim and bushings). The next trip I broke the crossmember early, so I took off the trac bar and finished the trip. Still had alot of bounce on the rocks.

This PAST trip out, everything trac bar-wise stood up. The major problem was on a somewhat slippery hillclimb. It had a few rocks and some mud, and as I was going up, as soon as I started to slip, it would start bouncing and bucking very bad. I backed down several times and it always came back. It bounced to the point that I tried "riding it out" and ended up smoothing a ring gear and grenading my front lockright. No worries, I have a new locker coming and a spare diff ready for install, but I DONT wanna keep breaking stuff.

What is causing the bouncing and bucking, and what can I do to help stop it?

[a2b]

man this is really hard to answer since we weren't there to judge if the bouncing you are talking about is "normal" or not. leaf springs bounce on a climb. its part of it.

you mention the first time you "hit it", are you launching or crawling? if you broke your front locker on climb and if you broke a wheel because of huge hop in the middle of the climb, i would guess that you are expecting your buggy to get up things it shouldn't be doing. but just a guess.

also, put the leaf back in the rear pack. a lot of run a steeper shackle angle in the rear to help with climbs, like 15 degrees instead of 45.

you already have a track bar. so other than turning off your rear locker which can help the suspension climb, sounds like you reached the limits of your rig coupled with your driving style.

[bunchr1]

Originally Posted by a2b

man this is really hard to answer since we weren't there to judge if the bouncing you are talking about is "normal" or not. leaf springs bounce on a climb. its part of it.

you mention the first time you "hit it", are you launching or crawling? if you broke your front locker on climb and if you broke a wheel because of huge hop in the middle of the climb, i would guess that you are expecting your buggy to get up things it shouldn't be doing. but just a guess.

I was "raised" to crawl before I walk lol. Seriously, I always try to crawl anything before I hit it a little harder. You've got to remember, my previous trail truck was IFS on 32's, so I had to be easy...
Also, the trails I've been riding, Yota rigs in all forms, full-body to buggy, all hit it and mostly have no problems, so I don't believe i'm over-reaching in how I want mine to perform.

Originally Posted by a2b

also, put the leaf back in the rear pack. a lot of run a steeper shackle angle in the rear to help with climbs, like 15 degrees instead of 45.

you already have a track bar. so other than turning off your rear locker which can help the suspension climb, sounds like you reached the limits of your rig coupled with your driving style.

As it sits, the rear of the buggy is about 2" taller than the front. That's why I pulled a leaf. Also, rear is welded. The shackle angle isn't too steep. I'll see if I can find a pic.

Edit: Found this pic

[bunchr1]

I've scoured the YouTubes to try and find a video that resembles what it does. This one is close. Just a simple hill (or rock garden on a hill) and it starts bucking kinda like this truck does. I'll try and find another

http://youtu.be/M6f92403ZnU

[Jeep07]

Rig looks high. What is the belly height?

[chvyhs]

The bouncing and bucking may be coming from the front axle now. You may need a wrap bar in the front now.

[a2b]

good pic from the side.

dumb question, but you know your supposed to get out of the throttle when you bounce right? if you stay in, it bounces more.

also, do you work the brake while stuck on a climb?

[Toycrawler5481]

I dunno but sounds like what Your taking about looks normal, here a vid of my buddy on back door, talk about bouncing badly, and he's linked in the rear, definitely his front leafs causing the bounce
http://m.youtube.com/index?desktop_u...?v=rEQPeTiv_Hc
Here's me, huge difference when your linked all around

http://m.youtube.com/index?desktop_u...?v=hG87nPtSLMQ


Just link it

[bunchr1]

Originally Posted by a2b

good pic from the side.

dumb question, but you know your supposed to get out of the throttle when you bounce right? if you stay in, it bounces more.

also, do you work the brake while stuck on a climb?

Yes I do know to let out of it, but that just stops the forward momentum also on the climb. If I start to bounce on a rock pile or something of the like I let out and slow the tires and it grabs again. I've only had a couple issues with the bouncing, most of the time it handles great. But, I do have to ask about that brake working thing... what's that about? It seems hitting the brake would kinda defeat the purpose of hitting the gas?

[bunchr1]

Originally Posted by Toycrawler5481

I dunno but sounds like what taking about looks normal, here a vid of my buddy on back door, talk about bouncing badly

Yup, that's what mine does.

[Air Ride]

Better shocks would help Rancho 5000 were barely adequate back in the 80s. If you stay in it when it starts bouncing you going to break parts.

[a2b]

Originally Posted by bunchr1

Yes I do know to let out of it, but that just stops the forward momentum also on the climb.

let me see if i got this clear, so you know this but you have a "BUT" in your reply with an excuse to stay in the throttle. does that mean you do stay in it? or not? and once you bounce, that's the red flag, that forward momentum isn't going forward, its going up, as in air born, lol, because if you land those wheels while in the throttle, your next bounce is going to be even bigger whoohooo! good times. we all done it.

Originally Posted by bunchr1

. But, I do have to ask about that brake working thing... what's that about? It seems hitting the brake would kinda defeat the purpose of hitting the gas?

my ftoy can sit on a lot of climbs all day without bouncing and burn the tires like a linked rig because. driver technique and skills :smoking:

[bunchr1]

So for climbing hills, stay off the gas and hold the brake. Seems legit. I'll try that next time and see how much easier it goes...

[a2b]

Originally Posted by bunchr1

So for climbing hills, stay off the gas and hold the brake. Seems legit. I'll try that next time and see how much easier it goes...

and try reverse at the same time

[Toycrawler5481]

Originally Posted by a2b

and try reverse at the same time

Lol

[mtbrjon]

I had to bring this back up cuz its funny. I broke the trac bar off the back on our first ride and never thought about putting it back on. I'll be reinstalling the leafs that Ronnie pulled out and putting some good Bilsteins all around. I have wheeled it 4 times as is with no big complaints. Also have to mention he had those awful military Goodyears and I'm running 37 Reds. Those military tires bring the suck!!!

[bunchr1]

I agree those tires were a major issue holding me back, but honestly, in my case it was purely a financial decision. I couldn't find beadlocks and 37's cheaper. I also always suspected the shocks were the other part to the traction issue, but there again, those ranchos were cheap and easy to get.

[Propane]

Maybe lowering it as well as hooking the winch to the front axle to suck down the front on climbs. It also eliminates a lot of the bounce.

[rearsteer]

Maybe try lowering the tire pressure. Some tires are like baskit balls with to much air in them.

[mtbrjon]

We use the winch to suck the front down. I'll be reworking the interior to make room for a rear suck down winch as well as rearranging other stuff.

[rick james]

Can you post a pick of how your routed your winch line to your axle? With the winch in front of the axle, Im worried of it try to pull the axle forward instead of up.

[mtbrjon]

I can. I have it mounted behind the front most x-member and the bottom is open so the rope can go straight down.

[mtbrjon]

It's sort of hard to see but the winch is behind the grill hoop and open on the bottom. The tie rod and drag link are a little in the way but not too bad.

Looking thru the grill hoop you can see the gap straight thru to the axle housing.

[skonkerd]

I mounted a roller fairlead behind the front crossmember and redirected the winch line to the front axle on 112

[freeclimber00]

Bit Jumpy.. - YouTube


That dude has a lot of shit in the bed of his truck......I mean A LOT OF SHIT! Good god clean out!