Stock IFS suspension travel distance? Up vs down travel ratio.

[fredygump]

Has anyone measured the maximum up travel and down travel of the front suspension with springs removed? I haven't found any numbers online, and I haven't torn my truck apart yet...

I'd like to know if stock ride height is 50/50 up/down travel?

On my SR5, the control arms and CV shafts are angled down a few degrees at stock ride height. It looks to me like a small factory lift, about 1"? Given the angle of the control arm and CV shaft, my gut says the suspension has potentially more up travel than down travel. I don't see any hard limit to suspension travel, so I'm guessing the shock absorber is the limiting factor?

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[stuckinsocal]

This is the TRD Off Road, but it should give you some idea of what the front travel is (with both the front sway bar connected and disconnected).

(5 min 45 sec if the time stamped link doesn't work... however I would encourage you to watch the whole video since it is quite nice and some of the info relates to your SR5 as well despite him testing on the Off Road trim.)

 

[fredygump]

This is the TRD Off Road, but it should give you some idea of what the front travel is (with both the front sway bar connected and disconnected).

(5 min 45 sec if the time stamped link doesn't work... however I would encourage you to watch the whole video since it is quite nice and some of the info relates to your SR5 as well despite him testing on the Off Road trim.)

I've watched most of his videos! It's good stuff.

Kai says that the total static articulation on the front is 8" with sway bar disconnected. But that doesn't give us the ratio of up travel to down travel.

I suppose I could estimate that at full flex, the top of the tire is ~1" from the bottom edge of the wheel well, and it's a 32" tire on that trim? Then I can estimate how much up travel he saw in his test. But he didn't say if the control arm hit the bump stop or not when the sway bar was disconnected. The front spring may be strong enough to hold the vehicle up off the bump stop even in that situation.

To get the number I'm looking for, the spring needs to be removed, and the travel of one wheel needs to be isolated.

 

[fredygump]

[edit] I observed a Nissan Frontier, but I made an inaccurate assessment. [edit]

What I figured out is the vehicle I noticed had a 6" lift kit. It had a higher ride height, more comparable to a stock Tacoma.

The lift kit is interesting because it lowered the control arm mounting locations, lowered the front differential, and includes a taller spindle.

But the observation I made initially is accurate, which is the control arms were still level after the lift. This is unusual, since the easiest way to gain a little lift is with longer/ stiffer springs.

So my conclusion was roughly correct, but for the wrong reason. The only reason I can think of for why the lift kit maintains flat control arms is because the CV joints have a limited range of motion, so they need to stay level to have enough up and down travel. (I could be wrong, but it seems plausible.)

In comparison, the Tacoma gen4 CV shafts have extended range of motion, allowing them to have good travel even if they are not starting out in a level position.

But I'm sticking with my conclusion, which is that I can't lower a Tacoma without chopping up the frame. It doesn't really matter how much up travel the front suspension has, because the rear axle is stuck below the frame.

I will keep ride height as close to stock as possible, even if I choose to upgrade the suspension.

 

[fredygump]

I guess I posted too soon. I'm at nearly 1,000 miles, and the front suspension has settled by the amount I thought I wanted to lower it!

But now it has more noticeable rake...

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