Trail + KDSS Flex?

[adkinsadam1]

I'm sorry but for this entire year I've been waiting to see a picture of a 2010 Trail edition with KDSS articulating it's suspension to the max! The trail + KDSS is supposed to have such excellent articulation I cannot wait any longer! Does anyone have photos?

 

[iDRiVaT4R]

Check out my pics link in my sig, I have a few. Watch the videos too if u haven't yet though those don't show max flex.

Nathan

 

[4RBob]

Check out my pics link in my sig, I have a few. Watch the videos too if u haven't yet though those don't show max flex.

Nathan

you don't have stock suspension though, right?

i think the sticky video thread has some Toyota videos which show some articulation (KDSS video, i believe).

 

[iDRiVaT4R]

Yes my 4Runner is lifted now but the KDSS still works the same. All the pics on the first page of my Build thread are with the stock suspension.

There are two videos titled Nearly stock under my Youtube link, those are with the stock suspension. The other 2 videos are with the 4Runner lifted, but it still shows how the KDSS enhances the ride. If I didn't have KDSS, the swaybars would make the ride really bouncy and would not allow the tires to almost operate independently of one another. I am also running at least 30 psi in all the tires, and for this type of terrain, that's quite a bit.

 

[4RBob]

Yes my 4Runner is lifted now but the KDSS still works the same.

sure, my disconnected swaybar on my Jeep "worked" the same with the stock suspension vs lifted, but the articulation was much "different" when lifted. :

 

[iDRiVaT4R]

I know what your saying, but by lifting the 4Runner, All I did was place the suspension in the middle of the available suspension travel. Stock, I had more down travel vs compression, therefore it would bottom out sooner. With the lift, the suspension can compress more before bottoming out.

Articulation is dependent on a few things, shocks being number one, then the height of the bumpstops, length of limit straps, size of tire, etc. My new rear shocks are slightly longer than stock, but the coilovers are the same length as stock therefore the amount of my articulation is roughly the same. If I'm correct, the ability for my tires to move independently and follow the contours of the ground remains mostly unchanged since the amount of travel is the same.

If I installed extended length Coilovers, yeah, the available amount of travel/articulation would be more. This is basically what happens with the lifts in Jeeps, the shocks get much longer, therefore the amount of travel is increased.

Even in a stock jeep, just removing the swaybars will alter the articulation, since the tires can move much more independently, same goes for any vehicle.

 

[4RBob]

I know what your saying, but by lifting the 4Runner, All I did was place the suspension in the middle of the available suspension travel. Stock, I had more down travel vs compression, therefore it would bottom out sooner. With the lift, the suspension can compress more before bottoming out.

Articulation is dependent on a few things, shocks being number one, then the height of the bumpstops, length of limit straps, size of tire, etc. My new rear shocks are slightly longer than stock, but the coilovers are the same length as stock therefore the amount of my articulation is roughly the same. If I'm correct, the ability for my tires to move independently and follow the contours of the ground remains mostly unchanged since the amount of travel is the same.

If I installed extended length Coilovers, yeah, the available amount of travel/articulation would be more. This is basically what happens with the lifts in Jeeps, the shocks get much longer, therefore the amount of travel is increased.

Even in a stock jeep, just removing the swaybars will alter the articulation, since the tires can move much more independently, same goes for any vehicle.

Good explanation, I agree with the shock length being a key factor in articulation. Why aren't the coilovers from a "lift kit" longer (extended) than stock? Seems strange, but I really haven't been into lifting IFS vehicles, except a small spacer lift on the 4th gen. Lifting Jeeps was so much easier.