Suspension Ride Quality Explained - Filthy Motorsports

A detailed overview of vehicle ride quality and how it as affected by suspension design, geometry, springs, shocks, and shock valving by Ben Brazda, owner of Filthy Motorsports.
Sections:
4:00 - Tire and Wheel Size
7:34 - Springs and Shocks
16:25 - Solid Axles
21:32 - Coil Springs
24:35 - Coilovers
31:35 - Independent Suspension
42:09 - Leaf Springs
46:24 - Air Bags
52:16 - General Advice
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Shop On-Line:
www.filthymotorsports.com
www.drivetrainshop.com
Helpful Resources:
www.crawlpedia.com
www.axlebuilder.com
www.liftlaws.com
Don't forget to like, comment, and share our videos and subscribe to our channel!
Disclaimer: This video is for entertainment and educational purposes only. Imitation or the use of any instruction or ideas shown in this video is solely at your own risk. Filthy Motorsports will not be liable for any personal injury or property damage resulting from attempting anything shown in this video. All content produced by, and all communication with Filthy Motorsports are subject to our terms and conditions found here: www.filthymotorsports.com/terms
Copyright 2017, Filthy Motorsports, LLC

[@overlandinusa1517]

Unbelievable that this channel has only 10K subscribers when pseudo overlanding youtubers who don't know jack about their rigs pull 100K+. This is a hidden gem on youtube!

[@mechanicalman1068]

Too much “hmmm...” and too little “grrrr!”. Too much educational information here and too little rad music and exciting anecdotes and off-road footage. And he’s making his money actually running a real business off of KZbin.

[@James-fg5no]

You would make an excellent university professor.. I thoroughly enjoyed your videos. Thanks for taking time to provide free education

[@Filthymotorsports]

Thank you so much, I really appreciate that!

[@Gyppor]

I second this comment. Excellent suspension 101 video!!! Thank you!

[@skylerwest1025]

I “third” this comment, excellent video. I’ve really enjoyed all your videos. Thank you for providing this knowledge to the public.

[@Pipe-Layer]

I agree 100% ! Ben, awesome info man ! Keep it up and thank you.

[@threeaxis359]

I totally agree he does a beautiful job explaining every thing.

[@henrent]

Just FYI guys, I have a Ford Raptor and just had a very interesting conversation with Ben at Filthy Motorsports. He wasn't trying to sell me what I didn't need and was very honest. No fake sales tactics here. I think it would be good if he did an entire video on the subject. Great guy!

[@jasonpanozzo3317]

Thank you for the run down without crappy music and effects. Hats off

[@Filthymotorsports]

So glad to hear that! We figured that videos should be about the content, not special effects or fancy editing!

[@StormbornJKU]

The amount of knowledge you’ve got is unbelievable. It’s an absolute gift that your sharing this information and helping all of us out here learn a lot more about our rigs.

[@Filthymotorsports]

You are very welcome, it is great to hear that, thank you!

[@arcowboy2662]

Start of video: "There's no way I'm watching this for an hour" End of video: "Wait... I just was incredibly engaged for an hour" Thank you for such a well put together, educational video.

[@Filthymotorsports]

That is the best compliment we can get, so glad to hear that, thank you!

[@bobader_coffee1748]

Exact same feelings

[@z50king29]

I watched the whole thing. I hope to be a customer someday. Don't have the money for it now, sorry. As a teacher, I thank you for sharing your knowledge with the public and not charging to watch or buy the video!

[@Filthymotorsports]

So glad to hear it, I look forward to it one day!

[@DapimpBDSD]

It took me 3 tries but I finally watched the whole video and appreciate all the great info in it

[@Filthymotorsports]

So glad you found it helpful!

[@AlloffroadAu]

another top video Ben, one of the very few long videos I watched in its entirety

[@tape2199]

Thank you Ben for your prompt emails and well explained videos.

[@Filthymotorsports]

It's our pleasure!

[@RaveReviveRecover]

Why are you so good at explaining things to make it so easy to understand?!! Love your videos

[@Filthymotorsports]

Wow, thank you!!

[@J0n.M]

Outstanding and most helpful video. Thank you for putting this together

[@dna59]

This video opened my eyes to a lot of things I didn't even think about.

[@fireguy2525]

You are a great teacher. I just want to say thank you for the awesome videos. I have learned so much and I'm very thankful I found your channel before I spent money on suspension for my 4 Runner. I do plan on contacting you before I spend any money on suspension.

[@Filthymotorsports]

So glad to hear it, thanks Jason!

[@sublazer]

Glad to see your making more videos Ben! The king shocks you setup for me have been the best addition to the truck.

[@Filthymotorsports]

Really glad to hear that, Robert!

[@genepaceky9468]

Great video! This really helped me understand a couple of things I was having a hard time grasping when I was reading through the forums. I'm relatively new to off-roading and trucks in general, and your website has been the most accessible in terms of the notes and recommendations on the product page. I will definitely be contacting you guys when I'm ready to get things going on upgrading from my stock suspension.

[@Filthymotorsports]

So glad to hear it!

[@spanky4446]

Wow! Ive been searching for months for a video like this. Great info, thank you so much!

[@Filthymotorsports]

Glad it was helpful!

[@dukainmanning7246]

This is why I enjoy these videos. Currently building a Jeepspeed XJ and this is really helpful.

[@Filthymotorsports]

So glad to hear it!

[@rolandgeorges960]

Great educational video, not overly academic, hence, to the point. Congratulations.

[@OhadXLe]

Amazing video, put the puzzle all together. A must for anyone who is going to deal with his suspention.

[@Filthymotorsports]

Thank you for the positive feedback, so glad to hear it!

[@derrickolson9611]

Awesome video, Thank you for putting the effort into putting this together!

[@Filthymotorsports]

You are very welcome, so glad to hear you enjoyed it!

[@JacksonD489]

Ben... You are the man! I've learned volumes from your videos... I am working on my GMC Sierra 4x4 daily/prerunner and will definitely be in touch with you when time comes to build my King coilovers! Keep up the excellent work!

[@Filthymotorsports]

Sounds great, so glad to hear it!

[@nektariosdroulos1852]

I am glad you are open and true. Thank you for your videos. Hope you the best, professionally and personally.

[@Filthymotorsports]

Thanks for the kind words!

[@jasonwoods7665]

Great video, best one I have seen to date about suspensions!!

[@Filthymotorsports]

So glad to hear it, thanks!

[@mbh4960]

An excellent very informative video, well worth the hour of time invested.

[@Filthymotorsports]

So glad to hear that, I was worried it ended up being way too long for people to watch. Cheers!

[@MikeZ32TT]

Wow, serious video. I'm looking at suspension for my FJ. So much good info.

[@hollyscoular8476]

Great video, extremely informative and well produced. Back to the drawing board with my truck, after much investment still not meeting my goals or expectations. Your video presentation makes perfect sense. Wish I had come across this before I started.

[@Filthymotorsports]

If there is any way we can help, let us know!

[@scubbarookie]

Thank you Ben! The information your providing us is on an engineering level broken down for the average consumer to understand! This is priceless! 👍

[@Filthymotorsports]

Thank you!

[@adamlezama4311]

I would like to thank you for all the invaluable information you shared. As a total novice i am presently trying to figure out my suspension and how to achieve my end goals. I totally enjoyed your video. Thanks again ✊

[@Filthymotorsports]

Glad it was helpful!

[@drj4608]

Definitely one of the best channels for educating their customers.

[@Filthymotorsports]

Thank you. We try our best!

[@pedropulido9427]

Great explanation of the different areas of suspension. I am going down that rabbit hole of deciding shocks and lift with my Jeep right now so I may reach out with some questions.

[@Filthymotorsports]

Sounds great, we're happy to help any way we can and we're always just a call or email away!

[@richardpaul3193]

Ben - Great session on suspension design. Thanks for saving us $thousands and countless experiments. The least I can do is become a new Subscriber.

[@Filthymotorsports]

Thank you, sir!

[@jonathanwhipple2360]

Thank you for making your video's !! They are so informative and helpful! I wish I would dhavw found you guys just a few weeks ago! I'll be giving you guys a call here soon.

[@EyezWideOpen85]

Ben, thank you for your time/effort to spread this knowledge. I will be calling you tomorrow to leave a message and wait for a return call. I'll give you a quick heads up as will be calling on behalf of my 1990 XJ 2 door 4.0L 4X4. I'm currently looking at picking up a 5.5" extreme duty lift kit from Rubicon Express. This kit however does not come with shocks...which is why i ended up finding out about King shocks and ultimately watching this VERY informative video. So Right off top I AM going to be running an aftermarket tubular prerunner style bumper with a wich...along with tubular rocker panels as well as a rear tubular bumper...a roof rack..and 2 full size spares which i would guestimate would increase my weight by a few close to 200 lbs. I am still debating on wether i want to run 32x11.50x15's..or 33x12.5x15's I am VERY open to suggestions. Finally my desired applications are as follows..now before you get mad..YES I DID WATCH THIS ENTIRE VIDEO..and I understand that its impossible to set up a vehicle to preform well in all applications but I do want to be able to trail ride....do 40-60 through the desert....hit the mud holes...do a little bit of crawling..and of course my favorite..jump some dunes. Street- 40% Trails- 15% Mud- 15% Crawl- 10% Dunes-20% But also...I do want to be able to either save up for a second pair of pretuned shocks for expedition application/towing....or will you guys be able to point me in a direction to tweak settings myself to achieve the desired performance as necessary. Here is a linwww.rubiconexpress.com/Suspension/Rubicon-Express-5-5-Inch-Extreme-Duty-Long-Arm-Lift-Kit-No-Shocks-RE6300.aspx?t_c=1&t_s=38&t_pt=3533&t_pn=R%2FERE6300k the lift I've got my eye on: I GENUINELY APPRECIATE YOUR TIME, SIR

[@1angry5]

Ben, This really explained suspension systems and options. I'm in the process of building a 2016 Lexus GX460. I've ran several of your competitors systems and this tutorial was so helpful. Kings is going on this time. Thanks much for the tutorial.

[@Filthymotorsports]

I'm very happy to hear that, thanks for watching! This is the kit we offer for teh GX460: www.filthymotorsports.com/King_OEM_Land_Cruiser_Shocks_p/king-25001-274.htm

[@cornelmichaelz]

awesome videos here is my free 100 % support keep shining great content

[@Raszagal1983]

professor Ben is here and class is in session folks. thanks for sharing your knowledge with us Ben

[@Filthymotorsports]

Lol, thank you!

[@tennispro70]

My father is a neurologist and is very intelligent. You know your niche very well and are very articulate which is nice to see. I left you another message below but wanted to give you some feedback

[@Filthymotorsports]

So glad to hear it, thank you for the nice words!

[@rickbutler7235]

What an excellent discussion!!

[@KKOA]

This was very informational. Thank you.

[@Filthymotorsports]

Thank you for watching!

[@milestrevelyan3858]

Suspension is so complicated. The world is thankful for people like you

[@Filthymotorsports]

It is complicated but the basics are the most important. What makes things harder is that there is a lot of (very) bad information out there and people also have a tendency to overthink things so that doesn't help, lol. Glad you enjoyed the video!

[@17tyber]

Thank you. I will be contacting you soon. Great info!

[@JPRC]

Another great explanation video and nice demonstration using the hpi mini trophy truck

[@Filthymotorsports]

Thanks! It's great to see R/C cars keeping up with the real things!

[@JPRC]

i took shock tuning advise from you a few times and applied them on RC trucks and they worked out amazing. they look real amazing in my videos.

[@alphamech9283]

Filthy Motorsports lol ... thats not nice to say to JPRC even tho' his not my favorite sub'ed rc channel. haha just joking with both you. Anyway great work Ben n thanks

[@jangriesel5056]

Hey Ben. thumbs up from South Africa, great videos.

[@Filthymotorsports]

We've worked with quite a few customers in South Africa, very cool!

[@karunk4261]

Wow...you just nailed it.... A very good explanation..... Got a lot if answers for my questions.... 👍

[@Filthymotorsports]

So glad to hear it! Cheers!

[@toddpeterson6035]

Excellent backgrounder on suspension systems and solutions!

[@Filthymotorsports]

Very glad to hear it!

[@PicklerEntertainment]

This is the exact video I needed just... I'm so glad I'm stumbled across this video tonight. I'm 3 weeks into my new 2021 Ford Bronco Outer Banks (Non-Sasquatch) purchase and I really do love the vehicle, however the ride is quite a bit stiffer than I expected. It handles cornering and turns far better than expected, but it's pretty rough when going over train tracks or significant bumps dips in the roadway. It sounds almost exactly the rail-road issue you mentioned with your truck. I would love to upgrade the shocks alone, to improve ride quality, without having to swap out the entire suspension system. So that sounded like a great option to me!

[@Filthymotorsports]

We would be happy to help and have more Bronco kits coming in soon, contact us directly for details!

[@shabanhelal]

very nice explanation

[@jonathanreardon281]

Lots of great info. Thx!

[@hansk3614]

A hidden gem video! It teach a lot about suspension. But it make me wonder, can I ask about a suspension that the car is not available in US? I concern about upgrading the ride quality on bumpy road. Thanks.

[@rosspowell5807]

Great video, wish I had 10th of the knowledge that you do. You helped me understand many principles. Thank you and keep up the good work!!

[@Filthymotorsports]

So glad to hear the video helped! Make sure to subscribe, we have more videos in the works!

[@AndrewBrowner]

this and the locker video are great! should do more on other topics, it certainly builds your customer basis, hate dealing with shops/companies that dont know the specifics of what theyre selling and can only type the part number in their computer and tell you if its a bolt on part...

[@Filthymotorsports]

Glad to hear it! We have more videos in the works but they take a lot of time to make and we've been extremely busy. We do hope to publish 2 or 3 new videos this year so make sure to subscribe!

[@Anthony-bg2pe]

Great video. It's good to have videos to refer to with actual knowledge. You da man!

[@Filthymotorsports]

Thank you!

[@superdutyzack]

Awesome video man, could you show us your truck? would love to see a real example!

[@michaelstanton7750]

This is an excellent video. Thank you. Thank you.

[@Filthymotorsports]

So glad to hear that, thank you!

[@nighthawkdotcom]

Another Awesome video. I learned a lot, thanks!

[@Filthymotorsports]

Glad to hear it!

[@vincentkeith5259]

Yet another really great video. Any chance you'll be doing a video on Portal Axles?

[@Filthymotorsports]

Thanks Vincent! No videos planned on that topic but feel free to call or email me when you have some time and we can discus them. Cheers!

[@brucehornberger3564]

Awesome videos, thank you very much. One thing I would love to see, is a discussion on the difference between progressive, digressive, and linear shock absorbers.

[@Filthymotorsports]

Great suggestion, that is a tough one to explain since so many variables need to be taken into consideration. It is on our list, just need to figure out the execution.

[@4xfortuner812]

@@Filthymotorsports also waiting for this!

[@melissaward2720]

Best video ever on suspension

[@Filthymotorsports]

Thank you!

[@michaelreid2351]

@19:44 - "In order to fix one thing you will negatively effect another thing". For the Raptor guys with "upgraded" stiffer springs, myself included, I have have Camburg UCAs, Geiser progressive coils up front and Icon +3 progressive leaf's in the rear. The shocks have been rebuilt and "Bravo Tuned" and the caster is set to 4.5. It handles much better than stock but there is more to be done here. I have asked the forums if increasing spring rates requires changes to valving to account for the new spring rate. Often the answer is along the lines of "it doesn't make a big enough difference." The way I drive my truck, it makes a difference and it needs to be accounted for. I have experienced the tires bouncing off the asphalt multiple times if a series of bumps are hit at the right speed with the right turn angle. It is unsettling to have one of your tires continue bouncing off the pavement while the other three are planted and the bumps are well behind you. When on mountain roads the the whole truck sometimes feels like the tires are taking turns hoping off the ground. These are rare occurrences but they do happen. I have been told I need to install a "flutter stack". My understanding is that this will increase body roll or nose over while breaking and potentially reduce usable compression travel. I upgraded the springs to pick nose up 2", reduce nose over while braking and to account for weight in the rear while retaining full travel and compression dampening. I don't think the "Bravo tune" is correct for my springs, the way I drive or where the truck rides in the travel of the shocks. I may not be ready to spend the money on a set of Kings for my truck but I am ready learn how the suspension should perform under different conditions and how to get that performance. I think I need to reduce compression dampening and rebound dampening needs to be increased to control the higher spring rate properly. I appreciate the video you have closed the loop for me on many things others told me were not significant enough to matter.

[@grahamlasure6191]

Love this video. Will share!

[@Filthymotorsports]

Awesome! Thank you!

[@shayneandrew7881]

Luv this channel from australia thanks mate

[@Filthymotorsports]

Cheers!

[@soleilpitcher6972]

very helpful thank you

[@ShockSurplus]

Damn, what a great video, solid work!

[@Filthymotorsports]

Thanks! So glad to hear it!

[@5RWill]

Agreed, there needs to be a sticky of these videos all over forums. Would clear up a lot of questions.

[@Filthymotorsports]

So glad you think so, please share!

[@alialfyZz]

one hell of a mechanic \m/

[@4xfortuner812]

Great videos! kudos to you and your team mate! Can I ask since kings coilovers aren't available in my country, will BP51s (yeah I know u guys think its gimmicky hehe) be a good fit for what I do and worth the price? These are the only fully supported reservoir coilovers available in my country. I do some offroad trails on the weekends (Rocky and/or muddy) on a 4wd diesel toyota fortuner (hilux-based wagon, same front end as prado/4runner/gx/FJ). Currently on bilstein 5100s and front 800lb rate springs and rear 2" lift springs from toughdog. Ride is okay but I think the billies might be slightly underdamped for it.

[@grahamlasure6191]

Wow. Awesome info. I am trying to design a new suspension for my build. Hopefully you can live up to.

[@Filthymotorsports]

We are happy to help any way we can.

[@KamaJiuJitsu]

Great job! Thanks for this.

[@Filthymotorsports]

Thanks for watching!

[@richardfinney3179]

@@Filthymotorsports could u please give me your phone number please

[@arsenibuinitski1790]

Thanks for the video first of all - this is one of that golden pieces of knowledge and experience which are very valuable out there for guys like me. However I have a feeling that you're focusing on suspension system "keeping the cabin right" and not giving all the attention that "supporting optimal wheel angle and it's contact patch" deserves. I'm just starting to go deeper into your channel though. Thanks again!

[@Filthymotorsports]

Thanks for the feedback! The goal of this video was to be a basic introduction to ride quality and performance but, like you said, there are many, many, other factors include suspension geometry (caster, camber, roll-center, anti-squat, anti-dive, etc.), weight distribution, center of gravity, body roll, etc. that affect ride quality, performance, and handling. Cheers!

[@srinitaaigaura]

Make a video of how the Koenigsegg Triplex suspension gives such a good ride in the Regera with that third damper or how the Mclaren Pro Active Chassis control gives such a good ride while eliminating body roll.

[@vhsfpm]

Excelent video. About Leaf spring, general rule: high gas charged shock absorver, low gas charged or hydraulic (just oil).??? for confort ride in a DD, that ocassionaly go to slow off road.

[@Filthymotorsports]

They can all work as long as they are tuned for proper rebound damping.

[@YogavenkatanarayananG]

This is very useful! Thanks..!

[@Filthymotorsports]

You're welcome!

[@connie051919]

Excellent.

[@sethsmith3672]

Bro.......awesome video.

[@Filthymotorsports]

Thank you!

[@stevejette2329]

WOW ! Thanks !

[@user-eo2qt2ri9c]

I can only listen to reasonable people with obvious intelligence and experience, this guy's got that!

[@Filthymotorsports]

Thank you for the kind words!

[@shootinbruin3614]

Ben, you have a natural gift for teaching. If I may ask, what are the effects of preload on ride quality? From what I understand, preload does not affect spring rate. So assuming that one does not run out of downtravel and the suspension has enough droop to reach the bottom of a pothole, ride quality should be unaffected by increasing preload. But what about during a jump where the suspension is fully extended? If we land from a jump, am I correct in assuming that the preload must be overcome before the suspension begins to compress? If so, does this mean that until upward travel begins, the impact of the tire with the road isn't mitigated by the spring, making for a harsh landing? If this is correct, does this mean that the ideal spring setup for a vehicle meant to jump is one with zero preload? I.e., adjust for desired ride height by experimenting with different spring rates while screwing the coil nut in just enough for each spring to be snug. This way, very little shock is transmitted directly to the chassis before the suspension begins to move. Normally, this kind of spring rate would be far too light to cushion the blow of the landing but if I learned anything from this video and from reading your comments, a good damper will take care of that. Thank you for taking the time to put this video together. I learned a lot!

[@ieatglue7268]

Thanks for the video. I'm starting the planning phase of my LC200 build and these videos have been extremely helpful. I am torn between a simple setup (stock style struts/springs) and going with a coil over. My biggest concern was the rebuild process that would be needed eventually going with the coil overs. I heard in some of your prior videos you may be releasing a rebuild video and was wondering if plans are to release that still?

[@Filthymotorsports]

Thanks for watching! This is the kit that we offer for the LC200 and we sell a ton of them with great results: www.filthymotorsports.com/King_OEM_Land_Cruiser_Shocks_p/king-25001-266.htm They are completely serviceable and rebuildable and yes, we will have a video that covers that process coming out later this year. Cheers!

[@ieatglue7268]

Awesome. Thank you very much! If I go that route I will definitely be going through you all. I just need to figure out all the weight i'll be adding first so I can get the right spring rates.

[@sphillips6357]

Hi, I'd like to get yours and everyone's opinion on a possible rear suspension modification (especially if you have had any experience with 2 to 5 ton trucks, 2wd or 4wd). This question is for a '69 one rear axle 2.5 ton 4x4 truck, leaf sprung. I once saw where someone was using shackles at both ends of the leaf spring and a torque bar connected under the spring pack. The frame end of the torque rod used a pin so the torque bar could move up and down but allow no lateral axle movement. And the axle end of the torque bar used a heim joint. This would allow the axle to rotate/twist if one side was going over a rock and the other side was not going over a rock, for example. The idea was to maintain the full load carrying capacity of the truck but allow for more axle movement on and off road and when loaded or unloaded. In addition to better axle movement, the person claimed it also afforded a much better ride loaded or unloaded both on or off road without putting a stress on anything as compared to when a rear axle is locked in place by leaf springs that only give at the one shackle. I hope I explained it ok. Everyone's comments would be appreciated. I am converting my 2.5 ton truck to 4wd and I'm considering this modification for my truck's rear suspension. Truck's use is occasionally work and off-road and long-distance camper. Also on a leaf-sprung front suspension, why is the shackle often put in the front of the vehicle's front leaf spring, and not in the rear of the front leaf spring? I was once told because of the rebound there is much less shock experienced when hitting road bumps and better ride with the shackle in the rear of the front leaf springs both on and off road. Your comments, please. Thank you.

[@adambatchelder4121]

Great video, ill be calling.

[@Filthymotorsports]

Sounds great, thank you!

[@user-tc1lw4mw8j]

A true professional!

[@rafaelrene1968]

Thank you so much for all this amazing videos you create, I have learned so much from you that's so helpful . I have a 1976 Toyota FJ 40, I looked in to convert it to coilover but it cost so much to do the fabrication, so I change my mind. I want to change the leaf springs to a 2.5 lift spring so I can fit 32" tires. I want to make sure that I order the right springs and the right shocks so I can have a nice ride on and off road. do you think you can help me??? After watching two of your videos I'm not comfortable ordering any suspensions before I talk to you, after all the suspensions is very important to me but that's not the only thing I need done on my rig , so its important for me to get it done right on the first time. Thanks again for all this knowledge .

[@Filthymotorsports]

Sounds like a great project, send us an email and we'll connect to go over your options!

[@infiniteuniverse1757]

Id buy from you just to appreciate the free content

[@Filthymotorsports]

Our pleasure!

[@Mels111]

Best video ever !! I have a 2012 f250 was wondering what u have on your super duty ???

[@Filthymotorsports]

Thank you! My 08 F250 diesel is built as follows: 1. King Coilover Conversion Kit: www.filthymotorsports.com/King_OEM_Super_Duty_Shocks_p/king-25001-146.htm 2. Deaver custom rear leaf springs 3. Sulastic leaf spring shackles 4. Air bag overload springs with Daystar air bag cradle 5. 37" Pro Comp tires on 17" wheels. 6. Limit straps

[@matthewbrown8723]

I really appreciated this video. It was so informative and I didn't mind the length at all. I felt more captivated and interested than pretty much any of lectures in college. So thank you very much! Secondly, what do you suggest for a 5th gen 4runner, daily driver, weekend warrior, Colorado deep woods trails but not necessarily rock crawling or desert racing. I'm plan on adding a little bit of weight via wench, skid plates, roof rack, ext. but I won't be towing anything. (Once I have the build plan finalized, I'll calculate the added weight so I can get the right size/tension coils). I'm thinking king coil overs in the front but I have no clue what to do in the back. I would like the vehicle to sit a little higher (2") but only for the added travel length and not at the cost of performance. I really want to be able to glide over those deep pot holes you get on the back roads and eliminate the crazy vibrations at 40mph you get from poorly maintained dirt roads, and be able to take on some of the nastier trails but not again I'm not trying to have a rock crawler. Just a highly capable off road vehicle for overland style trips.

[@Filthymotorsports]

So glad to hear you enjoyed the video! Everything you describe is what we do on a daily basis so you are in good hands. This is the kit we would work with and we'd just make sure to get the spring rates and valving set properly for your application: www.filthymotorsports.com/King_OEM_4Runner_Shocks_p/king-25001-278.htm

[@kregadeth5562]

I just finished the video and now I want to start it over

[@Filthymotorsports]

Glad to hear you enjoyed it!

[@Engine_biulds]

I am interested in tuned shocks for my 05 ram 2500 and a cost. I plan on having the 3" lift knuckles up front and maybe updating the rear leafs to new ones as my 400k miles ones are near flat across 😄 (how I got the truck) im looking to soften the suspension but get the hight up some to avoid bottoming out

[@Omar-up3qr]

I just want for my 2007 fj cruiser 2 Wheel drive to replace my original shocks for a better conforble Ride on regular roads. I was told Ranchos are good fit but I don't know which one for the front & back. What specific shocks,( i guess package or kit & comes with strats & spring coils) affordable purchase do you recommend ? Only the shocks?

[@MightAsWellK5]

Thanks Ben. Well described and thorough. I was initially sad thinking that you guys were exclusively a KING shop, but from your website it looks like you also deal a lot with ORI struts!!! I would definitely like to buy a few of those "$100 sessions" from you to get some tuning and setup advice on my current 14"/16" STXs... and find out what it would take to get them converted over to the new large remote canister style units. :)

[@Filthymotorsports]

Hi Greg, we are ORIs top dealer and Kings top dealer for custom shocks so you are in good hands on both accounts. Send me and email or give me a call and I'll let you know what we can do. Cheers!

[@MightAsWellK5]

Right on Ben!! I'm sure you'll want stuff like sprung mass vs. unsprung mass to get things really close. I don't own 7000Lb race scales (yet) so that's the final piece of the puzzle I'm really curious about. This is a full-size truck ('72 Blazer) so it's going to be every bit of 6000Lbs and probably more!!! THX!

[@Filthymotorsports]

No need to have it weighed, email me a few photos and I can tell you :)

[@extec101]

found the video as i serching like a spunge after info how to tune my shocks on a rc car and can relate to much of the video as spring rate and shock travel/ how stiff shock should be to handle most of the bumps eaven if their is some at the track im running that is going to bottom out. found parts of the video that i can lern from also.

[@mungbean84]

Another great vid. Stacks of great info as usual. One little thing, your model leaf springs are assembled incorrectly. The smaller leaves should be under the larger leaves otherwise they won't do anything on compression, they might do a little on rebound, but why bother with that...

[@Filthymotorsports]

Glad you enjoyed it! Yeah, there are a few other things wrong with that model too but I was hoping no one would notice! I'll just argue that its an over-the-leaf overload spring like you'd find on a F-450 :D

[@ptrwsk]

Very good video lesson. Considering heavy dune bushing every second week, how many years shocks and springs (fox or icon) will survive before I need to replace them ?

[@Filthymotorsports]

That depends on a million other factors, some guys never have springs fail while others go through them every year or two. Then there are also those cases of just getting a bad batch. As for the shocks, same deal, I have customers rebuilding them after every race and we just rebuilt a set that had 150k miles on them.

[@boarderdlux22]

Great Video! Super helpful! You definitely earned my business. I have a stock 2014 4runner SR5 that I'm trying to plan out for better "overland" capabilities . Its my daily driver and although I would love to pretend that I'm going to spend $7000 on a long travel kit and head out for the Baja 1000; realistically I don't need anything that awesome. I'm mainly looking to improve trail performance: lessen the jarring effect of deep pot holes, smooth out the vibrations caused by poorly maintained dirt roads that get those crazy ripples, take on rocky trails and rough logging roads. I don't do rock crawling, I don't plan on towing anything and I won't go 100 mph in the desert. I'm trying to decide how much money I need to set aside. What is an adequate budget for a solid trail set up as I described?

[@Filthymotorsports]

So glad to hear it! And I agree, long travel is a slippery slope and to do it right you need to expect to spend $10 to $15K. The best bang for your buck, and the best you can do short of building a dedicated race truck is going with a properly tuned and set up King OEM kit like this: www.filthymotorsports.com/King_OEM_4Runner_Shocks_p/king-25001-278.htm

[@rileybowers1290]

I love your videos

[@Filthymotorsports]

Thank you!

[@bluesky-01]

bought a 2018 f150 with a leveling kit already installed, how do I measure the amount of lift they added?

[@srinitaaigaura]

There is one more question. The type of tunable dampers / shocks you offer, are they active or passive dampers?

[@vincentwindels3752]

Thats a very good review, thanks. Could you also explain what the oil viscosity and the nitrogen pressure change to the ride quality ?

[@Filthymotorsports]

Heavier oil is "thicker" and increases damping significantly while lighter oil reduces damping. Nitrogen pressure keeps the oil under pressure and prevents it from "foaming" but it also has an effect on how much damping is "felt", for example, for a softer feeling ride you can reduce nitrogen pressure whereas for racing, were damping needs to happen instantly, higher pressure is used. (*Simplified Explanations*)

[@vincentwindels3752]

Thank you for your answer !

[@scubbarookie]

I like you. This education is great, but you can drink some water, when you need it. Just saying! Your awesome in your dedication to inform on a very high level of understanding. Your presentation is admirable. Thank you for this knowledge.👍⚡

[@Filthymotorsports]

Lol, thank you!

[@michaelnortmann9933]

Great video with explanaitions you can understand without having a degree in french... In regards to the bucking feeling you pick up from joins in the freeway, will it be affected and amplified by flexing of the chassis if you have eg. A 2 inch body lift paired with a custom steel bumper that carries the weight of a full size 33" spare tyre? Or is the extra weight just pushing my leaf-spring, coil-over combination to the point where its getting unpredictable?

[@Filthymotorsports]

Great question and glad to hear you enjoyed the video. To answer your question, yes, all of that will have an effect. Probably not a tremendous amount, but it all adds up.

[@tacticalfred3116]

Just for anyone considering King Shocks, Ben valved a set for me and was dead on. Best up grade I did to my Jeep

[@Filthymotorsports]

So glad to hear it!

[@HGC427]

I had a question about what the best solution for fixing my 2009 Silverado shake. I've noticed that it's a very subtle bumpiness around town doing city driving. It feels a bit mushy and disconnected from the road. Having some issues when I'm hauling a trailer. Noticing the vibration in the tail end of the truck it's quite jumpy on the highway. The shocks and springs are, I believe the stock, that came with the pickup. Any recommendations for best setup for a Silverado of this year to get better daily driving and a stiffer, stronger more controlled ride while towing a trailer even when trailer is unloaded. Thank you in advance.