[ChrisJuliano]

Okay, so I have ricelands and 2" ISC tophats, a friend brought it to my attention that I need new bumpstops apparantly if I want more spring travel?

I bought theses so I could lower my car to around moderatly slammed height, and still remain some spring travel so when I track my car it dosnt handle like crap. So I am wondering if I just throw the tophats on as of now, is it just compressing my sprigns more which would be counter productive? Or what?

Sorry for the noobness, but I am willing to learn, I dont understand the tophats completely so all the info is appreciated and I couldnt find anything with info that helped.

 

[Beef Supreme]

No, the bumpstops are for shock travel, not spring travel. Different length bumpstops are for people that lower their car and change the spring rates. While you are compressing your springs more with these new tophats and have lowered it considerably, and the fact racelands come with shitty bumpstops............that is why you could benefit from them.

Slap on the tophats and see how the car handles over bumps and stuff. If you decide you want to change the shock travel, then order new bumpstops from Fat Cat Motorsports

 

[ChrisJuliano]

I see what your saying, so with these on my handling shouldnt be worse, it should be just as good as it is now but lower?

This stuff confuses me.

 

[Beef Supreme]

The tophats are for adding preload on lowered vehicles, and allowing shock travel. You will notice what I mean the lower you go. Once there is almost no preload it almost feels like you are riding on the shock and the ride is a bit bouncy. This smooths out the ride and allows you to go lower with the same handling characteristics

 

[uni]

They allow you to slam it with giving you more shock travel, without them at a slammed height they would bottom out on the bumpstop.

 

[etikoner]

These allow your shock position to go higher thus allowing you to have a lowered stance without having to compress your shock shaft as much...

I don't run bump stops on my car so I feel it bottom out less often than I would be.

 

[ChrisJuliano]

Now I am understanding what your saying now! It all starting to make sense.

I am going to toss these on and see how it feels, and prob pick up some for the front soon.

 

[Beef Supreme]

If it bolts down to the same spot on the shock body, how does it allow the shock to go higher? All I see it doing is compressing the springs, but keeping the same mounting point. What am I missing here

 

[etikoner]

Because they allow the shock shaft to be recessed higher into the car.

 

[Beef Supreme]

Once again the tophat is bolted down onto the top of that shock shaft at the same spot though. Its not like it stretched out the shock any higher. It just pushes down the springs. (adds preload so the car doesn't sit on the shocks)

 

[Yan]

If it bolts down to the same spot on the shock body, how does it allow the shock to go higher? All I see it doing is compressing the springs, but keeping the same mounting point. What am I missing here

The shock is going actually IN the extended ISC tophat, thus not slamming into the bumpstop/cut bumpstop/FCM bumpstop/bottom-of-the-tophat-'cause-I-got-no-bumpstop.

That way you gain suspension travel.

Imagine the shock GOING IN the ISC tophat (giving more travel):

Imagine the shock GOING IN the OEM tophat (no travel to be gain, no extension):

You notice that the OEM tophats are nearly flat, and the ISC are extended, giving more room for the shock to move up.

 

[ChrisJuliano]

That pic helps me know exactly how to install them!!!! THANKS!

 

[Beef Supreme]

I get what you are saying about shock travel, as I mentioned these give you more shock travel in my second post up top. I thought he was talking about different mounting heights or something. I guess the word "travel" was just left out of his description and confused me

 

[ChrisJuliano]

Question, at my current ride height my "helper springs" I think they are called, cuz the racelands have 2 seperate springs, the smaller spring is COMPLETELY compressed, would it be beneficial to take it out completely. I am refering to tracking my car and handling, not juts going as low as possible. So from a functional stand point.

 

[Beef Supreme]

Take them out. They are useless now with the new huge tophats

 

[ChrisJuliano]

But wont that mess with the spring rates and valving?

 

[Beef Supreme]

Not really. You can add preload by adjusting the perches. At this point with those huge tophats, all your helper springs are, are giant ass perches making your main springs more compressed now. You are not even slammed all the way down, it's gonna be a bitch just fitting those things on there.

 

[ChrisJuliano]

I sorta understand what your saying. So with it gone car will drop lower, so I can raise up the coil adjustment which would benefit me with travel at lower heights eh?

 

[Beef Supreme]

Yea, right now you are going to be at the point where you won't be able to take any preload out of the springs because they are compressed before even being installed. Take out the helper springs and with being able to control the height now also comes being able to put how much preload you want in the springs.

 

[ChrisJuliano]

I dont know what exactly preload is.