The FRF Shock Shootout! All pre event details and discussion here

[BlueSVT]

That's not a fair statement, and we both know it. No more, please. Lets keep this thread about the test and its parameters.

Since we have zero truck right now, I am hardly in a position to be picky. However, if two or more do volunteer, I will be selecting the one with a bump stop/frame reinforcement kit. I won't budge on that, guys.

What I will be flexible on is how those stops are set up. If ICON tells their customers not to run any, we'll lower them to 0 pressure. If they say aok to run X pressure instead, that's what well do. We'll do what King tells their customers to do, and we'll do what Fox (RPG) tells their customers.

But no matter what, given the choice, I will take the reinforced/protected truck over the bone stock truck.

I wasn't trying to make any unfair statements? Just saying if a bump kit is critical to the overall performance of a shock... that's pretty important for a customer to know, since at that point it's the "package" performance... not the actual shock performance.

If he sees amazing results from the shootout with a bump kit, then puts it on his stock truck without a bump kit, and it sucks... that's something people would want to know, no?

 

[BigJ]

Absolutely. This entire thing will be transparent. We will do what the shock manufacturer tells its customers to do, when those customers ask this question. And all will know exactly what that is long before we hit the dirt.

My point is if mfgX says "Yes, our system is tuned to run with them at pressure Y" then we'll run them at pressure Y. If mfgX instead says "you don't need them but you can, just set them to pressure Z", we will set them to pressure Z. If mfgX says "don't run bump stops, our shocks wont work with them" then we are going to run them anyway, but set them to zero pressure.

In all cases, we will tell what mfgX says officially on the subject (meaning the answer you can expect if you were asking them the question), and we will tell what pressure we're going to test at. All will be known.

 

[BlueSVT]

Absolutely. This entire thing will be transparent. We will do what the shock manufacturer tells its customers to do, when those customers ask this question. And all will know exactly what that is long before we hit the dirt.

My point is if mfgX says "Yes, our system is tuned to run with them at pressure Y" then we'll run them at pressure Y. If mfgX instead says "you don't need them but you can, just set them to pressure Z", we will set them to pressure Z. If mfgX says "don't run bump stops, our shocks wont work with them" then we are going to run them anyway, but set them to zero pressure.

In all cases, we will tell what mfgX says officially on the subject (meaning the answer you can expect if you were asking them the question), and we will tell what pressure we're going to test at. All will be known.

Sounds good... I would just be surprised if any manufacturers "preferred" a bump kit installed, when testing the performance of their shocks? Hopefull we end up hearing back from them each, directly, soon!

 

[justvettn]

I understand what BlueSVT is trying to convey and agree with him, you are no longer testing just the shocks, which this was supposed to be all about in the first place.

 

[BigJ]

You guys aren't wrong. Don't misunderstand me.

Its just that, given the choice, I am not willing to put someone's $50k investment at risk when they themselves have already invested in mitigating that risk. I, as the organizer of this thing, can't extend my hand for a shake, look MemberX in the eye and give my word to do my best to protect his truck as I take the keys, only to turn around and remove parts he's added to do just that. Nor am I willing to assure a non protected truck owner all will be well, when there's no way I can know it will be. I just can't do it, and I won't.

Now, if someone wants to hand me their keys as they say "wreck it!", all bets are off. Anyone?

 

[justvettn]

BigJ I understand and appreciate your concerns and agree but I just think the test will be skewed if brand X benefits more from a bump-stop over brand Y.

 

[Maxx2893]

You guys aren't wrong. Don't misunderstand me.

Its just that, given the choice, I am not willing to put someone's $50k investment at risk when they themselves have already invested in mitigating that risk. I, as the organizer of this thing, can't extend my hand for a shake, look MemberX in the eye and give my word to do my best to protect his truck as I take the keys, only to turn around and remove parts he's added to do just that. Nor am I willing to assure a non protected truck owner all will be well, when there's no way I can know it will be. I just can't do it, and I won't.

Now, if someone wants to hand me their keys as they say "wreck it!", all bets are off. Anyone?

Bueller

 

[KeithS]

I have relatively little experience with bumpstops, but it sure seems like the rebound of the bumpstop, especially a long stroke design, would interact with the rebound of the shock. I haven't pulled the trigger on any significant mods for my Raptor yet, but IIRC the bumpstops that I ran on my last Jeep were deliberately designed with a very slow rebound so that they would not interfere with my shocks. I don't think that it is safe to say that all bumpstop kits will interact with the shocks in the same way, so I'd definitely like to see the shock manufacturers to weigh in on this topic.

That said, this is shaping up to be a very informative event. Keep up the good work!

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[BigJ]

BigJ I understand and appreciate your concerns and agree but I just think the test will be skewed if brand X benefits more from a bump-stop over brand Y.

I disagree. But maybe I'm wrong. Only way to know for sure is to test it.

I guess the bottom line on this issue is that unless things change and Ford drops a T&E Raptor into my hands no strings attached, at least you know where I stand and the approach I will be taking. If/when this opens up for contributions, you'll get to decide if this effort is still worth supporting, or not.

 

[BlueSVT]

I disagree. But maybe I'm wrong. Only way to know for sure is to test it.

I guess the bottom line on this issue is that unless things change and Ford drops a T&E Raptor into my hands no strings attached, at least you know where I stand and the approach I will be taking. If/when this opens up for contributions, you'll get to decide if this effort is still worth supporting, or not.

You disagree the results would be skewed?