Top hat failure with aftermarket springs

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

HOLLYWOOD 1

Full Access Member
Joined
Apr 16, 2020
Posts
641
Reaction score
1,669
Location
2Sun AZ
Has anyone actually watched the video?? so far every cracked shock bucked shown in the video is with Fox FRS and not the stock top hat. Here is the deal, I don't full send my shit, I use it pretty hard but if I see an obstacle I pump the brakes, I go midway unless I have prerun the area a bunch.

These guys are going to point of failure, I promise fix this and there will be another failure point.
Hate to disagree with you. That red Raptor has stock OEM Live Valve Fox Shocks with Geiser springs. I know the guy, and I was there. The next day he was looking at my truck saying “I’m getting those shocks”.
 

Old-Raptor-guy

FRF Addict
Joined
Jul 25, 2021
Posts
1,902
Reaction score
4,456
Location
USA
Hate to disagree with you. That red Raptor has stock OEM Live Valve Fox Shocks with Geiser springs. I know the guy, and I was there. The next day he was looking at my truck saying “I’m getting those shocks”.
watch the video again. the red truck that broke the ball joints was NOT the truck shown with the cracked shock buckets. Youtube/editing slide of hand.
 

Old-Raptor-guy

FRF Addict
Joined
Jul 25, 2021
Posts
1,902
Reaction score
4,456
Location
USA
Yeah your right, so he is basically saying its specific springs but those trucks aren't even equipped with said springs.
unless someone is up grading to fox FRS and then replacing FOX FRS springs with eibach/giesser then yea. I have a hard time believing anyone is doing that, since FRS springs give 2 inch lift.
 

Old-Raptor-guy

FRF Addict
Joined
Jul 25, 2021
Posts
1,902
Reaction score
4,456
Location
USA
Hate to disagree with you. That red Raptor has stock OEM Live Valve Fox Shocks with Geiser springs. I know the guy, and I was there. The next day he was looking at my truck saying “I’m getting those shocks”.
The factory top hat is what dirty off road hold in his hand, the FRS top hat is a heim joint top hat. vastly different in appearance. I can take photos tomorrow.
 

2012SCSVT

Full Access Member
Joined
Jun 30, 2021
Posts
110
Reaction score
185
Location
CA
I tend to agree with old raptor guy, it seems like the video has 3 types of damage described. And at the end of the day these trucks are being pushed hard AF.
Weak points will be found.

For those that where there, what kind of prep is done to these trucks and how hard do you drive the vehicles?
 

HOLLYWOOD 1

Full Access Member
Joined
Apr 16, 2020
Posts
641
Reaction score
1,669
Location
2Sun AZ
I tend to agree with old raptor guy, it seems like the video has 3 types of damage described. And at the end of the day these trucks are being pushed hard AF.
Weak points will be found.

For those that where there, what kind of prep is done to these trucks and how hard do you drive the vehicles?
Can’t speak for anybody but myself. I prep my truck before a run. Everything torqued to spec, then paint marked. Shocks / lines checked for leaks / kinks. Tie rods, axles checked. Basically anything that is on the truck.

Some guys drive really fast, I’m not in the top group. They go anywhere from 80 - 100+. I’m in the second group anywhere from 65 - 80. I’m older and supposedly wiser, LOL. I know not to drive out of my comfort zone, because Baja can and does bite very hard when you don’t respect her.

I get the ridiculous failures, alternator, oil filter, GPS. I’ve never broke a truck like I’ve seen down there. Bent frame, wheel ripped off along with everything else, spindle arm, shock axle. Good thing is the EXO Crew has enough parts in the chase trucks to repair anything.
 

2012SCSVT

Full Access Member
Joined
Jun 30, 2021
Posts
110
Reaction score
185
Location
CA
That sounds like a solid prep. Also sounds like you drive smart. As with any offroad adventures guys get pumped and send it some times, its fun! Off roading is tough on equipment.

That's super bad ass that you guys have a chase truck!
 

Sig Fanboy

Full Access Member
Joined
Apr 2, 2023
Posts
786
Reaction score
1,717
Location
WV
I don’t guess he made any friends at Eibach or Geiser. But he’s all warm and fuzzy with SDI. I’m not seeing how the SDI coil bucket cures all those issues. My take away from the video is the main culprit is the live valve shocks . Once again technology that’s supposed to make life better, just creates more problems. I have the FRS live valves on my 19 and wish I’d just deleted live valve and went with non live valve FRS.
But perhaps the most telling statement was when he said these trucks aren’t pre runners, they are just stock trucks. If you drive a stock truck like you are Walker Evans, don’t be surprised when chit breaks. I wonder how the coil buckets are looking on that Raptor from the Hoonigan This V That video( assuming everyone had seen that).
 
Top