SCORE Journal - The Official Publication of SCORE Off-Road Racing
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/972318
2018 Suspension Guide Off-Road Suspension components for the serious off-road enthusiast By Jake Headlee SCORE fans and desert off-road enthusiasts need to travel fast across vast stretches of terrain and for this, you need specialized equipment that can withstand hard abuse. Instead of “lift-kits” and large diameter tires, SCORE fans care more about wheel travel and the capability of reaching speeds of 50-70 mph over terrain with a suspension system that won’t rattle the bones right out of their body. That is why a performance off-road suspension is the glue that holds everything we love about desert racing. Without the right components, we’re just beating up stock vehicles. This is why we’ve gathered up some of the top performance suspension add-ons and upgrades for 2018. KING Shocks www.kingshocks.com Toyota Tundra 3.0 Performance Series Kit King gives 2007 and up Tundra owners a hardcore suspension upgrade with the company’s 3.0 front coil overs and 3.0 three-tube rear bypass shocks. Both feature external finned reservoirs, compression adjusters, and feature new lower coil adjusters for easier ride height adjustments. Large 3/4-inch lower bearings and new steel rod ends are derived from racing and all of the shocks can be completely rebuilt. Can-am Maverick X3 Coilover Kit 2017 Cam-Am Maverick owners can utilize the same King Shocks used in Baja racing with the company’s coil over kit for the X3, that’s a complete bolt-on installation. The kit comes with 2.5 IBP Front coil overs and 3.0 rear coil overs, both equipped with King’s patented IBP internal bypass technology and compression adjusters. Finned Reservoirs aid in cooling while a built-in billet clamp allows for direct mounting of the reservoirs to the factory or custom roll cages. Available for all X3 models. KING Shocks www.kingshocks.com 3.0 Race Piggyback Swivel Shock with Compression Adjuster Desert racers looking for a swivel style coil over, King’s new 3.0 Race Piggyback Swivel features a compression adjuster with 360 degrees of reservoir adjustability. The adjuster is simple and easy to position, and is made from 6061-T6 billet aluminum. The 3.0 Piggyback Swivel shock can be built to maintain standard shock lengths and can be ordered with optional finned reservoirs, a temperature sensor, Clevis lower mounts, a shaft guard, and King’s internal bypass. Bilstein www.bilstein.com/en B8 6112 – Ride Height Adjustable Shock Designed for the serious off-road adventure seeker, the all-new B8 6112 kit optimizes off-road and on-road capabilities with a 60mm digressive piston for increased damping control. This kit features an adjustable spring seat which allows vehicle leveling, larger tires, and increased ground clearance. Kit includes (2) front 60mm shocks, (2) spring seats and (2) springs. The B8 6112 shock features a large 60mm Monotube design for increased oil capacity, cooling and long-term durability. The 60mm digressive piston improves ride comfort and control over rough terrain. The cold-wound coil springs are custom engineered for enhanced vehicle control. Available for many applications and are vehicle specific for maximum performance. B8 5160 Performance Shock Bilstein’s B8 5160 shocks are a direct-fit for your lifted truck, Jeep or SUV. They use the OEM shock mounts and require no cutting or welding to install. Each shock has a durable zinc finish with multi-layer unique Bilstein coating for extreme protection. Equipped with a remote reservoir dramatically increases shock oil capacity for even greater heat dissipation and damping sensitivity. The reservoir hose uses special swivel banjo fittings allow for 360° of rotation. Vehicle specific reservoir mount kit included. Bilstein www.bilstein.com/en Bilstein Toyota Tacoma Kit Designed for 2005-2015 model Toyota Tacoma pickups, Bilstein’s B8 8112 and B8 8100 shocks incorporate Bilstein’s latest technology, delivering position sensitive damping in both compression and rebound. Made with a triple piston design, the suspension system can deliver comfort during every day driving conditions and maximum control under large suspension inputs. The adjustable threaded spring seat allows for fine-tuned ride height, ranging from 0.6-inch to 2.5-inch. Each unit includes a 60mm remote reservoir for increased oil capacity and cooling. Addictive Desert Designs www.addictivedesertdesigns.com 2017 Ford Raptor Upper and Lower Control Arms The ADD 2017 Raptor Upper and Lower Control Arms are the only arms on the market specifically designed for the vehicle. These arms are race-inspired and will work with the company’s full front suspension kit or can be used individually with stock components for staged upgrades. Each arm uses a heavy duty 1.5” Uniball at the knuckle. The upper A-arms use 7/8” rod ends at the frame and the lower A-arms use 1” Uniballs at the frame. This kit was CAD designed and cycled for maximum wheel travel and flexibility, as well as extensively real-world tested. Addictive Desert Designs www.addictivedesertdesigns.com 2017 Ford Raptor Fabricated Spindle This spindle is a direct replacement for the OEM unit with strength engineered into all the right places. The spindle offers an integrated progressive turn-stop, which ensures a factory turning radius without having to limit or modify any of the stock components to operate safely. In addition, the upper and lower mounts are machined out of 4130 Chromoly, providing optimal strength and long-term durability over the stock part. The spindle also boasts a heavy duty double shear tie-rod mount, which is designed to work with the company’s billet aluminum tie rod upgrade kit, reducing slack and bump steer under extreme conditions. ICON Vehicle Dynamics www.iconvehicledynamics.com Tundra 3.0 Series Coilover Kit ICON now offers 2007 ad up Toyota Tundra owners 3.0 Series shocks for increased stability and vehicle control at the extremes of off-road use, with benefits for on-road driving conditions. The multi-stage hydraulic Bump Zone featured in these 3.0 Series shocks are designed to increases bottom-out resistance as the shock travels through the last 40-percent of travel, keeping vehicle dynamics in check during those hard hits or unexpected obstacles. Designed as an OEM shock replacement for simple installation, ICON added ride height adjustability, 1.63-3.5-inch of front lift-height allowing for the fitment of larger, more aggressive wheel and tire combinations. ICON also added quality components such as Eibach coil springs and FK Rod End bearings to ensure these shocks function to their maximum potential. AGM Allgermanmotorsports.com Coil Spring Suspension Sliders All German Motorsports designed their Suspension Sliders to prevent damage caused by shock spring dividers. The sliders are a three-piece configuration that prevents cracks or breaks of spring dividers and it keeps the coils from rubbing on the shocks from hard off-road use. They also prevent annoying squeaks and are a direct replacement part. Reservoir Piston Tool The AGM Reservoir Piston Tool provides a quick and accurate method of measuring and setting shock reservoir piston depth during service. In addition, the AGM Reservoir Piston Tool can be used to monitor/prevent piston movement while bleeding air from your shock. Made in the USA from high grade steel, its heavy duty construction ensures proper function and long life. Works with all brand name shock reservoirs OffRoadDesign www.offroaddesign.com GM Leaf Spring Packs Offroad Design has developed a full range of long travel custom leaf suspensions for GM trucks from 1969-‘87 and solid axle conversions up to 2010 models. The leaf springs are created from ORD’s 20 years of GM specific experience, and utilize 10 leaf packs of thin material, nylon tip pads and military wrap eyes to improve ride quality, wheel travel, and durability in a package matched to the vehicle. Cummins swaps, LS swaps, extended spring lengths and other custom mods are easily accommodated. Leaves are available alone to replace rough riding lift kit springs, or in full systems complete with premium shocks, U-bolts, brake lines, steering, and the rest of the equipment you need to build from scratch. Baja Kits www.bajakits.com 2017 Colorado ZR2 Long Travel Pre-runner Kit For those Colorado ZR2 owners who want more articulation and wheel travel when in the desert and mountain trails, Baja Kits created a component system to do just that. The company’s heavy-duty upper and lower A-arms add a two-inch wider track-width to the Chevy Colorado, opening up options for adjustable coil overs and position-sensitive bypass shocks, while retaining excellent on-road handling and comfort. The kit is a direct bolt-on, and is engineered to be a complete suspension system using Trophy Truck grade Uniballs and hardware on both the upper and lower arms. Heavy-duty fabricated steel arms handle the abuse while custom tuned King coil over shocks, with remote reservoirs and compression adjusters, handle suspension damping. This kit is an easy upgrade with the Baja Kits custom length shock for maximum wheel travel. An optional 2.5 King Bypass shock is an option that can be added upon initial install or later. Rear kits are available to complement the front. Doetsch www.doetsch-shocks.com 2.5 Aluminum 4x4 Shocks Doetsch 2.5 Aluminum shocks are designed for a wide variety of four-wheel drive applications, both stock and lifted. Available both with and without reservoirs, the Doetsch 2.5 Aluminum 4x4 Shocks are completely rebuildable, can be re-valved, and bolt into stock OEM shock mounts for ease of installation and use.