Help on my new plans for the Alpha?

[USMC_315]

Closing in on the end of the year and some things have been popping up unexpectedly. I was planning on doing my lift and tires sooner than expected but am now kinda in the hole as far as $$ goes. I'd really like to get the truck done soon but it will take me a while to save up again for the lift and tires (and rims). I'm now kind of leaning towards cranking the T-bar now and just putting on 315s with the stock rims. However, I am also hesitant to do this as well because I know that the stress on the truck is increased when cranking it.

My questions become, should I just wait till I'm able to get the Rancho again? How expensive does the wear and tear from a T-bar crank over the years cost you to repair? How bad was the damage to the vehicle (or whats worst case scenarios with cranking)? Is it still safe to wheel with that added stress? Are new shocks recommended when cranking the T-bar? Any other helpful tips or recommendations would be great

 

[3Hummers]

If you don't crank the T bar too high you should not experience any issues. Mine has been at 23 1/4" for years with no additional wear on the components. If you do a lift you may want bigger tires than you can run just by cranking the T bars though.

 

[High Five H2]

There's a "leveling kit" that trail duty sells that's basically slightly longer bilstein shocks and 1" extended bumpstops. That's what most everyone who cranks the T-bars uses. I took mine in to get it aligned and to make sure the T bars were cranked properly, and they said that mine were within specifications. I cranked mine to 23.5 inches. I'm assuming that since they're "within specifications" that either there's no extra wear and tear, or it's only marginally more. I just did it 2 weeks ago and mine has 123K miles on it, so I couldn't tell you if there's more wear or not, and if I do have to replace stuff, I wouldn't know if it's because of the mileage or because of the cranked T bars.

 

[3Hummers]

I cranked our T bars at about 50K. We are at 125K now and on the same components we were with at 50K.

 

[USMC_315]

may be a stupid question but can a crank fit 35x12.50s or only 315s. I realize they're pretty much the same exact size, but I heard that it couldn't fit.

also can an 18" rim work on the truck w/o lift?

 

[Bigunit]

Yes and yes. My wife runs 18" rims on her non-lifted but t-bar leveled H3.

 

[Fish]

I cranked my t-bars on my H3 for the 3 years I had it and no problems. I got new shocks that were softer than I would have prefered but all in all no issues. My H2 is leveled with the t-bars adjusted and no issues either.

 

[USMC_315]

I cranked my t-bars on my H3 for the 3 years I had it and no problems. I got new shocks that were softer than I would have prefered but all in all no issues. My H2 is leveled with the t-bars adjusted and no issues either.

Which shocks did you have before and now?

 

[taylorblake831]

Yea you should be fine all I have is 1"daystar body lift cranked tbars 23.5, procomp torsion keys, extended bump stops with 35s and skyjacker N8000 shocks mine rides just fine and no rubbing at full lock


-TEXAS FOREVER-

 

[3Hummers]

I have run 35" KM2 and MTRs with no issues. They were for the stock 16" wheels.

 

[USMC_315]

So I decided last night on cranking the T-bar and putting on 315 Mud Grapplers on the stock wheels. Just purchased the Bilstein 5100s and bump stops from trail duty and I'm going to schedule an appt. at my local tire shop for when I get home for the Holidays

 

[3Hummers]

Cool. Drive it for a few days afterwards and take it in for an alignment.

 

[skeptic]

crank
35s
ucp
sliders
brushguard (optional, mainly for looks but some protection)
wheel it

 

[taylorblake831]

Yep[emoji115]
But I need a brush guard


-TEXAS FOREVER-

 

[3Hummers]

I know Jeff's brushguard saved his hood as he was climbing Escalator on hell's Revenge on his last trip. They do come in handy on occasion for something besides hanging lights on.

 

[skeptic]

I know Jeff's brushguard saved his hood as he was climbing Escalator on hell's Revenge on his last trip. They do come in handy on occasion for something besides hanging lights on.

I'm pretty sure my brush guard has saved me from grill or headlight damage from bushes and small tree limbs that stick over trails. I wouldn't trust it for a major collision though. I have heard people claim that they hit a deer and because of the brushguard they suffered no damage. I suppose it would depend on how hard they hit the deer.

 

[3Hummers]

I have seen some of the tube H1 over the hood brush guards that would likely survive a deer encounter but I think my BA brush guard would fold like a cheap tent. They call it a brush guard for a reason. None of the brush guards on my current H1s would survive a deer strike at speed.

 

[cgalpha08]

My BA bumper saved me from a lady who hit me at an angle in a yield lane, slow speed about 5 mph, i guess she didn't see me lol. It did at least 2500 worth of damage to her (new front fender, door, and mirror) and only a small scratch on me, nothing bent. She was driving a honda accord with a baby in the back. I felt bad but it was all her fault.

 

[skeptic]

Ok, there are certainly some brush guards that are seriously beefy. I'm just talking about your typical brush guard for an H2/H3 bolted on under the tow hooks, not big thick steel tubes welded on a big steel aftermarket bumper. But we are getting waaay off topic.

 

[USMC_315]

I'm upgrading from 31" to 315s, somebody who upgraded to 315/35s would you recommend getting a computer upgrade to adjust for speed, mileage, and shift point? Was it a straight forward process?

 

[amrg]

When I went up ib tire size I found out that my speedo read exactly as the GPS. Basically my speedo was off with the stock tires. Btw not all tires the same. My 315s are 34.4" (manufacturer numbers) and measure 33.75 mounted and with the weight of the truck on it.

 

[Pappibri]

I put on 35's and mine is off. If Speedo reads 64 GPS reads 70

 

[650Hawk]

So exactly what is it that stops downward suspension travel (droop) on the front of our H3s? Is it the full extension of the shock, or is there a physical stop in the suspension arms? How about the upper travel limit? Physical stop or shock bottoming out? Another site says that there are physical stops in the suspension, both top and bottom, although the tie rods and sway bars also play a part.

Here's why I ask; I keep hearing that after a torsion crank that the shocks should be replaced because the stock ones are too short (in fact, even Trail Duty claims that). ???? I see no logic to that. The upper range of suspension arm travel is fixed, so is the lower range. Cranking our torsions simply adjusts where the arms rest between those two extremes; it does not change either one. Suspension "travel" is not changed.

And even if the actual physical travel of the shock (both full extension and full compression) is the limiting factor (which would seem to be a bad design, but...), then cranking the torsions would again simply change the resting position, resulting in more up-travel and less down-travel before the limits are reached. I fail to see how suspension travel (and therefore the need for "longer" shocks) is changed by cranking the torsions.

So other than an improved ride, is there any validity to the claim that longer shocks are needed for a torsion crank? Or am I missing something that's blatantly obvious to others?

 

[cgalpha08]

There is a metal stop on the frame that keeps the control arms from drooping all the way, I think the OEM shock has an internal stop that stops the suspension from drooping before it hits the metal stop, could be the other way around.

For up travel. The shock snd bumpstop come into play, bumpstop more than anything.

IIRC cranking the T bars does change the internal resting position of the shocks.

 

[amrg]

The shocks dont care where they are. When fully extended the internal bump stop of the shock limits full extension. But when you crank the T-bars, the shock reaches full travel more frequently (since it has less inches to travel before it stops) and you will blow up your shocks faster.