P1000m5 My C-Fab Journey and Review

[JenElio]

I will most likely not get 3" spacers for the rear. But it may bug me since I will know the front is slightly wider than the rear after the addition of 2" spacers to the front With the current front 1" spacers at full turn the tire hits the lower shock mount.

Really? Ok excuse me if you've talked about it already I haven't really read through your build that much. Is it rubbing cause of the wheel offset/tire size you have or is it a camber issue?

 

[Smitty335]

Really? Ok excuse me if you've talked about it already I haven't really read through your build that much. Is it rubbing cause of the wheel offset/tire size you have or is it a camber issue?

/ Toe in issue?

 

[JenElio]

/ Toe in issue?

🤷‍♂️?.... something ain't right, if it's not the wheel offset causing the issue then I would think camber over toe. Bad toe I think would rub the a-arms before the shock mount, where camber might when turned........🤷‍♂️ I'm no expert though, I've been wrong before 😂😂

 

[Robobrainiac]

Really? Ok excuse me if you've talked about it already I haven't really read through your build that much. Is it rubbing cause of the wheel offset/tire size you have or is it a camber issue?

The original rubbing was on the fox shock reservoir. During compression the reservoir would hit the top of the tire in any turning radius. The reason the fox shock was so close to the tire to begin with is from the bracket lift kit that moves the shocks outwards to "stand them up" to obtain lift. With the c-fab arms the tire hits the bottom of the shock mount while at about 90%+ of full turn. Larger front spacers or more negative wheel offset would fix both problems.

 

[Smitty335]

🤷‍♂️?.... something ain't right, if it's not the wheel offset causing the issue then I would think camber over toe. Bad toe I think would rub the a-arms before the shock mount, where camber might when turned........🤷‍♂️ I'm no expert though, I've been wrong before 😂😂

Yep something is a miss?

 

[JenElio]

The original rubbing was on the fox shock reservoir. During compression the reservoir would hit the top of the tire in any turning radius. The reason the fox shock was so close to the tire to begin with is from the bracket lift kit that moves the shocks outwards to "stand them up" to obtain lift. With the c-fab arms the tire hits the bottom of the shock mount while at about 90%+ of full turn. Larger front spacers or more negative wheel offset would fix both problems.

Gotcha, I just realized the arms have a built-in lift.....guessing it pushes the shock mount tab closer/higher then the stock location causing the rub eh? I guess most times they couple that set up with portals which would act as your wheel spacer 🤔

If your 2" spacers work then 👍.....I personally wouldn't go 3” at the rear though. That seems like a lot of strain on the hubs/suspension........just my 2 cents.

Hope you get'r figured out 👍

 

[Robobrainiac]

Gotcha, I just realized the arms have a built-in lift.....guessing it pushes the shock mount tab closer/higher then the stock location causing the rub eh? I guess most times they couple that set up with portals which would act as your wheel spacer 🤔

If your 2" spacers work then 👍.....I personally wouldn't go 3” at the rear though. That seems like a lot of strain on the hubs/suspension........just my 2 cents.

Hope you get'r figured out 👍

You are correct about shock mount placement/C-Fab height for the mount tabs. I don't want to go that wide with the spacers. I am sad the width won't be the same front to rear now. Most people probably won't be able to tell without a tape measure. The best solution would really be new wheels with proper offset.

 

[Robobrainiac]

I did a little research this morning and I might be able to clear with 1.5" spacers on the front. So I ordered a set of those as well. I have 1.5" spacers and 2" spacers in the mail now. Hopefully they will be here before the takeover.

 

[Robobrainiac]

I got an early lunch so I will start on the machine again

 

[Robobrainiac]

Extended shock length
Front 19 3\8"
Rear 19 1/2"
Sitting on the ground front and rear measure 18".

 

[Robobrainiac]

The arms are done. I took a quick ride and holy cow it is a night and day difference versus the bracket lift. I highly recommend it.

 

[Robobrainiac]

So now I am at a mental crossroad. The rear at the hitch measures 16.5". So I lost some height in the rear. However, I have around 1.5" of shock compression from fully extended to static/parked shock length. I test drove thru some holes and bumps and on and off curbs in the parking lot of my workplace. I know it's not an offroad park but I can already tell it is a much smoother ride. For how it feels and the shock length I don't think I want to add more pre load. My current ground clearance from the SuperATV skid is 14.75" in front and 15.25" in the rear measured from the side between the wheels at the furthest edge of the skid. Should I leave it, add pre load, or remove some pre load?

 

[Smitty335]

So now I am at a mental crossroad. The rear at the hitch measures 16.5". So I lost some height in the rear. However, I have around 1.5" of shock compression from fully extended to static/parked shock length. I test drove thru some holes and bumps and on and off curbs in the parking lot of my workplace. I know it's not an offroad park but I can already tell it is a much smoother ride. For how it feels and the shock length I don't think I want to add more pre load. My current ground clearance from the SuperATV skid is 14.75" in front and 15.25" in the rear measured from the side between the wheels at the furthest edge of the skid. Should I leave it, add pre load, or remove some pre load?

Check your spring sag that's the only way to tell. I've talked about it many times here. Here's the last time I will talk about it. Jack your S X S up until your shock shaft quits extending, take measurements front and rear. Put simulated load in your S X S including passengers, roll it back and forth to let it settle, measure again. Compare measurements. Usually 1.25 to 1.5 works for spring sag fully loaded works.

 

[Robobrainiac]

Check your spring sag that's the only way to tell. I've talked about it many times here. Here's the last time I will talk about it. Jack your S X S up until your shock shaft quits extending, take measurements front and rear. Put simulated load in your S X S including passengers, roll it back and forth to let it settle, measure again. Compare measurements. Usually 1.25 to 1.5 works for spring sag fully loaded works.

I currently have 1.5" with no driver or passengers

 

[Robobrainiac]

That was the worst alignment I have ever done. I spent 3 hours on it trying to get it as perfect as I could. I am happy with the front. The rear does not cooperate as well as you would hope. Visually it all looks good. I think I will eventually get an old school alignment kit. Something I can do at home. Every control arm adjustment requires you to basically remove it to adjust the heim joints. The left rear toe basically hit a wall and no matter how hard I tried the toe just maxed out to where it was at and it would only move the camber. I used an engine hoist to maneuver around the rear arms. Time will tell how it will treat the tires.

 

[Robobrainiac]

Now that the alignment is finished I can see where any rubbing problems would be. The tires just barely clear the lower shock mounts on the front. At full turn the tires rub the inside of the lower control arms.

 

[JenElio]

Now that the alignment is finished I can see where any rubbing problems would be. The tires just barely clear the lower shock mounts on the front. At full turn the tires rub the inside of the lower control arms.

View attachment 388065 View attachment 388066

Do you have steering stops installed?

 

[Robobrainiac]

Do you have steering stops installed?

I do not. I thought about getting some. I appreciate how tightly the pioneer turns and I am not sure how much radius I would lose.

 

[JenElio]

I do not. I thought about getting some. I appreciate how tightly the pioneer turns and I am not sure how much radius I would lose.

You lose a bit of turning radius, and it sucks.....but, it'll eliminate the rubbing on your a-arms 🤷‍♂️.

Supposedly if you're running the forward arms during 4lock at full turn/compressed your axle "could" pop out of place. Doesn't apply to the Rhino 2.0 IIRC 🤔

 

[Robobrainiac]

I made some adjustments yesterday on the rear shock preload. I am assuming the rear shocks settled in a bit. I noticed after we added our gear for ride royal blue the rear sagged very heavily. I put 22 old car rotors into the bed to replicate weight. I think it should have been around 300lbs or more. I was a little less than 16" eye to eye on the rear shocks and a little less than 39" to the ground from the bottom of the N on the tailgate. I cranked on the rear shock preload adjustment, then drove a few circles, and measured. I used the socket method to make it easy to keep the preload even on both sides. I am up to a 29mm impact socket that measures 1.65". It took me about 4 tries to get it right. When I was done I was at 17" eye to eye on the rear shock, and a little over 41" to the ground from the N on the tailgate. I unloaded everything, did some more circles, checked the measurement one last time and the rear shocks are 18" eye to eye, the N on the tailgate measures 44" to the ground. I did the alignment again and now I need some testing.