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Spacer lift vs. Spring lift

Atisko

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With a spring lift, since you are not changing the travel, will see rub. It will just be likely to rub less at the raised static height, do the the extra bump travel (as compared from OE static to bump).

A spacer lift may prevent rubbing further as the full compression point is now lowered by the thickness of the spacer.

Seems like 30.5"-31" is about the max you can go without trimming/hacking things out of the way.Do you feel A 1”spacer would have minimal normal wear and tear on components?
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MAC_Detail

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Do yall think this kit will help keep the CV angles at a decent degree? https://fordrangerlifts.com/shop/ols/products/xn-2022-2023-maverick-awd-2-lift-kit-yi5u
The front spacer will cause the CV to operate out of its normal range of motion.

The rear subframe spacers will help with CV angle at static height, but you are now misaligning the drive shaft. Will this cause any issuse? Maybe, maybe not. You could get some weird driveline vibration, maybe premature wear in the carrier bearings. Or you might go 150K no problems.
 

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The front spacer will cause the CV to operate out of its normal range of motion.

The rear subframe spacers will help with CV angle at static height, but you are now misaligning the drive shaft. Will this cause any issuse? Maybe, maybe not. You could get some weird driveline vibration, maybe premature wear in the carrier bearings. Or you might go 150K no problems.
Perhaps just lifting the front 1 inch will be less of an issue
 
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Perhaps just lifting the front 1 inch will be less of an issue
Any amount of spacer lift in the front will cause the same problem.

Obviously smaller spacers will cause less additional CV angle, but any additional overall length added to the front strut assembly will cause this.
 

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So is there a consensus here on the best way to do this, all of the terminology is giving me headaches as a non-gearhead.

But I would love to get 1-2 inches of clearance.
I liked the idea of doing just the 1" lift on the front end that someone else did on here, to even out the front stance. Or...might just get some bigger rims and beefier tires.
 

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I liked the idea of doing just the 1" lift on the front end that someone else did on here, to even out the front stance. Or...might just get some bigger rims and beefier tires.
It would make inherent sense to the last adjustment you make the less problems you will have…
 

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There is always some misconceptions about spring vs. spacer lifts.

Figured I would throw this out there to get some information in the forum.

Spacer Lifts-
Pros - cheap, first to market, doesn't change static position of shock
Cons - You just added the spacer thickness of droop, and are now added more angle into the CV's then was designed for. This can be said for bushings, sway bar end links, tie rods, etc. (true for struts, multilink rear may or may not have these problems depending on what is actually done)

Spring Lifts-
Pros - Does not change suspension travel/droop. Rate can be increased/decreased for load/ ride comfort.
Cons - Increases static ride height and position of shock, limits droop. Too much rate increase and overwhelm OE valving.

Do people combine these two? Yes, should they? Absolutely not, but that hasn't stopped crosstrek owners lol.

At the end of the day lifting an SUV, or in our case "truck" that is based off of a car platform will have limitations. 1.5"-2" of lift is about all you will get out of it with longevity and ride quality in mind.
It is a breath of fresh air to find someone else that understand how suspension really works. I was thinking i was the only one on here, until i found this thread.
 

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Hoping the FX4 stock will get me around in Big Bend Nat'l Park ok. I will bring the come-a-long and a sand anchor.
 
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It is a breath of fresh air to find someone else that understand how suspension really works. I was thinking i was the only one on here, until i found this thread.
Thanks! Just trying to get some information out there, I hear misconceptions about springs and suspension on a daily basis lol.
 
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Hoping the FX4 stock will get me around in Big Bend Nat'l Park ok. I will bring the come-a-long and a sand anchor.
From all of the review videos, it seems pretty capable....as long as you stay away from too much articulation. I would definetly get some decent all terrains, tires go a long way.
 

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There is always some misconceptions about spring vs. spacer lifts.

Figured I would throw this out there to get some information in the forum.

Spacer Lifts-
Pros - cheap, first to market, doesn't change static position of shock
Cons - You just added the spacer thickness of droop, and are now added more angle into the CV's then was designed for. This can be said for bushings, sway bar end links, tie rods, etc. (true for struts, multilink rear may or may not have these problems depending on what is actually done)

Spring Lifts-
Pros - Does not change suspension travel/droop. Rate can be increased/decreased for load/ ride comfort.
Cons - Increases static ride height and position of shock, limits droop. Too much rate increase and overwhelm OE valving.

Do people combine these two? Yes, should they? Absolutely not, but that hasn't stopped crosstrek owners lol.

At the end of the day lifting an SUV, or in our case "truck" that is based off of a car platform will have limitations. 1.5"-2" of lift is about all you will get out of it with longevity and ride quality in mind.
Well said. I raced motorcycles and we had the same problems. This was in the 60's through the 80's, and only a few aftermarket brands were around. Fox was the biggest and they really didn't have a national brand until the late 70's as I remember. For offroad wheelers, it was a matter of getting the heavier springs from a different vehicle, for example, a friend had a 62 Wagoneer and he got the springs from a 1 ton International pickup for the rear and as I remember he got the front from a GMC body ambulance. It wasn't until they made off road racing more popular that the brands we have today came about.
I am hoping that one of the suspension companies like Barnes or Ruffstuff will make parts for the Maverick. Doubtful because of the unibody but if they make parts for the compass they may make them for the Mav.
 

Maverickman74

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Well said. I raced motorcycles and we had the same problems. This was in the 60's through the 80's, and only a few aftermarket brands were around. Fox was the biggest and they really didn't have a national brand until the late 70's as I remember. For offroad wheelers, it was a matter of getting the heavier springs from a different vehicle, for example, a friend had a 62 Wagoneer and he got the springs from a 1 ton International pickup for the rear and as I remember he got the front from a GMC body ambulance. It wasn't until they made off road racing more popular that the brands we have today came about.
I am hoping that one of the suspension companies like Barnes or Ruffstuff will make parts for the Maverick. Doubtful because of the unibody but if they make parts for the compass they may make them for the Mav.
Fingers crossed that some company loves the Maverick, like many companies love the XJ/MJ/ZJ/WJ/WK/KK?/KJ/BJ? unibodies. The rear isnt any harder than the fronts of any of those jeeps with IFS. and the front shouldnt be much harder than taco lifts over 3" with their big ole crossmember drops. I think plumbing and wiring extension work arounds and a crossmember/drivetrain drop of 1.5" up front with a 2" spacer. Plus a 3" drop in the rear would make it so fender trimming will fit 33s and proper 31x10.50s with no trim. A couple years of that and RCV will make some shafts for us. Then our 10 year old mavericks will be the new 20-25mpg real deal offroaders.

None of this is more complex than my AMC Eagle where the diff is attached to the engine(twice) and the engine is attached to the suspension crossmember, bolted to the unibody, that holds the springs and shocks. Ohh yea and the diffs are custom machined Dana 30s that fit 2.35 gears and use almost no other dana 30 parts.
 

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Interested in this thread.

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