Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
 


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
 
Old 05-15-2019, 10:49 PM   #21
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2017
Posts: 455
Quote:
Originally Posted by lavolpe79 View Post
Yeah, Jeff and team are awesome. Deaver is right in the heart of Santa Ana, so you’re in close proximity to Main Place Mall (ok), South Coast Plaza (very high end), Disneyland, Bowers Museum, Old Town Orange (called “the circle”), Old Town Tustin, Lyon’s Air Museum at John Wayne Airport, etc. You’ll definitely want to Uber since the distances are too great for walking really, and that area of Santa Ana can be a little rough around the edges.

Enjoy the improved ride! They helped mine a ton!
Defineately dopers/tweakers/gang bangers next to their shop,make sure you bring any taser/bear spray you’ve been wanting or try out(just kidding)

Zappo is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-15-2019, 11:10 PM   #22
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Flagstaff, AZ
Posts: 1,995
Quote:
Originally Posted by arctictraveller View Post
Why not consider Fox's from Agile? Ramsey developed the valving years ago for our vans, and by all reports, everyone has been very happy, I know I have. John worked at Fox for years and has tons of experience valving the shocks, and they are rebuild-able.

Yep, in looking at my options after Bilstien failure #2 I contacted John at Agile. I sent him the following shock lengths used in the Deaver package:

Front
Collapsed Length (IN) :14.61"
Extended Length (IN) :24.39"

Rear
Collapsed Length (IN) :13.25"
Extended Length (IN) :22.01"

On the Agile RIP they use a 7.6" travel Loop/Loop type shock. The rear is 9.6" travel and also requires that the shock mount be located lower on the rear axle. SMB relocates the rear shock mount at the midpoint of the axle to increase clearance. So the Fox are different lengths and both F and R are stem loop.

The take home point is that Fox has nothing close to the dead lengths that are long enough. There's two much overlap in the Fox design for the Deaver application. I'm curious how Ujoint uses Fox in their leaf spring conversion.
__________________
2005 E350 RB 6.0 PSD for extended fun
1989 Landcruiser FJ62 for local fun
2011 VW TDI Golf for hwy fun
JoeH is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-15-2019, 11:37 PM   #23
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2017
Posts: 455
Curios which bilstien model your blowing out 5100,6112, b-6 heavy duty/motorhome ?
Zappo is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-16-2019, 08:27 AM   #24
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Flagstaff, AZ
Posts: 1,995
Quote:
Originally Posted by Zappo View Post
Curios which bilstien model your blowing out 5100,6112, b-6 heavy duty/motorhome ?

5165 series with the remote reservoir. I had them upgraded into 7100s which are rebuildable with a shrader valve.


I may also consider 400/100 valving. I rebuild mountain bike shocks and forks all the time so might be kinda fun to dig into. Just need nitrogen.
__________________
2005 E350 RB 6.0 PSD for extended fun
1989 Landcruiser FJ62 for local fun
2011 VW TDI Golf for hwy fun
JoeH is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-16-2019, 10:50 AM   #25
Senior Member
 
arctictraveller's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 4,234
[QUOTE=JoeH;The take home point is that Fox has nothing close to the dead lengths that are long enough. There's two much overlap in the Fox design for the Deaver application. I'm curious how Ujoint uses Fox in their leaf spring conversion.[/QUOTE]

Interestingly, when Ramsey fitted shocks to my van, he didn't have a set replacement, he cycled the suspension and then went to the Fox catalog and picked out a set that had the correct stroke length and end styles. He did make a slight adjustment to the front mount, adding a short extension to allow full droop that wasn't restricted by shock travel. In the rear, my mounts had already been rotated upwards on the axle tube to account for the 4in blocks, and as a bonus, it added some ground clearance. So, neither the front or rear shocks were stock Ford lengths, but rather they were picked from the Fox catalog. The same shocks are working with my custom Alcan springs, so it's possible you could find something close for your application, but I've never explored specifying shocks. My second van has custom leaf's in the rear and coils in the front with Fox's all around. I'm not sure what is unique about the Dever's though. What I do know is that I've been very happy with Fox, including on my BMW GS motorcycle.
__________________
Arctic Traveller
KC6TNI
2001 GTRV
Advanced 4wd
Agile Ride improvement package
arctictraveller is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-16-2019, 12:27 PM   #26
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Flagstaff, AZ
Posts: 1,995
Quote:
Originally Posted by arctictraveller View Post
Interestingly, when Ramsey fitted shocks to my van, he didn't have a set replacement, he cycled the suspension and then went to the Fox catalog and picked out a set that had the correct stroke length and end styles. He did make a slight adjustment to the front mount, adding a short extension to allow full droop that wasn't restricted by shock travel. In the rear, my mounts had already been rotated upwards on the axle tube to account for the 4in blocks, and as a bonus, it added some ground clearance. So, neither the front or rear shocks were stock Ford lengths, but rather they were picked from the Fox catalog. The same shocks are working with my custom Alcan springs, so it's possible you could find something close for your application, but I've never explored specifying shocks. My second van has custom leaf's in the rear and coils in the front with Fox's all around. I'm not sure what is unique about the Dever's though. What I do know is that I've been very happy with Fox, including on my BMW GS motorcycle.

Yeah I don't know, I was told it was a no-go by Agile so dropped the idea.


Bilteins aside I'd do the Deavers all over again for sure. The improvement in ride quality is night and day. The multiple, staggered, thin leaf design really works. I wasn't that impressed with the paint however. I've since repainted mine.
__________________
2005 E350 RB 6.0 PSD for extended fun
1989 Landcruiser FJ62 for local fun
2011 VW TDI Golf for hwy fun
JoeH is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-16-2019, 11:20 PM   #27
Senior Member
 
SteveInLA's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Ashland, OR
Posts: 372
Garage
Here is my experience:

I have a 2010 Ford E-350 extended body with a Quadvan conversion and 4" lift. The rear sagged from day one and the stock leaf springs were practically flat. In 2011 we had Jeff install Deaver rear springs. The sag was gone and the ride was significantly improved. Well worth the money. In 2016 we had Agile install a RIP kit in the front and rear after the original Bilsteins wore out. The RIP kit lifted the front up slightly giving the rear a bit if a sag again. A few months ago while Agile was installing a rear air locker, they had their leaf spring people re-arch the Deaver leaves (leafs?) to bring the rear end up about 1 1/2". Empty it rides a little high in the rear but loaded it is nice and level. I have 33" tires and visually the van looks a touch high but the ride quality and performance is excellent.
__________________
2010 Red EB50 V10, Quadvan 4WD (El Guapo Rojo)
1978 VW Westfalia Champagne Edition (Pepe - gone, but not forgotten)
SteveInLA is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-17-2019, 09:46 AM   #28
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Riverside Ca.
Posts: 735
As an early young man I worked at Tom's Truck around the corner from Deaver. I have built a few 4x4's with their springs. I have never felt a need to complain about them because I have had no failures. The area can be a little skidish but it is a commercial zoning across from homes. As far as front leafs I am coil suspended with progressive weight coils. LOVE the set up. I run Rancho 9000 adjustables set at highest resistance for road and use my in cab adjuster to smooth out when needed. I have thought of going to Fox and still may but this second set are 8 years old and have been thru Baja and I am pretty satisfied.
Vanimal is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-09-2019, 01:36 PM   #29
Senior Member
 
Jeffrey's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Santa Barbara, CA
Posts: 1,841
Garage
Update: It's been a month since I placed my order and I have never heard from Jeff about my package progress. I'll call him tomorrow.

Question: Is it necessary for Deaver to weld a new shock mount in a different location that what SMB designed for the conversion? Why can't they use the existing mounts? Can anyone here show a pic of the new mounts that Deaver added? I am in such dire need of new shocks right now. I just returned from a week in Utah and used up the last ray of life in my OME's.. The ride now is like no shocks at all. The ride home to southern CA was miserable. I thought every screw and bolt in my rig was going to fall out.
__________________
'07 RB-50 - My Photo Site -- K1JGS --
Jeffrey is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-09-2019, 01:59 PM   #30
Site Team
 
daveb's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Turlock Ca
Posts: 10,407
Garage
Perhaps Jeff's fixed the issue? Don't know why they can't deal with it.
__________________
2006 Ford 6.0PSD EB-50/E-PH SMB 4X4 Rock Crawler Trailer

Sportsmobile 4X4 Adventures..........On and off road adventures
daveb is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off

» Sportsmobile Registry

Beatrice

Drizzt

Babe

Babe
Add your Sportsmobile
» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3
Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Sportsmobile SIP or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 10:19 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.