Suspension problem after Mag-Hytec install

[jdaigle]

Update:

I incorrectly described the contact point on my Mag Hytec front cover. I borrowed a picture from Ducman82 to highlight the contact point... Thank You Ducman82. The contact is between the front cover and the trac bar.



Jason

 

[Ducman82]

hey, no problem. we are all here to help! that is a strange one... ... what part of the bar is it smacking?> just above it?

 

[jdaigle]

It appears that when the suspension cycles up and down that the trac bar comes into contact with the cover directly below. I had been running the suspension for a couple weeks and really liked how smooth the ride was and the adsence of bottoming out the front end everytime I went over a speed bump. However, after installing the front cover I noticed immediately after the first speed bump I hit that something was not right. I noticed a "bright" spot on top of the cover and a black spot directly above it on the trac bar(I'm running the Lorenz trac bar which is anodized gold so the black spot is easy to see). . didn't take Sherlock long to figure out what was happening.



What I haven't had time to do is determine just how much additional clearance is needed in order to figure out the best solution. The main reason I purchased the front cover was to increase cooling capacity with the front diff always turning. Now that I've installed the Dynatrac free spin hub kit the front end is no longer spinning all the time and perhaps I don't need the cover... . who knows. FYI We've finally hit $4. 10 a gallon here in Houston.



Jason

 

[Ducman82]

im at 4. 30 here in North Idaho. only on speed bumps at slow speeds? no other times it would hit?

 

[FullSack]

so let me try to sort this out . . .



we have a member saying that he notices rubbing at the spot I will call the "yellow circle"



we have another member saying that the rubbing is at the spot I will call the "red circle"



any consensus?



for my personal benefit (excuse the ignorance), I refer to the bar with the green arrow the "track bar", is that correct? What is the bar with the blue arrow called?



I'm going to assume that the blue arrow bar is hitting the diff at the yellow circle area and the green arrow bar is hitting the diff at the red circle area.

 

[AH64ID]

for my personal benefit (excuse the ignorance), I refer to the bar with the green arrow the "track bar", is that correct? What is the bar with the blue arrow called?

The blue arrow is the trac bar, and the green bar is the steering arm.

 

[jdaigle]

Correct. . blue arrow is trac bar. Yes, I only have contact when going over speed bumps or quick drastic changes in road elevation..... The black powdercoating is starting to wear off on the outer edge of the area I highligted in yellow.



Jason

 

[jdaigle]

Ducman82 is referring to the tie rod which makes sense in him having contact issues while turning and I'm having contact issues with the trac bar while the suspension is cycling up and down given the natural movement of each bar.

 

[AH64ID]

Could alignment affect this?

 

[Ducman82]

yup. im only getting a small rub on HARD left turns. but as you can see in my other pic, i just ground down a little on that fin, and no more hit. i dont see how alighnment could affect that. unless you had a bent track bar.

 

[AH64ID]

i dont see how alighnment could affect that.

I need to go look at the truck, but aren't there camed nuts (forgot the term) on the control arms, so if they were set to bring the axle forward then you would be closer to the trac bar at all times??

 

[Lorenz]

It appears that when the suspension cycles up and down that the trac bar comes into contact with the cover directly below. I had been running the suspension for a couple weeks and really liked how smooth the ride was and the adsence of bottoming out the front end everytime I went over a speed bump. However, after installing the front cover I noticed immediately after the first speed bump I hit that something was not right. I noticed a "bright" spot on top of the cover and a black spot directly above it on the trac bar(I'm running the Lorenz trac bar which is anodized gold so the black spot is easy to see). . didn't take Sherlock long to figure out what was happening.



What I haven't had time to do is determine just how much additional clearance is needed in order to figure out the best solution. The main reason I purchased the front cover was to increase cooling capacity with the front diff always turning. Now that I've installed the Dynatrac free spin hub kit the front end is no longer spinning all the time and perhaps I don't need the cover... . who knows. FYI We've finally hit $4. 10 a gallon here in Houston.



Jason

Do you have aftermarket radius arms?

 

[ENafziger]

Okay, I finally got some pictures of mine. I've got contact with the MayHytec front differential cover in 3 different places.

The first, and by far the worst, looks to be from interference with the track bar. Notice the area outlined in yellow.

#ad



It interferes so badly, that it has shaved a significant portion of the cover off. Furthermore, it has begun to buckle the fin on the far right, indicated by the pink arrow.

#ad



And another closeup...

#ad



The second and third points of contact look to be from the track bar. It seems to hit on the left side of the cover, and on the far right side as well. The contact here is not as severe as with the track bar, but is still significant enough to be clearly seen.

Left side:

#ad



Right side:

#ad



My truck is an '06 3500 SRW, and I'm running the Lorenz 2. 25" system with DP leafs, Lorenz trackbar, MagHytec cover, stock control arms, and 37" Toyos.

I purchased the cover from Geno's Garage, around the summer of '06. There was no block or other hardware included.

Can anyone help? Any ideas?

--Eric

 

[Ducman82]

Hummmmm... ..... the only thing i can think of is some how the 2. 25 kit is changing the geometry of the front suspention to the point that it contacts the the cover. im thinking the trackbar is just bent diffrently from the stock one to the point that it hits the case. im sure mag-hytec used a stock truck when testing there covers. as far as the steering bar tapping the case on turns, is just shave a little off with a dremel, thats what i did, or do nothing and make a bunch of lock-to-lock turns and it sould flatin the fins enought that way! what diff temp you reading?

 

[jdaigle]

Sean: I'm running stock radius arms.



I have the exact same contact point (highlighted in yellow) as ENafziger.



Jason

 

[Ducman82]

this is one hell of a puzzle... ... .....

 

[Lorenz]

jdaigle, have you installed any suspension work? Trac bar, leveling kit or suspension system... Is your Mag-Hytec hitting the trac bar while using stock suspension components?



After talking with Thuren we have come to this conclusion: There may be 2 different covers out there. The covers pictured obviously hit, but we have guys running the combo with out issues. We know early on, the Mag-hytec covers did hit the stock trac-bar on a stock truck, and they may have changed the design?



Thuren designed his trac-bar (the one we carry at LORENZindustries) with a little more clearance in that known problem area. Thurens Bar actually comes up a little higher, and out of the way, when compared to the stocker.



The 2. 25 System tracs in the exact same plane as the stock suspension does, while incorporating a ride height that is 3" taller. Adding longer radius arms would change this, but for the most part, if you have interference with the stock suspension, you will have interference with any one of my Suspension Systems.



I reccomend removing the aftermarket diff cover if it interferes. The last thing you would want is to crack the cover and run your diff out of oil by accident.

 

[jdaigle]

Sean: I am running your 5100 series system with your trac bar. I installed the suspenion system before adding the Mag-Hytec cover so I can't commit on whether there was interference between the stock suspenion and the Mag-Hytec cover. I can say that I ran the 5100 suspension for 2 weeks prior to installing the cover without any interference.

 

[FullSack]

my suspension is bone stock and I purchased my covers in January of this year from Geno's. I don't know how long Geno's sits on inventory, but it seems like more than enough time to turn product and have the "revised" design.

 

[Alaskaskiff]

My track bar also makes contact with the dif cover and it is in the yellow circle. I talked to mag hytec (Jerry... owner) and I sent the cover back to him to have him cut it down. I also checked to make sure I had one of the newer covers, and I did. It still rubs. Jerry was quite accommodating, but clearly this problem is not an isolated one. I run stock suspension in the front and recently had the alignment checked and it was fine, although I did have them crank up caster a little (1 degree and still within the spec range) to track and return to center better.