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Carli Pintop install DIY

UglyViking said:
I'm surprised to see the rear shocks aren't the same additional length as the coils. The Carli coils look like they are 2-3" longer, but the shock only looks 1.5" longer. Perhaps it's the angle.

I'm interested in seeing how you like the kit vs the factory. I went with Thuren for my setup but the rear coil is so soft that any weight really pushes it down. Thinking about a few different options but curious how you like the rear coils.
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The shock is what limits the travel. From what I've seen so far doing this install, 2 things limit them from going with a longer shock.

On the Power Wagon the driveshaft actually makes contact with the skid plate at full droop. Carli fixes this by providing a spacer to lower your skid plate so it doesn't make contact. Once that's fixed and you want even more travel you will quickly come to the limit of your brake lines having enough slack in them to allow the rear axle to drop any more (unless you want your brake lines to be ripped out).

Since I'm in a Power Wagon the rear coils are stiffer with more payload (about an additional 500lb if I remember right). So on a power wagon they are an increase. On other trucks they would be softer. Not sure by how much though. I believe Carli lists the ratings on their site.
 
Crusty old shellback said:
I see you still have that ugly resonator hanging out there. :D
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Yup, I did the magnalflow muffler in the middle. Taking the resonator out would just be too loud for me in a truck that does 0-60 in 9 seconds or whatever it is. It's like driving with your tow mirrors out 24/7 lol.
 
AnthonyD1978 said:
The shock is what limits the travel. From what I've seen so far doing this install, 2 things limit them from going with a longer shock.

On the Power Wagon the driveshaft actually makes contact with the skid plate at full droop. Carli fixes this by providing a spacer to lower your skid plate so it doesn't make contact. Once that's fixed and you want even more travel you will quickly come to the limit of your brake lines having enough slack in them to allow the rear axle to drop any more (unless you want your brake lines to be ripped out).

Since I'm in a Power Wagon the rear coils are stiffer with more payload (about an additional 500lb if I remember right). So on a power wagon they are an increase. On other trucks they would be softer. Not sure by how much though. I believe Carli lists the ratings on their site.
Click to expand...
I'm running a CTD so not quite a 1:1 but makes sense. I've seen Carlis specs on their coils before but decided I liked how Thuren handled things a tiny bit more so I went that direction. That said, with the 2.75/1" coils I've got the rear sags with almost any weight. I put about 400lbs of salt in the bed the other day and it was very noticeable. From everything I've read the Thuren rear coils are much softer than Carli (they are also linear vs the Carli progressives). I'm debating on going back to a cap, so if I do that I'm interested in making sure the rear doesn't sag as much, so I'm either looking at swapping to Thurens mid-rate stock coils and bringing the front's down to 2" coils, doing the stock mid-rate coils with a 1" spacer or going straight to the stock coil with a 1" spacer. So many decisions…
 
So are you saying the shock tops out and limits the travel? If so, that's a bad design. Best design is the use of limit straps.
 
Working on finishing up the rear. One of the bolts for the rear track bar bracket snapped. Not even close to the 90 ftlb spec. Once I button up the rear I'll take it for a test drive to my local hardware store to get another bolt and nut.

Used a big ratchet strap to pull the track bar into the bracket so the holes would line up for the bolt to go in. It probably needed only about 0.5mm for the bolt to go in. If you do this be sure not to pinch any of the lines down by the axle side.

1635353050107.jpeg
 
Crusty old shellback said:
So are you saying the shock tops out and limits the travel? If so, that's a bad design. Best design is the use of limit straps.
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yup having high dollar shocks limit travel is going to be expensive if he tops out at all. Also if the brake lines are limiting travel that is bad mojo too, and longer lines are needed...
 
AnthonyD1978 said:
What limits the travel on your truck?
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I dont know, havent looked into it.
On my leaf spring Blazer with 12/18" of travel on King shocks, I used limit straps so that I didnt over extend the shocks.
Is there anything in the stock suspension to limit it other than the shocks?
If just the shocks, do you know if there is a "bumper" in the shock body to soften the shock as it tops out? I know some fox and king shocks do that.
 
Ok, you got me wondering, so I went out and looked at the front suspension.
Since the coil springs are not bolted into the pockets, it seems the only thing limiting travel will be the shocks and maybe the sway bar. I say sway bar because as the axle travels down, it will tend to travel aft, in an arc, due to the trailing arms. This in turn at some point will hit the limit of flrx/rotation of the sway bar and end links.
Maybe I'm just over thinking the setup.
I'm used to looking at off road trophy truck 3 link suspension with 3 feet of travel limited by the limit straps.
 
So the rear is all completed. Carli overnighted the missing brake line hardware to me so I got that all done. I didn't use one of their brake line tabs. I came up with my own solution for it. I also drove it to the hardware store to pick up another grade 8 bolt to replace the one that snapped for the rear track bar bracket.

The first few inches of compression are definitely stiffer than a stock power wagon ( (increased payload). Then it softens up very nicely with any major compression and rebound (I drove it off a curb to test). Tomorrow I start on the front....

I did confirm that when there is a diff shock mount present that you should sandwich the brake line tab between the diff and the shock mount. If you look at my previous photo this means the shock mount will be sitting at an angle. I didn't like that so I sandwiched some washers on the other side to even the mount out. The mount didn't sit flush on the diff to begin with and only the posts coming up out of the diff.

Without washers to space it out:
1635376360979.jpeg

With washers on the back points to even out the shock mount:
1635376419822.jpeg
 
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Crusty old shellback said:
Is there anything in the stock suspension to limit it other than the shocks?
If just the shocks, do you know if there is a "bumper" in the shock body to soften the shock as it tops out? I know some fox and king shocks do that.
Click to expand...

Yes, it has two bump stops at the top that sandwich the mounting point. Just like OEM...
 
AnthonyD1978 said:
Yes, it has two bump stops at the top that sandwich the mounting point. Just like OEM...
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Yea, I know about the compression bump stops. I was asking more of a extension bump stop that is in some shocks. You cant see it but the manufacturer should tell you or have it in their documentation.
I'm probably just over thinking it.
When you had the rear up to swap everything over, was it the shocks that held the axle in place and kept it from dropping more?
But I guess it's not designed to be up in the air. Only flexed on a trail with one side up and one side down and that may get limited by the sway bar and/or track bar.
At least in the front, we know its limited in that respect by the sway bar, as it flexes more when disconnected.
Once you are done with the full install and alingment, give us a good report on how it works compared to stock. As I know youve used your PW a lot offroad.
I get to hopefully take mine out in Baja in 4 weeks.
 
Both trucks I’ve had and done suspension on, it takes some effort to force more droop to get the springs in. Between control arm bushings binding, and 5-link suspension (4 arms plus trackbar) creating bind at some point, there doesn’t seem to be a lot of extension force available at full droop to damage shocks.

Both radius arm options do have limit strap mounting options though for the front.
 
My Carli Dominator kit has limit straps on the front. I believe the in back the control arms will bind first. I sent a message to Carli to find out.
 
You can’t pull the springs out front or back unless you pull the shocks out first. I’m pretty sure the shocks are what limits the travel.

With the shocks out I think maybe the driveshafts limit the travel.

So got the front springs and shocks out. If you have a power wagon like me make sure you disconnect your front sway bar before you start working.

Passenger side has 2 brake line brackets and one plastic harness tab you’ll want to disconnect.

A plastic tab over the diff for a harness you’ll want to detach.

Driver side has two brake line brackets.

7C130605-6220-46C2-A37B-0EB65FC00CC6.jpeg
 
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