Owl Vans Grenadier Steering Box Upgrade

[abbeyroad]

Just to point out, you quoted the question with your reply, implying it was an answer. Clear communication is the writers responsibility, not the readers.

what

 

[Zimm]

I have Kings, so not much I can do better. Honestly it's more to do with suspension geometry in the rear. The rear of the Grenadier hikes significantly under braking. This is exasperated by even small lift amounts. Soft rear springs do not help either. This condition is not necessarily a design flaw by Ineos but more a side effect of modern design

I am considering moving to 500lb rear springs and even possibly the HD Eibach sway bars.

But lower power steering pressure will make the steering less reactive and the truck more stable. One finger steering is fun on a hard core rock crawler, but they get damn twitchy driving down the road. I find the Grenadiers steering to be way too light. This is a different condition to the stock steering stabilizer.

If people, wanting a level truck, used springs in the rear that LOWERED the rear 1.5" , instead of using springs that raised the front, you'd get a little shy of 1* or 30% more effective caster as the truck would "pivot' downward with the center of the front axle being close to the pivot point. Buy the HD rear springs and cut them.

 

[Dokatd]

If people, wanting a level truck, used springs in the rear that LOWERED the rear 1.5" , instead of using springs that raised the front, you'd get a little shy of 1* or 30% more effective caster as the truck would "pivot' downward with the center of the front axle being close to the pivot point. Buy the HD rear springs and cut them.

But that's not what I want. The Grenadier in stock form is too low to the ground front and rear. Might as well be any other 4wd SUV at stock height.

 

[Zimm]

But that's not what I want. The Grenadier in stock form is too low to the ground front and rear. Might as well be any other 4wd SUV at stock height.

It wont affect droop, or compression, and shouldn't affect tire clearance either, MT 255/85 Baja would still work. The height for the body at the rear is a wash at worst and still +1.5 at the diff. I'm not saying it's what you want, but until which time someone comes out wit a front drive shaft/caster solution, This will put you at 3.2* of caster, and considering my stock f350 spec is 3.4* any of the directional issues caused specifically by that ought to go away.

 

[Dokatd]

It wont affect droop, or compression, and shouldn't affect tire clearance either, MT 255/85 Baja would still work. The height for the body at the rear is a wash at worst and still +1.5 at the diff. I'm not saying it's what you want, but until which time someone comes out wit a front drive shaft/caster solution, This will put you at 3.2* of caster, and considering my stock f350 spec is 3.4* any of the directional issues caused specifically by that ought to go away.

I am working on my own drive shaft issue. I expect it to be solved in a few weeks or so.

I am not concerned about droop or compression, I am concerned about frame to ground clearance. I'm not a dirt road driver, I am a rock crawler guy. I prefer clearance. I'm also 6'5" and just like a taller vehicle to begin with.

To be clear, my truck functions well enough as is, I would like to solve my drive shaft problem which I believe I have. Once that's done I will solve some of the goofy suspension issues and make it a bit more stable on the highway. I'm just kinda amazed this is what Ineos delivered to us. There were so many little things they could have done to make it so much better both on and off-road.

I'd love to understand the mindset the test drivers had when they signed off on these trucks.

I mean, who signed off on the squealing pumps? How could that have made it to production and even then how can they continue justifying it as normal when a small equity owned company that converts camper vans presumably fixed the issue. Why did it take Owl Vans to solve this. And assuming they fixed some of the other dubious traits in handling, how could Ineos not identify this or did they and someone said "Nah, that's how I want it to drive".

 

[HeavyFoot]

I am working on my own drive shaft issue. I expect it to be solved in a few weeks or so.

I am not concerned about droop or compression, I am concerned about frame to ground clearance. I'm not a dirt road driver, I am a rock crawler guy. I prefer clearance. I'm also 6'5" and just like a taller vehicle to begin with.

To be clear, my truck functions well enough as is, I would like to solve my drive shaft problem which I believe I have. Once that's done I will solve some of the goofy suspension issues and make it a bit more stable on the highway. I'm just kinda amazed this is what Ineos delivered to us. There were so many little things they could have done to make it so much better both on and off-road.

I'd love to understand the mindset the test drivers had when they signed off on these trucks.

Are you saying you believe you’ve solved the issue entirely? Or just for your setup?

 

[parb]

I have Kings, so not much I can do better. Honestly it's more to do with suspension geometry in the rear. The rear of the Grenadier hikes significantly under braking. This is exasperated by even small lift amounts. Soft rear springs do not help either. This condition is not necessarily a design flaw by Ineos but more a side effect of modern design

I am considering moving to 500lb rear springs and even possibly the HD Eibach sway bars.

But lower power steering pressure will make the steering less reactive and the truck more stable. One finger steering is fun on a hard core rock crawler, but they get damn twitchy driving down the road. I find the Grenadiers steering to be way too light. This is a different condition to the stock steering stabilizer.

I got the 500lbs springs and the fox2.5 shocks. Makes a world of difference

 

[Dokatd]

I got the 500lbs springs and the fox2.5 shocks. Makes a world of difference

I truely believe it does. Do you know off hand if the 500's are stock height or 1.5"? I went down that rabbit hole and got frustrated on supplied info