Aftermarket Strut Plates

sandracer · **Posted:** Sun Jun 24, 2007 9:35 pm

What's up with the different strut top plates?

I know some folks are using the Rusty's strut plate, because it is thicker, for a little additional left. It seems similar to what RRO offers in their combo lift.

The Frankenlift comes with a Daystar plate. I couldn't find anything on the Daystar site about why anyone would want one.

4WD Hardware and BDS also include a plate with their kits. The former goes on to call it a "relocation plate" in their product description.

Can anyone shed some light on these plates?

While I've pretty much convinced myself to go with OME springs and Rancho struts and shocks, I'm just trying to figure out if there are more "little pieces" I should also pick up.

kolesy · **Posted:** Sun Jun 24, 2007 9:42 pm

I can speak for the rustys strut plate since i got em. They do not replace the top strut plate that actually holds the strut together. all it is is a spacer plate between the stut plate and mounting point of the strut to the vehicle. adds more droop but also more lift.

jg45 · **Posted:** Sun Jun 24, 2007 10:35 pm

The Daystar positions the top of the strut a bit lower while keeping the spring in the same place. It seems this would allow some additional articulation from the strut.

sandracer · **Posted:** Mon Jun 25, 2007 12:23 am

jg45 wrote:

The Daystar positions the top of the strut a bit lower while keeping the spring in the same place. It seems this would allow some additional articulation from the strut.

OK. Now that makes sense to me. If one is using a longer spring or spacers it would act basically like an old fashioned shock extension.

kolesy · **Posted:** Mon Jun 25, 2007 12:45 am

sandracer wrote:

jg45 wrote:

The Daystar positions the top of the strut a bit lower while keeping the spring in the same place. It seems this would allow some additional articulation from the strut.

OK. Now that makes sense to me. If one is using a longer spring or spacers it would act basically like an old fashioned shock extension.

Exactly, just like the rusty's but in a spacer version. You don't necassarily get more articulation out of it just more droop. The strut can only compress so much.

sandracer · **Posted:** Mon Jun 25, 2007 4:49 pm

After looking at the Daystar site, again, I noticed that they offer the relocation plate with their 2 1/2 inch lift but not with the 1 1/2 inch.

Since I plan to run just the OME springs and Rancho struts, with no spacers, would the relocation plate be a good idea or not? Anyone running them with their OME's?

cherokj · **Joined:** Fri Sep 16, 2005 2:03 pm **Posts:** 64

My Trailmaster upper plate ( identical to BDS one ) that came with their +50mm kit screwed up the upper ball joints ( UBJ hitting springs ) due to too much suspension drop.
I've swapped recently both upper control arms and put on again the stock plate WITH a 15mm rubber isolator between the shock and the plate :
I've found that is the maximum drop you can do on a KJ without hitting the spring and you can still screw the upper strut nut.
With a clevis done, I'm running a nice +55mm on my 2.5CRD now.

Cheers

lilmatty · **Posted:** Wed Jun 27, 2007 10:21 am

Talk to Quinn or Heather at boulderbars.com about the Daystars. They can ship them to you as well. The Daystar plate is what is used on the Frankenlift.

sandracer · **Posted:** Wed Jun 27, 2007 11:16 am

I found this in the kit description on the BDS site:

New upper strut bracket are included to create pre-load on the strut while putting the strut back in the center of its travel. This will ensure the maximum amount of wheel travel out of your factory strut.

cherokj · **Joined:** Fri Sep 16, 2005 2:03 pm **Posts:** 64

sandracer,
Be careful. There is not a lot of room if you want to keep safe your UBJs.
I'm using Koni Heavy Track struts, they have the same extended length than the stock ones, and with the Trailmaster plates and the rubber isolator the springs hit the UBJs. I'm quite sure they are the same plates and the same kit than the BDS, only change the name for Europe.
Maybe another plates are better designed, I don't know.

sandracer · **Posted:** Wed Jun 27, 2007 2:11 pm

cherokj ~ I'm wondering if part of the difference could be that you have a CRD and I have a gas engine. I understand that there are some differences in what will work on each model when it comes to lifts. BDS, for instance, indicates that their lift will not work on a CRD. I see that the Frankenlift also has different lifts for the CRD and the gas model but I haven't checked to see what the difference is in the components.

cherokj · **Joined:** Fri Sep 16, 2005 2:03 pm **Posts:** 64

Being honest, I don't know if the suspension components are the same in the CRD and gas KJs. I suppose that the only different thing is the stiffness of the springs and, maybe, the valving of the strut. The rest - arms, etc -seems the same to me.

Of course BDS ( or Trailmaster in Europe ) says their kit doesn't work on a CRD. Their springs are not stiff enough. I only got 30mm lift with them ( the rear was OK, though ) before I got rid of them and ordered a custom pair for the diesel KJ. Anyway, the only thing related to the UBJ-spring contact is the total strut +plate extended length. Stiffness of spring or shock valving have nothing to do with the maximum drop.

By the way, I've read here that even some Frankenlifts have UBJ contact problems. I can't tell, I don't know that lift kit.

Good luck

Aftermarket Strut Plates

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