2003: Leaf Spring Invasion
The nitty-gritty: Ninety percent of the competing rigs in this year’s event had leaf springs on at least one end. Interestingly, only two vehicles had dual shocks. The one rig that didn’t have leaves was fitted with a custom coil/air setup.
Winning rig: Like Waddell in ’01, Toby Harrell came to TTC and won it in a fullsize rig with a leaf spring suspension. His ’75 Blazer used 6-inch-lift leaf springs up front that were relocated forward an inch. In the rear, 63-inch-long leaf springs from a ’98 Chevy were relocated three inches rearward, and mounted with a shackle flip. This suspension was the very essence of durability and it contributed to the fact that Harrell was the only competitor to complete the Tank Trap.
Worth mentioning: One of the most unusual suspension setups was found under one of the most unusual rigs. The custom rig belonged to Terry Deleeuw and it was fitted, front and rear, with a four-link, coil spring suspension with an airbag (two ’bags in the rear) positioned in the center of the axle. Instead of a track bar, a hinged pivot was used that ran from the middle of the axle to the frame. The suspension worked great and allowed him to annihilate the Mini Rubicon and do very well in the high-speed Obstacle Course.
2004: The Year of Dual Shocks
The nitty-gritty: Over half the field sported dual shocks at either both ends or one end. Forty percent of the rigs had leaf springs this year, but coils were on three of the rigs. One rig used a leaf/coil setup, one used air bags, and one used coilovers.
Winning rig: Brad Austin’s ’91 Jeep Wrangler had 4-inch-lift Superlift Chevy truck-application leaf springs up front with Pro Comp shocks and a custom three-link rear suspension with coil springs and dual Pro Comp shocks. The suspension never suffered any failures throughout the week of competition.
Worth mentioning: Robb Rutledge’s ’77 Toyota FJ45 had a custom suspension front and rear. Both ends were four-link, but the front used F-150 coils and the rear used Ranger coils. The result was reliable throughout competition and it also helped him gather a win in the Ride and Drive segment of the event.
2005: Leaves Rally, But Coilovers Win
The nitty-gritty: Reservoir shocks were found on two of the vehicles this year, while dual shocks were found on three rigs. Once again, leaf springs dominated competitor’s suspensions, claiming half the field. The remainder consisted of two rigs with coil springs, one rig on coilovers, one rig using a coilover/coil setup, and one using a leaf/air system.
Winning rig: Jerry Duffy’s ’81 Jeep CJ-8 featured a hodge-podge of custom and off-the-shelf parts. The front suspension was a Currie Johnny-Jointed three-link with 14-inch-travel King remote-reservoir coilover shocks and Eibach springs, a Currie Antirock sway bar, and limiting straps. The rear suspension consisted of a triangulated four-link with spherical rod ends, Alcan elliptical springs, King 14-inch-travel remote-reservoir shocks, and limiting straps.
Winning rig: Brad Austin’s ’91 Jeep Wrangler had 4-inch-lift Superlift Chevy truck-application leaf springs up front with Pro Comp shocks and a custom three-link rear suspension with coil springs and dual Pro Comp shocks. The suspension never suffered any failures throughout the week of competition.
2006: Reservoir Shocks Everywhere
The nitty-gritty: The most noteworthy thing about this year’s group is that over half of the suspensions were fitted with reservoir shocks of some variety. Coilovers were in the majority this year, fitted onto 40 percent of the rigs. Two of the rigs had leaf-spring suspensions, one had a coilover/¼-elliptic setup, one had air shocks, one had a coil/coilover setup, and one relied completely on coils.
Winning rig: Brent Burton’s ’97 Jeep TJ used a four-link system with 16-inch-travel Sway-A-Way coilovers at both ends. Limiting straps were used to make sure the suspension didn’t overextend. There were no recorded problems with the suspension during competition. The suspension was versatile, helping to carry the rig to wins in the wildly different Frame Twister, Mud Pit, and Mini Rubicon.
Worth mentioning: Sporting a tube chassis from the cab rearward, Brad Pellet’s ’02 Dodge Ram featured a custom rear suspension including a four-link setup with Tractor Supply weld-in eyelets at each link end. The upper links measured 1.75 inches in diameter and the lower links measured 2 inches in diameter. The system also included Sway-A-Way RaceRunner coilover shocks. Up front, the rig had Skyjacker coil springs, Pro Comp 3-inch spring spacers, Doetsch Tech shocks, and a four-link system using 1.75-inch-diameter upper links and 1.50-inch-diameter lower links with Tractor Supply weld-in eyelets.
2007: Hydraulic Bumpstops Come on Strong
The nitty-gritty: Only two rigs sported leaf-spring suspensions this year. Four of the rigs sported coilovers and four sported coil-spring suspensions. Interestingly, four of the rigs had reservoir shocks and only one was fitted with dual shocks. Also notable this year was that of the ten competing rigs three were fitted with then-newfangled hydraulic bumpstops.
Winning rig: Matt Thorsen’s ’00 Jeep TJ was fitted with a simple, yet high-tech suspension and even though the rig suffered a number of failures in Tank Trap, the suspension worked flawlessly. At both ends was a four-link system with dual-rate Sway-A-Way RaceRunner coilover shocks and extended hydraulic bumpstops.
Worth mentioning: Forty percent of the rigs this year had a simple coil-spring suspension. One of those was the ’89 Chevy K3500 pickup belonging to Rick Johnson. Simple, yet functional, it used a three-link arrangement front and rear with coil springs and remote-reservoir shocks. Limiting straps kept the suspension from overextending. Johnson came in last, but it was torque converter issues and not suspension issues that put him there.
2008: Suspension Chaos
The nitty-gritty: There were nine vehicles in this year’s competition and they sported an eclectic mix of suspension systems. For the first time there wasn’t any one type that held the majority. Two rigs sported a coilover suspension, two were on leaves, two were on coils, one was semi-elliptical, one had a coil/leaf arrangement, and one had air shocks. Hydraulic bumpstops were fitted onto two of the rigs and two were fitted with reservoir shocks.
Winning rigs: This year we had a tie between Jeremy Naeger and Clayton Kraatz. Both had four-link setups, but Naeger’s ’03 Avalanche buggy used 16-inch-travel King triple-rate coilovers, hydraulic bumpstops, and limiting straps.
While Kraatz’s 2006 Evolution Warthog sported 26-inch-travel Knight Stalker shocks with limiting straps. Both of these vehicles suffered damage in the Tank Trap but none of it was related to the suspension system.
2009: Invasion of the Hydraulic Bumpstop
The nitty-gritty: The big news this year was that 70 percent of the competing rigs had hydraulic bumpstops at one end or both ends of their rigs. Also noteworthy this year was that coilover-equipped rigs were in the majority again and half the field relied on them. One rig had air shocks, one had a leaf/coilover arrangement, one relied on nitro shocks, and two had coil springs.
Winning rig: One of the most unusual facets of the suspension under TTC ’09 winner David Green’s homemade tube buggy was the fact it used aluminum links for the four-link bars at each end of the rig. The uppers were made from 6061 and the lowers from 7075 and each was fitted with Evolution Engineering spherical rod ends. The suspension included a set of King 16-inch-travel remote-reservoir coilovers, limiting straps, and up front, a pair of King hydraulic bumpstops. The rig suffered no suspension failures during competition.
Worth mentioning: Similar to Pellett’s Ram in ’06, Doug Kahlstrom’s ’70 Dodge Power Wagon was modified from the cab rearward and featured a four-link rear suspension with 16-inch-travel coilovers. However, instead of fixed bumpstops, the Power Wagon had hydraulic bumpstops. Up front, the truck had a spring-over conversion with Deaver leaf springs and a single shock at each wheel. Aside from a little suspension hop in the Tow Test, the suspension performed perfectly. The truck earned Kahlstrom a Fifth Place finish overall and contributed to winning the Driving Elegant award.
2010: Leaves in the Minority
The nitty-gritty: For the first time, leaf-spring suspensions were only found under one vehicle and they were only in the rear of the rig (the front had coilovers). Speaking of coilovers, they were found under three rigs. The rest of the rigs were a fascinating study in configurations. Two of the rigs relied on air shocks, one had coil springs, two had a coilover/air shock setup, and one had a strut/coil setup.
Winning rigs: TTC had separate truck and buggy classes this year. The winning vehicle in the Truck Class was the ’75 GMC pickup truck belonging to Jason Gray. This vehicle was fitted with a triangulated four-link, FOA coilovers, and pneumatic bumpstops up front. Out back, things were a bit different with a double-triangulated four-link and FOA air shocks.
The Buggy Class-winning vehicle was the ’09 Sigma machine belonging to Mike Karwath (above). It used a triangulated four-link with 18-inch-travel Fox air shocks front and rear. Neither of these rigs suffered any suspension-related failures.
Worth mentioning: P.J Hale’s ’48 Willys pickup had a three-link at each end, but up front he used ORI struts and in the rear he used Tuff Country coil springs with Ford shocks. This suspension helped him earn a strong finish overall, but it did break a spherical rod end on one of the rear lower link bars in the Mini Rubicon.
2011: Unusual Suspensions Win It All
The nitty-gritty: The popular coilover suspension returned this year under 40 percent of the rigs. Leaf-spring suspensions reappeared under two of the rigs. One rig had struts, one relied on air shocks, one had a leaf/coil setup, and one had a leaf/air configuration. Hydraulic bumpstops were fitted onto four of the rigs.
Winning rigs: Separate truck and buggy classes returned this year. The winning vehicle in the Truck Class was the ’49 Willys owned by Steven Montpas. It used a unique suspension he called a “double-leaf.” It was a variation on the “buggy springover” suspension and used two full opposing leaf packs that are joined at the front by a shackle and at the rear by a radius arm. This was supplemented by a three-link up front with Tuff Country shocks and a four-link out back, also with Tuff Country shocks.
The custom Chevy buggy belonging to Alex Sanders won the Buggy Class and it had a unique “grader ball” front suspension. Essentially a triangulated single-link similar to a torque tube, the grader-ball utilized a trailer-style ball and mount that was sourced from a road grader and welded to a frame crossmember, and a coupler that’s welded shut so it can’t separate from the ball. The coupler attaches to the axles via a solid V-link, both ends of which are welded directly to the axletube. A pair of coil springs, a panhard bar, and 25-inch-travel homemade shocks rounded out the front suspension. Out back, the rig used leaf springs and another pair of those homemade 25-inch-travel-shocks.
Worth mentioning: The first top-finishing rig that wasn’t on coilovers belonged to Jeff Wood. His ’66 Kaiser/Jeep CJ-5 had a custom coil suspension that was nothing fancy but worked well. Up front it had a three-link system with Rancho shocks and a ’70 Wagoneer sway bar with custom end links. Out back was a four-link system with Rancho shocks. All of the link ends were fitted with polyurethane bushings. It wasn’t a flex monster, but it helped to carry him to a Fourth Place finish overall.
Worth mentioning: The ’94 Chevy S-10 of Tim Dallner had a four-link suspension fitted with Currie Johnny Joints at each end. No coilovers here though. He used ORI struts that offered 16 inches of travel. The suspension flexed its way through the Mini Rubicon to earn Dallner the win in that event and a Second Place overall finish in the Truck Class. FW