This is why spacers are a bad idea. (And lots of cv axle innards pics)

[treypal]

i wonder what the diff between the daystar $60 spacers and something higher priced?

Only difference will be the $$.

Houston, you back in a raptor?

 

[BigJ]

FYI I was running the Truxxx, not the Daystars. All the pics of my spacers are of Truxxx spacers.

 

[whisler151]

Spacers scare the shit out of me on a Raptor.

 

[Mil T]

alternatives

New here. 2010 stock Raptor just bought a month ago. Getting ready with various mods. I'm experienced with desert race buggys, trucks and motorcycles for many years.
I know that proper angles on CV's is critical to keep correct geometry on long travel vehicles. Especially something like a Raptor. I'm interested in 100K mile maintenance periods on moderate use vehicles and with the Raptor being a hi end thorobred, I would exptect to have that without problems. One of the mods that I was just getting ready to do was a trux spacer. I would like to keep the stock ride quality it has now. In reading this thread, I am reconsidering but only if I can get true engineering experienced feedback.
I do not see if anyone has added a limiter strap. One of the main reasons for LS's is for exactly the reason that has been discussed here. NO CV, accept for extreme duty designed race CV's, can endure what is thrown at it with out limiting it's travel beyond it's designed perameters so the strap helps to keep that in place.
I've also wondered why those that have gone to the top perch postition have not had their shocks rebuilt to add rebound dampning to control the added preload. Since these shocks are not adjustable, say like an offroad motorcycle, the designed rebound is surely not rated for the top position and control of the vehicle is definitly going to be affected and ride like S--t. I can see the pogo sticks now.
Last is has anyone called Truxx or Daystar or any of the makers of the spacers to see if what you have discovered was overlooked by the engineers. Many times parts like these spacers are just designed and built without any long term engineering considerations. I wonder if there was any real world engineering or just two pieces of metal welded together to make this spacer to lift the truck without considering all of the issues that it may cause.
One thing that has puzzeled me with the Raptor is why ford engineers for a hi end vehicle like the Raptor designed it with a spacer block on the rear dif to get height out of it. Why not redesign the springs to do what you are looking to have as a final height. Blocks just seem counter productive on a vehicle of this type. Goes against most offroad engineering principles and I blieve is one of the main reasons for the axle wrap that I feel when shifting and on some dirt roads.
I will be calling Truxx to get some feedback. I'll be happy to post answers I get here. I think if a limiter strap is all that is necessary to keep the Raptor in it's designed droop peramaters thent that may be the way to go for ride quaility.

Mil T

 

[onesickpuppy]

I was expecting it to look worse than that. Spacers I think would be fine within limits. And it seems fruitless to jack it up and then put limiting straps, but if that makes it live! If you get too crazy in angles you might need longer shafts from sir clip to sir clip. and some boots and plates to house the extra angles. The only part that scared me was the one that looked like it had a small fracture on the inner star. Cage looked fine. I used redline in the 930 CV's on our race car and heat marking went way down. Gotta watch that it does not put a strain on the output shafts and bearings. Not sure these CV's "breathe" at extreame angles, but we used to time out the breathing/stagger the CV timing to each other. I would also think more rebound in the shocks is needed when adding more preload. But hey, this is how we learn what we can and cannot do!!!

 

[Omani-Raptor]

FYI I was running the Truxxx, not the Daystars. All the pics of my spacers are of Truxxx spacers.

Hi everyone , I'm new to the forum but been reading a lot.

BigJ, does this mean daystar 2 inch spacer would end up my front drive line to get worn just like yours Truxx ?

 

[KaiserM715]

BigJ, does this mean daystar 2 inch spacer would end up my front drive line to get worn just like yours Truxx ?

EDIT: J's post answers your question better VV

 

[BigJ]

Hi everyone , I'm new to the forum but been reading a lot.

BigJ, does this mean daystar 2 inch spacer would end up my front drive line to get worn just like yours Truxx ?

Welcome Omani!

I cannot answer your question directly. I have no first hand experience with the Daystars.

However I can say this: I have seen two companies spacers fail. The Truxxx on my truck (as explained in this thread) and a set that RPG had made for sale. The RPG spacers failed in a similar way, even though in my opinion they were far better built than the Truxxx.

In fact, you'll probably notice RPG doesn't have any spacers for sale today (nor did they ever); when they found that their spacers failed on their test truck, they pulled them off that truck and junked the product. They've got a box full of spacers they made sitting in the corner collecting dust that will never see the light of day. They decided spacers were not a wise upgrade for these trucks.

Does all that equate to your Daystars? I have no idea. If I'm you, I remove them and check them out very carefully. That really is the only way to know for sure.

I hope that helps.

 

[Wheela]

stay away from spacers for the raptor, jist of the story

 

[Squatting Dog]

As well as stay away from top perch "if" you actually offroad hard in 4wd. Starting to see more and more Raptors on top perch tearing cv boots.. The additional preload on the spring (2"+ raise in the front) puts the cv close to binding at full droop and pinching the boot.

-Greg