There are some confused posts here...so here are some clarifications:
The purpose of a bump stop is to limit up travel.
You do not WANT to limit uptravel if you want to preserve articulation.
On an IFS suspension, you do not lose the OPPOSITE side articulation, but, you DO LOSE some ability to have the truck stay level on uneven terrain.
A PERFECT suspension would allow the truck to glide over all obstacles while remaining dead level, and the tires would go up/down following the terrain independently of the truck.
If you have a well set-up rig, you try to get as close to this concept as possible.
If the truck is climbing a rock with its drivers side front tire...the tire will rise as you go over the rock.
If the tire CANNOT rise without ALSO RAISING THE TRUCK (Due to a lack of uptravel, etc...), THEN, the TRUCK will be picked UP at that corner.
This is NOT desirable....and is not following the objective to keep the truck level.
Tipping your rig up at one corner is less stable, and, tends to cause you to lose traction as the OTHER side is progressively
unweighted.
So -
WHY do kits include bump stop extensions?
1) To avoid having to make room for larger tires to fit.
Just add taller coils, spacers, etc...and the RIDE HEIGHT is high enough to drive around on taller tires.
So the larger tires won't rub on compression, the stops STOP the axle from rising.
This is less capable off road, but, the VAST majority of lift kit buyers get them JUST to fit larger tires...so, it works for THEM.
2) To avoid over compression of shocks.
To provide more DOWN TRAVEL, and reach the ground from the new, higher ride heights....longer shocks are used in most kits.
Shocks that ALSO get short enough to allow UPTRAVEL are more expensive, and therefore, rarely used in most kits.
By simply preventing the axle from rising, and compressing the longer shocks and breaking them, a stop is used to STOP the axle from rising.
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If your tires FIT into your wells, and your shocks compress far enough to allow full stuffage...there is absolutely ZERO benefit to a bump stop extension...ONLY negative effects.
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If the tires hit the fenders/wells on compression, you can raise the fenders/wells with a BL, or, by modifying or removing them..so they are no longer in the WAY of the larger tire when it rises.
This preserves uptravel, and stability off road.
You can of course just use smaller tires.
If your shocks need to be so long when extended to allow full droop, that they simply cannot also compress down to a short enough length to allow full stuffage, you can either move the mounts to a more advantageous position, get different shocks, or add the stop extensions to protect them.
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Summary:
Stops are inherently evil uptravel robbing accessories that do nothing for you except stop your axle from rising and make your rig less stable off road.
They can be a necessary evil if your shock options are a limiting factor, or, you are a poseur.
:wink-big:
