What's wrong with my RTE lift?

[Jeff Blake]

I installed new RTE springs last fall, and after installation, my ride height was even all around. Happy camper. Within 6 weeks (I'm late to posting this), the rears have sagged as much as 3" behind the rears.

Here are my measurements taken from wheel hub center to bottom of wheel arch:

23" Front L
22" Front R
20" Rear L
20" Rear R

I spoke to Simon @ RTE today and because I'm calling him a few months after the sag was noticed, he's unwilling to send me a new set of springs. We got into a lengthy discussion... he says never once have his springs ever sagged since he bought the company 4 years ago. I understand his point of view, but the fact is, the springs have sagged and despite pressing... he won't budge on sending new springs. He is offering to send me free rear spacers or new springs at cost.

Lift specs
RTE RR1-3 Rear 3" Springs
RTE RR4-3 Front 3" Springs
TF147 Rear Prosport All Terrain +2"
TF146 Front Prosport All Terrain +2"
D1 Rear Spring seats w/ isolators
Terrafirma castor corrected radius arms
Adjustable TF panhard
TF front shock towers

Weight specs
- Dual battery front right
- Synthetic winch
- Steel front bumper (terrafirma)
- Greg davis rear bumper
- Rock sliders
- 2nd row two seats deleted
- hi lift
- Various cargo and stuff totaling a couple hundred pounds (always loaded)

 

[Jeff Blake]

One more photo

 

[Howski]

Wow what the hell is wrong with them. Don’t have the armor you do but on stock springs with D1 spring seats and am at 19.75” in the rear....

 

[K-rover]

Typical response from the new RTE.. I had a similar experience with their adjustable shock towers. At the lowest setting I had a lot of wasted uptravel with 11" fox shocks and a 4" TF lift. I would have to run 16" shocks for them to be useful.. I contacted them and got the same response.. "No one has complained yet, except you" I told them thats because most people dont understand proper suspension setup and just trust that what you sold them is the best out there. I ended up having a friend cut 3" out of them and reweld them for me. Now I can actually adjust them up or down if needed. There are still some fanboys out there that swear by them, but those are the guys new to Rovers and dont know the difference between old RTE and new RTE.

At this point your only real options are to take the spacers or sell those springs and buy different springs..

 

[Jeff Blake]

Typical response from the new RTE.. I had a similar experience with their adjustable shock towers. At the lowest setting I had a lot of wasted uptravel with 11" fox shocks and a 4" TF lift. I would have to run 16" shocks for them to be useful.. I contacted them and got the same response.. "No one has complained yet, except you" I told them thats because most people dont understand proper suspension setup and just trust that what you sold them is the best out there. I ended up having a friend cut 3" out of them and reweld them for me. Now I can actually adjust them up or down if needed. There are still some fanboys out there that swear by them, but those are the guys new to Rovers and dont know the difference between old RTE and new RTE.

At this point your only real options are to take the spacers or sell those springs and buy different springs..

Glad to hear I'm not the only one... he said there is something wrong with my truck - body mounts, frame twisted, etc... and since he has no idea what I did to the truck he won't warranty them.

The problem is that RTE springs are the heaviest rated ones available? Simon said 330 over 375 pounds spring rate. Maybe my set had a problem during manufacturing, maybe I'm carrying too much weight, but with how that conversation went, I don't think buying new RTEs at cost ($230) is wise, for my rover or for my dignity.

I don't really feel good about putting in 2" spacers... even if they are free.

Anyone else out there with these RTE springs and can provide the wheel hub to arch measurements?

 

[crystalclear]

im def wrong on this - but have you checked your rear sway bar?

 

[Jeff Blake]

im def wrong on this - but have you checked your rear sway bar?

I don't have one

 

[p m]

Jeff,

RTE changed hands so many times.
RTE (Rovertym) was nearly the only other spring option besides OME in early 2000s, and nearly every other RTE owner used sub-par spring supplier.
Your better bet is to find used OME HD rears and use them with D1 spring seats. Together they will get you about 2.5-3" of true height gain. You can also use rubber spring isolators or OME trim packers from Expedition Exchange, for another 3/8" of height.

Now Terrafirma produced so much crappy hardware that RTE is out of limelight. Maybe they ought to be back in it.

 

[Jeff Blake]

Jeff,

RTE changed hands so many times.
RTE (Rovertym) was nearly the only other spring option besides OME in early 2000s, and nearly every other RTE owner used sub-par spring supplier.
Your better bet is to find used OME HD rears and use them with D1 spring seats. Together they will get you about 2.5-3" of true height gain. You can also use rubber spring isolators or OME trim packers from Expedition Exchange, for another 3/8" of height.

Now Terrafirma produced so much crappy hardware that RTE is out of limelight. Maybe they ought to be back in it.

Maybe so, indeed. Though I honestly don't have anything bad to say about Terrafirma products, and I have a lot of it.

Thanks for the tip on trim packers... those will come in handy. Can they be stacked or used in conjunction with isolators?

Nothing but good experiences buying from John @ EE in the past.

These look like the right springs: https://expeditionexchange.com/shop...n-emu-2763-rear-extra-heavy-duty-springs-2763

Worth a try. They're only rated for constant 440 pounds, which is under what I carry. Weight adds up quickly... I did some more napkin math and came up with a conservative 600 pounds.

 

[Blue]

I can't believe people are still buying RTE shit. I thought they died out ages ago.

 

[K-rover]

I ran those 763's on my D2 a while back. They were more like a 2.5" lift on my then mostly stock truck. No HD bumpers, or sliders. The ride was stiff, but got a lot better when I was loaded down.

This is how it looked with 761 fronts and 763 rears.. unloaded. with 265/75-16's

 

[Jeff Blake]

Thanks for the photo. Sounds like I'll be lucky to get an inch of lift... What are you running now?

 

[K-rover]

Thanks for the photo. Sounds like I'll be lucky to get an inch of lift... What are you running now?

check the "members truck" link on my profile. 4" TF springs with fox shocks and a whole lot of other custom stuff. You can probably make the OME springs work with some trim packers and D1 spring seat.

 

[p m]

Jeff,

I would not combine trim packers with spring isolators (at least, on the same end of a spring). Top and bottom - sure, why not, especially with those deep D2 spring seats.
Talk to John @ EE. He will tell you pretty much what you need to get what you want.

Speaking of Terrafirma - I don't know what to call shocks with half-life of 2 years. A set of stock-replacement Bilsteins lasted nearly 15 years on my truck. OTOH, an OME shock broke after maybe six or seven months recently.

 

[Jeff Blake]

check the "members truck" link on my profile. 4" TF springs with fox shocks and a whole lot of other custom stuff. You can probably make the OME springs work with some trim packers and D1 spring seat.

Your profile says 3" TF springs. TF doesn't make 4" springs? why the switch?

I ran TF HD springs for my first lift... they were way too soft. Hit a speed bump and it felt like the rear end was getting catapulted to space.

 

[K-rover]

Your profile says 3" TF springs. TF doesn't make 4" springs? why the switch?

I ran TF HD springs for my first lift... they were way too soft. Hit a speed bump and it felt like the rear end was getting catapulted to space.

3' springs with 1" spacers in the back. D1 3" springs upfront which net 4" I have no complaints from the TF springs other than bad powder coating.
Currently running 34's but going to 35's when these wear out. My fox shocks are valved stiff so maybe thats why I dont feel it being too bouncy?

 

[Jeff Blake]

Jeff,

I would not combine trim packers with spring isolators (at least, on the same end of a spring). Top and bottom - sure, why not, especially with those deep D2 spring seats.
Talk to John @ EE. He will tell you pretty much what you need to get what you want.

Speaking of Terrafirma - I don't know what to call shocks with half-life of 2 years. A set of stock-replacement Bilsteins lasted nearly 15 years on my truck. OTOH, an OME shock broke after maybe six or seven months recently.

I spoke to John an hour ago, told him the setup, and we pulled the trigger on the OME 763's. He even managed to get the shipment out before the UPS truck left, as he's going on a trip tomorrow. Even better, he's in LA, so they'll arrive tomorrow. I'll install those w/ D1 seats and an upper isolator and re-evaluate.

K-rover, your profile says you have rear upper retainers, and lower cones. Can you send product links? I've only ever seen lower retainers.

 

[K-rover]

I guess I should update my profile since Ive also done a watts delete and went with a panhard in the rear and just had my rear lower shock mounts raised up so they dont hang so far below the axle.

 

[K-rover]

I spoke to John an hour ago, told him the setup, and we pulled the trigger on the OME 763's. He even managed to get the shipment out before the UPS truck left, as he's going on a trip tomorrow. Even better, he's in LA, so they'll arrive tomorrow. I'll install those w/ D1 seats and an upper isolator and re-evaluate.

K-rover, your profile says you have rear upper retainers, and lower cones. Can you send product links? I've only ever seen lower retainers.

TF521

 

[Jeff Blake]

Alright, I don't think I need those. I'd love to do a watts delete in the future...did you make a post on it?

Tempted to swap out the TF 2" for the new TF 3" valve adjustable shocks. $340 for a set, too good to be true?