I've beed reading till my eyes hurt every night and can't seem to find any real world experience on which rear coils would work best for towing.I have a bone stock 2000 sr5 with v6, auto and 85k miles. I'm getting ready for a cross country move with the back loaded down and pulling a small trailer with a motorcycle and tools. I wouldn't mind a smallish lift. I'm going to stick with a tire size no larger than 265-75-16. I will also choose a front lift to match the rear. Either tundra 5100 or King coilovers ( had a set on my tacoma and loved them ). Any advice is welcome. thanks
best rear coils for towing ?
- Thread starter jdob0
- Start date
Register to hide this ad
JayRolla
New member
The OME 891 coils handles extra weight but most coils that do will net 3" rear lift. You can go with a softer coil and add internal air bags also which works really well.
theladyviola
New member
Air Lift 1000 with a union tee and call it a day for about $85. Have one on my other vehicle and will be putting one on the 4Runner when I start towing more weight.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Was trying to save air bags for a last resort. Any coil ideas ?
JayRolla
New member
ome 891
The 891's give a 3" lift. I wanted to stick with 265-75-16 tires. May look funny with a 3" lift ?
phattyduck
Elite Member
OME 906's have the highest spring rate of any off the shelf options. They are also progressive, so should stiffen up better with added weight than many other options.
-Charlie
-Charlie
I was reading about the 906's. Have you done any towing with these ?
phattyduck
Elite Member
I don't have them yet, thus I left any opinions out of the post...
But, what I can tell you is that they are the springs specifically designed for use with the 4Runner specific 5100's that Bilstein now makes (2" lift, 220 lb spring rate).
http://cart.bilsteinus.com/pdfs/E4-WM5-Y485A00.pdf
http://www.arbusa.com/Uploads/PDF/onlineManualsGuides/OME_Guide_current.pdf (search '2906' for spring info in two places)
I'll be doing 5100's (4Runner, not Tundra or Tacoma) and 906 rear springs as my next major mod.
-Charlie
Tyler James Inc
Senior Member
I can't help with coil selection, however, I wanted to address this suggestion.
I would highly advise NOT T'ing air springs. Putting the "air bags" in one circuit will completely induce body roll, causing potentially dangerous situations- especially while towing.
When cornering- or reacting to someone else's careless driving- the suspension is loaded on the outside tire(suspension/airbag/etc). If the air is in one circuit, it will push the air to the inside tire/bag, inducing body roll.
It's essentially adding a sway bar; not an ANTI-sway bay, a SWAY bar!
I hope that makes sense, and I hope anyone who has T'd their air helpers will seriously consider changing that. I promise handling will improve, and it will also be safer.
Thanks for the info. Safety first !
theladyviola
New member
I've never had that problem crossing the country several times. If I had an onboard compressor, sure I'd keep a dual setup. For the average tow with even weight and manual inflation, I see no problem. Over a couple thousand pounds you should be using a weight distribution hitch anyway. Is what you're saying true? Absolutely. But it's also like saying everyone should have XREAS to decrease body roll or they'll die. Different situations, different criteria.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Do you plan replacing the front coils ?
theladyviola
New member
http://www.toyota120.com/forum/showthread.php?t=12183
There's some decent spring rate and lift comparisons in this thread about LC coils on 3rd gens.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Tyler James Inc
Senior Member
Haha No, it's actually not like that at all. I'm not saying you won't be able to drive across the country several times without crashing; I'm saying your handling will improve drastically if you separate them. Hence why the airbag helper kits come with two separate circuits.
I have quite a bit of experience with air bag suspension, and have had setups configured both ways. I speak from years of experience when I say your handling will improve drastically.
Everyone has the freedom to do whatever they wish, but having them separate is definitely the right way [emoji1360]
Last edited:
phattyduck
Elite Member
Wasn't planning on it, but I haven't 100% decided. The 4Runner 5100's have 3 cir-clip locations for adjustable height, and I'd like to keep the front as soft as possible.
-Charlie
Rocky5000100
New member
906 hands down. I've had them on my 4runner for 2 years now, many thousands of miles towing my 3300lb 7x12 enclosed trailer. When loaded properly, it squats to perfectly level. When unloaded, it has a nice looking rake.
Unloaded after 2 years:
Loaded.
Unloaded after 2 years:
Loaded.
906 hands down. I've had them on my 4runner for 2 years now, many thousands of miles towing my 3300lb 7x12 enclosed trailer. When loaded properly, it squats to perfectly level. When unloaded, it has a nice looking rake.
Unloaded after 2 years:
Loaded.
Nice . Did you change the front suspension any ?
thinkCooper
New member
Interesting to read. I'm running an airbag set-up in our rig, with a T. I can't say as though I've experienced first hand that body roll issue, and we do drive on a very twisty highway (CA 17 between Los Gatos and Santa Cruz) at the start and end of every camping trip. Big sur is a regular destination for us too, as well as Fremont Peak (which is a super steep goat trial of a twisty road). The flow of air in the connector tube is pretty restricted by the small diameter of the tube. I'd imagine that flow between bags could indeed hapen, I just can't say as though it would happen fast enough to induce oscillation. That said - if there's some data out there to show that it indeed does occur, I'd update our system to separate valves and lines.
What I can definatively share is that use of a weight distribution hitch, and proper F/R loading of our trailer makes a very noticeable difference. We tow a 3500 pound rPod trailer fairly regularly with a 2000 SR5 manual rig. The WDH with a tongue heavy load makes huge improvments.
Attachments
Last edited:
jacobbert9
New member
I don't have a ton of experience towing with 906's, but I did tow a 5'X10' enclosed trailer from Dallas to Stillwater, OK and back (about 260 miles each way) with no issues.
I had the trailer and interior packed to the brim, actually had to put a couple boxes on my roof rack. I don't know how much weight it was, but it was everything from my one bedroom apartment. It sat pretty level with my stock front suspension and handled well. I was more concerned about the lack of power and transmission temps going through the Arbuckle Mountains in southern OK.
I had the trailer and interior packed to the brim, actually had to put a couple boxes on my roof rack. I don't know how much weight it was, but it was everything from my one bedroom apartment. It sat pretty level with my stock front suspension and handled well. I was more concerned about the lack of power and transmission temps going through the Arbuckle Mountains in southern OK.
