Coil Over lb ratings what do you run?

[xcmountain80]

I have a 2002 4Runner, I am running a set of SAW 2.5” CO’s. I am ordering the rebuild kit, and taking the DIY approach. I would like to replace the coils while apart. Currently running a 650lb spring. I have an ARB bumper, 9k winch, oh and Bud built Steel skids plates,,,,and that’s it for additional front weight over stock. The ride
Isn’t harsh but certainly off-roady in the sense of comfort. Would 600 lb springs with more preload be better or the same. 700 lb seems like it would be worse but I could be wrong.


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[Dezert4Runner]

I have a 2002 4Runner, I am running a set of SAW 2.5” CO’s. I am ordering the rebuild kit, and taking the DIY approach. I would like to replace the coils while apart. Currently running a 650lb spring. I have an ARB bumper, 9k winch,,,,,and that’s it for additional front weight over stock. The ride
Isn’t harsh but certainly off-roady in the sense of comfort. Would 600 lb slings with more preload be better or the same. 700 lb seems like it would be worse but I could be wrong.


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I have the same c/o’s with 650lb 13” coils with no extra weight up front. I need to eventually rebuild mine, and when I do I want to use a 600lb 14” coil. That way I don’t have to crank the collar down as much. The 650lb 13” coil is ok @ 2” lift but I’d hate to ride with them cranked any higher on a stock weight front end. Everyone that runs 700lb coils from what I’ve read ends up unhappy and switches back to 650lb eventually because the 700lb don’t flex very well and end up wanting a softer coil but I’m sure there are exceptions that are happy with it.

I’d do my own rebuild if it weren’t for the issue of compressing the beastly coils. They’re way too thick for the Macpherson strut compressors and I don’t have access to a wall mounted compresser. I’ve heard of people using ratchet straps but that sounds like a Darwin Award winner if you ask me! I’ll be following this thread and if you can document the tear down and rebuild process I’d be interested in documentation of that process.

 

[xcmountain80]

I have the same c/o’s with 650lb 13” coils with no extra weight up front. I need to eventually rebuild mine, and when I do I want to use a 600lb 14” coil. That way I don’t have to crank the collar down as much. The 650lb 13” coil is ok @ 2” lift but I’d hate to ride with them cranked any higher on a stock weight front end. Everyone that runs 700lb coils from what I’ve read ends up unhappy and switches back to 650lb eventually because the 700lb don’t flex very well and end up wanting a softer coil but I’m sure there are exceptions that are happy with it.

I’d do my own rebuild if it weren’t for the issue of compressing the beastly coils. They’re way too thick for the Macpherson strut compressors and I don’t have access to a wall mounted compresser. I’ve heard of people using ratchet straps but that sounds like a Darwin Award winner if you ask me! I’ll be following this thread and if you can document the tear down and rebuild process I’d be interested in documentation of that process.

I use a different set of strut compressors and they work. Will have to take a photo, though I feel like I’m playing with a hair trigger sawed off shotgun in a ball pit.

I don’t do enough to invest in the wall mounted strut compressor but keep it
In my Amazon cart just in case.

A ratchet strap? Take my ball pit scenario and aim it at your testicles and add 1000 chop sticks to the equation.

I use a 1/2” top out spacer......oh I said it burn me at the stake. In theory this keeps the compression rate of the spring down. I’m not an online engineer but it makes sense. I did consider using a 3” or 2” top out spacer and really uncompressing the coil....maybe I’ll try a 600lb spring with that. I don’t drive fast off-road 45’ish. But do drive the highway more than. I’d care to admit.


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[theesotericone]

I have a 2002 4Runner, I am running a set of SAW 2.5” CO’s. I am ordering the rebuild kit, and taking the DIY approach. I would like to replace the coils while apart. Currently running a 650lb spring. I have an ARB bumper, 9k winch,,,,,and that’s it for additional front weight over stock. The ride
Isn’t harsh but certainly off-roady in the sense of comfort. Would 600 lb slings with more preload be better or the same. 700 lb seems like it would be worse but I could be wrong.

Get 600's drive it around with them. Keep the 650's till your sure you like the ride and height of the 600's. Sell which ever one you like least.

I have 650 Kings on the front. They ride pretty damn well considering my rigs fully armored and just north of 5000 lbs. I had 600 Eibach/Billies on for a long time. On the rocks and street the difference isn't huge. On high speed dirt it's night and day.

I’d do my own rebuild if it weren’t for the issue of compressing the beastly coils. They’re way too thick for the Macpherson strut compressors and I don’t have access to a wall mounted compresser. I’ve heard of people using ratchet straps but that sounds like a Darwin Award winner if you ask me! I’ll be following this thread and if you can document the tear down and rebuild process I’d be interested in documentation of that process.

Ratchet straps work but aren't what I would call safe. The safest way I've found, other then a bench mounted spring compressor, is to use a floor jack.

Jack up the front and get it on jack stands. Once the tires are off disconnect the 4 lower ball joint bolts and swing the spindle/brakes out of the way. Mark the lower control arm cams so you know where they go back to. Loosen the LCA bolts. Jack up the LCA with a floor jack until the spring compresses. You should see the frame just lift off the jack stand once your there. Loosen the lower shock nut but leave it in place. Undo the upper shock nut completely. Do not touch the 3 top hat nuts. Slowly lower the jack. The spring will decompress. Once the jack is out of the way undo the lower shock bolt and remove the spring. Install the reverse of removal.

There's almost no way to get hurt with that set-up. The lower shock bolt is always attached when the spring in under tension. Even if there's a catastrophic jack failure the shock will hold the spring from flying out.

 

[Nate_GB]

600 lb 14" springs would run a tad softer, but as others have mentioned, you'll need a spring compressor to get them on/off. I think your better bet would be a revalve. The "harshness" you're describing probably has very little to do with spring weight and more to do with compression valving. Try lightening up the valving on the compression stack when you do the rebuild. Or better yet, a flutter stack would probably give you the ride you're looking for.

 

[Dezert4Runner]

The safest way I've found, other then a bench mounted spring compressor, is to use a floor jack.

Jack up the front and get it on jack stands. Once the tires are off disconnect the 4 lower ball joint bolts and swing the spindle/brakes out of the way. Mark the lower control arm cams so you know where they go back to. Loosen the LCA bolts. Jack up the LCA with a floor jack until the spring compresses. You should see the frame just lift off the jack stand once your there. Loosen the lower shock nut but leave it in place. Undo the upper shock nut completely. Do not touch the 3 top hat nuts. Slowly lower the jack. The spring will decompress. Once the jack is out of the way undo the lower shock bolt and remove the spring. Install the reverse of removal.

There's almost no way to get hurt with that set-up. The lower shock bolt is always attached when the spring in under tension. Even if there's a catastrophic jack failure the shock will hold the spring from flying out.

Maybe I’m missing something, but doesn’t that method only work on stock style assemblies? Meaning that the coil is tensioned by the threaded stem/nut holding the top hats & coil isolators? The SAW/ King/ etc coilovers use a collar on the threaded body and the coils have to be compressed while manually loosening the collar. Like the pics below.

Stock style

Adjustment collar

 

[theesotericone]

Maybe I’m missing something, but doesn’t that method only work on stock style assemblies? Meaning that the coil is tensioned by the threaded stem/nut holding the top hats & coil isolators? The SAW/ King/ etc coilovers use a collar on the threaded body and the coils have to be compressed while manually loosening the collar.

Your indeed correct. I was thinking of my old Eibach/Billie combo not true threaded coil overs. I guess I'll have to come up with some other solution if I ever switch my Kings springs. Nice catch. Thanks

 

[xcmountain80]

600 lb 14" springs would run a tad softer, but as others have mentioned, you'll need a spring compressor to get them on/off. I think your better bet would be a revalve. The "harshness" you're describing probably has very little to do with spring weight and more to do with compression valving. Try lightening up the valving on the compression stack when you do the rebuild. Or better yet, a flutter stack would probably give you the ride you're looking for.

I’ll look into that. Thank you. I just use spring compressors on my bench. I’ll buy myself an electric impact gun this year.


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[Nate_GB]

I’ll look into that. Thank you. I just use spring compressors on my bench. I’ll buy myself an electric impact gun this year.


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Just a heads up, normal spring compressors don't usually work because of the tight gap between the body of the shock and the inner diameter of the spring. At least that's been my experience.

 

[xcmountain80]

I use these



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[xcmountain80]

600 lb 14" springs would run a tad softer, but as others have mentioned, you'll need a spring compressor to get them on/off. I think your better bet would be a revalve. The "harshness" you're describing probably has very little to do with spring weight and more to do with compression valving. Try lightening up the valving on the compression stack when you do the rebuild. Or better yet, a flutter stack would probably give you the ride you're looking for.

Ok, so there is a bit of black magic involved to get your flutter stack right. The stack is easy to build it’s just the what size and how many that gets a bit complicated. Kartek has many SAW shims so Building a stack won’t be hard. I just need some direction in size and thickness.


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[Nate_GB]

Ok, so there is a bit of black magic involved to get your flutter stack right. The stack is easy to build it’s just the what size and how many that gets a bit complicated. Kartek has many SAW shims so Building a stack won’t be hard. I just need some direction in size and thickness.


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And therein lies the beauty of shock tuning. It's very experience based. I would start by seeing what shim stack is in the shocks and go from there. There's a ton of literature and videos on the internet covering this subject.

 

[Lindenwood]

I am running Eibach 620lb springs up front on 5100s, and even with 250lb of extra weight up front, I wish my springs were softer.

 

[Mchaz]

I am running Eibach 620lb springs up front on 5100s, and even with 250lb of extra weight up front, I wish my springs were softer.

You're not the only one I've heard saying the 620lb Eibachs are overkill. I was thinking about trying thier P/N E30-82-006-05-20 "Pro Lift" springs, which have a spring rate of 577 lbs/inch according to a sales rep. Seems like a good middle ground between OME light duty and the Toytec heavy duty springs.

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[Lindenwood]

I am very seriously considering swapping in some 550lb coilovers, actually.

 

[CRB Racing]

I had 600lb springs on my rig. As soon as I added the Allpro front bumper, winch, and skids the front starting sagging like a pair of old lady tits.

All my friends with Tacoma’s run 700lb springs. So I ordered a set of 700lb Eibachs and they have been great.