No change in height w/ lift!>!

[jmrwd3]

Hi all, I recently replaced the struts on my 4Runner, and took out my 3" spacer lift as I could never properly align my truck. Now I've decided to put the spacer that fit in the coilovers back in.... However.... I see no change in the height of the coilover, the spring is just more compressed. Any ideas/solutions? Thanks!

 

[Ohio4R]

Have you put them back in your truck?

 

[rdgt4r]

yeah you gotta put it under a load im sure

 

[jmrwd3]

yeah i was thinking that too - i'll do the other one and give it a shot. I hope it works! I was thinking maybe that strut wasn't long enough or something.

 

[Charlee78]

Maybe that spacer must be between the strut and the frame?

 

[SubSonic]

I'm not into the lifting (or lowering) of things that much anymore, but the setup you have pictured there looks to only have changed the spring rate. You have basically increased the pre-load on the spring, making it stiffer and reducing the travel before coil binding would occur.

Maybe a stiffer spring rate is what you need to realize a small lift - but it's gonna make the vehicle ride a lot firmer, especially over rough surfaces.

I dunno, I was into lowering back in the day - mini trucks in the 1980s - so this is all opposite of what I've done in the past anyway.

 

[trd_4runnin]

I'm not into the lifting (or lowering) of things that much anymore, but the setup you have pictured there looks to only have changed the spring rate. You have basically increased the pre-load on the spring, making it stiffer and reducing the travel before coil binding would occur.

Maybe a stiffer spring rate is what you need to realize a small lift - but it's gonna make the vehicle ride a lot firmer, especially over rough surfaces.

I dunno, I was into lowering back in the day - mini trucks in the 1980s - so this is all opposite of what I've done in the past anyway.

Thats basically correct. It does provide lift by stiffening up the spring and it is pretty well documented that it stiffens up the ride as well.

To the OP, once you put the spring in you would notice a difference. The spring without the preloaded spacer is not as stiff and is going to compress further than the spring with spacer and that is where you will get your lift.

 

[J.A.]

I am going to disagree here and say that weather or not that is a preload spacer or not, the spring rate does not change and that the spring at rest should be the same legnth as without the spacer, ie. the overall coilover should be longer with the addition of the spacer as it is the spacer that is what provides the lift.

 

[Stick Figure]

it all depends on if the springs are linear or progressive. A linear spring should be the same regardless of it if is compressed, or not, where a progressive spring will get stiffer as its compressed.

Really it looks like the shock is the limiting factor for that working as a proper lift. IF you got a shock that was proportionately longer to match the spring + spacers length, it should work much better.

 

[techno]

You have basically increased the pre-load on the spring, making it stiffer and reducing the travel before coil binding would occur.

This is correct. Spacers simulate adding weight to the springs but at the same time eliminating the compression that would normally occur. This is why people usually report a stiffer ride with spacers installed.

Forget all about spring rates, linear or progressive, it doesn't matter, spacers to not change them. The only way to change a spring rate is to physically change the spring, by either changing the number of turns, the wire diameter or the coil diameter.

You will only see a change in ride height once you install the assembly on the vehicle.

 

[jmrwd3]

Thanks so much guys, yeah I really should have purchased extended struts, but I own these now and being a poor college student, it will have to suffice. I'm installing tonight, compressing is a PITA!!! I got one done, so I have one more. Then I have to change both CV joints, brake pads, and then i'll post pictures! Get excited! I am!!