rear Superflex springs

[MountainBiker]

I'm running the superflex. They hold their height and handle weight, only to a certain point. They are extremely soft, and comfortable riding due to the progressive coils (notice how the top of the coil winds are tight compared to the bottom).

Agreed, they look like a dual rate spring, but they are NOT! The weight of an empty 4Runner makes all the close wound coils contact each other. So you are only dealing with the wider wound (single rate) coils for most driving situations.

When you get off the highway, and use your articulation, those close wound coils do separate, and are intended to keep some compression on the spring even at full droop, so that the spring won't fall out!

 

[Chim]

I'm bringing this back from the dead instead of starting a new thread since info in here pertains to my situation.

I bought the superflex kit with bilstein shocks along with the boss front suspension kit less than a year ago. There was a slight rake after installing. (original suspension was 99). After I installed rear bumper with carrier, jack, gas can (empty), spare tire, sliders, it will usually sit level.. most of the time. When I get any number of passengers in the vehicle it will sag in rear. If I have 4 of us (which happens often) it will really sag and hit rear bump stops when going over large speed bumps in neighborhoods. They ride great and feel like they would flex awesome off-road but 99% of the time is seen on road as a daily driver.

My worry is that this summer when I start loading gear up for camping along with my passengers (family) it will sag like crazy and be a horrible ride.

I can lower the front around 1/2" because its at 3" right now.. but.. That won't fix the rear issues.

I know there is a way to keep it level cause I see tons of builds on here where people have a lot of weight and its level.. we are talking rear tire carriers AND roof top tents and its level...

So my question: Will OME 891 coils fix the problem? Would it be best to run the daystar coil spacers in rear? If so, how many? If I switch to OME 891 coils can I still use the bilstein shocks that came with rear superflex kit?

I just want to be able to load all my gear and family and not look like a cholo rollin through the bario in my rear saggin lowrider!

 

[A.Wilson013]

So my question: Will OME 891 coils fix the problem? Would it be best to run the daystar coil spacers in rear? If so, how many? If I switch to OME 891 coils can I still use the bilstein shocks that came with rear superflex kit?

I just want to be able to load all my gear and family and not look like a cholo rollin through the bario in my rear saggin lowrider!

With all the weight you've got in the rear I think you'd be disappointed in the 891. If I were you, I'd look at the OME 861. It's a stock height, heavy duty front spring for the FJ 80 Land Cruiser. They ride nice, hold weight incredibly well, and flex nicely.

Very common to use, especially with a setup like yours. I run them and have no complaints about them other than that they're a touch too tall for my liking. With the Icon suspension and extended sway bar endlinks though, it still handles very, very well.

Here's a picture without my tent on...
DSC_0076 by Alex Wilson, on Flickr

And here's one with it and my awning on. As you can see, it does come down a litttlleee bit with the extra ~150lbs on top, but not much. Also, my fuel can is full in both of these pictures.

DSC_0028 by Alex Wilson, on Flickr

 

[Chim]

With all the weight you've got in the rear I think you'd be disappointed in the 891. If I were you, I'd look at the OME 861. It's a stock height, heavy duty front spring for the FJ 80 Land Cruiser. They ride nice, hold weight incredibly well, and flex nicely.

Very common to use, especially with a setup like yours. I run them and have no complaints about them other than that they're a touch too tall for my liking. With the Icon suspension and extended sway bar endlinks though, it still handles very, very well.

Here's a picture without my tent on...
DSC_0076 by Alex Wilson, on Flickr

And here's one with it and my awning on. As you can see, it does come down a litttlleee bit with the extra ~150lbs on top, but not much. Also, my fuel can is full in both of these pictures.

DSC_0028 by Alex Wilson, on Flickr

Your build was one of the ones I had in mind so thank you!

How much lift would you say you got out of them?

Hopefully my shocks would work with these springs..

 

[JayRolla]

I'm bringing this back from the dead instead of starting a new thread since info in here pertains to my situation.

I bought the superflex kit with bilstein shocks along with the boss front suspension kit less than a year ago. There was a slight rake after installing. (original suspension was 99). After I installed rear bumper with carrier, jack, gas can (empty), spare tire, sliders, it will usually sit level.. most of the time. When I get any number of passengers in the vehicle it will sag in rear. If I have 4 of us (which happens often) it will really sag and hit rear bump stops when going over large speed bumps in neighborhoods. They ride great and feel like they would flex awesome off-road but 99% of the time is seen on road as a daily driver.

My worry is that this summer when I start loading gear up for camping along with my passengers (family) it will sag like crazy and be a horrible ride.

I can lower the front around 1/2" because its at 3" right now.. but.. That won't fix the rear issues.

I know there is a way to keep it level cause I see tons of builds on here where people have a lot of weight and its level.. we are talking rear tire carriers AND roof top tents and its level...

So my question: Will OME 891 coils fix the problem? Would it be best to run the daystar coil spacers in rear? If so, how many? If I switch to OME 891 coils can I still use the bilstein shocks that came with rear superflex kit?

I just want to be able to load all my gear and family and not look like a cholo rollin through the bario in my rear saggin lowrider!

IMO get a set of $100 coil air bags. Air compressor for under $100 and you can keep the coils. They flex really well and ride great. Just dont handle weight that well but with the air bags you can get the best of all worlds. Only issue is you would have to down air them for the trail to flex out but usually im not fully loaded on those trips.

 

[A.Wilson013]

Your build was one of the ones I had in mind so thank you!

How much lift would you say you got out of them?

Hopefully my shocks would work with these springs..

I sit at 24.5" hub to fender with my tent on, and a 1/2" body lift. So we'll say 24". I think that equates to 4" of lift, right?

For reference my front is right at 23" again, with a 1/2" body lift. In a perfect world I'd lower the rear 1", and the front 1/2". Just haven't figured out how to do that without paying the big bucks for custom rear springs, or cutting the 861s.

IMO get a set of $100 coil air bags. Air compressor for under $100 and you can keep the coils. They flex really well and ride great. Just dont handle weight that well but with the air bags you can get the best of all worlds. Only issue is you would have to down air them for the trail to flex out but usually im not fully loaded on those trips.

I have never dealt with air bags, so I shouldn't say much. In my head however, air bags don't sound like the best option for carrying weight offroad. Won't they limit up travel pretty considerably?

 

[Chim]

IMO get a set of $100 coil air bags. Air compressor for under $100 and you can keep the coils. They flex really well and ride great. Just dont handle weight that well but with the air bags you can get the best of all worlds. Only issue is you would have to down air them for the trail to flex out but usually im not fully loaded on those trips.

I thought about that but I really don't want to run bags

 

[Chim]

I sit at 24.5" hub to fender with my tent on, and a 1/2" body lift. So we'll say 24". I think that equates to 4" of lift, right?

For reference my front is right at 23" again, with a 1/2" body lift. In a perfect world I'd lower the rear 1", and the front 1/2". Just haven't figured out how to do that without paying the big bucks for custom rear springs, or cutting the 861s.

Thanks for the measurements. I will measure mine after work and see where that puts me.

 

[JayRolla]

I sit at 24.5" hub to fender with my tent on, and a 1/2" body lift. So we'll say 24". I think that equates to 4" of lift, right?

For reference my front is right at 23" again, with a 1/2" body lift. In a perfect world I'd lower the rear 1", and the front 1/2". Just haven't figured out how to do that without paying the big bucks for custom rear springs, or cutting the 861s.



I have never dealt with air bags, so I shouldn't say much. In my head however, air bags don't sound like the best option for carrying weight offroad. Won't they limit up travel pretty considerably?

Yes when on the trail you want the air out of the bags. Usually when rock crawling I am unloaded at the camp site or if its a day trip I never load up. So if he is always loaded and with passengers when rock crawling then its not ideal at all.

THe air bags really stiffen up the ride on the highway also when loaded.

 

[Chim]

Yes when on the trail you want the air out of the bags. Usually when rock crawling I am unloaded at the camp site or if its a day trip I never load up. So if he is always loaded and with passengers when rock crawling then its not ideal at all.

THe air bags really stiffen up the ride on the highway also when loaded.

I feel if I went with bags I would be adjusting them a lot and sometimes people just load up in the 4runner and I don't want to have to adjust for impromptu outings. I did consider them though. I think if it were just me and not my teenage boys as well that I drive around it would be a valid option.

 

[Chim]

I just measured and I am right at 24" in rear and maybe an 1/8" lower in front if that.