Spring rate needed once I add aftermarket bumper and winch?

[noxor]

Hi everyone, I've been running Bilstein 6112s up front with the standard coilovers they come with, my understanding is those are a 600 lb spring rate coilover.

Once the summer here in the southwest drops off I'm going to throw on an aftermarket front bumper and winch, so, about 200lbs to the front (and I already run savage skids underneath).

I see king, wheelers, etc, makes a 650lb or 700lb spring rate coilover, so with the extra weight I'm throwing on, does it make sense to move up the spring rate? If so, would you recommend the 650 or 700lb?

Thanks all!

 

[2TH4IST]

I have a plate bumper, winch and skid row skids, I'm on radflo coulovers with 650 lb springs and it's fantastic!

 

[noxor]

I have a plate bumper, winch and skid row skids, I'm on radflo coulovers with 650 lb springs and it's fantastic!

Thanks, appreciate the info! I can pick up some 650s with the sales right now for around $130 so I'll probably jump on that.

 

[JohnMc]

I've got a 4XI front bumper, winch, Savage skids, and I recently put no Icon shocks up front and used 600 lb springs simply to keep the front end as soft as possible, and cranked up the coilover seats accordingly to set the ride height. In conjunction with removing the front sway bar (and leaving the rear in place) this helps even out the roll stiffness front to rear. Normally the 4Runner is doing about 90% of what the front wheels are, barely paying attention to the rear axle. Depending on how hard you want to wheel it, this might not be an issue, but in general, splitting the difference front and rear is a good thing. If a front wheel has to climb a ledge, or drops in a hole, you don't want the whole truck following it.

Wheeling it out in Moab and Colorado this summer, I could certainly feel it flexing more evenly. I'd say it's about 60/40 front biased now.

On road manners are not as good, of course, it all depends on how you use it.

 

[phattyduck]

Gonna lean more towards JonhMc on this one - but it will depend on what you do with your truck. If you want tighter on-road handling and maybe high-speed offroad handling, bumping up the spring rate may be good. If you want max articulation, definitely don't bump up the spring rate... Also note that 5th gens run about the same spring rate up front that the 3rd gens do (with much higher rear spring rates).

Also, keep in mind you are only adding 10% or less to the front weight - and the stock springs are around 500 lbs/in... So you would be over-sprung relative to stock with 600+ lb/in springs (which you may want - just know that's what you are getting).

I personally just put a 1/4" top plate spacer on to keep the same ride height and called it good. For a while, I even had 2WD front springs on there - but those were way too soft. I run stock 4WD springs now up front and rear 2906's along with no front swaybar and a stiffer rear swaybar.

-Charlie

 

[GhostRing]

If any extra data helps, I use Tundra TRD springs on Dobinsons IMS height adj. shocks with a Coastal plate bumper & 10K winch
for a ~2" lift and the ride is pretty acceptable. I currently don't have the anti-sway bar installed and I have good on road manners
plus I can get full up/down travel with SPC UCAs. I do not however know the exact spring rate increase of the TRD coils.

Just for fun, I do kind of want to try the OEM coils on the Dobs, since I can still achieve same ride height,
but I may find the shocks to be over-damped without a re-shim. (Knew I should have got the 3 way adjustables!)

 

[noxor]

Well those were some helpful posts-

It sounds like my move should be to install the weight, remove my front sway bar, and re-evaluate from there.

I definitely don't need tighter on road handling, its not a daily its purely my dirt road vehicle. That said obviously sometimes its a few hundred miles on the highway to get there but I can manage.

Thanks guys! And maybe ill switch gears and check out a spacer to get a half inch or so back up front once the weight goes on.

 

[phattyduck]

Thanks guys! And maybe ill switch gears and check out a spacer to get a half inch or so back up front once the weight goes on.

1/4" THICK SINGLE STRUT TOP PLATE SPACER, FOR 95+TACOMA, 96+ 4RUNNER, 99-06 TUNDRA, 07+ FJ CRUISER

You'll also get that 1/2" back as droop travel... obviously there is a limit to this (upper ball joint, axles, shock travel).

-Charlie

 

[96RedRunner]

Bilstein 6112s up front with the standard coilovers they come with, my understanding is those are a 600 lb spring rate coilover.

Let's circle back to 1st post figure out what spring you have. Had to in 2020.
E4-FD1-Z449B02 650# Spring, number is on spring where rod enters strut tube level.
Your number different odds on it 600 google your friend.

3/8" tophat spacer 3/4" lift, perch 2 & 3 hair shy of 23" hub center - LtD trim. Sweet spot after 3 change ups.

 

[sugjavier]

Is the bilstein 600lb coils enough for my setup?

Steel front bumper / skid plate. No winch.

 

[phattyduck]

Is the bilstein 600lb coils enough for my setup?

Steel front bumper / skid plate. No winch.

Personally, I'd start with the stock springs (meaning 600lbs). You can always swap to stiffer springs later - keep in mind that the 6112's are not able to be re-valved - and they are valved for 600lb springs.

-Charlie