Coilovers on leveled truck

[j.stanton2009]

I'm not sure if I want to try this; but I figured that I would do the research and gather opinions from those of you who know (considerably) more than Ido about suspensions & ect .

For a stock truck, the front shocks are 15.7" expanded and 12.7" collapsed; if someone were to try to have these installed on a leveled truck ( factory mounts reinforced/replaced), would it be best to have a shock that was 17.7"-18" expanded and 12.7 collapsed?

Our trucks produce about 5.5"-6" of travel, and in a leveled truck, most of the "down travel" is taken away due to the changes in geometry , so I suppose the valving would have to be adjusted accordingly, correct?

If the coilovers had a dual spring setup, what ratings would you go with & why?
I calculated the required rates and came up with about 2100lbs per corner; so a 1250lb primary and a 1000lb secondary, each 6" (I believe 6" of shock travel equals 12" of combined spring length).

If I have all if this completely wrong, please feel free to correct me, I'm just trying to verify what I've learned so far.
Thanks!

 

[TheBac]

You've read Luke's and Trent's coilover threads? Lot of info and ideas in those.

 

[Chevy1925]

I'm not sure if I want to try this; but I figured that I would do the research and gather opinions from those of you who know (considerably) more than Ido about suspensions & ect .

For a stock truck, the front shocks are 15.7" expanded and 12.7" collapsed; if someone were to try to have these installed on a leveled truck ( factory mounts reinforced/replaced), would it be best to have a shock that was 17.7"-18" expanded and 12.7 collapsed?

you cant base it off the stock shock, you need to measure from the frame mount to the LCA mount with the suspension full dropped, then do the same with the suspension full compressed all the way through the yellow bumpstop.

Our trucks produce about 5.5"-6" of travel, and in a leveled truck, most of the "down travel" is taken away due to the changes in geometry , so I suppose the valving would have to be adjusted accordingly, correct?

No, ride will still suffer regardless

If the coilovers had a dual spring setup, what ratings would you go with & why?
I calculated the required rates and came up with about 2100lbs per corner; so a 1250lb primary and a 1000lb secondary, each 6" (I believe 6" of shock travel equals 12" of combined spring length).

Unless your going with a 10" stroke shock or longer and cutting that frame mount out for a shock hoop, you wont be doing a dual rate spring setup. Spring lbs dont work that way either. a 1000 over a 1250 spring is affectively close to a 575lbs total spring rate. a 900-1000lbs spring would be ideal. all you need the spring to do is hold the truck up at selected ride height with only 1-2" of preload in it, after that its all shock tuning.

If I have all if this completely wrong, please feel free to correct me, I'm just trying to verify what I've learned so far.
Thanks!

yeah your way off on some stuff but not far on other stuff. Untill you can get me measurments listed as i explained above, i cant suggest a shock and spring for you

 

[j.stanton2009]

yeah your way off on some stuff but not far on other stuff. Untill you can get me measurments listed as i explained above, i cant suggest a shock and spring for you

Thanks James, I tried to do the due diligence before peppering yall with asinine questions.

I think the ride would be a bit nicer with the coil overs than the torsion bars; would the truck need limit straps?

Ill see if I cant get those measurements...

 

[CarolinaHD]

subscribing for future info.. wanting to do this as well

 

[j.stanton2009]

Dustin may measure his truck ( as it's already apart) and let me know , other wise I'll go and give it a quick whirl.

 

[Chevy1925]

Thanks James, I tried to do the due diligence before peppering yall with asinine questions.

I think the ride would be a bit nicer with the coil overs than the torsion bars; would the truck need limit straps?

Ill see if I cant get those measurements...

if the factory bumpstops stop teh suspension travel before the shock stops the travel then no. if you feel like cutting the UCA bumpstop off to save the UCA ball joint, then yes. dont cut it off to gain more down travel, specially if you have some different tubular/boxed UCA, the CVs are already very close to be being tapped out on angle at the stock droop level. its the compression travel from ride height where suspension travel can easily be gained.

 

[j.stanton2009]

Its looking more like a pointless venture, especially if ride quality is not improved, overall, it may make a fun project, but Im sure that for the same money as a pair of coil overs, we could probably just buy a 4" lift kit, and get the ride quality back to "Stock".

I think however that If I were to do it, 1100 lbs springs would do the trick. I have yet to measure the travel though.

 

[Chevy1925]

The ride will improve somewhat, just not what it could be if you had the proper amount of drop in the suspension travel. The 1100lbs spring is not a sure thing, it's an estimated guess and without knowing measurements, it's hard to say. The spring should take no more than 2" of preload to hit ride height, because you want a cranked/leveled look, we have to fudge spring rates to achieve what you want.

An 800lbs spring on my truck ride f-ing cherry and will handle air time without an issue but my wheel travel also helps this. There are many factors that come into play to make it all work and work right. Changing one variable (say spring rate) can change the outcome of the whole setup.

 

[$Smokin_Duradog$]

I have 12" travel coilovers running a dual rate coilover setup 600/700 and its SFA rides like a dream

 

[mackthehack]

I have 10" travel shocks with single rate springs, sfa and my truck rides way better then stock.

 

[j.stanton2009]

I'm gonna try to get the measurements on Thursday, once I've got me I'll post them up

 

[Chevy1925]

I have 12" travel coilovers running a dual rate coilover setup 600/700 and its SFA rides like a dream

I have 10" travel shocks with single rate springs, sfa and my truck rides way better then stock.

sorry guys but trying to compare your setups to IFS is COMPLETELY different and almost none of it is transferable info other than the absolute basics.

 

[j.stanton2009]

Sorry for the delay, I haven't had a chance to mess with the truck. We just had a nasty ice storm down here is texas (aka a normal day for you northerners) and I just could get stuff done.

I'll try to get those measurements this week

 

[CarolinaHD]

What is the best way to improve ride quality on the front end of these trucks? The more i research it looks like swapping to coilovers isn't the best solution.
Just thinking out loud here but what if you swapped in torsion bars from a 1500 or tahoe? In conjunction with coilovers would that work well?

 

[Chevy1925]

Sorry for the delay, I haven't had a chance to mess with the truck. We just had a nasty ice storm down here is texas (aka a normal day for you northerners) and I just could get stuff done.

I'll try to get those measurements this week

all good mang .

What is the best way to improve ride quality on the front end of these trucks? The more i research it looks like swapping to coilovers isn't the best solution.
Just thinking out loud here but what if you swapped in torsion bars from a 1500 or tahoe? In conjunction with coilovers would that work well?

keep the front CV/Steering angles as level as possible, put an aftermarket UCA on (cognito, kyrptionite, camburg, ect), run a good shock designed for the truck and enjoy.

no, swappping torsion bars wont work like that.

where a coilover is nice is for the better spring rate and the valved shock that goes with it. 90% of the people out there do "need" coilovers. hell the only reason i did it was because ive had the idea of a bolt in setup for my rig for the last 6 years and its cool/different looking. the off road and on road performance that came with were awesome but this then ment my rear end needed attention as it was waaaaaay too stiff to even be able to use the truck off road like i wanted

 

[CarolinaHD]

Thanks for the quick response! You always have good info to share and i've read alot of it. :thumb:
You have any good shock recommendations? I've been running off the shelf 5100s for the last 3 years and they are shot

 

[Chevy1925]

a good set of fox shocks valved to your truck seem to have the best result. not to metion they are rebuildable. And thank you!