Need help on picking and buying coil overs

[TheRookie]

OK time for some upgrading. I got my SAS done like a month ago or something and its time to start doing what I wanted to originaly.
Right now I have 5.5 stupidlift springs. rancho 5000's (14 inch travel) and stupid lift extended radius arms on my currie 9 inch front end. Naturaly my biggest flex limitation is the damn stupidlift radius arm brackets and bushings. Fear not they are becoming heim joints at the same time I go coil over. I want to retain roughly the same ride height I am at right now. I definately would like to avoid going up any. Also This will see time on the street. I can easily fab up a sway bar mount for driving onroad. I do want something that will flex though. The superlift springs are like rock and the bushings I have really make my front end flex leave something to be desired. Links and or contact info would be greatly apreciated.

 

[TheRookie]

come on no one knows about coil overs? I would prefer people keep recomendations to personal or close personal knoledge. I know a few guys on here atleast are on coil overs. What are you guys running?

 

[RangerX]

hmmm, since I can't give a personal recommendation, I suggest you go look in the solid axle registry. See what others have used.

 

[RockRanger]

From things I have heard polyperformance seems to know there coil over stuff. Courius as to how you mounted your superlift radius arms to a solid axle. If you wrist the passanger side one and add some softer coils you will get alot more travel.

 

[hvac man]

Here is what I'm running: They are the Bilstein 9100 Rock Crawler series I had them built specificly for my Explorer and how I mounted them. I think what they did was use a shorter body with a longer piston or something like that, so that I could fit them in the fender wells and still have the proper up and down travel. So far I am in love with these shocks and think I should have done it a long time ago. The way I have them set up I am getting about 15" of useable wheel travel. I am going to be cutting that back to about 13" to take some of the stress off of the control arm mounts though. I love these shocks so much I am going to be useing them in the rear next winter when I get rid of my leaves. Right now I am running 200 over 300 springs and it rides perfect. One thing I would get if you are thinking of going CO's is the compression bumpstops. I know that Bilsteins are one of the more expensive shocks but IMO you get what you pay for. Here are a few pics of how I mounted them but I don't have any pics of them in action. I guess I'll have to ask one of my friends If you need any more info or help with any part of the process just shoot me an e-mail. It's Clint81652@cs.com if you don't still have it.

Good Luck,

Clint

 

[DB_1]

Bilstein, Sway-Away, King, and Fox are the major players when it comes to coilovers. Which ones are best? Nobody knows and it boils down to personal preference (and price). Some basic things to know about them is that they come in two types, remote resevior and emulsion. I'm sure you've seen coilovers (and other shocks) that have remote resevoirs. All the resevoir does is hold more fluid or oil to to keep the shock cool. The emulsion style just simply doesn't have the resevoir and are usually around $50 cheaper...give or take. Do you need reseviors? I vote no but this is purely my opinion. Resevoirs are necessary if you do hi speed desert running where the suspension is constantly in motion from ruts,whoops , etc. Also, if you just like the bling factor then thats cool too, you'll also have to find a place to mount the resevoirs as well.

Whoever you order your coilovers from there are basicly 3 things they do to tune them. First is the valving, this is adjusted by the amount of shims or valve stacks that are used. Second is spring rate, most coilovers are what as known as dual rate meaning they use 2 coils that have different spring rates.
Lastly, is the nitrogen pressure, this is what they charge the shocks with in the schrader valve...not compressed air!

You don't have to know all the numbers associated with the valving what you want to tell them is the weight you are working with, go to your local truck scales and get the weight with just the front end on there. You'll probably want to load it down with all the gear you normally wheel with.

I don't know any of the above mentioned mfg's websites off hand but they all have websites and I know Sway-away has a calculator on theirs but do a search, call up some of the mfg's and talk to them directly to see what exactly you need...it's all about the homework

 

[TheRookie]

Thanks guys. I apreciate the input. I learned something too as I never truly knew what remote reservoirs did other than look cool. If all they do is keep the temps down I dont think I need them. Clint. I will drop you a line, I have infact lost your e mail up till now.

Edit, rangerx I will get some pics for you. The coil seats are also that of an explorer.

 

[410Fortune]

as far as picking length goes, ALOT has to do withthe angle of the mount and where you mount them. There are advantages to going directly over the top of the axle and also behind on the radius arms. There is alot to think about when desiging a suspension for coilovers.