Eibach coil over suspension advice needed for my application

[gbub]

I have looked through many threads and have not found a good answer to my specific needs.

I have a 24 Badlands non-SAS. My off-roading varies from light to more than moderate but not extreme (moderate rock crawling is usually needed in some parts of the trips). I spend up to 4 weeks in remote wilderness and need to carry supplies that adds considerable weight. I don't want to add more than 1.5" to 2" lift and may eventually go to around 34" tires. The most important function I need is height adjustability on the vehicle especially in the rear. With the amount of weight I pack, I get a lot a drop in the rear. I want to be able to lift the rear so it does not sag. I use helper air bag springs in my Ranger but there is nothing like that offered for the Bronco. I have found an air suspension kit but I don't trust that one would not blow out the middle of nowhere and I could be stranded. Also the air suspension kit seems to be available only for SAS suspension.

So far, my choice has come down to the Pro-Truck Coil Over 2.0 suspension. There are two part numbers. One states; +0.3-2.6" lift front/1.7-3.1" rear. The other states the same lift but that is with additional 150 lbs over the front axle and additional 500 lbs over the rear axle. I am guessing the second one has stronger springs and the first one has springs more comparable to the stock springs. I am also guessing that without a load the one with stronger springs will sit a lot higher and more so than I want. The first one sounds more like what I need. I would have about 1.7" lift in the rear with no load and could adjust the front to be near level with the rear. I just hope there is enough adjustment in the rear to keep it level when loaded. I am guessing I will be carrying about 500 to 600 lbs when loaded for my wilderness adventures. The largest percentage of that will be on the rear but the front will also see some of that.

I plan to contact Eibach but wanted to get some input from the great sources on this forum first. Eibach is more into marketing and selling suspension components and people here are more into using the suspension.

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[Muffin Top]

It looks like Eibach intends that you set it and forget it, because their website seems to indicate only the front is adjustable.


The logic in making the front adjustable is that customers will have seriously different preferences about how much front lift to have. So they make the front adjustable to appeal to most prospective customers.


Their rear springs are progressive, so an option would be to live with a bit more rake unloaded, and put up with some squat when loaded. At least you won't have to adjust them before and after every trip, when you'll probably have other things on your mind.

 

[PWillette]

The Eibach 2.0s are adjustable front and rear. Out of the box supposedly set at roughly 2" above sasquatch. There's room to go up or down. If trying to compensate for added weight I'd go with the heavier springs.

 

[gbub]

The Eibach 2.0s are adjustable front and rear. Out of the box supposedly set at roughly 2" above sasquatch. There's room to go up or down. If trying to compensate for added weight I'd go with the heavier springs.

I also understand from the Eibach website that the Pro-Truck Coil Over 2.0 is adjustable front and rear. Under features it does state it has " Front Adjustable Threaded Spring Perch " without mentioning the rear. However, In the installation instructions it shows both front and rear with threads and the spanner adjustable perch on both. It also gives the adjustment range for both front and rear.

I am hesitant to go with the HD springs because it would be higher than I want without a load. I will need to discuss this with Eibach before I make a decision on that. If the springs settle too much and I can't get as much lift as I want with a load, I should still be able to install the HD springs and I would probably only need them in the rear.

I only take these adventure trips once or twice a year and I would probably only need to adjust the rear. I have a lift so doing the adjustment once or twice a year is not a big deal for me. I prefer that rather than having the rear high when not loaded.

 

[PWillette]

I also understand from the Eibach website that the Pro-Truck Coil Over 2.0 is adjustable front and rear. Under features it does state it has " Front Adjustable Threaded Spring Perch " without mentioning the rear. However, In the installation instructions it shows both front and rear with threads and the spanner adjustable perch on both. It also gives the adjustment range for both front and rear.

I am hesitant to go with the HD springs because it would be higher than I want without a load. I will need to discuss this with Eibach before I make a decision on that. If the springs settle too much and I can't get as much lift as I want with a load, I should still be able to install the HD springs and I would probably only need them in the rear.

I only take these adventure trips once or twice a year and I would probably only need to adjust the rear. I have a lift so doing the adjustment once or twice a year is not a big deal for me. I prefer that rather than having the rear high when not loaded.

I do believe the amount of lift is the same between the two spring options...the HDs are simply stiffer.

Are you a 2dr or 4dr? I have the standard springs on my 4dr. On the front I was only able to get a hair over 2" of lift due to my aftermarket bumper and winch. At the time the HD springs were not available otherwise I would have gone that route. On the rear I had to lower them to 1.75" of lift to get just a bit above level. I do not carry a terrible amount of weight so I don't see much sagging but others have reported the standard springs settling/sagging with a lot of weight. How much weight are you talking about? In theory you could go standard springs in the front and HD in the rear.

 

[mpeugeot]

I would just go with the standard set.

There has been plenty of times where I have had a few hundred pounds in the back with no significant change to the stance. It doesn't seem to be an issue. When I removed 150# from the front the other day, it didn't seem to change the stance much either.

YMMV. If it sags in the rear you have plenty of adjustment to compensate. Assuming that the rear springs are 250#/inch and that the first 250# are part of the normal payload, dialing in an extra inch of preload will be plenty for your twice yearly trips. Just jack it up and add the preload prior to the trip, then at the end of the trip, jack it up and back out the preload. This also assumes that you are going to start with 1.5-2.0" of lift over stock to start with. The Eibach's low setting should be 1.7" over stock and the highest setting is 3.1" over stock (1.1 - 1.4" of additional rear preload available).

 

[CatMonkey]

I am hesitant to go with the HD springs because it would be higher than I want without a load. I will need to discuss this with Eibach before I make a decision on that. If the springs settle too much and I can't get as much lift as I want with a load, I should still be able to install the HD springs and I would probably only need them in the rear.

That's not necessarily true, if the shock is adjustable for ride height and you can set the ride height where you want it without a load. A heavier spring rate will not compress as much as a lighter spring rate when loaded. Progressive springs will also sag more than one that is not progressively wound with a load. It's not unusual for a spring with a higher spring rate to be shorter than one with a lighter spring rate if intended for the same application.

 

[gbub]

I do believe the amount of lift is the same between the two spring options...the HDs are simply stiffer.

Are you a 2dr or 4dr? I have the standard springs on my 4dr. On the front I was only able to get a hair over 2" of lift due to my aftermarket bumper and winch. At the time the HD springs were not available otherwise I would have gone that route. On the rear I had to lower them to 1.75" of lift to get just a bit above level. I do not carry a terrible amount of weight so I don't see much sagging but others have reported the standard springs settling/sagging with a lot of weight. How much weight are you talking about? In theory you could go standard springs in the front and HD in the rear.

Yes, the amount of lift is the same between the two springs. The difference is the HD spring lift height is measured with 500 lbs additional over the rear axle and 150 lbs additional over the front axle. If you take that load off, the vehicle will sit higher. I may not want it to sit that much higher. I only want 1.5" to 2" lift.

I have a 4dr and am guessing I will have 500-600 lbs when loaded for my adventure trips. I think I can get it to sit level with the non-HD springs with that load. I may not be able to if I get relaxation of the springs. I should be able to buy and replace with just the HD springs in the rear if that happens. I will need to discuss that with Eibach.

 

[gbub]

I would just go with the standard set.

There has been plenty of times where I have had a few hundred pounds in the back with no significant change to the stance. It doesn't seem to be an issue. When I removed 150# from the front the other day, it didn't seem to change the stance much either.

YMMV. If it sags in the rear you have plenty of adjustment to compensate. Assuming that the rear springs are 250#/inch and that the first 250# are part of the normal payload, dialing in an extra inch of preload will be plenty for your twice yearly trips. Just jack it up and add the preload prior to the trip, then at the end of the trip, jack it up and back out the preload. This also assumes that you are going to start with 1.5-2.0" of lift over stock to start with. The Eibach's low setting should be 1.7" over stock and the highest setting is 3.1" over stock (1.1 - 1.4" of additional rear preload available).

That is good information for me on the weight vs stance. I am thinking the same thing about the adjustability with the standard springs. They seem to be able to keep me in the height I want loaded or unloaded

 

[gbub]

That's not necessarily true, if the shock is adjustable for ride height and you can set the ride height where you want it without a load. A heavier spring rate will not compress as much as a lighter spring rate when loaded. Progressive springs will also sag more than one that is not progressively wound with a load. It's not unusual for a spring with a higher spring rate to be shorter than one with a lighter spring rate if intended for the same application.

I understand what you are saying and agree with it. However, with the HD springs the perch may not be able to adjusted to stay within my desire height without the load. As I have indicated before, the lift ride height adjustment of the two springs are the same but the HD springs are measured with 150 lbs additional on the front axle and 500 lbs additional on the rear axle. If those weights are removed the the HD spring coil over will certainly lift the vehicle more and I may not be able to adjust down enough to stay in my desired lift when unloaded. The adjustment range for the front axle is 2.3", but the rear is only 1.4".

 

[CatMonkey]

With 2.3" of adjustment on the front spring,, that's significant. Whatever you adjust at the shock is going to be 150% at the tire. I have to think you can get the stance where you'll be happy. Call Eibach and ask them the specs on the two springs.

 

[gbub]

That pretty much agrees with the information on the Eibach website. They indicate 11/16" adjustment at the front spring collar provides 1" change in ride height at the front. That is just a little more than 150% but close enough.

 

[CatMonkey]

It's an approximation. Wheel offset can influence the ratio in smaller increments.

 

[mpeugeot]

Here is how it looks with about 400# of gear in the back. Mind you, that's after removing 150# from the front (winch and associated hardware). So it might have been more level with the winch hanging over the front.

I took a before picture, but it didn't save, I didn't feel like unloading the 250# of water. I have about 150# of tools in the back as well.

Measurement of 25" from hub to the bottom of the fender in front. 24.25" from hub to the bottom of the fender in the rear loaded.

After unloading the water, it was 24.5" front and 25" rear. So 1/2" of rake "unloaded" with my 150# of tools and such.

 

[gbub]

mpeugeot, that helps me a lot. Do you know where the front and rear springs were set?

It looks like 250lbs on the rear makes it drop 3/4". That is significant but can be adjusted out if the rear springs were not adjusted near max.

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