Help choosing Coilover spring rating
06-08-12, 08:33 AM
#1
Lexus Test Driver
Thread Starter
Help choosing Coilover spring rating
I am currently building a bolt on steel plate winch bumper for the Gx470 (requires no fender modifications), that will eventually be for sale to the general public. I've got a template mocked up and have estimated the total weight of the bumper and winch at about 260-270 lbs. This may be an overestimation especially if I upgrade to synthetic line.
This is my wife's daily driver and I am going with the radflo setup for the front coilovers. In all reality, the truck will seldom see offroad duty but should be capable when necessary AND maintain its road manners with relative comfort or I risk NEVER hearing the end of it. The plan is to also make it so that the bumper and winch can be removed easily and the stock replaced if she feels like a classier look. With this in mind, should I go with the 600 lb coils or the 650? I've already got some split spoke sequoia wheels with some 285/70-17 tires that are waiting on the coilovers but I'm really torn on how the truck will handle and feel with a 650lb coil and no weight on the front vs a 600 lb coil and 250+ lbs.
Should I just get the 600lb and not concern myself with this or do you think its necessary to have the 650lb coils to handle that weight?
This is my wife's daily driver and I am going with the radflo setup for the front coilovers. In all reality, the truck will seldom see offroad duty but should be capable when necessary AND maintain its road manners with relative comfort or I risk NEVER hearing the end of it. The plan is to also make it so that the bumper and winch can be removed easily and the stock replaced if she feels like a classier look. With this in mind, should I go with the 600 lb coils or the 650? I've already got some split spoke sequoia wheels with some 285/70-17 tires that are waiting on the coilovers but I'm really torn on how the truck will handle and feel with a 650lb coil and no weight on the front vs a 600 lb coil and 250+ lbs.
Should I just get the 600lb and not concern myself with this or do you think its necessary to have the 650lb coils to handle that weight?
Last edited by 06isDriver; 06-08-12 at 08:44 AM.
06-09-12, 10:02 AM
#2
Have you asked over on ih8mud? Don't know if there's much first-hand experience with spring rates on this forum.
I'd personally start with:
- what is the OE load on the front axle?
- what's your expected load with the new bumper?
- what's the OE spring rate?
- are you trying to preserve OEM ride, or are you wanting to make it stiffer?
- increase the spring rate by at least the same percentage as you've increased the load on each wheel, bumping it farther if you want to stiffen the suspension (for better roll control, for instance, with increased ride height) It gets a little more complicated with the force-multiplication of different suspension geometries, but the basic calculation above should get you quite close.
I'd personally start with:
- what is the OE load on the front axle?
- what's your expected load with the new bumper?
- what's the OE spring rate?
- are you trying to preserve OEM ride, or are you wanting to make it stiffer?
- increase the spring rate by at least the same percentage as you've increased the load on each wheel, bumping it farther if you want to stiffen the suspension (for better roll control, for instance, with increased ride height) It gets a little more complicated with the force-multiplication of different suspension geometries, but the basic calculation above should get you quite close.
06-11-12, 11:53 AM
#3
Lexus Test Driver
Thread Starter
I've decided to go with the 650lb coils because the GX weighs a bit more than the 4runner already and these are all 4runner coilovers to begin with.
09-07-13, 09:06 PM
#4
Lexus Champion
If you have it lifted in the front did you swap the airbags for coils in the rear or did you adjust the ride height sensors to lift the rear?
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
