Coil Over Suspension - Worth it?

[BruiserOutdoors]

Recent trips to Florence Oregon for the Back To Classics Event and Northwest Bronco Roundup have gotten me thinking about switching to a coil over front suspension on my EB.

My project is currently a 90% complete roller with 408w, 6r80w and a Pro Case Altas 2 with 3.0 gears. Currently setup with a Duff Long arm kit and 3.5" single rate deaver coils and Bilstein Shocks. Planning on 37s and already have a set of TR Beadlocks. Still running EB axles and deaver 3.5" rear leafs. My goal for the build is a Sand Toy and Snow Wheeler. I am hoping to smooth out the ride on the sand. I'd like to stay rear leaf for the foreseeable future, I'm not ready to cut my tub. I also want to keep my factory front inner fenders, or trim a minimal amount.

Would adding 10" coilovers be worth the effort and cost?What things do I need to consider for this? Why don't more people go this route?


Front coilover mounts: https://throttledownkustoms.com/product/1966-1977-ford-bronco-front-coil-over-mounts/

 

[rjrobin2002]

I love the ride height and compression and rebound adjustability to get the perfect ride height and shock fine tuning. But I have only used them on street rods and not my bronco.

They didn't have the 2 way adjustable shocks the last time I bought some, but highly recommend them if you don't go coil overs.

 

[1969]

Those towers look really nice. I used some universal towers from WFO Concepts and modified them to work for my setup.


The reason I went with coilovers was because my frame was completely bare. I’ve had a few rigs on coilovers now, and while they can ride really nice when they’re properly set up and tuned for the rig, a traditional coil-and-shock setup can ride just as well and, in my opinion, is easier to service.


If you need a new coil or shock, you can just call up Wild Horses and get a replacement. With coilovers, I typically like to have a second set on hand so I could swap them in while the others are being rebuilt. Otherwise, the rig is down while the coilovers are being serviced.


There are definitely pros and cons to both setups.

 

[BruiserOutdoors]

Those towers look really nice. I used some universal towers from WFO Concepts and modified them to work for my setup.


The reason I went with coilovers was because my frame was completely bare. I’ve had a few rigs on coilovers now, and while they can ride really nice when they’re properly set up and tuned for the rig, a traditional coil-and-shock setup can ride just as well and, in my opinion, is easier to service.


If you need a new coil or shock, you can just call up Wild Horses and get a replacement. With coilovers, I typically like to have a second set on hand so I could swap them in while the others are being rebuilt. Otherwise, the rig is down while the coilovers are being serviced.


There are definitely pros and cons to both setups.

fair point. Whats the best coil/shock setup that will ride closest to a coilover?

 

[Yeller]

I’ll put this out there. Last week I had a very renowned off-roader and builder in my bronco for an entire day. He was floored how nice it road and how controlled it was. Nothing special on my set up. Ancient 5.5” BC linear rate coils and Duff’s 70/30 shocks. I’ve had it on the sand and find it on par with many coil over vehicles, fast enough in the open dunes to hang with my buddies in sxs’s that race them, can’t hang on tight trails but open sand not a problem. In my opinion for what you are proposing, both heavy throttle and momentum, it really takes coilovers and bypasses to make it fantastic. One thing a well tuned coilover with bypass system does better than anything else is get airborne and hit walls, it has the compression damping to take the hit. For a 10” coilover, no way I’d go to the trouble, maybe with a bypass shock added but not stand alone, the travel is just too short. Now pre running type running, where you cover a lot of distance very quickly, I might reconsider, but would probably just go to a bypass shock on my coil springs.

 

[ntsqd]

fair point. Whats the best coil/shock setup that will ride closest to a coilover?

Single shock, preferably in front of the axle, with at least a 2.5" shock body. A 2" coil-over would have been marginal anyway, so the 2.5" body isn't anything new.

Unless you have a good shock tuner near you (unlikely, there are many who say they are*, but..... ) I'd talk to someone like Accutune for the shocks. Buy them valved for your truck.
In the old days there was a guy in AZ who had EB valving dialed in, but he has passed away and with him went all of that knowledge.

*I just heard of a guy who does the shock tuning for a big bucks desert racing team and he sets up the by-passes so that they don't by-pass! I think he might be in over his head.

 

[Yeller]

*I just heard of a guy who does the shock tuning for a big bucks desert racing team and he sets up the by-passes so that they don't by-pass! I think he might be in over his head.

A good tuner is worth their weight in gold. Mine died too

That sounds crazy. The whole idea is to have zones with the tubes to dial in the compression and rebound, especially making the compression progressive, in theory you can dial them in to not even need bump stops beyond a pad to prevent total destruction if things break.

 

[ntsqd]

The best way that I've heard it put is that deflective discs are shaft speed sensitive valving, the valving varies with how fast the shock is compressing or extending. By-pass shocks are position sensitive valving, where within the total stroke of the shock it happens to be determines the valving. Middle of the stroke, all of the by-passes are in play. Near the end of the stroke compressed is the bump-stop region, near the end of the stroke in extension is the top-out region, Both are nearly a hydro-lock situation because the shims on a by-pass piston are very stiff.

Before we go too far down that rabbit hole maybe we ought to check on the OP, see if they're tracking or lost. LOL

 

[frdboy]

I had similar thoughts about going to coil overs, I am 3 linked in the front, leaves in the rear on 37's and had bilstien shocks. I wasn't impressed with the ride and at the dunes running any speed thru whoops was not good.

I worked with Accutune over the past winter and bought some Fox 2.0 shocks, custom valved and also added a rear sway bar.

The difference on the street is crazy, I think most of it is due to the sway bar but it is way better.

I am heading to the dunes tomorrow to give them a full test and can let you know.

 

[Soylent]

I had similar thoughts about going to coil overs, I am 3 linked in the front, leaves in the rear on 37's and had bilstien shocks. I wasn't impressed with the ride and at the dunes running any speed thru whoops was not good.

I worked with Accutune over the past winter and bought some Fox 2.0 shocks, custom valved and also added a rear sway bar.

The difference on the street is crazy, I think most of it is due to the sway bar but it is way better.

I am heading to the dunes tomorrow to give them a full test and can let you know.

What’s the tire and rim combo on the back?

 

[Broncobowsher]

I don't think you want a coil over. That limits what damper can be run inside the coil spring.
You are just looking for a better tune of spring and damper. Seperate damper offers way more options.

 

[frdboy]

What’s the tire and rim combo on the back?

Some used revolution 35 paddles I picked up last year, 14 wide and they are about 37" tall. Installed on some 10" wide 17" steel beadlocks. They are kind of beat up but they work for my couple trips to the dunes a year.

 

[frdboy]

Just home from the dunes, fox shocks made a huge improvement, can't keep up with the pre-runners yet but way better.