I'd like to make this post for everyone to post up with info/specs on the various coil springs out there for full-size fords. I'm looking at swaping out the 4" skyjacker coils for something better and would like to get a better idea of what works for what application (and provide this info for others). For my particular application I'm looking for something in the 6" lift range that is also a progressive spring. I want it to flex well for use on the trail, but I also need something that can soak up hard hits for pre-runner type duties.

Ultimately I want to go with 14" King coilovers and air bumps, but I'm too poor for now. Some good 6" coils and 7100 bilsteins will have to suffice for time being.

So lets hear about the various coils out there and what works well for what (personal experience is what I'm looking for).

Thanks in advance.

I am running the 6" lift coils from JBG. they are really soft, awesome for flexing but suck for anything truely fast.

3.5 Wild horse EB coils on a xcab ranger (for 2in of lift) rode AWSOME..nice soft ride..flexed ok..

Thank ZainyD for this info. These are for the most part EB coils.

Bronco Graveyard: 3.5” Lift Coil Linear Rate(Superflex Coils from Deaver)
Part # 13206 190 lb/in

James Duff 3.5” Lift Coils Progressive Rate
Part # 5107 225-445

Rancho 3” Lift Coils Linear Rate
Part # 6403 485 lb/in

Superlift 3”-3.5” Lift Coils Linear Rate
Part # 13202 415 lb/in

Wild Horses 3.5”-5.5” Lift Coils Progressive Rate
3.5 Rockcrawler Part # 1000 204/375 -- 20 1/8" free length
3.5 Prerunner Part # 1011 236/375
5.5 Rockcrawler Part # 1005 236/375 -- 21 1/2" free length

I have 6" springs from JBG which are really 7"+ of lift. Anyway I am very happy with them. You have to make sure your top and bottom mounting surfaces are flat. Since they are so soft they will bow out if not. As for speed if I am trail leader they always tell me to slow down.

EB springs are 2" shorter than fullsize truck springs.

If you want 6" of lift order their 4" springs.

How do EB coils compare to 1/2 ton TTB coils. I'm thinking of swapping mine out but I want an equivalent ride height. Right now I'm running superlift 4" TTB F150 lift coils.

How do EB coils compare to 1/2 ton TTB coils. I'm thinking of swapping mine out but I want an equivalent ride height. Right now I'm running superlift 4" TTB F150 lift coils.

You will generally find that the TTB coils are a much higher spring rate than an equivalant SAS front end because of the much shorter levarage arm of the TTB versus the full width axle.

I don't recommend running TTB coils on anything -- even TTB's. They ride rough, have little flex (some of where the rumor that the TTB is junk comes from) and are also fairly short in heigth for what they need to do.

I'm running 77 F 150 coils on my 'Sploder TTB and 4" lift XJ coils on my Ranger SAS. Both work well.

http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l173/4Given4x4Pics/2006%20Calender%20Year/Badlands%20Oct06/IMG_8400.jpg

http://www.explorerforum.com/data/500/Front_Axle_1.jpg

I don't recommend running TTB coils on anything -- even TTB's. They ride rough, have little flex (some of where the rumor that the TTB is junk comes from) and are also fairly short in heigth for what they need to do.


I agree 100%

I'm running the 5.5" WH rockcrawler coils on my Bronco TTB. I'm also using an F150 upper coil bucket. This set up has netted me with around 4.5-5" of lift. Should be able to find out this weekend how they flex.

I'm definitely looking at the WH 5.5" coils now. Think they will be about the same height as the 4" TTB coils? If anything I want them to be shorter so I can compensate with the mount on the axle. Thanks.

i was looking at WH, and settled on BC bronco 4 1/2 inch springs on my truck. they flex AWESOME, but have a very springy chushy ride to them. i need a lot more shock, and air bumps :D ive been told they have bad spring bind, but im too stupid to know what that is :laughing:
they didnt pick the front end up more than 2 inches or so, im sure due to the spring rate being on a fullsize truck when they were meant for a bronco.

flex pixs

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=265664&d=1159666536


http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=265661&d=1159666536

Thanks for all the info so far. Anyone running Cage Offroad 5.5" coils? I'm looking for something that is dual or tripple rate which is soft and flex on the bottom but gets real stiff on top to take big hits.

BTW, when I'm taking 'fast' and 'taking big hits' I'm refering to the possibility of running Class 8 Baja. Still needs to be a good trail rig though.

Thanks for all the info so far. Anyone running Cage Offroad 5.5" coils? I'm looking for something that is dual or tripple rate which is soft and flex on the bottom but gets real stiff on top to take big hits.

BTW, when I'm taking 'fast' and 'taking big hits' I'm refering to the possibility of running Class 8 Baja. Still needs to be a good trail rig though.

I don't have much info on the Cage springs, but I know they do a good job on off-road apparatus in general. I'm thinking that someone I know may be able to become a distributor for Cage in the next week or so... I'll keep you posted and I'll have a lot more info if that happens.

As far as making a Class 8 capable rig that is also trail ready -- well, I sort of wish that were possible myself, but I'm as yet unsure if the two are compatible. A good Class 8 rig OUGHT to be able to tackle some trails with ease, except that the entire design of the suspension is built around high-speed jounce control versus low-speed flex. I've played around some in both fields and I know that my trail machine would not take the opening lap of anything Class 8, nor would my Class (actually 7s for me) rig take much in the way of rock trails. The Class-built rig would do more on the trail than the trail machine would do in the SCORE racing venue, but the two were decidedly different in built philosophy.

Probably the best all-around compromise I've seen is a heavily trussed axle setup running dual-rate coil-over springs with really good shocks and hydro-bump stops. That's my ultimate goal with my Ranger SAS project, but for now (time and money) I'm running a set of long and soft XJ coils up front (around 250# springs) with progressive bump stops to help cushion the load when it bottoms.

A couple of differences you might want to consider...

Shock location -- high speed locates the shocks directly over the wheels, and in-line with their travel for best control. Trail or rock rigs tend to point the shocks to the center point for easier/better flex, only trying to minimize rebound, not worrying about high-speed control of each individual tire.

Wheel weight -- high speed dictates a light wheel/tire combination that has as little unsprung weight as is possible going up and down on the ends of the axles. Rock or trail rigs often go with heavy-weight tires and wheels, even sometimes filling them with fluid for greater low-end mass, and not particularly worrying about unsprung weight at all, but instead, getting the best protection and lowest center of gravity possible, which is directly in the wheels, if possible.

Spring rates -- high speed tends toward high spring rates -- as much as 500-700# rates in some cases, with heavy shock valving and lots of travel to absorb bumps and whoops at speeds over 100 mph. Rock and trail rigs favor light springs, which easily flex over low-speed obstacles and allow the vehicle to "stretch its legs" over large obstacles, versus staying in contact over high-speed whoops.

Other issues -- anti-sway bars, toughness (with light weight) of the axle components, and gearing in all the driven components make up the balance of the differences. I'm sure there are trail rigs that will run to over 100 mph, but not many, while a Class-built ride will have to do that and more, constantly.

If you can somehow bring all those various issues together into the same vehicle, you'd sure have something radically fun to wheel, to be sure...

Thanks for the info glfredrick. What I have now is not really what I want to be running for class 8, but I'm slowly working there.

For now I'm just looking for a cheap front suspension setup that can take some high speed abuse. I would not be running any suspension like I was talking about for actually running baja. Since I'm only allowed to run 'stock type configuration' on the front suspension I'll have to stay with radius arms, but I'm planning on building some lighter and stronger tubular ones. 14" coilovers will do the front suspension and dampening duties (not sure on a spring rate that'd work well for both uses). I'll probably just link the rear and run a set of 14" coilovers on the rear too.

I'm going to keep the D44 and 9" since they can both be built fairly strong but are light. 35sp and a full spool for the rear and I'll leave the front open with chromo shafts. Heavy trussing on both, 4.10 ratio.

Tranny and T-case will be a ZF and BW1356, crawl ratio of 63:1 and 5th will top out at 140mph with 35's(although I don't plan on going that fast, lol.) Both are fairly light weight too.

I'm undecided on tires and wheels, more than likely I'll run Q78-15 TSL's for most general wheeling and such, switch to something like 35" BFG A/T's on aluminum rims for racing.

My ultimate goal with this rig is to be able to do some decent trails like Tellico, hit some of the local mud spots, and have a rig thats fun for general high speed mayhem, eventually running the baja 1000 at least once in my life. I don't plan on being the best at any of them, just something to have fun with.

Well, it's a coil spring comparo thread so here's another vote for Deaver 6" springs for solid axles. But this has nothing to do with baja and junk since you would not want to run these (too soft, this is a very good trail/slow speed spring):

Deaver (JBG Superflex) spring on left (26.5") vs. Rancho 4" lift TTB spring on right (19"):
http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/219637/fullsize/dsc01377.jpg

Installed under a '95 bronco. This spring is almost too soft. Dual shocking really is a great component if using this spring.
http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/220565/fullsize/107_0723_2.jpg