Bronco coil-overs

[steveG]

I'm getting ready to put 2.5"x14" FOX coil-overs on the front of my Bronco & I'm trying to get a good baseline to start with. Anyone out there have suggestions on spring rates and lengths?

The front end will have a 4" lift & I think I'm going to mount the shocks on the front of the beam a couple inches inboard of the ball joints.

Thanks in advance

[partybarge_pilot]

400\300 16"\16"

At that mcuh lift you may want to move the lower ball joint out .375 .

[murphco]

we ran 500/500 on the front of a bronco with 12 inch saw 2.5's and 4 inch realighned beams.

[steveG]

400/300 seems soft. Where was the lower mount for the c/o? How did it work? If you guys have any pics they would be appreciated.

[EQuin]

There was a guy that posted pics on fullsizebronco.com that had coilovers up front. I don't remember if his Bronco had a long travel system, though. You might want to do a search for "coilovers" on that forum to find out more about it.

Just out of curiosity, why are you thinking of placing them in front of the beam, and not behind it? Not that I'm questioning you on it or anything, since I really don't know. But when I was looking for replacement shocks on my 93 Bronco with 1.5"-2" front lift coils, the manufacturers listed their shock applications for the rear of the front beam, saying that the front-beam shock is an "auxiliary" one. Granted, the stock coil is in the middle of the two, and I guess with a coilover, it changes things somewhat.

[EQuin]

I found it! Here's a link to the pics that Finishlinewest posted on FSB.com:

http://www.americanprerunner.com/coilover_install.htm

Here's the thread he started on FSB.com about it:

http://fullsizebronco.com/forum/showthread.php?t=38682&highlight=coilovers

In there, he says he's running 650's under 500's

Here's a link to another thread on FSB.com from someone else. From the pics, it looks like he mounted them in front of the beam. So I guess that may be the preferred mounting location, as opposed to behind the beam? Or maybe there's not enough room behind the beam?

http://fullsizebronco.com/forum/showthread.php?t=9833&highlight=coilover

[steveG]

Well I don't want to offend anyone, but the Finishlinewest Bronco looks pretty scary. According to the guy that posts on FSB, he was getting 27" of wheel travel with Fabtech F150 I-beams and Fabtech radius arms with bushings. His measurements seem a little off, so I think I'll pass on his opinion.

I do however appreciate the post. I've read the thread on the last link you gave before & his looks pretty good.

Since I'm only planning on running one shock per wheel, I want it to be as effective as possible, so I'm going to try to mount it as close as possible to the wheel.

[EQuin]

Well I don't want to offend anyone, but the Finishlinewest Bronco looks pretty scary. According to the guy that posts on FSB, he was getting 27" of wheel travel with Fabtech F150 I-beams and Fabtech radius arms with bushings. His measurements seem a little off, so I think I'll pass on his opinion.

I do however appreciate the post. I've read the thread on the last link you gave before & his looks pretty good.

Since I'm only planning on running one shock per wheel, I want it to be as effective as possible, so I'm going to try to mount it as close as possible to the wheel.

I'm no suspension expert, so I'm the last person who would know what's scary and what's not! Anyway, sounds like you're getting ready to build a cool running Bronco. Please post pics of what you end up doing!

[gwm]

Scroll down to the bottom and take a look at Spirit's coilover kit.
http://www.spiritracing.com/
I'm sure Jeremy would talk to you if you wanted to know what spring rates he uses/recommends.

[partybarge_pilot]

At ride hieght you would want your secondary stops about an inch off the slider. Good plush ride and bottoming resistance. Hydualic bumps really make a differance up front too.

[Josh_K]

I will try to take some pis of mine over the weekend. It is really mild. I am using a small 400 over a 500 and they are around a 10" x 2.5". I mounted the lower end of the shock directly over the radius arm mounting bolt. I also moved the lower ball out about .500" and kept the stock beam mount. The only unforseen mod is that I had to remove a little metal form the center u-joint. It works well but it isnt a prerunner that will float the whoops at 90 mph. Its more of a prerunner that will haul around 2 kids in car seats and a wife, prerunner.

BTW, it makes about 12" of usable travel.

Josh

[mfs]

i have a 95 f-150 i use 350/500 14" 2.5 kings w/ air bumps 17" travel 8" of up travel. with 4-wheel drive 22" with out.4" wider per side & 35" tires .only 1-2" higher then stock in the front.air bumps set about .25" off the pads at ride height.i like it works good should have mounted the shocks out farther or used 12" travel shocks but o well.

[mfs]

more pics

[thecos]

I spoke to Solo awhile back and asked them what spring rates they used. I told them what I had purchased 12" Fox w/ 350/450. and they said that's similar to what they used for their bronco buildup. maybe they'll chime in.


I also moved the lower ball out about .500" and kept the stock beam mount. The only unforseen mod is that I had to remove a little metal form the center u-joint. Josh

Hey Dalton - which lower ball joint are you referring to? why did your u-joint start to bind to where you had to shave some metal off? I'm curious cuz I too! am putting 12" coilovers, keeping my stock beams (until i have more $$)


i like it works good should have mounted the shocks out farther or used 12" travel shocks but o well.

:confused: are you getting too much travel?

[Josh_K]

I am using about 95% of a 10" stroke shock. I moved the lower ball joint outward about .500” that mounts the knuckle to the beam to correct the camber issue caused form raising the front about 3-4". I first did the rear, loaded the Bronco up with some weight and the set the front height to about level. I also built new radius arms and incorporated the rear mount into a new rear trans mount for a c6 because I canned the e4od.

If you use drop bracket to get the height, you wouldn’t have to shave any material off the center u-joint because the beam would still be near level to each other. Further more, the ball wouldn’t have to moved, but now what you got is a Rancho lifted Bronco with coilovers and that’s just not cool enough to some one that can fab. I was close to going this route but Helton guilted me into doing it the fancy way and I am sure it is stronger too and I am happy I did.

BTW the center u-joint was also shaved because I like to set up the front of beam trucks up in a little of an unorthodox way that is my secrete. Its kinda modeled after my 8 truck. I like the way it works and it is also the reason for shaving the u-joint. You most likely won’t need to.

Josh

[roach]

getting back to spring rates, sounds like some of you guys are running some stiff stuff. not that anything is wrong with your rides. but i always believed that in theory the only job of the spring is to hold up the car. handling and and control is the job of the shock. if you get a spring that is too stiff, you are making the shock work harder. anyone else agree?? or am i just like - way out there by my self? i am still a couple of months out before i mount my coil-overs on my bronco, so i dont have a numbers just yet either, but i too am curious to see how many people have coil-overs on their bronco's and F-150's and what is working for who.

[mfs]

:confused: are you getting too much travel?


ya it has 22" of travel but had to limit it to 17" because the center u-joint will bind i even after i hoged it out.only when in 4 wheel drive.if i had 2"drop down brackets then i mite use all the travel because the center joint would not limit it.

[steveG]

getting back to spring rates, sounds like some of you guys are running some stiff stuff....

That's funny, I was kind of thinking the oposite. Not that I know what the hell I'm talking about either. It seems like the rates people are using/suggesting are not much higher than those I see on a lot of Rangers which are quite a bit lighter. Seeing as how Broncos are top-heavy pigs, I figured the rates would be a lot higher.

I've been thinking somewhere around 350/500 with my lower mount way out on the end and on the front of the beam. What do you guys think?

[thecos]

my 12" 350/450 did come from a ranger. Im not an authority on this matter either. Some ppl like a softer ride and others hard ....* dont get excited, this isn't a start of a porn story* .... but i see it like this. since they are heavy pigs, you have all this weight on your coilovers . especially, when your hauling *** from a straight a-way and you're stuffing your front end into a berm. softer springs - your bronco might roll over the springs....harder springs - bumpy ride and your liver wont like you but I'll be able to power through. All I'm saying is that there are some questions to ask yourself when you are in the desert.

350/500 give it a try. that's the only way you're going to know. If you find the 500 is too hard. I'll trade you?. As soon as I find out if mine are too soft.

[grantdcol]

That's funny, I was kind of thinking the oposite. Not that I know what the hell I'm talking about either. It seems like the rates people are using/suggesting are not much higher than those I see on a lot of Rangers which are quite a bit lighter. Seeing as how Broncos are top-heavy pigs, I figured the rates would be a lot higher.

I've been thinking somewhere around 350/500 with my lower mount way out on the end and on the front of the beam. What do you guys think?
I was thinking the same thing. Those sound like ranger spring rates. Handling can never wholly be the job of the shocks. The shocks resist movement, but the springs support the vehicle. Even with a severely stiff shock, you can have a lot of body roll with too soft of a spring rate.

-Colin

[mfs]

dependes on the ride hight of the truck if i went any softer it whould bottom out to easy and if i didnt have air bump it would bottom out all the time. still it pretty soft. check out my fork lift test.

[thecos]

hey mfs - what length springs do you have on your coilovers?

[tech kid]

also mfs, what leaf spring and shock setup are you running in the rear if ya dont mind sharing

[McClintock]

How much is the bed cycling? Gotta be a clean 3". Looks good

[mfs]

thanks, ya the frame flex is nuts, that why i just did a cage.the rear was stock springsin the pic it now has a giaint 62" leaf kit still got to finsh the bed cage, drive shaft and seat mounts.

[mfs]

16" bottom and 14" top

cant post pics now what happened?

[McClintock]

Lets see some pics of the 64" installed

[mfs]

pics on my web site under current projects, check it out

www.marksfabshop.com

[RobertM]

shock hoops on bronco

[RobertM]

linked bronco

[McClintock]

pics on my web site under current projects, check it out

www.marksfabshop.com


That looks great, nice cage work!

[mfs]

1497: hey thanks, just got to finsh it now.

robertm: i can tell your motor moves alot by the bashed egr

[thecos]

thanks for the info MFS. I am aiming for that squatty look for my bronco that your f150 has.