700lb coil really necessary?

I have Icon stage 4 coilovers stock 650lb coils. Boy these puppies ride stiff. I can stand on the front and it would barely move. My question is are there people out there that have added a steel bumper to the front and kept the 650lb coils? Is it adequate? The suspension hardly moves at all to begin with, I feel every damn crack and pebble on the road and I'm thinking the added weight will help it cycle a bit more.

 

I prefer 650 with a bumper and winch.

 

I have a steel plate bumper with no winch in the front on 600 lb coils and it still rides like a dream.

 

Ideally, the spring you choose should let your suspension move through it's entire range in the circumstances that you drive. If you race at 100 MPH down rutted roads, you will need much higher spring and dampening rates than the exact same truck driven at slow speeds. The non-race offroad market has almost always pushed spring rates too high for good compliance at the speeds we typically drive. There has been this pervasive view that stiffer is somehow tougher, or something. It isn't. It just over stresses other components, compromises control in many circumstances, and ruins your kidneys. For some people, 700 may be perfect. For me 650 better fulfills the requirement I described. Experimentation is the only way to really know.

 

This is also dependent upon preload

 

Always keep in mind that the spring rate is per inch of travel.

IE the ones you have now require 650# to compress one inch.

 

What about getting them re valved?

 

Sounds like you may have them pre-loaded too much and you've lost all droop. How high is it lifted?

 

revalving only affects dampening, not spring rate.

 

I have 700lb and with just a Bumper it rode perfect

 

I have 650lb and I’m adding an arb bumper this week (no winch) My guess is I’ll make the jump to 700, but I’m going to try what I’ve got first. The OME springs meant to be paired with the ARB are 660lb so we’ll see... will report back if you remind me OP.

 

I just installed an arb and 10k winch with synthetic line yesterday, I am hoping my ome kit gets here this week and I can get it installed this weekend ordered 886 coils with 1/4" spacers and 9000 shocks, hd rear leafs I'll let you know how it sits and rides.

 

Seems like the issue is more than just the spring, either preload or stiff shocks. I have 650lb coils with the OEM TRD Baja setup and it rides amazing on the street. Doesn’t feel stiff. Only extra weight on the front is the supercharger. It does feel a bit stiff for low speed off road though.

 

What does your bumper weigh, and how much did it drop the front end?

 

I think it’s around 120 lbs give or take, maybe a little lighter. I barely noticed a difference in ride hight, maybe .5-.75” down. I still have barely any preload, with the bed unloaded I have the tiniest amount of rake still.

 

I only have about a 2" lift in the front. I didn't adjust the coilovers other than the driver side a little to accommodate lean. It's just really stiff....I cant compress the front hardly at all with my body weight bouncing on it. The rear flexes much easier with the progressive AAL

 

I have 620# springs I believe with a plate bumper and it feels good

 

The real issue is this:
You put in coilovers meant to be paired with armor you don't have. It's going to ride rough. Add armor or change your suspension.

 

What he said!

 

So you are saying that if you get coilovers that they are "meant" to be paired with armor? Yeah I don't think so. The Icon 650lb coils are their standard coils for trucks without additional weight like bumpers or winches. They offer a 700lb coil option for those who plan to carry that kind of additional weight.