C/O Springs: Longer or Stiffer or Both?

i have a heavy front bumper on my truck now but I chopped a good 25+ lbs off it. Now I think it weighs just a little more than stock. My new extended travel Fox 2.5 C/O's should give me 3" lift but to get to 2.75" is barely possible. Tomorrow I'm removing that front bumper and putting on the "cheap eBay bumper" with a Smittybilt 9,500lb winch, light bar and 2 LED flood fog lights. This set-up will weigh probably 75lbs more than what's on it now. As soon as they arrive, I'll be adding SOS sliders so that'll add a bit of weight to the front as well. I'll also be adding a 31M battery that weighs twice as much as the one in it now.
My Fox C/O springs are 13" and 600lbs. The damn Fox springs aren't strong enough for stock so there's no way in hell they'll be able to handle any more weight so I'll need to upgrade them, even though they have just a couple thousand miles on them.
I believe I need 14" springs rated at 650lb, maybe 14" at 700lbs.
I don't want to lose any up or down travel.
Question is:
Do I stay with 13" springs and just go up in stiffness or do I go up to 14" and increase stiffness?

 

I thought I was on a Pronhub forum for a minute there..

 

Thicker is key.

 

Hey, I was in the same boat!! The 14 650 should probably be ok. Got mine form @Wheeler's Off-Road Inc when they had them on sale!!

 

The last couple of threads I started turned into porn stories so.......

I'm all for a good mom joke but I would really like an honest answer here from people who've gone down the same path.
Thanks!

 

Whats the weight difference on the two bumpers?? I'd say it the total weight is over 150lbs go 700 14 inch, otherwise go 650 14 inch.. that would be my vote!!

 

The weight difference between the 2 bumpers is probably 25lbs but add the winch, lights and rock sliders and I'd say it'll be roughly 150lb increase.
Winch 78lbs
Lights 5lbs
Half of rock slider weight 60

 

I would vote for 650/14"

 

Agreed!! If it were 200 might go 700, but I'm of the softer ride mentality.

 

I'd like to keep the same feeling of the way it currently rides but be able to level it out better. What more would need to be added, than what I'm already adding, for 700lb springs? Dual batteries, loaded roof rack and full skids? I want full skids but not doing dual batteries again and don't want a roof rack over the cab.

 

My feeling is that many people use the heavier springs to simply get the ride height, but in the process lose compliance in the suspension. Compliance is what allows the truck to work over rough terrain. The need for a 700 spring would tell me that the truck is overloaded, so I just wouldn't go there.

 

What extra weight are you carrying with the 14/650lb? Thanks.

 

Well I actually went back to the 13 600 because of a lack of weight. Only un rci sliders at the moment. Right now I'm dead on 23 inch hub to fender, just about 2 inches preload driver, 1.5 pass, cvs look good with this. The 14 650 had me at 23.5 with 0 preload pass, 1/2 driver. I would suspect once I get my bumper and winch they will be perfect, however I think I'll live with some additional stiff preload rather than rip up my cvs for the time being

 

So.....maybe rethink your thread titles...

 

Done!

 

Yeah, sounds like the 14/650 is what I need. Thanks Nic!

 

Now it looks like an Adult Friend Finder ad in Colorado Springs

 

Good luck man, nice to see someone else on a similar journey!!!

 

I had Fox coilovers with 600lb and upgraded to king 700lb and it is way better

The ride is perfect

 

I know I've seen some used Icon springs here they are 13"x3.0x650lbs.
I agree with the 14"x650 though or maybe 700lbs.

My coilovers springs are 18"x3.0x700 I just have a tube bumper and sliders. I valved my coilovers to the spring lbs though. When I take them off the spring it has just enough room after the preload collar is topped out to get the bottom plate off to remove the spring without a spring compressor. I've always had the longest spring I can fit on there and still be able to easily take apart the coilover.