Why don't we ever use 16" Eibach coils??

Why does Toytec and all the other major coilover companies use a 14" Eibach spring instead of the available 16" option for our trucks?
This kit for example http://toyteclifts.3dcartstores.com/Front-adjustable-coil-over-kit-with-Bilstein-5100s_p_325.html uses the RCD bilstein which I'm almost positive has enough travel for a 16" coil which would give a much better ride and travel over preloading a 14" coil...especially if available in a 550# spring rate

Also, does anyone know if this kit will actually yield a full 3.0" of lift given you must re-use stock top hats instead of Toytec's super thick top hats?

 

I got 3.25" with adding the 1/2" top plate spacer but my bilsteins have a thicker bottom plate on driver side.They are set at .85. now that i added weight in the front , I'm at 3" ,they ride nice with the extra weight,before that they were stiff. A longer spring would be nice , but i would want a little heavier then 550#.But i kinda like the stiff ride as i took the sway bar out and i have very little role.over all I'm happy with the ride on and off road.

 

What do you mean by thicker bottom plate on the driver side? As in the driver side spring perch actually comes thicker? I take it you have the C-clip adjustable 5100s? Do your tires rub at all?

 

The block height. Fully compressed, the 16 X 2.5" 550 lb eibach is 8.07" long.
http://www.polyperformance.com/shop/Eibach-16-Long-2.5-ID-Coil-Springs-p-38.html

The 14 X 2.5" 500lb is 5.34".
http://www.polyperformance.com/shop/Eibach-14-Long-2.5-ID-Coil-Springs-p-107.html

If you want less preload, you might be able to squeeze a 650 lb on there, but it will ride pretty rough unless you have a heavy front bumper.

 

i'm not sure you can order them that way.I have the c-clip 5100s they where on the truck with stock springs when i bought it used a year ago.when i went to add the toytec springs i noticed that driver side bottom spring perch was thicker.I wish i would of saw this before i ordered spacers. I was going to put 1/4" on passenger side and 1/2" on driver but when i saw the bottom perch i went with 1/2" on both.the owner before me must of did this to compensate for driver side lean, as I was planning for.I wanted the must out of the front i could get as i have the all pro expos in the rear.over 3" lift in the rear. Yes i rub a little at full stuff on the pinch welds in front on fire wall.but i have done the cab mount chop and already trimmed a little off the lower fender and flare on the cab side.today i'm going to beat the pinch weld flat.

 

Are you saying the 16" in 500# rate would be ideal? Do we have a 2.5 or 3" diameter coil? Still not sure why no one has used a 16" lighter rate coil: longer for more lift, less preload, softer ride...seems too simple

 

I don't know what truck or mods you have. For a single cab or light access cab desert truck, 500 is great. 550 for access cab with plate bumper or expedition type mods. 600 for DC, maybe even 650 if it has a big bumper... For 2" shocks you need a 2.5" ID coil spring. 2.5" shock, 3.0" ID coil spring. Again, you can't use a 16" spring because the spring will bottom out before the shock does, and before your bumpstops bottom, turning your "shock" into a solid piece of metal.

I had the same idea once. This is what happened. (18" 700lb eibach coils on the Icon LT shocks, zero preload)

 

End of thread...


*rimshot*

 

Please post pics of both perches?

Do u have the older raw aluminum or the newer stamped black steel perches?

 

Nah. It will go on for three more pages worth of arguing then he will post pics of his broken top hats and bent shock towers six months from now, and be in a panic because he doesn't know how to fix it and wonders if it will be covered under warranty. Then a few months later someone else will get the same idea, and we will both advise them against it, but they will ignore the advice... Ahh TW. Good times.

 

Both.black on pass side . And aluminum on driver

 

Strange...... Anything else look odd when u bought it?

Frame, bumpstops, one shock look newer than the other, engine mounts, any oil or fluid of any sort flung around wheel wells, or anywhere?

Sounds like prior owner had the older 5100s on it and blew out one side..... Ordered 1 shock and it was the newer model with the stamped perch and he sent back, lost, or didn't reuse the original perch, and used the stamped one instead with the new shock.

 

No they are both the same model they have the numbers on them and RCD sticker ,and the truck had air bags in the rear. the front had stock springs under side was really clean until I bought it. Lol I couldn't find any signs of off road use. They must of towed with it due to the receiver looked heavily used. In my pics the oil stains are brake fluid as they where taking after we bless the brakes. But your right about the plates he must of know what he was doing because it sits level. As it makes me wounded if the coils that I took off where stock or not. Hmmm

 

Just found out toytec uses the 16" coil in 600# rate, so there is absolutely no issue running this set up. It provides more lift with less preload. I can see how your 18" 700# coil was too much for the shock. Thanks for the photos, pretty crazy impact.

 

I just looked up the Bilstein 5100 stroke length. I had no idea they were only were only a 5.5" shock. I thought you were using the eibach 600x2.5" coil on an 8" stroke coilover (which doesn't work). I didn't even know they made stock stroke length shocks for lifted applications. What's the point of that? Just a cheap way to make it ride taller?

 

You're already outside my realm of shock travel understanding but I'm very interested in becoming more educated on what's going into my truck. I've lifted several toyotas over the years but never considered the stroke. Is stroke measured by the total of how much the shock piston extends and compresses? And are you saying the Bilstein 5100 RCD has the exact same stroke as OE? Confusing when they claim to increase down travel by 1" and up travel as well...I'm running uni-ball UCAs also.

 

You got it. Take the (Extended Length: 22.56 in) and subtract from the (Collapsed Length: 17.03 in) equals (Stroke 5.53 in). Those are the published specs for Bilstein 5100 adjustable front shocks. Although I'm not certain, I think that is the same stroke as stock. I don't see any performance gains there, that's why I was curious why anyone uses them.

 

What about the internals and damping affects? Gas charge, fluid weight and valve orifice size, etc....?

 

It looks like Fox, Icon, and King all have around a 5" stroke too with the extended travel versions being 1" longer.