ADS Off-Road Racing Shocks - Information, Pictures, & BS Thread

This is interesting. I was set on 700lb coils and extended travel (have steel bumper & steel skids, plan on winch w/ synthetic line in future) but maybe I should reconsider and go with the 650's. I know my TRD Pro Bilsteins with 600lb coils sag a little too much with the current weight (and no winch yet) so I was going to go straight to 700.....

Like you I'm going for a very moderate lift and look to maintain minimally angled CV's.

 

Hmmm good to know. Think I’ll be doing the 650# springs.

Something I’m really interested to know is if you feel the road detail vibe in the steering wheel. Like, do you feel all the cracks and worn road in detail in the steering wheel. I’m looking for something that dampens that and since ADS is progressive on its compression valving I assume it dampens well like Fox shocks do.

 

If it helps, OME’s medium load springs are 590# and the heavys are #650. With extended travel #700 sounds like it would be for full overlanding setup weight (if my logic is right)

 

My rationale for the 700's was I didn't want to run much of any preload in order to get 1.5-2" lift so I thought with the heavier spring rate it would be less likely to sag under load compared to the 650's but maybe I need to reconsider in light of @deeezy not running hardly any preload and having a similar front weight setup to my truck.

 

@SpeySquatch

Here is with the TRD Pro Bilsteins up front (600lb spring rate) and ADS rear shocks in the back. There is no winch yet but it is planned. I'd like the front of the truck to be about 1" - 1.5" higher than it currently is sitting so maybe the 650's might get me there.

 

If the front shocks changing from TRD Billy’s to ADS...then yes. Otherwise I’m not a Pro on the 2nd gens, just first and third gen. Springs are different in the 3rd gen. Heavier

 

Good info. Another data point for the 700's

 

From what I hear is that icons do not ride nice on the road unless you are indeed carrying all that weight all the time. I think we are looking at the spring rate for road comfort and daily driving with off road use, not off road use with a little bit of road driving. Icons are great for off-roading but because they are digressive...not the best road ride shock like Fox or ADS

 

Are yours adjustable valving via a reservoir dial?

 

Really good info. I’m looking for progressive I’m pretty sure. I’m curious how those Bilstein 8112’s perform for different usage

 

I was gonna say, ICONs are a street shock because you get more advantages with the digressive valving for road speeds. Don't really get to feel it working offroad.

 

But what about the rough road and chewed up trucker abused asphalt? My OME’s transfer that into the steering wheel and I want a smoother ride in that way. What has the best wheel to ground vibe reducing transLatino in an aftermarket shock? So far it sounds like ADS has the best of both worlds in one adjustable shock

 

When the compression dampening is on zero, you feel little from the road and the ride is really plush. I’ve been rolling around like that recently because I realize I usually dont. And since it’s no big trouble to change it, why not. These ads ride extremely nice on zero clicks on pavement.

 

Just try the 700's first. You need to remember that there's nothing wrong with preload. That's what the adjustable coilover is made for. Just don't exceed the amount of preload that you will reach the block height of the spring. I'm actually installing the 600's later today and if my calcs are correct, I will have to preload them .26" more than the 650's, which is fine with me. I personally think that it's better to have a lighter spring with preload than a heavier spring with no preload at all.

 

There's a little, maybe 3/8" to 1/2" of threads showing. But I wanted my ride height pretty low.

 

Those tires you are running look Huge!

 

What's your thought process with this? I'd think having a spring with no preload would provide a better ride because the spring has more compliance to act like a spring than a lighter spring that's preloaded but perhaps my vague understanding of spring rates and the effect of preload is misunderstood.

 

Springs set ride height. That is it. Shock controls ride. Preload too much and you'll get coil bind on up travel. Get a heavy spring and you won't be able to compress it flexing, so you'll never reach your suspensions potential.

I know I'm 3rd gen 4Runner, but I have a steel front bumper, full skids, and a winch on 500 lb coils. No coil bind. And I can actually flex it out every single time.

I'd do at least 50 pounds less than you're thinking of. Some run 700 coils and like it. They probably like that it's stiff on the highway, and they don'y crawl, so they don't care.

 

Nope. 14 x 500. I have a decent amount of preload.

No coil bind though
Untitled by Connor Rhoades, on Flickr

 

You are right in the sense that you hit a pothole and it will jar your jaw way more with preload