Eibach Protruck 2 Science Experiment

Edit- "long travel" is used incorrectly by myself. This is not that.
Edit- Seems to work fine, if anyone else has this issue feel free to give it a try.

$45 OTUAYAUTO 1/2" Front Lean Spacers Kit - Replacement for 2005-2022 Toyota Tacoma Strut Leveling Lift Kit

I used these blocks off Amazon. Marketed as 1/2 but they measure less which is preferable.

After watching the tinkers adventure video and reading some of the information on TW, I think I've come to the conclusion of how to alleviate some of my lift issues.

I will be taking a baseline on the front suspension of my truck by doing the following. I will lift the front of the vehicle up measure articulation of full droop, then I'll measure max compression, finally, I will remove the coilover and measure max compression and articulation at full droop.

Per the tinker's adventure video, it appears that most, if not all aftermarket suspension kits that aren't long travel are currently the limiting factor for downtravel. I would need to do some testing and measuring, but I am assuming that I can add, at most, a half inch spacer on top of my coilovers in order to get full articulation before my ball joints and or CVs become an issue.

Thread with some science

Tinkerers Adventure IFS video

AccuTune IFS Preload info

My issue....

I currently have Eibach stage 2 adjustable coilovers, and my current issue is that they will top out even from speed bumps, with the settings provided from eibach. Eibach even replaced them, and one of the coilovers (albeit the driver's side now) still tops out from comically small drops. I have GoPro footage as well to try and find the source of the issue (checked body mounts/cracked metal/motor mounts etc). Something of note on this is that the coilovers cradles flex outward and inward on use.

My theory is that I can add 1/4 to 1/2 spacer to the coilovers, then adjust them down the same amount in order to keep the same amount of "lift" while eliminating topping out. Essentially making them into long travel adjustable coilovers.

Ofc I need to measure and confirm everything, check that my upper ball joint doesn't bind, CV etc, but does this seem correct?

Video of sound

https://youtube.com/shorts/9YosXqM4PEo

 

If everything is setup correctly, the shocks limit the down travel and the bump stops limit the up travel.

You might be able to get away with a top hat spacer to achieve a little bit more ride height without the associated decrease in down travel, but you might want to cycle the suspension to be sure.

In my thoughts about how to fit 35s, I have had a similar idea to add a top hat spacer bump stop spacer in order to avoid rubbing the top of the wheel well while still maintaining full suspension travel. It is only a thought though.

Additionally, I’m pretty sure the westcott designs trd pro lift kit is a combination of a top hat spacer and increased preload, thus the same idea

 

Bump stop spacers are totally a thing to limit up-travel. Wheelers SuperBumps even have various size spacers available for purchase for that exact reason.

 

I’m aware. The point is that would like to maintain full suspension travel when fitting 35s without tubbing my wheel well or adding a body lift.

Simply adding bump stop spacers would reduce my suspension travel.

 

Even if you could get more downtravel with stock-length UCA/LCA with the OEM suspension removed than with extended travel coilovers installed (and maybe even with King's new "extra extended" travel coilovers that @AccuTune Offroad has), isn't the real limiting factor the CV axles?

 

Eventually, yes.

I'm not trying to go extreme with it, however having an adjustable coilovers that's currently topping out from a 2mph speed bump I figured I could do some adjust to make street and off-road driving more pleasant. I hit a slight drop while offroading to a paddleboard spot and felt the force of 15 sledgehammers descending upon my frame, it's pretty rough.

It's either this science experiment, or bitting the bullet and getting a different coilover setup.

 

I can do 35 mph over wide speed bumps on 5100 withoutany issues. Something isn't right with your setup

 

If you take a peek at the Eibach thread for these coilovers you will see quite a few people are having the same issue, with no solution or further replies from eibach. Hell, they didn't even say if they found anything wrong with the ones I sent to them, and the replacements topped out/clunked right out of the box, albeit driver's side instead of passenger side.

This only occurs on downtravel, and per review of GoPro footage (mounted via magnet to frame, watching coilovers) it's obvious that the coilovers are topping out, making a giant clunk and affecting ride quality.

I'm assuming Eibach is abandoning this, and looking for a solution before throwing $1400+ to new coilovers.

 

I found you need new coilovers. You probably just need to adjust them correctly. What is your current downtravel? You can measure it by taking fender flare to hub measurements with the truck on the ground and with it jacked up then subtracting the 2. 3” minimum is approximately what accutune and others recommend.

I have 3” of downtravel and my truck rides fine.

 

Folks here reported the similar issue with OME 887 and their nitrocharge shocks.

 

For what it’s worth, these are the last set of measurements I took in May 2022.

Ride height:
FL 22.25
FR 22.5
RL 23
RR 23.5

Full droop:
FL 25.5
FR 25.5

I have king extended travel shocks with 600lb springs.

 

BTW, how do you know your shocks are topping out?

Also I would say that topping out isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Shocks should top out if you catch some air. You just don’t want them topping out in most other situations, particularly daily driving.

 

On the ground:
FL 22 3/4
FR 23
RL 24 (nearly)
RR 23 1/2

Lifted front off ground
FL 25
FR 25

Note: I have 285's, so measurement is impeded by tires sticking out.

Looks like I need to adjust them down 3/4 of an inch?

This is how they ship from manufacturer.

 

To me it sound like youre topping out and too much pre load will have the truck trying to stay up . Youre sitting near the top of the travel . Say you have 5” travel , youre sitting at the middle stock . You have 2.5 inches up and 2.5 inches down . You put preload on the coil over and you set it 2.5 lift. You have 0 up travel and 5” down . When you hit a bump it tops out and makes noise. The suspension doesnt have any up travel . The same when people say , i dont have any nose dive when i brake . You want the nose dive , thats your down and up travel when you level out . When you take off the front creeps up and the back squats . If you dont have droop , when you take off it stays already up . I had a dodge dakota with a 3” lift and when you would hit a small speed bump or a mis level on the road , would make horrible noise . The spacer will just take the space of the preload , its the same . It wont make it better . From youre numbers 23” is 2.5 lift 23.5 is 3” .

 

That looks very similar to my measurements. I don’t think lack of down travel is an issue. Might be something else, but it might be worth lowering it a bit as an experiment.

 

I can edit and post the GoPro footage, however the clunk/slam sound very clearly occurs when the suspension is at full droop.

I have the sway bar removed, so nothing is impacting.

I even removed the skid plates.

Swapped lower coilovers bolts to the "full shoulder" variant.

Loosened/retorqued LCA/UCA bolts/cams

Nothing is lose, and it only started after I installed the coilovers. Vehicle was completely fine before.

 

You might be on to something...

 

Can you explain what’s in the GoPro video that suggests the shocks are reaching their full extension? Did you mark the shock rod at full extension with tape or paint or something?

 

You can see the coilovers hit max extension, slam sound, then they rebound up. They don't hit the bumpstops and make make the sound, definitely upon full extension.

I'll edit the video tomorrow and post a clip. It's pretty bad tho.

That's why I was considering adding a spacer, then lowering the adjustment collar, essentially making long travel coilovers and giving me an extra 1/2-1" of downtravel.

 

I'm not sure reducing preload and adding a spacer will help with the clunking at top out. I took just over 1/2" of preload out of mine to reduce the lift height and they clunk when unloading, maybe not as easily as yours do though. I never had it happen on speedbumps, just larger hits that would throw the front end up higher. Something still has to stop the downtravel other than the shocks, I'm thinking about putting in limiting straps.