Heavy Springs For Stock Height Suspension

Over hunting season I cracked the lower right portion (just below the fog light housing) of the stock bumper on my 2018 Tacoma TRD Off Road when I discovered an old pipe in the farm field I was traversing on the way to my early morning sit. Local collision repair centers wanted ~$2k to procure, repaint and reinstall a new OEM color-matched bumper. Not wanting to spend that much on a replacement OEM bumper and having always wanted a steel bumper (and now having a valid excuse for pulling the trigger), I opted to purchase and install a Body Armor Hiline bumper with a set of high-clearance wings.

I installed the bumper and light bars a few weeks back and I'm happy with the end result. The additional weight of the bumper and wings on the front-end is noticeable but does not seem to have had too adverse an impact on the vehicle's handling characteristics and ride quality. With that said, I'd eventually like to add a 10,000 lb winch to the bumper as it would come in handy for those times when I've been stuck on the farm or up in the mountains or needed to pull a piece of equipment out of a sticky situation. Before doing so, I'd like to upgrade the front suspension to account for the additional weight.

There's one caveat - I'd prefer to keep my truck at stock height as 1) I don't wheel with this truck, 2) I'd prefer not to stress my drivetrain components, 3) I tow a boat and utility trailer frequently and 4) I transport a family member who has a debilitating medical condition that makes getting into/out of lifted vehicles difficult and painful. The truck does see its share of mild offroad use in the mountains of Pennsylvania, in the fields/trails of my buddy's farm property and the occasional trip to the 4x4 zone of the Outer Banks but for the most part, it's on pavement.

Configuration-wise, truck is currently running a set of Bilstein 5100 shocks in the front and rear that I installed about 2 years ago. Front shocks are using the stock OEM springs that came with the truck and are set to circlip location #1 (stock height.) Rear leaf springs are the stock OEM springs that came with the truck (no lift blocks, add-a-leafs, etc.) Tires are Mickey Thompson Baja Boss 265/75R16 on the stock OEM TRD Off Road wheels. Truck has a set of Mobtown rock sliders on it (these add a significant amount of weight but have done an excellent job of protecting my rocker panels and doors from tree stumps and logs.) I like the factory rake and tried to maintain it with the 5100 upgrade as I tow and haul with the truck frequently.

Initially, I figured I'd just install a set of higher spring rate (650 lb/in to 700 lb/in) springs (possibly Old Man Emu 2886) on the front 5100 coilovers but all of the research I've done suggests one should not use anything other than the OEM stock springs with 5100s as you significantly increase the risk of shock failure (Bilstein's own literature states as such.) Even disregarding that, it seems all aftermarket higher spring rate (>650 lb/in) springs are longer than the stock OEM springs so I'm assuming I'd be getting lift even when I don't want any (maybe I'm mistaken about this?)

I thought perhaps I'd upgrade the front shocks to a set of Bilstein 6112 shocks so I could run a higher spring rate spring, but again, it seems all the higher spring rate spring options are longer and would result in a lift I don't want and/or need.

There are tons of threads here and on other Tacoma-centric sites about using higher spring rate springs but in almost every case, increased lift seems to be a desired outcome. Is there anyone out there running stock height with higher spring rate springs to support the weight of a steel front bumper and winch? If so, what setup are you running and what would you recommend?

Much thanks in advance!

 

6112 fronts with Bilstien with the heavier 650 coils and adjust the height Mobtown sliders add a bit of weight.

 

OME 886 are 660 lb coils. They will give a lift about 2 " or so. won't cause the shock failure.
ARB recommends them if have a bumper and a winch.
They warn to use nitrocharge 90000 shock, but what was shared on tw, these are close to 5100

 

I am looking for higher spring rate, stock height to 1" lift, aftermarket 3" springs that fit aftermarket, entry level 3rd Gen coilovers as well. I have the 620# Toytec springs (for 2nd Gen) on Bilstein 5100s (for 3rd Gen) on mine, on the 3rd circlip for 1" front lift.
I have not found aftermarket higher spring rate springs that fit, to keep the lift height the same with more added front weight, other than by changing coilovers, i.e. Bilstein 6112 with a higher spring rate coil option.