5Lug coilovers

I was thinking 500# to 450# springs. I see you have long blocks. The sad thing about that is axle wrap…

 

good looking truck, what are the specs on the rpf1s

 

Good Question as it’s one I wanted to ask myself!

Well Gentlemen I finally found wheels with the right offset to run big fat meats on the LS Swap Taco.
The wheels are off a late model Mustang GT something but they are heavy bastards compared to the 19 x 8 & 8.5 forged Rays I have now.
Fronts 19 x 9 x 45et w/ 255/45r19 or 28.1” tall rubber.
Rears 19 x 9.5 x 52et w/ 275/45r19 or 28.8” tall rubber.

 

Hi All,

Hope yall can help me with your knowledge of coilovers as I recently installed coil overs in my X this past weekend.

Just want to give some background info to this story so maybe it can help me dial in this suspension.
Before suspension modification, heights were:
FDriver: 29 1/2"
FPassenger: 30"
RD: 31 1/4"
RP: 30 5/8"

Pops and installed the 2inch steel drop block by DJM with the Vikings 2 way shock for the rear. Upfront went in the Strictly Street Viking coil overs with 2.55 ID 10 height 650lb springs. Now I don't know if orientation of the coil over shock will play to the jolting ride. I have the shock installed with the C & R knobs at the bottom. Reason to stating that is due to the fact that when i lowered the coil height to drop 1.5", it felt as the coil inside had no preload and I can move the coil by hand while being installed in the truck. I drove the truck with the new heights of:
FDriver: 27 1/2:
FPassenger: 27 5/8"
RD: 29 3/8"
RP: 28 3/4"

The setup to these were 7C and 9R all around. The drive was not so great due the bouncy-ness and much noise from the suspension due to much stress im sure. I played with different settings and finally said to increase ride height in hopes to have more load into the spring.

Current heights are:
FDriver: 28 1/4:
FPassenger: 28 5/8"
RD: 31 1/4"
RP: 30 5/8"
Settings are currently 8C and 10R for the front and 7C and 10R for the rear. This is still creating a bouncy ride. A possible issue is that I dont know the difference of feeling too stiff vs too soft. I use the truck for daily driving with some spirited driving 1-2x a week.

Let me know yalls suggestions based on the info above.

 

This from viking . Starting point



How did you determine coil height and spring rate ? For coilover # they got the recommended height to use . 650# seems to much . Tag op.

 

Way to much / stiff valuing and TOO MUCH front spring‼️
I’m LS swapped and I run about half the compression and only one more click than the compression for rebound.
I’m running stock front springs using the Tundra Racing lower spring mounts / spring perches.
Sorry to say the boneheads @ Strictly Street don’t know crap about setting up suspension. They just think more is better. But it’s not! Do they corner weigh the truck. I bet not!
But don’t listen to me because I don’t know $h!t about suspension. I have a $900 spring compressor and it’s mounted in the garage hanging on the wall. Just because I own an over priced tool doesn’t make me a professional but I’m willing to bet I can setup your Taco better than SS! The reason I purchased the spring compressor is trial and error and trust me I’ve had A LOT of errors‼️ We learn from our mistakes…
Too much front spring will make your Tacoma plow like a Mac truck. Even when I had the stock 2TR engine in the truck I had a X-runner rear sway and 6 lug leafs in a 18” shorter wheel base truck with a TrueTrec in the rear it was very difficult to get the rear to swing out to turn through a corner.
Do you have Upper & Lower control arms! At a minimum you should have UCA’s if you’re more than an half inch lower than stock! If not you are out of spec for the alignment.

 

@hemitruk
Thank you for the info. Will start with the soft setting for tomorrow's drive and check back in. I might need to have a day at a empty lot and start tuning. I love the turns on flat curves or streets with no imperfections on these coilovers bump am getting a lot of jumping/binding on tight curves.

 

@hayrider2.0
Gotcha. Next investment is the upper and lower control arms from DJM. Could very well be too stiff of a spring for my X. I doubt the traction bar and urd sways would have any affect to this stiffness, correct?

 

Just make it stiffer! You need to get the rear to step out. Then tighten up the truck from there.
If you ever watch NASCAR lose (rear wants to step out / oversteer) is faster than tight. Tight is when the front tires turn then the front finally, bites and turns. (Understeer)

 

When you mean stiffer, does that mean higher compression, rebound, or both? Unfortunately this truck is still my daily until the end of this year.
Thanks

 

I would have to agree 650 is way too much spring. I run 550 and I think they are also stiff but alright. I think 450 would be a good starting point. If they are too soft you can always increase the compression or rebound. But if they are too stiff nothing will make them softer.

 

Quick update
I drove this morning on fronts being 3c 8r and rears being 2c and 7r. The drive was better but still get some bumpy moments of my drive. I wonder if I tinker with fronts first or rear and increase compression. Let me know what are some good springs for the x and the model number if available to swap out later down the road.

Thanks

 

You are wasting your time! You have to much spring / spring rate! 4x4’s with big metal front bumpers with winches run 650 in/lbs springs! Plus the shocks you have are designed for 12” springs! Below is a 10” spring on the next shorter coil-over shock than SS sells / supplies!
I have a set of brand new 550# x 12” Hypercoils I can send you. I also have two different sets of Viking springs I can also send you! A set of 500# and 450# springs!

Blue are 550# HyperCoil the middle spring is 500# far left is 450# I will sell and ship for half the cost you can find them for now! Just send me a link and I sell you new for half! Oh unless you’re going for maximum drop you don’t need the LCA. But make sure to have the DJM press in ball joints. I’ve purchased 3 sets and 2 of the UCA holes that the ball joints pressed into were NOT round! I actually ordered Moog joints from Amazon and had them shipped to DJM.
Oh, the 10” springs in the above photo was a 525# spring. You have the 4.0L V6 aluminum block. I had the 2.7L I4 iron block with about 60 to 70 plus pounds of Magnuson supercharger on the front of mine and it was STIFF!
I try the 450# springs too‼️
Or you are more than welcome to any other set!

 

@hayrider2.0 PM sent

I'm probably going to be using these springs for some time as I made the wrong decision of ordering too stiff of a spring and just bought a house, so funds are tight. Therefore, I tried the front 3C and 8R with rear 2C and 7R this morning and it was smoother. Small noticeable hops and feels like the power is not put down to the ground.

Then coming back from work I set the front to 8C and 13R with rear of 7C and 12R. This setup was more bumpy/hoppy/stiff but am a real fan of how the truck turns when i have a complete flat road/curve. However, on the curve i feel that the truck hops when doing a hard curve.

 

Too STIFF‼️ The tires should follow the road not skip over bumps….

 

@hayrider2.0
What will translate to being to stiff? The front or the rear?

 

That’s a very subjective question! One person’s too loud is another person’s to quiet!
To me when I hit something about 2.5” tall or deep I don’t want to feel like Oh Shit‼️
I want to feel it but I don’t want uncomfortable or say SHIT!
How’s that for an answer?
This is what I drove before getting my five lug Taco!

 

Sweet Miata. If only our tacos could handle like that I would be one happy camper. Ill try the new springs and determine the best for my situation. Hopefully with lighter springs and can compress and rebound the shocks more for better cornering/handling.

 

First Thanks the MX-5 was a LOT of trial and error MOSTLY errors‼️ That’s the reason for the over priced spring compressor in the garage. I spent MANY hours using that tool and believe it or not ended up with the stock springs just upgraded the shocks and the softest upgraded sway-bars!

And yes I think you will enjoy the new ride w/ the 450 in/lbs Viking springs. Now you are going to HATE me but years down the road when you want to adjust the height you will love me! This stuff is a MUST‼️
Probably wouldn’t hurt to wear latex gloves because this shit is MESSEY AS HELL but will save you a LOT of headaches! Cover the treads and rub the adjustment collars over the messy stuff. Trust me you can’t have enough of it on the shocks!
And yes you go through a towel or two wiping everything down / cleaning the mess I just made for you!

$25 MMC78 Nickel Base Anti-Seize Lubricant Compound 2500°F (8oz)

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07PKHBH6...10&amp=&crid=267FAEJPG7ZGJ&sprefix=anti-seize

 

Update:
I dropped the rear settings to 2C and 4R. This made the ride smoother with less bounce. Then I finally decided to set the rears completely to 0C 0R and it is noticeably smooth. Still bounce and but not super rough. I can drive the truck now. Is this OK for the rear shocks to be at 0C 0R?

Also my truck did not drop from the 4x4 leafs. Therefore, I believe what's making the rear stiff is the 4x4 leafs.