plz help... coil over problem!!

jdsharp81 · Jun 27, 2014

Im almost done with my first tube chssis build and im haveing a problem with where my coilovers are sitting since i charged them. ive got fox 2.0 remote 14" coil overs in the front and 16" emulsion in the rear. i was shooting for 5 up and 9 down in the front and 6 up and 10 down n the rear. when i first got my shocks, i depressurized them so could work with them easier. after weighing it i got the numbers and did the math and got the spring weights for each wheel. i put the springs on and they sat at perfect ride height, althought i had to take the adjuster nut down 3"

i charged the shocks up yesterday to 200 psi with no load on shocks and when i sat it down it ws at 9 in the front and 10 in the rear.... way high.

any ideas as to why its sitting so high now?

here are my numbers and coil rates

sprung
lf..1178 rf.. 1091 lr.. 848 rr.. 973

unsprung
491 519 441 430

fronts are 200 lower and 130 upper both 14"
rears are 125 lower and 100 upper both 16"

Dynamite Design · Jun 27, 2014

You need to reset the preloaded on your springs.

jdsharp81 · Jun 27, 2014

Re: Re: plz help... coil over problem!!

Pic of it a few weeks ago

jdsharp81 · Jun 27, 2014

Re:

I let the adjuster all the way down... Still to high

Dynamite Design · Jun 27, 2014

Then at least 1 of the springs on each shock needs to be 2 inches shorter.

jdsharp81 · Jun 27, 2014

Re:

I've got it down to 5.5 of shaft showing in front and 6 in rear but I had to let some charge out of the shocks. With no load I charged to 200 psi which took it to around 500 with weight of buggy on it. To get it down I had to go down to about a 150psi with buggy weight on it... The only problem is when they extend the charge pressure is gonna fall to almost nothing...

Dynamite Design · Jun 27, 2014

More than likely the lighter spring on the top.

jdsharp81 · Jun 27, 2014

Re:

I'll be damn... I didn't think about that. So I should just swap out tops for same rate but 2" shorter?

Dynamite Design · Jun 27, 2014

All the charge does is activate the seals. Your probably ok at 150

Dynamite Design · Jun 27, 2014

jdsharp81 · Jun 27, 2014

Re:

Even though that's a 150 with weight on shocks?

TBItoy · Jun 27, 2014

Re: Re: plz help... coil over problem!!

If you still have 150 psi in the shocks you'll be fine. Run it before stressing out

RustyC · Jun 27, 2014

The nitrogen charge in the shock is there to prevent cavitation of the oil as the piston travels. It can be adjusted as you have found to effect ride height as well a shock dampening.

You could put the 100# upper springs from the rears on the top of the fronts and see how it sets.
Make sure your lower springs/dual rate slider is not hitting the slider stop at ride height.

jdsharp81 · Jun 28, 2014

Re:

My rears are 16" so if I take off a 14" and replace with 16" even though its lighter rate wouldn't that still put it sitting higher?

Mortalis5509 · Jun 28, 2014

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Get the rig complete and then see where it sits. Does it have fuel, oil, coolant, winch, storage area, and on? If not do all that and then see because that will make it settle. Also, when you and the passenger get in, it will drop more. Springs will break in and come down a little as well.

Finish it out before fretting.

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Mortalis5509 · Jun 28, 2014

Re: Re: Re:

jdsharp81 said:
My rears are 16" so if I take off a 14" and replace with 16" even though its lighter rate wouldn't that still put it sitting higher?

The bottom spring should be as long as the shock if not 2" longer. I have 18" rear lower springs on my 16" shocks. I had 16" on rear but they were not long enough be within a certain distance of the crossover ring. I used the same rate but went longer. Didnt change the height. It changed how the rig went from rocking back and forth to not with also kicking it up to 200 psi in kings.

Just cause its longer wont raise it if its the same rate.

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417chevy · Jul 1, 2014

Just think instead of messin with shocks just make some hoops that come two inches and hang your shocks from them????? Seems like a logical answere

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TBItoy · Jul 1, 2014

417chevy said:
Just think instead of messin with shocks just make some hoops that come two inches and hang your shocks from them????? Seems like a logical answere

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Except that the chassis is already painted/powdered, I would assume he built the chassis to accommodate that shock travel, so moving shocks up might let the axle travel up too far, or flex up too far, and he'd lose 2" of down travel

Dynamite Design · Jul 1, 2014

Heavy springs on the bottom.... Don't change the chassis. Change the springs, lol

TacomaJD · Jul 1, 2014

Dynamite Design said:
Heavy springs on the bottom.... Don't change the chassis. Change the springs, lol

I know you are supposed to be shock guru, but why fix this issue with buying 2" shorter springs? Why not just try lighter springs and adjust preload accordingly? I mean, I guess it's an alright move if the upper and lower springs are currently equal to or longer than the extended length of the shock, but if not, then he would need a helper coil (triple rate) to keep **** aligned when they are extended all the way out....which will probably happen regularly on a 14" front shock.