softest riding coil springs

[Gearhead2012]

I'm in the market for a set of lift springs, just 3-4", possibly less. I've got some ebay spacers under the could now which work, but I'm less than thrilled with them. Maybe its my imagination, but it feels almost as if they've preloaded the springs some...kinda the way it does on a ifs leveling kit. I've looked at all the skyjacker and rough country, offerings...who is using what spring, and does it ride harsher, or softer than factory? Also, what bilstein shocks are ya'll using?

I have a 79 bronco with a set of deaver springs front and rear...best spring I ever bought. Great quality, flexes great, and rides like a cadalac.
Deaver Suspension

I called and immediately got an answer on the phone who said he could make to order anything I wanted. Anyone ever used them? The bronco is a trail rig, so flexy springs were the goal...it never has to tow anything. My f250 on the other hand will be towing the 6k lb bronco on a 4k lb trailer. Kinda can't have a really soft spring...I guess yall see my delema. What springs are you running, front and rear, and how's it ride, and how's it effect towing capacity?

[Gearhead2012]

Sorry, just occurred to me that there's a suspension section. That would exolain why its so hard to find suspension threads in the motor section... Sorry. Perhaps one of the moderators would be kind enough to transplant this for me?

[Evil Eye]

I was going to move it, but that is mostly for folks who are selling or buying suspension parts. Anyway, let me know if you still want it moved.

For my input, I went with the Icon progressive rate leveling coil springs from Truck Toyz paired with the Bilstein 5100 shocks. For the money and ride quality, it can't hardly be beat. Initially, I went with the hard rubber leveling "pucks" and the ride went to crap. I definitely wouldn't recommend the leveling bushings, pucks or blocks.

[jetjock15]

best riding would be a coilover conversion kit using King shocks, call Trucktoyz, they make such kits for 0" lift to as much as you want, costs a lot, but by far the "smoothest" option

[Gearhead2012]

Originally Posted by Evil Eye

I was going to move it, but that is mostly for folks who are selling or buying suspension parts. Anyway, let me know if you still want it moved.

For my input, I went with the Icon progressive rate leveling coil springs from Truck Toyz paired with the Bilstein 5100 shocks. For the money and ride quality, it can't hardly be beat. Initially, I went with the hard rubber leveling "pucks" and the ride went to crap. I definitely wouldn't recommend the leveling bushings, pucks or blocks.

Yeah, I have the $18 dollar aluminum pucks under there now...it was kinda one of those spur of the moment things, money was tight, got a good deal on tires that I needed to have mounted to pass inspection, and needed to clear the taller tires, so ebay got my vote, along with some blocks for the rear

Originally Posted by jetjock15

best riding would be a coilover conversion kit using King shocks, call Trucktoyz, they make such kits for 0" lift to as much as you want, costs a lot, but by far the "smoothest" option

Yeah, I've seen lots of king setups at shows and whatnot... always kinda wondered how they rode. Shortly after posting this I remembered seeing your truck in your signature somewhere, glad you chimmed in. What kind of springs do you have in there? Deaver, or are they coil overs? EDIT: after reading your sig I see you've got coilovers. Are the deavers in the rear?... if so how do you like them

I don't have the coin to throw at a full coil over setup, nor could I justify it for a mostly street truck even if I did have the money. I still have the original shocks with 130k on em, on stock springs (the rears look like they've seen better days...they've got the w shape starting to develop.)...it's coming up on time for shocks, and I figured while I was in there, I'd ditch the crappy blocks and go with a decent set of longer springs.

I stumbled on carli's website, and drooled over a few of their setup's before I snapped back into reality. I'll look into the icon's, I've heard lots of good things about the 5100 series shocks, and like with everything, a few bad things too. I'm debating calling up deaver for a set of rear leafs too... I'm just worried about them being too soft, and not taking a lot of weight well. They say they're progressive and all, but I still find it puzzling that they could ride better and still take the same weight - just doesn't seem right. Kinda like making more power and getting better mileage. (which, I know... actually happens)

I feel like I'm so late to the party after stumbling through the suspension section. The days of skyjacker and superlift, maybe fabtech if you wanted something fancy being the only real lift manufacturers are over.

[jetjock15]

sounds like your doing some good reasearch. As for my coils, i have dual rate coils up front which are amazing, allows me to ride on on about a 250lb spring for two inches of travel at normal ride height untill it hits the lockout and the 600lb spring is engauged. bottom line is rides like a waterbed on street but off road after a short amount of compression the heavier spring is engauged. As for the rear, I have Custom Deavers that have been modified extensively. (to ride smooth, have a ton of droop, and haul my trailer). I have ran many diff brands on 4 superdutys, and just switching to deavers out back does make a ton of differance, you will not regret. Like you said, progressive rate will come with a little more sag then stock, but the heavier springs start to engauge after 2inches so with a smaller lift it wont sag much more then stock. (maybe 2" more then stock max with a small lift) Icon and Carli are great setups. You are doing the right research. good luck. In the end a 4" kit from Icon with deaver rear springs will probably be the most bang for the buck. Also try reducing a little air pressure in your rear tires when your not towing. In back, I run 35 psi if im not towing and bump it up to 65psi when i tow. I always have my fronts at 40.

[Gearhead2012]

Originally Posted by jetjock15

sounds like your doing some good reasearch. As for my coils, i have dual rate coils up front which are amazing, allows me to ride on on about a 250lb spring for two inches of travel at normal ride height untill it hits the lockout and the 600lb spring is engauged. bottom line is rides like a waterbed on street but off road after a short amount of compression the heavier spring is engauged. As for the rear, I have Custom Deavers that have been modified extensively. (to ride smooth, have a ton of droop, and haul my trailer). I have ran many diff brands on 4 superdutys, and just switching to deavers out back does make a ton of differance, you will not regret. Like you said, progressive rate will come with a little more sag then stock, but the heavier springs start to engauge after 2inches so with a smaller lift it wont sag much more then stock. (maybe 2" more then stock max with a small lift) Icon and Carli are great setups. You are doing the right research. good luck. In the end a 4" kit from Icon with deaver rear springs will probably be the most bang for the buck. Also try reducing a little air pressure in your rear tires when your not towing. In back, I run 35 psi if im not towing and bump it up to 65psi when i tow. I always have my fronts at 40.

Sweet, thanks for all the info. Out of curiosity, what all did you do to modify the rear springs? Are we talking a simple re-stack, or re-order of the leafs, or were they arched by a spring company, or some crazy stuff I've never heard of, lol?

I'm kinda on the fence between what is essentially like a 2-2.5"leveling kit (even though I don't really care for that term...I kinda like the slightly higher rear stance of 250's, and personally think most "leveling kits" end up lower in the rear) and somewhere around a 4-4.5" kit. I just don't want to have to incur all the costs of the extra lift - pitman arm, radius arms and/or radius arm drop brackets, brake lines ect. I'd rather put that money into a better pair of shocks, or for that matter kings. I'm in no real hurry, probably won't actually do anything till spring now anyway...still nice to have something to day dream about.

I like the idea of the 4 link, even though it's just a parallel 4 link with a track bar... I don't like the idea of the 1700 dollar price tag. I've debated building my own radius arms, or even doing a double triangulated 4 link, but I can't justify all that for a street truck. I just got done building my own heim joint/tubular radius arm setup on my 79. Just kinda don't want to go that "custom" on something that'll see that much road time

[jetjock15]

That 79 is Awesome! need more pics of that build! to answer your questions, my Deavers started out as 8.5" lift 12 packs, they have been re-stacked with heaiver overloads toward bottom, Axle mounting point moved 1 & 5/8 inch forward, running on lengthened shackle. this equals a heavier overload, less downtravel to get there, very progressive, and a ton of "drooop", i have long travel setup, and my rear shocks are 16" travel and the rear end will droop untill it hits limit straps, for the sand dunes it equals a lot of travel, for rock crawling with front and rear lockers it equals some amazing flex to get through trails.

[Gearhead2012]

Sweet, ill see if I can't dig up some more pics of the build, actually still finishing it up. Bought a JD2 tube bender and did all the work myself. Tubing was 2" .250 wall dom, which in retrospect was overkill. I live about 30 minutes from the gravedigger shop in nc, and I actually work at dennis's mud bog down there...talking with some of the guys from the shop that build the chassis of the monster trucks, they only use like 2.5" .125 wall (albeit chromemoly) tubing on their 4 link setups. I'll get some pics of that up tonight.

The rear springs on that truck are deaver leafs, which I couldn't be happier with. Mine are just out of the box, except for flipping the shackles in the rear. They definitely have plenty of droop, and would sag like no body's business with any sort of trailer that had some integrity to it.

[CT Performance, Inc.]

We can get you 4 link arms that will work with just a 2.5" level kit or a complete kit ..you may want to look at Pure Performance, IMO their springs will ride a little softer than Icons but if you plow or have a big winch and bumper get the Icons. Pure kits 2-4" basically the same price for a complete kit with 4 link arms..

2-4" kits do not require new brake lines or drop pitman arms or drop track bar brackets.

A double triangulated front 4 link, not for the street as you would need to run full hydraulic steering..

PM me if I can help.