If I install coil spacers is it more likly that the coil spacers could slip out, along with the rest of the coil during and off roading? Are they safe for use and abuse or does it start limiting me to just roads?

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Things to come: coil spacers, 4.10 gears, Grill
ilmagill@aol.com For Pictures :
www.geocities.com/ilmagill

 

I really wouldn't recommend it if I were you. Go with the 2" suspension lift in the front if you want to do anything. They are dangerous, and some places won't even put them on because of liability reasons. If one comes out, then you are going to have another one in, and your truck would be uneven. I don't know, but I don't think you should get them. Too unsafe.

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1999 super cab
white with tan bottom
automatic
4.6L v8
BFG AT TA KO 265/75
WAAG grillguard
2 KC daylighters
vampire remote start combo alarm
steelhorse nerf bars
Husky chrome toolbox
4 pioneer 3 way 6x8's
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wants: 2 chamber flowmaster dual exhaust
tan fender flares
american racing atlas
2" fabtech suspension leveling kit

 

But the two inch coils i have been told are impossible to align and just ruin the ride. And spindles are a pretty penny

 

Yeah, spindles are a bit pricey just for a little bit of lift, but I'll bet you it would pay off in the long run. Spacers are known for popping out. If you were driving down the highway and one just fell out, you could really screw up your coils. Even though they are a cheap way to add performance to your truck, I wouldn't recommend it. I was in the same position you were, wanting to put some spacers inthe front to level out my truck. Once I researched it, I found that it isn't the best idea, and it can lead to more serious problems with your suspension. That's just my advice, I'm not saying I'm an expert by any means.

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1999 super cab
white with tan bottom
automatic
4.6L v8
BFG AT TA KO 265/75
WAAG grillguard
2 KC daylighters
vampire remote start combo alarm
steelhorse nerf bars
Husky chrome toolbox
4 pioneer 3 way 6x8's
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
wants: 2 chamber flowmaster dual exhaust
tan fender flares
american racing atlas
2" fabtech suspension leveling kit

 

I have a story that will make you think twice about coil spacers. I was driving down the highway with my dad following me and the month before i had installed those metal coil spacers. I heard a loud pop, and thought i blew out a tire. I looked in my rear view mirror and noticed my dad's car spinning in circles. After i pulled over and backed up to his vehical, i noticed his windsheild had shattered and his face was bleeding. THe problem was my coil spacer popped out and hit dead center into his windsheild, lucky he was not hurt only scraches, and lucky he didnt kick my ***. My lesson was learned and i bought the fabtech lift instead of trying to beat the system.

 

Metal Coil spacers? The ones I was looking at were the daystar polyeurethane spacers...apparently they make them in a buncha different sizes and are suppose to last longer than the rubber donut ones.

Tiron- Were you able to align your truck after you installed the spacers...and what was that install like?

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Things to come: coil spacers, 4.10 gears, Grill
ilmagill@aol.com For Pictures :
www.geocities.com/ilmagill

 

What kind of coil spacers are we talking about? If we're talking about the little twist in metal spacers then yes, they are prone to pop out, especially if not placed at the correct points on the spring.

I'm talking about a coil spacer that sits underneath the coil spring. You have to drop the shock, rent a coil spring compressor. Compress the spring as much as humanly possible and place the spacer underneath. Then you uncompress the spring back onto the spacer. Even with the suspension drooped all the way down that spacer will not budge and is not coming out.

ilmagill, I bought a couple of cheap rubber spacers from JC Whitney that fit fairly well. If you're planning on the good daystar ones, I don't see you having a bit of problem in the world. Spacers seem to be used quite a bit as viable lift options for jeeps and other vehicles. I don't see why they can't be for our trucks. As for the install do a search under suspension by my user ID and you should find my install story. Short of it is that it's a pain to get the coil compressed enough, but beyond that it went fairly smooth. As for alignment, I'm watching the wear on my new tires closly, but don't expect to have to have need to realign. The only thing the spacer can do is change the geometry of the front end in a way that introduces too much negative camber. From the factory the truck looked to have visibly have somewhat positive camber. After the install the camber still seems slightly postive when you eyeball it. It tracks straight(which shouldn't have been effected anyway since the camber would change by the same amount on both sides), handles fine and seems to be wearing just fine thus far. But it's only been a few thousand miles so far, so kinda early to tell about how the tire will wear overall, but I don't foresee any problem.

I'm sure there will be many who disagree with my ideas and opinions on this, but this is just how things are working out for me so far.

 

That's pretty much how I thought the install was gonna go. My toss up has been go with the 15 dollar rubbers or the 80 dollar polyeurathane. I heard you can get a spring compressor from autozone, if so how much? Cause a local store wants 120 for the install and if the compressor is x amount of dollars then it might be just easier to have them do it. I need to align the truck anyway too, and i have to buy the cam kits for that, too bad i never gottem under the 12000/12 month thing, the price i pay. The one thing i noticed was the daystar ones are suppose to be put on top of the coil in the boot thing....whereas everyone else put the rubber donut ones under the spring.

Tiron- What size spacers did you get from JC Whitney?

 

They don't have any sizes, it's the only one they have. They call it a coil spring stabilizer. Overall it's 1.5" tall, but it has a grove on both size for the spring to sit down it. It's on both size because they say you can also twist into the middle of the spring, but I don't think this could be pulled off with our springs. So taking the grove into consideration they are 1.25" tall, probably compressed down to closer to ~1.1" or so. After everything settled in they gave me about 1.75" lift. I explain why I think this happens in another post also, similar triagles, point of lift, blah, blah, blah.

As for the spring compressor, what most Autozones have is a loaner program. You "rent" the compressor for whatever it happens to cost(around $50), use it and then bring it back for a full refund. So no real out of pocket there. Also shop around for the camber bolt kit as to not get taken there. I've seen posts where people have payed upwards of $100 for them. They shouldn't be more that like $20 a side. I think napaonline.com among others carries them.

As for which spacer to go for, I'm not sure. The daystars are application specific--made just for our trucks, right? Those seem like a good bet for fit and durability. Then again, the cheapo rubber ones fit pretty in there pretty dang good. Longivity is an unknown quanitity though. They should last just as long as the rubber piece on top of the coil though shouldn't they? But some folks swear by poly everywhere, replacing brand new rubber bushings in swaybars and such with poly ones. Point is, I can't even give a devinative opinion here. You can go for rubber for obviou$ reasons, or try poly if it seems worth it. Good luck in whichever.

[This message has been edited by Tiron (edited 02-20-2001).]

 

I read the other posts....too much math, just finished good'ol calculus hw cant do geometry. You've probably been one of the greatest helps ever for me, so thanks alot. Did you ever figure out if it was your shock that topped out or was it something else. If so ya got any size recomendations?

 

After struggling to get the coil spring compressed enough to twist, shove, and manipulate the spacer under the spring. I don't see any possible way for it to come out on its own. It's definatly not going to just pop out driving down the highway, and like I said I just don't see it coming out at all even over rough stuff. It's just too tight of a fit and those coils are too stout. I'm by no means an expert either, and am not sure about any long term suspension ramifications(trucklover could you expound of what you've found in researching), but so far I've been very happy with my $15 investment...

 

Haven't done anything about it yet, but I'm 99% sure it's the shock. I do most of my driving on the street in town, so I've learned to slow down where neccessary to not let the suspension drop to fast and far. Also everyting settled about a .25" from when I first put the spacers in after a few days. Pretty sure that was just the rubber finding equelibrium, regardless that gave me an extra .25" travel and help some in itself. Went on some fairly rough unimproved roads this past weekend going down into a little box canyon in the ozarks to stay at a cabin. Was quickly reminded of the problem. It wasn't really bad, it just sounded bad and was annoying. I can't remember right off hand the shock I was planning on. I had a page bookmarked, but had my computer at work updated to Win2000, and didn't save anything. Whichever brand they had one listed for a 2" lift so that's the one I was going to go for. I hope to talk to a knowledgable shop first though, but knowing me I'll just order them and see how they do.

 

Tiron, the ones that you put underneath the coil aren't coil spacers. The coil spacers are the one, JSL said, that slip INTO the coil itself. Yeah, if you put a block or something underneath the coil itself, it wouldn't be a problem. It would be more like adding blocks to your truck. If that's what you were going to do, then no, you shouldn't have a problem with that. I would say that you should extend the coil by adding a smaller spring underneath your main one. It would give you a better ride, not that putting something underneath would give you a worse ride. I guess I didn't understand the question.

 

I hafta call 4wheel parts sometime and ask them about the shock recomendation. Cause I'm gonna get new ones so i might just get them to do the shocks and deal with the spacers as well...cause they will align it (for a price) but i need an alignment anyway cause i got a bit of funky wear...inner portion of the left front....the other front is fine...just the left one is getten it. I've been thinking about the rancho rsx because of price (comparative to the edelbrock) and so far I've only heard good things about them.

 

Not wanting to cause trouble here truckluver, but I think if you research it a little more you'll find that the round "spacers" that fit either on top of or beneath the coil spring are most commonly called coil spring spacers. While the twist in jobbers are most ofter refered to as coil spring stabalizers. The two terms are often interchanged, but do a search on excite or google for coil spring spacer and see what you get. My spacer is actually referred to as a stabalizer in JCWhitney because it can also be twisted in between two coils in the spring. Regardless, like you said just a miscommunication in terminology.

ilmagill, I'm sure the Rancho RSX shocks would do well. I remembered the shocks I was looking at, the are Explorer ProComp 3000s. Again cost is the main reason, $30 a shock. Thought I'd try them out, can't be worse than I've got.

I was going to ask what your alignment problem was, to see if you might could get away without the cam kit. Sounds like you need it though. Wear on either outside or inside shoulder is usually indicative of camber misadjustment. Although if it's more of a feathering(alternating low/high spots) as opposed to a smooth wear, it could be a caster problem on that side. But I guess if your getting it done anyway, might as well get it done completly.