Bump stops for 1st gens

I run Camburg UCA and if I try hard I can hit the bump stops, but I really have to try hard. Its very counterintuitive that a heavier and taller coil would allow bottoming out so easily.

Edit- here is a view of my suspension while I hammered it on a rough dirt road. You can see the upper arm swing higher than the stock arm would, but it rarely bottoms out. I have 650 pound coils and fairly stiff valving.

Sorry about the lower arm noises

 

I bought the truck new in 2006 doublecab SR-5 4x4) and prior to the UCAs, the only other mod/change to the suspension was the Rancho coilovers in 2015 or so. The truck never bottomed. Within the first 200 yards our of my driveway after ONLY the freedom UCA change, it bottomed out several times on the crappy road I live on (in New Orleans, if you've ever been here you know what I am dealing with).

It was so noticeable, I thought I had left some bolts loose or forgot to reattach the sway bar links or something.

 

Well if im driving over a simple speed bump more than 5-10mph it hits hard like my rims are hitting the ground feeling. I dont see clean spots on LCA where the bumpstops would hit. Notice this more after installing the UCA's , Im guessing the lower notch is not applying enough spring rate . I emailed Dobinson before I bought them and showed them my steel bumper and I was told that the bigger springs I got would be a good option for the added weight and it would add 2" which it did. They are more beefy than OEM and longer.
Im guessing maybe after time they have settled 1/2" and needs to be lifted , I emailed Freedom Offroad and they said It sounds like it needs to be lifted more.
Sounds like my best bet is to take it to a shop and have them put it on the 2nd notch and see if that solves it.?

Even when going down the highway going 60-70mph and the road has a lip of 1/4" , it will hit hard in the front like my rims just hit a curb with no air in it.
Even if i pull out of a driveway that goes down then up sharply it will hit hard if I dont creep out slowly onto the road. Feel it got worse over time as the springs settled.
I dont know what its hitting. I feel the springs should be good since they are thicker and longer than OEM, I cant even barely move the front end by pushing down on the hood its pretty stiff. I can even hang on the front bumper and im a big guy and it hardly moves down. Perhaps the 2nd notch is the magical key .

 

Well might found the problem, I have the version C59-302 - 395mm and the rate looks to be only 586 lbs/in ....

Guess I should have not listened to them, They have a 700# 2.5 spring but I did not think the 2.5" spring would fit as they say it Fits Fox, Icon or King 2.5 Coilover.

So now with this new information, What is your guys recceomendation , How would you tackle this problem?

Thanks again I feel I am getting closer to solving this.
And to think I just moved and drove this beast from WA to AZ.

 

Thats a horse of a different color.

Did you put new tires on recently? E rated by chance? You could be feeling a combination of two things- stiffer tires and a linear coil.

Stock springs are progressive, they have some windings that handle big hits and some that handle small hits. This way you have a soft ride just about anywhere. Linear coils are rated to a specific force, for example a 700 pound coil takes 700 pounds of force to compress one inch. That means if you hit small stuff you'll get a jolt that you wouldn't feel with stock coils. It can't absorb the small bumps well enough. If you don't see that your bump stops are contacting the lower arm, this is my best guess.

The jolt feeling might be transmitting more through your upper arms as well, they use poly bushings and bronze guides. Stock arms use a soft rubber bushing that absorbs a bit of the jolt. You will feel a lot more of the road with poly bushings.

 

Oh man, thats going to squish like mad. They might have old man emu coils that will work. Be conservative about the lift though, people tend to get more lift than advertised with old man emu coils.

@KNABORES smelled that one way early.

 

https://www.1stgenoffroad.com/store/p626/Bilstein5100/OMELift.html#/

https://www.1stgenoffroad.com/store/p632/DobinsonsBilsteinFrontTundra.html#/

They use the C59-314 spring for the Tundra Heavy Load combo here or the OME 2888 in the bottom notch but my guess is that is also with the OEM UCAs. Maybe try the second notch before buying new springs.

 

I emailed 1stgenoffroad to see if they will take these back but its been awhile so probably not.
I might have to sell them worse case.
I will try the 2nd notch and see if that can work, it should theoretically increase the spring rate by compressing them more to the 2nd notch?

also I found that the C59-314 have the same spring rate of 586#
So I dont think those will work and I dont think the 2.5" fits on the 5100's

Thanks guys, Guess this is a live and learn moment .

 

No, it won't change the spring rate. It will just extend the shock shaft more, trading compression travel for extended travel. If you got enough load on the springs to compress them it would ride terribly.

 

I see, Can you please point me to a coil that would work?
From my understanding if I get 700# rate springs, I can expect a rougher ride but not bottom out?
Is there a progression spring that would be better or am I better off with a 700# rate?

Thanks again for your help.

 

I don't remember exactly where I found this but the C59-314 is 586 pounds. For reference most of the ARB springs are 590. So the spring rate should be right on. Are you running a heavy bumper or anything like that? ARB makes a 660lb coil that may be worth looking into it's the 2886.

 

Yes I have a Steel bumper guard in the front.

Are these the correct coils you are talking about that has the 660# rating here --> 2886 Coils

Do you know if the 2886 coils will fit on the 5100 shocks?

 

Yeah those are the ones. They will indeed fit the 5100 and since you are going from aftermarket coil to aftermarket coil you can reuse all of the hardware (top hats and isolators)

 

I think I will give the 2886 coils a try and see if that solves it.
Another option was #730 coils but I think that would be a really rough ride.
But think 2886 might be what I need to at least use these shocks till they die.

Question is installing them on the first notch should be good you think? most comfort and should hopefully be strong enough for the steel bumper.

I appreciate it

 

You could also look to find a set of TRD springs at the junkyard. Look on car-part.com for "Strut (see also knee assy)" then choose Front 4x4 offroad package (Bilsten manufacturer)" Choose any that are "A" grade and call they yard to make sure they aren't rusted.

 

I believe those are under 600#, I think I will have to go with the OME 2886 coils at 660# tad taller but should work with the extra weight of the bumper.
Then I will see if anyone can use these Dobinsons 302 coils

 

I would put them at the lowest setting since they are already longer than OEM and stiffer. Just a guess though because I haven't personally used them.

 

I have the 886 coils ordered , Will update once I get them installed. This is a heavy bumper custom built by previous owner so I think these coils should do the trick I hope.

 

That custom bumper looks really heavy. Wonder how much it weighs? How attached are you to it?

 

Here is the rundown, its a bit of a crap shoot to be really fair. I would run the 886 on the lowest setting and see where that takes you. Very worst case scenario if you're somehow sky high up front then the 887 seems to be a step down. Judging by your bumper I don't think that will be the case.

OME 883: 375mm in height, 590 pound spring rate
OME 884: 390mm in height 590 pound spring rate
OME 885: 395mm in height 590 pound spring rate
OME 886: 402mm in height 660 pound spring rate
OME 887: 400mm in height 590 pound spring rate
OME 888: 405 mm in height 590 pound spring rate

 

I ended up getting the EMU #660 coils and they seem to be holding up much much better.

 

Good news!