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King oem coilovers

52K views 124 replies 29 participants last post by  irishpride114 
#1 · (Edited)
Need a bit of help here.

Installed my oem kings today, Does anyone know how what the maximum amount you can compress the coils for ride height.

Or if you have them on your truck, what is the measurement or amount of threads showing between top cap and coil.

Just want to get it all dialed in before getting it aligned.

Thanks for the help.
 
#2 ·
Shipped from King they should be showing 7 threads exposed above the collar which equates to 2.5" lift over stock. From there, every 5 exposed threads = another 1" of lift according to King, but actual lift depends on bumper weight, etc. up front. I believe King says their OEM replacement coils are good up to 3" of lift. Cranking the collars down any further compomises ride quality and the performance of the shock. That said, I've heard of people cranking them down to get 3.5" of lift, but usually that is with 700lbs springs and the street ride probably sucks.

Congrats, they ride great.
 
#5 ·
Mines out of the box raised my truck 2 inches. I have them two more turns and I think I may be back to where I was at with my 2.5 spacer before the kings. Gonna give them another 2-3 turns to get a solid 3 inches of lift out of them.
 
#7 · (Edited)
If I recall correctly, I think mine started riding like crap after about 6 turns in of preload.
Yah, when I got my Kings from a vendor on TT the passenger had 7 threads exposed and the drivers had an absolutely crazy amount of preload (14 threads) :eek: based upon some theory that it would account for drivers side lean. I was not happy with having that much preload on the drivers (or that much disparity in preload between the two coilovers), so after a talk with Coachbuilder I decided to back off the drivers preload to 7 threads and add one of his shims to correct drivers side lean. Actually, I also wanted more lift, so my plan was to add two shims to the drivers and one shim to the passenger for an extra 1/2" of lift overall. I had already installed the single shim on the passenger side when I started having second thoughts on adding two shims to the drivers side. In the end, I only put 1 shim on the drivers and then added back another 2.5 threads (9.5 total) of preload to account for drivers side lean. So right now, my truck sits perfectly level side to side.

I'm sure some people might want to try to flame me for running a CB1 shim on OEM Kings, but after talking to David, I would rather effectively slightly increase the overall length of the coilover with a shim (and therefore slightly decrease travel), then compromise the function and performance of the spring by adding a bunch of preload. Right now my truck probably sits at 2.5"-2.75" of lift and rides super plush. I would like a little more lift up front, but I do not want to sacrifice ride quality. I'm planning on running the fiberglass LT fenders, so that will give the appearance of increased lift anyway. When I add the pre-runner bumper I have planned, I may crank up both coilovers another 2.5 threads to compensate for the weight as necessary, but not more.

I'm not advocating that anyone necessarily copy my setup, but it is working great for me. :)
 
#8 ·
The problem is trying to get lift when using 600# coils. I really think that 600# is not stiff enough for the weight of our trucks. But for streetqueens it will ride very plush.

generally, its better to droop out a heavier coil, then to try and crank down a light coil. Also, the ride heights that are set by Fox and King from the factory are chosen because those companies believe that is the very best setting for overall performance. However the two companies have very different philosophies. King believes in soft coils and soft valving for a plush comfortable ride. Fox believes in heavy coils and stiffer valving so you can take bigger hits.

My Foxs (700#) ride 2" inches higher out of the box on a DC tundra as compared to Kings on a crewmax ( @Scooby ). Some of that is due to the extra cab weight, but mostly its the difference between 600# and 700# coils.

My point is that if you guys want lift and you dont want the ride to get harsh, then you need to switch to 700# coils.
 
#10 ·
I was pleasantly surprised at how well my Fox 2.5 RR coil overs with 700 pound springs rode. I was concerned it would be a little too firm for a DD. They gave me nice lift out of the box, with a ride that was just a bit more firm than stock, but still well mannered. The Kings ride like a boat out of the box, but once you start cranking in preload to achieve lift, you really start to sacrifice ride quality.
 
#11 ·
@RK-WAR no ones gonna flame you for adding shims...im making moves to do it aswell. Soon as it warms up ill be once again taking mine apart and valving heavier (i have 600# springs) and adding the spacer shims so i can take the pre load off a bit.

Good to know you did it, thanks.
 
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#19 ·
I currently have 700lb springs on my Kings.. Honestly for on-road driving I wish they were softer. I'm going to pick up a winch today to try and balance the weight out somewhat and smooth out the ride. I'm running a pretty similar set up to you, RK-WAR with the SC, bumper, and LEDS. If I were in your situation I would at least keep the 600lb springs for a while and see how you like it. If anything, maybe add a shim or 2 to clear 37" tires.

Every so often I wish I got the 600lb springs, that being said, they are great off road, the harder you drive the smoother they feel.
 
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#20 ·
Thanks, man. That is great feedback. While I may dream about smashing through the desert, the reality is 85% of my driving is on road and therefore on road manners are paramount. If I have to drive a little slower off road, so be it. There are not a lot of options for truly WOT off road nonsense here on the East Coast anyway. I already have one shim per side, but I will try out the 600lbs springs with a second shim per side first, see how it works out and then report back.
 
#32 · (Edited)
I'm just putting my order in for Kings with Keith @dirtydeeds and I'm trying to decide on springs and height. What height/preload are you set at? Do you have a bumper or winch? (Can't see your sig as I'm typing this). I have the TRD 4600 Bilsteins and I prefer the firm ride. I'm not usually racing through the desert but building more of an expedition style rig and I'm on some pretty rocky trails. Not sure if a softer spring is better for a smoother ride or a firmer spring to keep the vehicle clearance up?

Any body else want to chime in on what height I should go for and what springs? I'm adding a winch and steel plate bumper BTW. Also I'm making final decisions on the wheel tire combo and tentatively going with Method Double Standards on BFG KO2s in 34/10.5 R17D.
 
#27 ·
Agreed with @Zachbremer

I have the #700 pound springs on my 2.5's as well, a little preload on the driver side to compensate for driver side lean but no preload on the right side and it clears my 35's w/o a problem. Ride is very well mannered on the street w/o the sway bar (little to no body roll) and handles a lot more offroad than the 600lb springs, i found myself bottoming out more with those.
 
#28 ·
New guy about suspensions here...

I have a 15 Tundra TRD Off-Road truck.

So I have been looking on King's website and I have a few questions. I am all but positive I am going to go with the OEM Performance kit (front and rear), as I do a small amount of off roading but not a lot. King's website is a bit confusing to me. Do I need a lift kit with these? Or does this kit create the lift? Do I need upper control arms if I am only looking for a 2"-2.5" lift?

Sorry if I'm hijacking the post.
 
#29 ·
Check out the MT (mid travel) threads for the long explanation.

The 2.5 OEM are correct.

The short answer is yes get UCAs.

Speak to some of the vendors here and they will make sure you get set up properly.
 
#31 ·
to the OP... damn. i. want. your. front. bumper.
 
#36 ·
I'd go with 600# springs and maybe a flutter stack on the valving. Actually I'd probably keep the OEM valving and change the fast speed to a .20 or maybe even a rate plate.

Max height you want is 3". After that your CV axle angle is to much. So is the angle in your upper and lower arm joints. And it'll probably ride like shit and your gonna lose droop/down travel.

May I ask why not a true 35" tire?
 
#37 ·
Good to know. Thanks. 3" inches is the max I'm considering.

I'm hoping I'll have less rubbing issues (although not sure with 0 offset) with a smaller tire but that's not that big of a deal. The main reason is I don't want to loose low range gearing or have to regear. As I've stated my style of off-road is is hilly, rocky terrain with some steepness so as it is now I can go down many declines with good control just using engine breaking. I don't want to loose that. Also there is the issue of unnsprung weight, fuel economy etc. that's also a factor. To be honest the 32s get me most places i want to go. What's stopping me is tire strength, shocks over heating (even just crawling) and lack of skids and sliders. If I come up to something I can't drive around I'll just winch over it.
 
#38 ·
sub
 
#39 ·
I do the same style off roading (overland). Your not gonna notice a difference if fuel economy or gearing between and 34x11.50 or a true 35". Either way your gonna loose a little power and fuel economy. But any little it of tire I could gain was worth it to me.
Looking forward to seeing your build.
 
#40 · (Edited)
Cool. I just put the downpayment on the tires and wheels with Discount Tire. It will be different. We'll have to see how it turns out. :)

It's going to take a month to get the rims in as they are back ordered so I can still change my mind on the tires if I want too, though.
 
#45 ·
I usually recommend Kings for the Daily Driver/Weekend Warrior. The ride is extremely plush. In my opinion, they feel too soft for aggressive offroading due to the 600 lbs springs, and their valving. Obviously with the big name 2.5 shocks, you can revalve and spring them to suit your needs, but I usually give feed back based on out of the box performance. Your average guy isn't gonna have his coilovers taken apart for custom valving and springs. I hear Keith will do that before he ships them to you though.
 
#46 ·
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