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Coilovers or coils with reservoir shocks?

rye1678

New Member
Joined
Aug 7, 2016
Messages
27
I am about a month away from tearing my bronco down to the frame. I still have questions about the front suspension: Coilovers with reservoir, or coils with reservoirs? I assume I will run reservoirs in the rear with leafs. My build is going to be for street use, and I will run the coyote. Just looking for the best possible ride for my purpose. For those of you that say coilover, how difficult of a conversion is it?
 

DirtDonk

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Nov 3, 2003
Messages
47,355
Not difficult at all if you're a master fabricator, a clever driveway mechanic, or you find a ready-to-weld kit specifically for Early Broncos. Other than that, I'd have to say (never having actually done one myself) that it's a crap-ton of work for minimal benefit.
Never seen one of those kits myself, but with all the custom metal fab shops across the country and the popularity of EB's, it wouldn't surprise me to hear someone is making an EB specific kit.

You need to work out the geometry.
You need to work out the materials.
You need to work out the layout, specifically for whatever shock length and size you choose.
You need to initially estimate the weight and bias of your individual Bronco to get the correct spring combinations.
You then need to mock it up to make sure that absolutely nothing is going to be in the way of anything else, including your new, wider Coyote engine.
Then you need to re-do anything that doesn't play nice together.
Then (it seems) you need to buy a second, and sometimes third set of springs, when the ones you estimated and that other race shock shops told you would be perfect, turn out to not at all satisfy your needs.
Seen and heard about all of the above many times. Not just with Broncos.

Other than that, it's pretty easy and well documented.;);D%)
So my usual comment is that, since it's a street driven Bronco, the only thing you gain with coilovers and/or reservoir shocks is the big boost in the cool-factor category. None of that stuff is necessary for improving the ride or handling of a street driven EB. Unless you're just into dialing in the perfection of your ride to the Nth degree and have the knowhow to do it.

All that said, there are plenty of people around that do use coilover setups and love them. Not sure if they feel the work was worth the result, but depending on what their goals were, there are likely going to be lots of encouragement for you to go for it.
So hopefully they'll chime in with the details of their builds so you can see if the end result is near what you want yours to be, and if they think it's worth it.

Good luck.

Paul
 

DirtDonk

Contributor
Bronco Guru
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Nov 3, 2003
Messages
47,355
I should add the question, what exactly are you intending to do with the Bronco?
I know you said street driven, but in what way? You like to hot-rod it around town? Just going to car shows (Broncos are super popular with the car crowd!), or run the family (got kids?) down to the lake or downtown to dinner and ice-cream?
In other words, how high on your list are the cool and gee-whiz factors?

I ask because reservoirs are for two things only in the performance end. Longer travel out of a given length body, and cooler oil. Well, and tunability with some specific shocks too, so I guess there are three things sometimes.

The coilover aspect is a little harder to quantify. Yes, I suppose you could fine tune your ride quality just to the way you want it, with both spring rates and shock valving, but the current crop of coils ride pretty well too. And since you're keeping the leaf springs at this point too, I would still have to weigh in on the side of keeping coils instead of making such a massive change.

And I forgot to ask about ride height. What amount of lift over stock are you wanting, and what size tires?

I still say good luck. Even if it sounds like I'm trying to talk you out of it!

Paul
 

doghows72

Bronco Guru
Joined
Jan 5, 2005
Messages
2,036
I'd have to agree with Paul. It would be way cool but for a street truck I don't see any gain. I think even a reservoir shock is over kill for a street truck.
Revervoir on shocks are there for additional fluid to keep the shock from over heating or foaming up I think they call it cavitation. Unless your roads are solid potholes you'll never need the reservoir feature. But it is cool and I have used them on a previous Bronco on mine.
In the long run build what you want there is no right or wrong with style or coolness, as long as the fab work is correct! Keep us posted and food luck.
 
OP
OP
R

rye1678

New Member
Joined
Aug 7, 2016
Messages
27
I should add the question, what exactly are you intending to do with the Bronco?
I know you said street driven, but in what way? You like to hot-rod it around town? Just going to car shows (Broncos are super popular with the car crowd!), or run the family (got kids?) down to the lake or downtown to dinner and ice-cream?
In other words, how high on your list are the cool and gee-whiz factors?

I ask because reservoirs are for two things only in the performance end. Longer travel out of a given length body, and cooler oil. Well, and tunability with some specific shocks too, so I guess there are three things sometimes.

The coilover aspect is a little harder to quantify. Yes, I suppose you could fine tune your ride quality just to the way you want it, with both spring rates and shock valving, but the current crop of coils ride pretty well too. And since you're keeping the leaf springs at this point too, I would still have to weigh in on the side of keeping coils instead of making such a massive change.

And I forgot to ask about ride height. What amount of lift over stock are you wanting, and what size tires?

I still say good luck. Even if it sounds like I'm trying to talk you out of it!

Paul

Paul,
So my street driving will consist of weekend driving around town, loading the kids up and going to the lake, but not really hot rodding. I will run about 3.5" lift and 33-35 (most likely 35). I like the cool factor, but after your input Ill stick with the coils. I may still do reservoirs. So I assume they would bolt in the same location as the regular shock, and they wouldn't affect the ride in a negative way?
 

DirtDonk

Contributor
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Nov 3, 2003
Messages
47,355
...So I assume they would bolt in the same location as the regular shock, and they wouldn't affect the ride in a negative way?

Generally speaking, correct. As far as the ride goes, no difference between a reservoir and non-reservoir shock given the same brand, model and valving.

As far as bolting to the stock mounts, the rears are normally no problem but sometimes the fronts with the stud-type upper mount will limit shock choices. Combination of shorter distance and stud style mount.
Not a big problem though, as with the lift there might be an off-the-shelf application just perfect for it. If not, it's easy enough to make the upper mount an eye-type either by adding an adapter or changing the actual upper mount itself.
Here are just the two most popular that we offer: http://www.wildhorses4x4.com/category/s?keyword=front+shock+mount both of which utilize mounting tabs for shocks with eyes instead of studs.

Lots of potential choices out there. So definitely not a deal-breaker.

Paul
 

Dpearce

Full Member
Joined
May 12, 2012
Messages
212
Agree with everything said here. I'm also in the middle of a Coyote conversion on a Luber - hope to be done by summer. I'm running the Krawler's Edge 4 link in the rear. This should be a big improvement over the traditional leaf springs. Will have about 5 and 1/2 " of total lift (3 and 1/2 suspension and 2" body).
I have a build thread going - so should be able to update the ride quality sometime soon. Mine will mainly be a street rig as well.
 
OP
OP
R

rye1678

New Member
Joined
Aug 7, 2016
Messages
27
Agree with everything said here. I'm also in the middle of a Coyote conversion on a Luber - hope to be done by summer. I'm running the Krawler's Edge 4 link in the rear. This should be a big improvement over the traditional leaf springs. Will have about 5 and 1/2 " of total lift (3 and 1/2 suspension and 2" body).
I have a build thread going - so should be able to update the ride quality sometime soon. Mine will mainly be a street rig as well.

Dpearce, did you keep your stock frame, or did you go with a krawlers edge frame as well? Also why 4 link, will it make anything better?
 

Dpearce

Full Member
Joined
May 12, 2012
Messages
212
Kept stock frame. The 4 link should be a much smoother ride compared to the leaf springs.
 

DirtDonk

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Nov 3, 2003
Messages
47,355
For overall street ride quality, don't forget the tires themselves.
A Load Range E tire is never going to let a soft suspension show of fit's great capabilities, as you'll feel every little rice grain left on the street.
A C-rated tire would be something to hunt for if you can find one in the sizes you like.

They can be a little "squigdier" as they get taller of course, especially those with Mud-Terrain tread patterns, but the right tire can handle pretty well even in the lighter rating categories.

Paul
Paul
 

ricky

Full Member
Joined
Mar 28, 2007
Messages
310
Loc.
beaumon,texas 77706
I really like the idea of going coilover on the front..will using a tubular front shock mount like DD suggested,be strong enough? I already have the dual upper tubular mount,and boxed duff arms..

not trying to hijack this thread, just asking as I am looking into this as well..thanks
 

DonaldDouchebag

Bronco Guru
Joined
Apr 17, 2008
Messages
1,095
I'd look at triangulating the mounts at the least. It might be wise to look into tying the towers together to limit flex by running a tube across the engine compartment.
 

ricky

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Mar 28, 2007
Messages
310
Loc.
beaumon,texas 77706
that sounds good..i had seen "read" where others have tied the towers together with a tube of some sort,to stiffen the mounts up.
 

garberz

Bronco Influencer
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Jun 24, 2007
Messages
6,856
Loc.
Conejo Valley, Ca.
I really like the idea of going coilover on the front..will using a tubular front shock mount like DD suggested,be strong enough? I already have the dual upper tubular mount,and boxed duff arms..

not trying to hijack this thread, just asking as I am looking into this as well..thanks

If you're going to go through all the fabrication of installing coilovers, make sure you're not limiting yourself on length because of your mounts. Choose your shock length accordingly, then fab the mounts to fit your coilovers.

Mark
 

FlogginHarvey

Sr. Member
Joined
Jul 3, 2011
Messages
373
Loc.
Wichita
I must say that all the posts above are very pragmatic and make perfect sense. But, really, what's the fun in that? LOL I went with WH 4.5" lift coils and leafs with King 2.5 reservoir shocks. It hasn't seen any trail time yet but that is the build plan as soon as the rebuilt motor and radiator are sorted out. It is insanely better on the street and back roads. Night and day.

If you're stuck on coilovers I Stumbled into the kit from Weldtec Designs. Looks awesome and a little overkill but why not? It's designed to work with Duff arms and pair a coilover and bypass but I don't see why it couldn't just be used with coilovers. It's not cheap but very cool stuff.

http://weldtecdesigns.com/product/66-77-ford-bronco-coilover-and-bypass-kit/
 

68ford

Bronco Guru
Joined
Dec 26, 2004
Messages
2,710
I have a feeling that ride height would be pretty tall with that weldtech kit being the trackbar has no bends in it to clear the diff. I have ran 3 coilover set ups and can tell you you will never get coils to ride as soft. My old set up with wildhorses long arms used a 12in stroke coilover and it was all below the inner fenderwell and Sat about a 3.5in lift. I think a 10in coilover would be plenty for mostly street driving and likely articulate as much as any coil spring. All Broncos springs available are way too stiff.
for the street, set it up really soft and put a rear sway bar to reduce the body role from the soft springs.
 
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