Coilover springs for towing

Mike Pierson

Mike Pierson

Hooked
Question on the rear King coilover springs. I have an off-road camp trailer that has a pretty heavy tongue weight, well over 250lbs. My springs, I believe, are 300/300. Even when I remove the spare tire off the front of the trailer, the Jeep droops close to two inches. When Jeremy installed them, he gave me an extra inch in the rear to help compensate but the tongue weight is still too much for my liking. I will be having a tire carrier made to attach to the rear of the trailer and that should help a bit.

So if I were to switch out the bottom springs for stronger ones, will the Jeep still feel light and flexible on high speed desert runs?

Thanks!
 
Mike Pierson said:
Question on the rear King coilover springs. I have an off-road camp trailer that has a pretty heavy tongue weight, well over 250lbs. My springs, I believe, are 300/300. Even when I remove the spare tire off the front of the trailer, the Jeep droops close to two inches. When Jeremy installed them, he gave me an extra inch in the rear to help compensate but the tongue weight is still too much for my liking. I will be having a tire carrier made to attach to the rear of the trailer and that should help a bit.

So if I were to switch out the bottom springs for stronger ones, will the Jeep still feel light and flexible on high speed desert runs?

Thanks!
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Have you tried a weight distributing hitch?
 
Short answer is - NO.

Unfortunately, you can't have your cake and eat it too when it comes to coilovers and spring rates. While you 'can' make them work well for towing or really heavy weight, doing so will make your daily drive/desert off roading without it feel harsh. Already, 300/300 is on the high side as is and increasing your secondary springs will only make it so that it helps to soak up hits better.
 
Ddays said:
Have you tried a weight distributing hitch?
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No, that doesn’t work for this trailer as it’s got a articulated hitch for wheeling. Good idea though, thanks.
wayoflife said:
Short answer is - NO.

Unfortunately, you can't have your cake and eat it too when it comes to coilovers and spring rates. While you 'can' make them work well for towing or really heavy weight, doing so will make your daily drive/desert off roading without it feel harsh. Already, 300/300 is on the high side as is and increasing your secondary springs will only make it so that it helps to soak up hits better.
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Ok, it’s more important to me to have a more agile off-roader than a tow rig. Thanks, Eddie.

Andy5160 said:
Sorry Mike but I can only comment on Jeremy giving you an extra inch in the rear
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Apparently I will never learn to watch my phrasing on here. 🤣
 
I’m running 200 over 350 and only bottom out very rarely when I’m fully loaded with gear/roof top tent. So would be similar I’d think. It also performs very well on off road when not fully loaded.
 
benatc1 said:
I’m running 200 over 350 and only bottom out very rarely when I’m fully loaded with gear/roof top tent. So would be similar I’d think. It also performs very well on off road when not fully loaded.
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Thanks, Ben. Good deal, I’d assume with the tent, the 38, gas and gear you’re probably heavier than I am. We don’t use the trailer as much as I wheel so I really don’t want to disturb what Jeremy has set up because it feels like perfection.
 
benatc1 said:
I’m running 200 over 350 and only bottom out very rarely when I’m fully loaded with gear/roof top tent. So would be similar I’d think. It also performs very well on off road when not fully loaded.
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I was running 200/200 when I got my jeep. And like 6” of preload, generally light otherwise and it was horrible off road, I probably could be 200/300 when unloaded but I really like the 350 bottom. Idk how changing the upper would impact things, or how the math works out on 200/350 vs 300/300 but i do sag when loaded, but the ride is great. Id probably just run it with your trailer as is being your love it without it, or could even add a little lift height in the rear for those occasions. Or just start testing spring rates to see what happens 😂.
 
benatc1 said:
I was running 200/200 when I got my jeep. And like 6” of preload, generally light otherwise and it was horrible off road, I probably could be 200/300 when unloaded but I really like the 350 bottom. Idk how changing the upper would impact things, or how the math works out on 200/350 vs 300/300 but i do sag when loaded, but the ride is great. Id probably just run it with your trailer as is being your love it without it, or could even add a little lift height in the rear for those occasions. Or just start testing spring rates to see what happens 😂.
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Oops @Mike Pierson
 
benatc1 said:
I was running 200/200 when I got my jeep. And like 6” of preload, generally light otherwise and it was horrible off road, I probably could be 200/300 when unloaded but I really like the 350 bottom. Idk how changing the upper would impact things, or how the math works out on 200/350 vs 300/300 but i do sag when loaded, but the ride is great. Id probably just run it with your trailer as is being your love it without it, or could even add a little lift height in the rear for those occasions. Or just start testing spring rates to see what happens 😂.
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Yeah, my plan now is to make adjustments to the trailer to lighten up the tongue weight rather than deal with springs, especially since I know so little about them.
 
Mike Pierson said:
Yeah, my plan now is to make adjustments to the trailer to lighten up the tongue weight rather than deal with springs, especially since I know so little about them.
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I feel like its gonna sag no matter what. These things are trash at towing. I would do what DDays said and swap the hitch and do the weight distribution one.
 
OverlanderJK said:
I feel like its gonna sag no matter what. These things are trash at towing. I would do what DDays said and swap the hitch and do the weight distribution one.
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Thanks, I may end up having to do that if I can’t get the tongue weight lighter. I’m planning to add a swing-out tire carrier to the back of the trailer which, with the spare, should be nearly 200lbs. That may be enough to lighten things up front. If not, then that’ll be the next move.
 
CalSgt said:
Just spitballing but would adjusting the crossover timing rings on the coilovers make a difference?
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I’m a total noob with coilovers but I believe all that would do is change how the two springs interact during compression cycles. The preload ring sets the height which Jeremy already set an inch higher than the front.
 
Mike Pierson said:
I’m a total noob with coilovers but I believe all that would do is change how the two springs interact during compression cycles. The preload ring sets the height which Jeremy already set an inch higher than the front.
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Crossover ring changes where in the stroke it changes from two springs splitting the load to one spring only.

When you’re riding on both springs you’re spring rate is 150 pounds, as soon as the crossover ring makes contact with the slider the spring rate jumps to 300 pounds

If your crossovers are set a long ways from the slider while the vehicle isn’t loaded it increases the amount of sag you will get when the weight of the trailer tongue Is added.
 
CalSgt said:
Crossover ring changes where in the stroke it changes from two springs splitting the load to one spring only.

When you’re riding on both springs you’re spring rate is 150 pounds, as soon as the crossover ring makes contact with the slider the spring rate jumps to 300 pounds

If your crossovers are set a long ways from the slider while the vehicle isn’t loaded it increases the amount of sag you will get when the weight of the trailer tongue Is added.
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Oh, ok. Those rings are set at 1 inch from the slider and the trailer sags the back by nearly 2 inches, and almost three when the spare was up in its craddle on the tongue.
 
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