2" Suspension Suggestions to Increasing Travel

@Maxterra is starting to work on my bumper, so once I get it paid off and installed I can start thinking about my suspension. I'm kind of tired of the constant wheel-lifts; I'd like to get more travel. I'm looking to do 2" in the front and 2.5" in the back, and I'd like to keep it around $1200.

Front setup: I currently have the adjustable Bilstein 5100s set at 1", but I'll probably swap them out for the Bil 6112 coilover and I'm thinking about 600# springs. I'm also considering the Nisstec Adjustable Coilovers or the MK84s. I think I'll need to do UCAs and remove the sway bar too. Would I need to extend the brake cables and should I get the camber bolts?

Rear setup: I already have 1.5" Alcans with 700# and have removed the sway bar. I was thinking about putting in the Nisstec Long Travel Shock Kit with the adjustable shackle.

I don't need to stick with Bil's by any means, but they are a good entry level shock. A buddy is pushing Dobinson's, although I haven't seen anyone using them on an X...

If XN has any recommendations or can point me to existing threads/reviews so I can do my homework I'd appreciate it.

scoyoc said:

@Maxterra is starting to work on my bumper, so once I get it paid off and installed I can start thinking about my suspension. I'm kind of tired of the constant wheel-lifts; I'd like to get more travel. I'm looking to do 2" in the front and 2.5" in the back, and I'd like to keep it around $1200.

Front setup: I currently have the adjustable Bilstein 5100s set at 1", but I'll probably swap them out for the Bil 6112 coilover and I'm thinking about 600# springs. I'm also considering the Nisstec Adjustable Coilovers or the MK84s. I think I'll need to do UCAs and remove the sway bar too. Would I need to extend the brake cables and should I get the camber bolts?

Rear setup: I already have 1.5" Alcans with 700# and have removed the sway bar. I was thinking about putting in the Nisstec Long Travel Shock Kit with the adjustable shackle.

I don't need to stick with Bil's by any means, but they are a good entry level shock. A buddy is pushing Dobinson's, although I haven't seen anyone using them on an X...

If XN has any recommendations or can point me to existing threads/reviews so I can do my homework I'd appreciate it.

Click to expand...

If I am remembering correctly, even the long travel coilovers only provide a marginal amount of extra travel. Another setup in that coilover price range is the Fox version, I've heard good things about the ride quality of them although I think they're limited to 1.5" of lift.

At 2" I needed camber bolts to get the positive camber reduced but definitely didn't need extended brake lines. Before doing all of this work I'd recommend first removing that front sway bar, I know on mine that was really limiting travel in both directions once I lifted. If you're on stock coils and don't have wheel spacers it might sway a bit more but if you put some stronger coils on there it helps reduce it a lot. At 2" you'll be at that threshold of CBC potentially happening from time to time, it limits downtravel in the harshest way so I'd say if you can afford it go with aftermarket UCA's.

On the rear definitely go with the longer shocks, I'm running the +3" version of the 5125's and they allow for a lot more down travel than the 5100 did.

General_Tarfun said:

limits downtravel in the harshest way

Click to expand...

Damaging? I can't afford UCAs now, I have other stuff I gotta do first.

Xterrorista said:

Damaging? I can't afford UCAs now, I have other stuff I gotta do first.

Click to expand...

After my lift the stock UCA's were 1/4" from the coil buckets and I had to drive it that way for about a week until my new uca's came in. It would slam so hard sometimes that I eventually drove slower and slower to reduce it, but no broken parts and that was probably as bad as it gets. At 2" you'll be fine I think, you could probably get away with adding some of those thin poly bump stops at the contact point on the uca's.

I'm probably maxed out as far as down travel with stock width components goes. You run up against CV, lower ball joint and TRE limits and there's not much to do about it.

I'm running the Extended Rads (1/4" longer than OE length Rads) with a 1/2" thick spacer on top of them, SPC UCAs, and no sway bars. I have around 2.5" of down travel and I'm just under 3" of lift IIRC.

I've contemplated running a taller front lift spacer to move the travel of the coil over down but I think it'll start wearing out the ball joints in short order.

TerryD said:

I've contemplated running a taller front lift spacer to move the travel of the coil over down but I think it'll start wearing out the ball joints in short order.

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What I've noticed is that lbj boot gets pinched on the outboard side once you get around 3.5-4" of lift and eventually that crease will open up.

I spent a good amount of time and effort attempting to get the most of a stock width suspension. You can push the limits, but you will wear out parts fast. LBJ, UBJ, TRE, CV boots. Extended length shocks, aftermarket UCA, small spacer, and detached (or removed) sway bar is all she has got.

If you want travel, go titan swap. You can do it on the "cheap" anymore. Stock junkyard UCA + LCA, Tundra Bilstein, and QX 56 R180 CVs is all it takes. That is the bare minimum, though. Spend a few extra bucks for proper upper control arms, and you will blow away any stock width setup. That being said, a stock width setup with some long-travel shocks will get you far down the trails and still feel decent on the road.

I'm still on stock UCAs with 2" lift standard length Radflos. It'll stay that way until the Titan swap. I get no coil bucket contact while driving. Ever. And it only hits when I wheel.

Thanks guys! I know you would have some good ideas. Sorry for the late reply, I had a couple long days in the field last week, then domestic responsibilities took over preparing for halloween and remodeling the living room. Anyway...

General_Tarfun said:

If I am remembering correctly, even the long travel coilovers only provide a marginal amount of extra travel. Another setup in that coilover price range is the Fox version, I've heard good things about the ride quality of them although I think they're limited to 1.5" of lift.

At 2" I needed camber bolts to get the positive camber reduced but definitely didn't need extended brake lines. Before doing all of this work I'd recommend first removing that front sway bar... If you're on stock coils and don't have wheel spacers it might sway a bit more but if you put some stronger coils on there it helps reduce it a lot. At 2" you'll be at that threshold of CBC potentially happening from time to time, it limits downtravel in the harshest way so I'd say if you can afford it go with aftermarket UCA's.

On the rear definitely go with the longer shocks, I'm running the +3" version of the 5125's and they allow for a lot more down travel than the 5100 did.

Click to expand...

@General_Tarfun Great feedback. I'll look into the Fox coilovers. Thanks. I'm definitely taking off the front sway bar and putting on 600-lb springs, and I'll get the camber bolts too just in case. I was looking at the Bil 5125's, that's good to know, I'll probably go with those in the rear.

lizardking said:

I spent a good amount of time and effort attempting to get the most of a stock width suspension. You can push the limits, but you will wear out parts fast. LBJ, UBJ, TRE, CV boots. Extended length shocks, aftermarket UCA, small spacer, and detached (or removed) sway bar is all she has got.

If you want travel, go titan swap... That being said, a stock width setup with some long-travel shocks will get you far down the trails and still feel decent on the road.

Click to expand...

Prime said:

I'm still on stock UCAs with 2" lift standard length Radflos. It'll stay that way until the Titan swap. I get no coil bucket contact while driving. Ever. And it only hits when I wheel.

Click to expand...

@lizardking @Prime This might be the first iteration of my front set up. ;-) I'll look into the T-swap before going too far down this rabbit hole, but maybe I can squeak by for a couple year until I decide.

Current ideas after reading these posts...

Front: Extended length coilovers (Fox or Bil B8 6112), 600-lb springs, UCAs (SPC's were recommended), and remove the sway bar. (Look into cheap T-swap).

Rear: Extended length shocks and adjustable shackle. (Nisstec has a kit with Bil 5125's and an adjustable shackle linked in original post...)