I have spent hours researching this site and can not find the information that I am looking for, so here goes- sorry for the long post!

It appears Fox coil-overs are the same length as the stock struts, and I have read about them being to close to topped out, would it make sense to turn the springs down to make them ride stock height and add a 2" or 2.5" coil spacer to achieve desired height and improve rebound ride quality. The sales person at stage 3 said to not use a spacer with the coil-overs, but he also did not give me a clear answer as to why, other than to just say that coil-overs are superior to the stock strut, which are in fact a coil-over!

My previous truck was a 13 and I installed the bilstein height adjustable struts on it initally set for 2.25" (max height) and it rode like a lumber wagon, so I took them apart and set them to stock height and put the spacer that I had in with the stock struts and it rode much better, just a tad stiffer than stock which is what I expected.

So my question is, has anyone installed the fox 2.0's with a coil spacer, and if so what was the result ride quality wise and any draw backs?

 

I don't have experience with this setup but a member here installed the Fox 2.0 set to max height and they were indeed riding rough due to lack of rebound when going over bumps. He mention that he was planning to add spacers to cure the problem.

 

Been planning to try this or order custom shocks. Apparently the BOSS coilovers ride the best so I would buy those, set them to stock height, and put the spacer on that.

 

Stage 3 has a video out there where they stacked a 4" or 6" spacer on top of the coil over... Not sure about the fox though. I am in the same boat as you. I'd love to have 3" of lift. I think 2.5" is just under what I am looking for. I am on edge between pushing the stop suspension to 3" or just say screw it and get the 4" to maintain factory geometry

 

First, IMO using a spacer with the Boss coilovers or any adjustable coilover for that matter is a recipe for disaster. It creates a condition that will allow a crazy amount of suspension over-extension. Second, if you add a spacer the spring will simply compress to the same height as it would if you had simply adjusted the ring on the coilover.

Adjusting the coil-over adjustment ring is not what causes the spring to compress. Think of it as the ring adjusting the control arm position up or down. As the angle of the control arm changes with the adjustment, the distance from the ball-joints to the control arm pivot point shortens relative to the axial line of the spring. As this distance shortens it takes more and more spring force to lift the front end (or lower the control arms), which is what causes the ride to get harsher as you create more lift with the adjustment.

And finally, setting the Boss coilovers to provide 2 to 2-1/2" of lift SHOULD NOT cause your truck to ride a "lumber wagon." I have mine set to somewhere between 2-3/8" and 2-1/2" and the truck rides great on both smooth and rough roads.

 

Get the 4" kit if you want more than 2-1/2" of lift. Adjusting the height by 3" is tough on the driveline geometry. I initially adjusted my coilovers to 3". While it looked good, the ride was a bit harsh. But what concerned me more was the hum or rumble created by the front end while in 4WD under load on dirt roads. I then began lowering the front end until the noise ceased, which occurred at 2-1/2".

I don't know if all trucks will suffer from this, but mine sure did.

 

Please explain further, If the fox or boss are the same extended length as the stock strut assembly, (not sure on boss length) how can adding a spacer to it have a different effect to adding the spacer to the stock struts?

I am looking for about 2" of added height, however I do not want it at the expense of no rebound travel and extra spring preload causing a harsh ride, as the bilstein setup that I had on a previous truck caused.

I can not find any specs on the overall lengths of the struts, just pictures that they appear the same length, so if they are longer I understand your statement about not adding a spacer.

 

Aren't the boss coilovers the same length as factory coilovers? People have been using spacers for a long time and the overextension hasn't been an issue unless you offroad regularly, giving your suspension a lot of chances to overextend. I agree a coilover is the ultimate way to go, but they all stiffen the ride in some way.

And I agree that as you raise the truck higher your control arms become less horizontal, resulting in more necessary force to compress which is why some people do notice a slight difference with a leveling kit. I'm almost positive though that the adjustment of a coilover compresses the spring resulting in a stiffer shock that does not naturally compress as much from the weight of the vehicle. For example when you replace worn out leaf springs the *** end of your truck will go back up because the springs are stiff compared to worn out spongy ones and don't compress under the weight as much.

I could be completely wrong, but my understanding with adjustable coilovers has always been that they achieve their lift through compressing the spring, and the ride worsens because of the stiffer spring and the change in driveline angles.

 

Your springs will have the exact same amount of preload on them whether you use the spacer or the adjustment the ring. The vehicle weight will not change, nor will the control angles. There is no way around this except to install a lift kit that maintains the factory geometry.

 

They achieve their lift by pushing the control arms down via the spring, which is exactly what the spacer does. The additional compression of the spring is due solely to the changing angle of the control arms, unless of course your truck gets heavier in the front for some reason as you lift it.