What are Adjustable Height Shocks & Struts? (Bilstein, Eibach, Fox, Rancho)
Posted by Sean Reyes on
Adjustable Ride-height Struts
These kind of struts are designed to level out the front of late model trucks and SUVs.
- Accomplished with a coil spring collar that changes between factory height and leveling height.
- Bilstein struts have multiple grooves for the snap ring to sit, and then the coil spring collar sits on the ring.
- These different options control whether or not the strut tower is preloading the coil spring, so when the vehicle sits on the springs, it settles less than if it was sitting on non-preloaded coil springs.
- Preloading a coil spring to achieve lift means that the vehicle settles less onto those springs, resulting in increased ride height.
- Spring Rate does not change, spring rate is inherent in the spring, and isn't affected by preloading.
- Still a greater benefit than spacers for a leveling kit if you do any off-roading, since there is no compromise for droop travel for the shock tower.
What are my options?
If you have a late model truck (past 10-15 years) equipped with struts & springs in the front of your suspension, there are a handful of options for adjustable height leveling struts.
Can I use spacers and lifted struts together?
Yes, both can be used together technically. It is not recommended to use the max leveling height of the strut in combination with a strut spacer, as this will push the lift height to 3-4" over factory height. Late model trucks should not exceed 3" without extended upper control arms, and going 3.5-4" in height through the strut tower alone will create a lot of maintenance issues.
Do I need new coil springs or will factory springs work?
Factory springs will work. Lifted coil springs will also work, but you should not exceed 3" of lift with the combination of lift springs and higher settings on the adjustable strut.
