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3500 Thuren .5” coils and Carli add a pack Install

Scooter29

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Ok so my goal was to smooth out some of the harshness of the suspension and keep the truck as close to stock height as possible. I finally settled on Thuren .5” coils, Carli add a packs, Thuren shackles, and Fox 2.0 from Thuren.

I started with the rear first, add a a pack install wasn’t too bad it was the shackles that I figured out I needed to seperate the leafs from axle and unmount the leaf springs that was the pain. My intention with the shackle was to use the .5” lowering position as Carli says the add a pack gives 1”-1.5” lift. It didn’t seem like much installed so I stuck with the stock height mounting hole.
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Front was pretty straightforward, I was able to not disconnect the track bar and get the coils in with a little fight just disconnected sway bar and shocks. I used the softer rubber pintop bushings Thuren now sells vs the hard polymer ones that come standard. Their instructions say once the nut it threaded down and tops washer can still move then go 2 full turns. I ended up with 3 and you can see the thread just about through the nut.
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In the end I started at 24.5” Front LR and 26” Rear LR and need at 25.5” Front LR and 27” Rear LR center of hub to fender. Equal lift is what I was looking for to keep stock take for towing. I’ll watch for the rear to settle at all and can install the supplied 1” lift block if needed. Rear end now is one consistent controlled bump vs a hard hit and fast engagement of the overload spring. Front I felt an immediate difference going over our long speed bumps and before the truck would hit and bounce then bottom out and a little bounce after. Now the initial hit is controlled and dampened and just comes down without bottoming out as the dampening in the shocks soaks a good amount up. Overall happy with it all and now to find a shop to align to Thuren specs.
 
Good job! About to do the same to the front of mine! Thank you for the pictures.
 
Good job! About to do the same to the front of mine! Thank you for the pictures.
Track bar unbolted will save you fighting to squeeze the passenger coil in. I did it the hard way and may have reverted backwards and used a ratchet to squeeze the passenger side down a little to fit it in haha. Remember to torque the trackbar with the weight of the truck. Also made the mistake of bolting one shock in the top first. Way easier to bolt the bottom in first, compress it and guide it into the top.
 
Ok so my goal was to smooth out some of the harshness of the suspension and keep the truck as close to stock height as possible. I finally settled on Thuren .5” coils, Carli add a packs, Thuren shackles, and Fox 2.0 from Thuren.

I started with the rear first, add a a pack install wasn’t too bad it was the shackles that I figured out I needed to seperate the leafs from axle and unmount the leaf springs that was the pain. My intention with the shackle was to use the .5” lowering position as Carli says the add a pack gives 1”-1.5” lift. It didn’t seem like much installed so I stuck with the stock height mounting hole.
View attachment 58820
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Front was pretty straightforward, I was able to not disconnect the track bar and get the coils in with a little fight just disconnected sway bar and shocks. I used the softer rubber pintop bushings Thuren now sells vs the hard polymer ones that come standard. Their instructions say once the nut it threaded down and tops washer can still move then go 2 full turns. I ended up with 3 and you can see the thread just about through the nut.
View attachment 58826View attachment 58827View attachment 58828View attachment 58829

In the end I started at 24.5” Front LR and 26” Rear LR and need at 25.5” Front LR and 27” Rear LR center of hub to fender. Equal lift is what I was looking for to keep stock take for towing. I’ll watch for the rear to settle at all and can install the supplied 1” lift block if needed. Rear end now is one consistent controlled bump vs a hard hit and fast engagement of the overload spring. Front I felt an immediate difference going over our long speed bumps and before the truck would hit and bounce then bottom out and a little bounce after. Now the initial hit is controlled and dampened and just comes down without bottoming out as the dampening in the shocks soaks a good amount up. Overall happy with it all and now to find a shop to align to Thuren specs.
I'll be interested to see how mine turns out. I'm sitting at 26 1/4 in the rear and 26 3/8 in the front right now. The rear axle is stock and the front has the 1.75" coils. I have the Carli mini packs sitting in the garage as I'm waiting on the missing center pins.

I'm hoping to get the 1" or so lift out of the rear as you did to have a slight rake still. It's interesting how different the trucks measure out as I only had a 5/8 inch rake from the factory. Our trucks look similar, but I must have had taller front springs than you did from the factory for some reason or slightly less weight.
 
I'll be interested to see how mine turns out. I'm sitting at 26 1/4 in the rear and 26 3/8 in the front right now. The rear axle is stock and the front has the 1.75" coils. I have the Carli mini packs sitting in the garage as I'm waiting on the missing center pins.

I'm hoping to get the 1" or so lift out of the rear as you did to have a slight rake still. It's interesting how different the trucks measure out as I only had a 5/8 inch rake from the factory. Our trucks look similar, but I must have had taller front springs than you did from the factory for some reason or slightly less weight.
Ya I know there’s a lot of variations of the coils for these trucks that probably is the reason for little differences in ride heights and rake.
 
Track bar unbolted will save you fighting to squeeze the passenger coil in. I did it the hard way and may have reverted backwards and used a ratchet to squeeze the passenger side down a little to fit it in haha. Remember to torque the trackbar with the weight of the truck. Also made the mistake of bolting one shock in the top first. Way easier to bolt the bottom in first, compress it and guide it into the top.
Thanks for the tip! I was kinda hoping to not have to pull the track bar.
 
@Scooter29 Did your shocks come with dust boots or did you purchase separately? I am running off the shelf Fox 2.0s and mine did not come with dust boots. Also, did you purchase the Thuren bushings for the shocks, wha'ts different vs. the Fox bushings?
 
Yes I purchased the boots seperate from Thuren they came will nice zip ties to secure them not cheap ones. And yes I got the updated pintop bushings Thuren now sells from fox. They are a softer rubber vs the hard almost polyurethane that come with the fox 2.0s. These are said to last longer and reduce the problem of the stems breaking which is mostly an over torque problem. I attached the link for the bushings and picture of the Fox package.

 

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Ok so hooked up my empty toyhauler that has a 1600lb tongue weight by specs and not including the gear I have on the front. Truck definitely squats more with the add a packs. Almost too much for me. I then hooked up my WDH and it helped some. So deciding whether I want to keep the add a pack or not. Might wait after the next trip I tow and see how it is. First picture no WDH and others with it.
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Looks like a good candidate for airbags.
Ya it’s an option, I still have my timber grove bags I could reinstall but I don’t want the minimum 5psi unloaded to make the rear rough negating the add a pack benefit.
 
Ya it’s an option, I still have my timber grove bags I could reinstall but I don’t want the minimum 5psi unloaded to make the rear rough negating the add a pack benefit.

I’ve run airbags on lots of rigs over the years and have never felt the empty ride change at minimum pressure, and certainly not on rigs with HD spring packs. Even the soft springs of a Tacoma were not effected by bags at minimum pressure.

You’ll ride much better with bags and the spring packs than you will stock.
 
I’ve run airbags on lots of rigs over the years and have never felt the empty ride change at minimum pressure, and certainly not on rigs with HD spring packs. Even the soft springs of a Tacoma were not effected by bags at minimum pressure.

You’ll ride much better with bags and the spring packs than you will stock.
True, I felt that I could feel the bags when I had the overload spring in but the truck was pretty new so could of just been that overload leaf I was feeling ha.
 
True, I felt that I could feel the bags when I had the overload spring in but the truck was pretty new so could of just been that overload leaf I was feeling ha.
I can feel my bags with the factory overload. I'm hoping that the increased ride height when i add the mini pack will help in providing more travel before the bags increase the spring rate while unloaded.
 
I can feel my bags with the factory overload. I'm hoping that the increased ride height when i add the mini pack will help in providing more travel before the bags increase the spring rate while unloaded.
That’s what I’m thinking that with the extra 1” spacing between frame and axle that the bags would take a bigger hit to make them compress enough to build up pressure in the bag and cause resistance. Might have to try it out since the bags are a simple install.
 
Top is before and bottom is after measurements trying to align to Thuren specs. Got the toe close to 0 as Thuren says is most important. Took a little educating and pushing to the shop but finally ended at a good setting.
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Love it. I have 0.5" springs on the front of my white Megacab too. Rides like a dream. I have factory air assist in the back and have not messed with it yet. It rides ok out back but not amazing like the front. 37s on 17" wheels help a lot too.
 
Love it. I have 0.5" springs on the front of my white Megacab too. Rides like a dream. I have factory air assist in the back and have not messed with it yet. It rides ok out back but not amazing like the front. 37s on 17" wheels help a lot too.
Really happy with my decision on the .5” springs and Fox 2.0s it is much better on big bumps. With the add a pack it’s taken the harshness out but might be throwing the airbags back in to help with my tongue heavy toyhauler unloaded.Eventually I might go 18s and metric 35s but hard to justify when the truck came with the black wheels already just wish they weren’t 20s.
 
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