Bilstein 6112

[crazykid1994]

Emailed bilstein about different springs for the 6112 for anyone who may be interested. When I get mine I’ll see how they feel then decide if I want to swap for a heavier spring. 80lb bumper plus winch and winch tray, rock sliders, and possible other goodies.

 

[hodge-xj]

Interesting! When I spoke to them the basically told me I was **** out of luck. Curious to see how this goes for you!

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[crazykid1994]

Interesting! When I spoke to them the basically told me I was **** out of luck. Curious to see how this goes for you!

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I’m super curious to see how they feel on my truck. I’ll probably be running max preload which makes me nervous and is why I wanted to run a longer springs to help remove some preload but they don’t suggest doing that. May still contact eibach about a 17 or 18” spring to remove preload and still run a 550lb spring to prevent any added stiffness from heavier load springs

 

[hodge-xj]

I’m super curious to see how they feel on my truck. I’ll probably be running max preload which makes me nervous and is why I wanted to run a longer springs to help remove some preload but they don’t suggest doing that. May still contact eibach about a 17 or 18” spring to remove preload and still run a 550lb spring to prevent any added stiffness from heavier load springs

Accutune has springs available directly through them. Since you have an exact spring rate to work off of I would reach out to them and see what they suggest.

In my head, a 50lb heavier rate means you'll have 100in/lbs more. So heavier coils would put you back to stock settings with a touch more height at each clip. This should relate to less preload for your desired height.

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[crazykid1994]

Accutune has springs available directly through them. Since you have an exact spring rate to work off of I would reach out to them and see what they suggest.

In my head, a 50lb heavier rate means you'll have 100in/lbs more. So heavier coils would put you back to stock settings with a touch more height at each clip. This should relate to less preload for your desired height.

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Yea. My only concern with heavier load is having a stiffer ride. I know I’ll be heavier which will counter the stiffness from the heavier spring rate. I’ll contact accutune and see what their opinion is. That’s not a bad idea.

 

[ram1500rsm]

Contact Eibach and see if you can get the spring specs you have from them. Then you can see if Eibach springs will be heavier than 550lbs/inc. I'd imagine Bisltein is telling you not to go with taller springs because the 6112's are stock length. From the tests Hodge did with is 6112's at max droop at max height, he only had 1.5" left in the shock. a taller spring will eat from there. You should have at least 2" droop with Icon, King, Fox etc for the CO's to operate the best for example.

To illustrate you can picture the effects of preload when the shock have to open to its max. Preload doesn't affect the riding much like people think per se. Adding preload is not compressing the spring, in your case, you're simply pushing the position of your springs seats up which in turn will give you more lift at the expense of your shock shaft being pushed further out.you'll be compressing the springs only if your strut shafts can't open it anymore, or if you add more weight than what you have now. If you have too little droop on the shaft the ride will suck and no droop at all will be worst.

Couple of trail tricks, whether you go with the stock 6112 springs or Eibach, keep your 1/2" to spacer, it'll protect your fenders from your 35's when you're running fast action pace trails, (Mostly cause 5100/6112's are bone stock length, you wouldn't have to do that with extended travel struts or CO's). It also helps to ask your alignment dude to increase your caster by 1* from whatver the factory says it's max so your wheel gets a little more centered in the fender wells. will also keep the truck tracking better at speed offroad. shoot for mid 4 to 5* caster. you'll need aftermarket UCA's and somebody who's willing to touch your LCA cams to do this right. Most morons from alignment shops only want to give you a toe and go job and take $70-90 for the 5 min it takes them to mount the truck in the alignment rack and hook up up the sensors.

 

[cityredneck]

i've got a ranch hand bullnose bumper on my truck. RAM SUMMIT BULLNOSE FRONT BUMPER 1500 (EXCLUDING SPORT & EXPRESS) - BSD13HBL1 (ranchhand.com)

it says says net weight is 135lbs.

so i'm guessing that since my shocks are set to the 2.8 setting due to the weight of the bumper i wont be gaining the almost 3 inches (which is fine) but i'm already using up the preload on the springs and wont get the 'ride' that everyone talks about?

 

[crazykid1994]

Contact Eibach and see if you can get the spring specs you have from them. Then you can see if Eibach springs will be heavier than 550lbs/inc. I'd imagine Bisltein is telling you not to go with taller springs because the 6112's are stock length. From the tests Hodge did with is 6112's at max droop at max height, he only had 1.5" left in the shock. a taller spring will eat from there. You should have at least 2" droop with Icon, King, Fox etc for the CO's to operate the best for example.

To illustrate you can picture the effects of preload when the shock have to open to its max. Preload doesn't affect the riding much like people think per se. Adding preload is not compressing the spring, in your case, you're simply pushing the position of your springs seats up which in turn will give you more lift at the expense of your shock shaft being pushed further out.you'll be compressing the springs only if your strut shafts can't open it anymore, or if you add more weight than what you have now. If you have too little droop on the shaft the ride will suck and no droop at all will be worst.

Couple of trail tricks, whether you go with the stock 6112 springs or Eibach, keep your 1/2" to spacer, it'll protect your fenders from your 35's when you're running fast action pace trails, (Mostly cause 5100/6112's are bone stock length, you wouldn't have to do that with extended travel struts or CO's). It also helps to ask your alignment dude to increase your caster by 1* from whatver the factory says it's max so your wheel gets a little more centered in the fender wells. will also keep the truck tracking better at speed offroad. shoot for mid 4 to 5* caster. you'll need aftermarket UCA's and somebody who's willing to touch your LCA cams to do this right. Most morons from alignment shops only want to give you a toe and go job and take $70-90 for the 5 min it takes them to mount the truck in the alignment rack and hook up up the sensors.

Remember I’m currently running 3” of lift with the eibach springs and that 1/2” spacer and have 3” of measured down travel still even though they’re longer than stock springs. That’s really why I was curious about running taller springs and reducing the preload setting. As of last alignment I have my caster at 4° but nobody seems to be able to get my cross toe close to 0. My truck keeps dragging. I do need a new alignment anyways since it’s been a year or more. I already have zone upper control arms too.

 

[crazykid1994]

i've got a ranch hand bullnose bumper on my truck. RAM SUMMIT BULLNOSE FRONT BUMPER 1500 (EXCLUDING SPORT & EXPRESS) - BSD13HBL1 (ranchhand.com)

it says says net weight is 135lbs.

so i'm guessing that since my shocks are set to the 2.8 setting due to the weight of the bumper i wont be gaining the almost 3 inches (which is fine) but i'm already using up the preload on the springs and wont get the 'ride' that everyone talks about?

You will lose around 1/2” to 3/4” of lift height from the added weight.

 

[hodge-xj]

Page 15 on my build thread I measured 2.5" droop at the wheel with 6112s maxxed out. Leaves roughly 1.5" -1.75" shock stroke. Depending on things you'll most likely run into coil bind using a longer coil set to higher preload, almost guaranteed.

I can guarantee you won't find 50lb heavier coils over sprung, so long as you don't run them maxxed out on preload.

Granted it's not apples to apples but my icons come with a pretty heavy - 600lb iirc coil and they feel smoother than my max preload 6112s. At lower preload the 6112s felt as nice as the icons on daily use. Without being a super suspension/physics guy, but knowing all the dumb **** I tried, get the heavier coils, set them to a known clip height for the hemi and see how it sits. You already have the small top spacer you can add to tweak the 1/2" increments.

 

[crazykid1994]

Page 15 on my build thread I measured 2.5" droop at the wheel with 6112s maxxed out. Leaves roughly 1.5" -1.75" shock stroke. Depending on things you'll most likely run into coil bind using a longer coil set to higher preload, almost guaranteed.

I can guarantee you won't find 50lb heavier coils over sprung, so long as you don't run them maxxed out on preload.

Granted it's not apples to apples but my icons come with a pretty heavy - 600lb iirc coil and they feel smoother than my max preload 6112s. At lower preload the 6112s felt as nice as the icons on daily use. Without being a super suspension/physics guy, but knowing all the dumb **** I tried, get the heavier coils, set them to a known clip height for the hemi and see how it sits. You already have the small top spacer you can add to tweak the 1/2" increments.

Well I was planning on running “less” preload. In theory it’s lower preload because I’m moving the clip to a lower setting but it’s the same preload because the spring is longer which should allow for more compression vs running the shorter spring with more preload. I may still end up with the heavier springs just to counter the weight of my bumper and that may be all I need. Run at the 2.8 setting with heavier springs and my 1/2” spacer should still net me 3” lift with my 80lb bumper, 12,000lb winch, and rock sliders but I’m concerned about losing down travel from making it to stiff and binding the suspension.

 

[ram1500rsm]

Remember I’m currently running 3” of lift with the eibach springs and that 1/2” spacer and have 3” of measured down travel still even though they’re longer than stock springs. That’s really why I was curious about running taller springs and reducing the preload setting. As of last alignment I have my caster at 4° but nobody seems to be able to get my cross toe close to 0. My truck keeps dragging. I do need a new alignment anyways since it’s been a year or more. I already have zone upper control arms too.

That sounds about right. The 1/2 top spacer gives you some, and your 5100's are not maxed.
6112's springs for the RAM application are 16", Hodge showed us in his built thread


What we didn't know were the Bistein specs. (550lbs/inch) I think the Eibach springs you're running in your 5100's are also 16" per the pics you've posted comparing them to the stockers.

I'd think 6112's are notched at the base where they seat. (At least they're in the Tacoma application) That will be an issue if the idea was to see if your current Eibach springs will fit the 6112's ?

OME has 16x600lbs springs for the 4th gen RAM 1500 struts, but i know they don't fit 6112's in the Taco's for example because they don't have the notch Bilsteins springs have so they don't fit properly. From pics i've seen in Hodge's thread, the RAM 1500 6112 springs also appear to have the stupid notch?. This is Hodge pic showing us the 6112 spring. See how the spring is flat at the base?



If they don't, now you know who makes a 16" spring heavier than 550lbs

 

[hodge-xj]

That sounds about right. The 1/2 top spacer gives you some, and your 5100's are not maxed.
6112's springs for the RAM application are 16", Hodge showed us in his built thread


What we didn't know were the Bistein specs. (550lbs/inch) I think the Eibach springs you're running in your 5100's are also 16" per the pics you've posted comparing them to the stockers.

I'd think 6112's are notched at the base where they seat. (At least they're in the Tacoma application) That will be an issue if the idea was to see if your current Eibach springs will fit the 6112's ?

OME has 16x600lbs springs for the 4th gen RAM 1500 struts, but i know they don't fit 6112's in the Taco's for example because they don't have the notch Bilsteins springs have so they don't fit properly. From pics i've seen in Hodge's thread, the RAM 1500 6112 springs also appear to have the stupid notch?. This is Hodge pic showing us the 6112 spring. See how the spring is flat at the base?



If they don't, now you know who makes a 16" spring heavier than 550lbs

6112s aren't notched, the spring seat is perfectly flat as are the bottom of the coils. I believe there are some aftermarket coils made like this, but I've got no idea what it's called.

I think our biggest hurdle was not knowing the spring rate. That's a huge hurdle, tracking down coils now is pretty easy.

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[ram1500rsm]

6112s aren't notched, the spring seat is perfectly flat as are the bottom of the coils. I believe there are some aftermarket coils made like this, but I've got no idea what it's called.

I think our biggest hurdle was not knowing the spring rate. That's a huge hurdle, tracking down coils now is pretty easy.

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I guess i should have said mashed perahps lol. I have no idea how the damn thing is called. but hopefully it's clear from the pic, that flat/mashed termination

 

[hodge-xj]

I guess i should have said mashed perahps lol. I have no idea how the damn thing is called. but hopefully it's clear from the pic, that flat/mashed termination

Haha yea, the not normal looking thingy! Maybe I should have pressed the issue with bilstein for info more and I could have tried out some heavier coils.

Only thing is the 6112s are a bit light on down travel so above 2.5" you really start getting into minimal droop.

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[crazykid1994]

So would 600lb coils be fine and not make the ride harsher? I really only want 2.5 inches from the strut anyways as I’ll keep my 1/2” spacer on top to give me a bit more lift without maxing out the struts. The only issue now is finding a replacement spring that will sit on the struts properly. And does anyone know compressed and extended lengths on the 6112 vs the 5100 or stock. I read them somewhere at some point but cannot remember where I saw the specs.

 

[ram1500rsm]

So would 600lb coils be fine and not make the ride harsher? I really only want 2.5 inches from the strut anyways as I’ll keep my 1/2” spacer on top to give me a bit more lift without maxing out the struts. The only issue now is finding a replacement spring that will sit on the struts properly. And does anyone know compressed and extended lengths on the 6112 vs the 5100 or stock. I read them somewhere at some point but cannot remember where I saw the specs.

Nah you'll be fine.
Regarding 5100 and 6112 length, both are the same.
Bilsten list the specs for the 5100 but conveniently leave out the specs on the on the 6112's. Hate when vendors do that.
5100 specs from Bilstein catalog : 21.40 extended, 15.12 compressed.


We come to the rescue, From Hodge post on his 6112's specs , post#23 here: https://www.ramforum.com/threads/hodges-2016-bilstein-build.133220/page-3

21.5 extended, and 6 3/8 shaft showing, so that will be 15.12 compressed.

 

[Midknight]

6112s aren't notched, the spring seat is perfectly flat as are the bottom of the coils. I believe there are some aftermarket coils made like this, but I've got no idea what it's called.

I think our biggest hurdle was not knowing the spring rate. That's a huge hurdle, tracking down coils now is pretty easy.

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Closed and ground or plain and ground. The full coil finish would be squared or plain finish.

 

[ram1500rsm]

I also list those numbers in my suspension spreadsheet. We like to uncover vendor specs if they don't list them in their websites hahaha. They should all be listed. Compressed/extended shock length and spring free length with spring rates is basic info in the Jeep, Tacoma, Colorado world

 

[hodge-xj]

I also list those numbers in my suspension spreadsheet. We like to uncover vendor specs if they don't list them in their websites hahaha. They should all be listed. Compressed/extended shock length and spring free length with spring rates is basic info in the Jeep, Tacoma, Colorado world

Yea I still don't get why they won't offer up the basics. It's like the ram guys are gonna run off and make our own version of the budget shocks. Meanwhile, they literally work with the guys on the yota forums to develop ****, offer multiple springs etc.

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