There are still threads to go further down on the shock body. I was given data from FOX that to go further down the body and provide more lift I would need a different spring which they do not have yet. I'm not too worried about going any higher though as I don't want to limit the life of the CV axles anymore than I already am.
One thing to note is once you get to the point of compressing the spring enough to adjust the locking collar for 3" of lift the spring is touching the discs on a commercial grade spring compressor. So, what am getting at is if you do set the FOX coilovers at 3" of lift you have just enough spring gap that when the coilover is at full compression the spring almost becomes solid. Anymore adjustment and you'll hear clatter from the spring clapping it's coils while offroading.
FOX really cheaped out with just the one locking collar. If I had to guess too many people adjusted them incorrectly on their vehicle causing damage to the threads on the shock body (There is a proper way if you have both collars). The way it is set up by FOX now you need to remove the coilovers to adjust them or compress the springs on the truck and adjust the collar. I've seen some sketchy videos of people backing out the lock screw 1 turn and beating the collar around to compress the spring. The collar is rather soft metal and so is the shock body. I'd rather not destroy something this expensive.
So... Yeah man... I'm not gonna lie the more I look at this setup the more I really think this is a crap design as far as the adjustment collar/ring goes (and locking the collar/ring as well). So, the ring only has the one tightening screw, correct? If I were to completely remove the tightening screw, would that free the ring from the shock body threads to where you could just freely remove it?
I've see Eibach truck coils with only a single adjustment ring, but there's no tightening screw just a plate above the ring so that the spring doesn't rotate the ring... If that makes sense. At least in that setup the adjustment ring is a solid 1-piece design. Thread up or down, but won't come off. This is ok -- Unless you're zero preload at full droop.
You could definitely adjust these on-truck but yeah man I'm with you... Not sure I'd touch that given the nature of this particular ring construction as it appears to be 'split'. If that locking screw can go out far enough that you could slide the ring off over the body threads (or even close to that point, for that matter) or remove it completely, then this is a s**t design.
I don't get it... What is it with truck coilovers? Almost every coilover made for Hipo cars has dual rings -- Adjustment and locking. Seems to be few and far between in the truck world.