I have a Mazda pickup that really sags when I load it up with a lot of weight. I'd get an f-350 but with these gas prices I think I'll keep the Mazda.


I found these "super springs" by doing a google search. They say they're rated for 3000 pounds. My worry is that the shackles holding on the factory springs won't hold up under that kind of weight? How strong are they?

Is there a product out there that works like real helper springs like on the f-250, where the additional weight is distributed to another point on the frame?

1994-2008 Mazda B Series Pickup - Heavy Loading - Super Spring Helper Springs - 3000 lbs. Total Capacity - SSA8 | $359.95

 

The Ranger/Mazda's are not made to carry that kind of load. If you need a F-250 or 350 just bite the bullet and get one. But this is what I ran on all my Rangers.


Roadmaster Active Suspension, rear leaf spring suspension, simple installation, improve road handling, reduce sway, reduce dangerous body roll on cornering, eliminate bottoming out, eliminate wheel hop, eliminate axle wrap, strengthen the rear leaf s

 

4dfan, what year is your Mazda? If it's an older model then the shackles may be weakened by rust. If it's a newer truck like an "08" or so then they should be able to handle the loads. If you're going to be looking at spending that much money for helper springs then you could also consider getting all new heavier duty springs, maybe from a spring shop in your area. The standard springs only have maybe 3 leaves on each side that actually carry the weight and a fourth leaf that helps support the 3 when they get fully loaded. Plus they're not very thick metal on each leaf. You can get new springs that have 4 leaves on each side, that carry the weight and each spring is made of thicker steel which will give you a much greater payload. You may even be able to find some with 5 springs on each side. If you can find a truck spring shop in your area, stop in and see what they have to offer. I have had the same question about the helper spring that you see on the F250 or larger trucks. The guys at the spring shop I went to, don't have anything like that for the small trucks like ours. Some one else might have them but I haven't seen any so that I could ask about them.

 

Helwig sells a spring assist that is a lot less expensive than what you referenced. The Roadmaster Active Suspension mentioned above may do what you want. The concern I have is that its not just what the springs can carry but also what is the load capacity of the rear axle.

When you talk about loading up your truck, what would the gross weight be and especially what would be the gross load on the rear axle be? Compare those numbers to the GVW and GRAW listed on the sticker info on the driver's door post.

If your load exceeds either of those recommended maximums, your are looking for trouble. That's why Ford, and other manufacturers, build different size trucks.

 

There are a number of things we'd be wise to consider when trying to increase our vehicles "payload", so we'd need a lot more info about your Edit: Mazda.

Like the year, model, body, engine, tranny, differential gear ratio, tire & wheel size, shocks, brakes, any known factory options it came with & still has, like the factory payload package, any aftermarket add ons, or mods you've made & the condition of the suspension system today.

Once you get this puppy moving when it's loaded, you need to be able to control & stop it, so a number of things need to be considered, to Safely increase the vehicles payload capacity.

If it came from the factory with payload package #2, it's already maxed out for payload, so you'd be wise to lighten the load your transporting, to be safe.

Sounds like your loading it plenty heavy, so the weight & type load would be helpful to know also.

Ford offered payload package #1 & #2 for various models, so if you know that, it would be helpful. For instance my 99 4.0L with 4dr extra cab & auto tranny, was ordered with the factory tow package & payload package #2 & it's payload is rated at 1660 lbs total. SO, one must subtract the weight of the passenger/s & any gear or other weighty items from the 1660 lb rating, to calculate how much weight the load we want to lug can be & not over tax the engine, tranny, clutch, driveline, wheel bearings, suspension, wheels, tires & body, so we're safe on the road!!!!

So you can see there are a number of things to be considered (& I may not have remembered them all) to safely increase a vehicles payload!!!!

So give us some more detailed info & we all can offer up more focused input for consideration.

 

One option is to just get a small, cheap trailer rated at maybe 1600#. That would releave you of too much in the bed and causing problem you foresee. Using a trailer means you wouldn't have the usual harsh ride from stiff springs.
Dave

 

Advance Auto sells a pair of leaf spring helpers for about $25 . they bolt to your springs and work o.k for reasonable loads. It takes about 15 min. to install. Part number it 111020.

 

You pretty much said it yourself. The price of gas AND diesel may be high but what is the cost of a lawsuit when you overload your Mazda and all hell breaks loose and you cause an accident. Man up get the right tool for the right job F-250 or F-350 (see below) and drive the toy truck when the big one is not necessary. Or do what I did and make more money so you don't feel the crunch in your wallet as bad. It's a pretty easy choice if you ask me.

 

One of the things that really bothers me about Ford is their cheap attempt to install poor quaility leaf springs on the ranger. Every ranger I've come into contact with has a rear end that sags. My 2000 sags after about 100,000 miles. I can look at the drivers side spring and it's all bent wrong and my truck has never carried anything heavy.
I think your best bet is to forget the helper springs and use a trailer...

 

I have an f-450 with a dry box, but a lot of my work is downtown, and parking the big truck is a lot of hassle. A trailer wouldn't work either. I got the Mazda because it's easy to park and doesn't use a lot of gas to go into the city.

The factory springs suck. It's supposed to hold like 1200 pounds, but the other day I had 900 pounds of scrap iron from a furnace, and it was really starting to sag. I got it out of there all right, I just don't like driving it like that.

I like those air-bag things because they distribute the load away from the shackles. But I need something a little more user friendly. I'm looking for something like this, so when the factory springs start to give, the helper springs transfer the extra load to another point on the frame, and not the factory shackles.

 

Don't forget things like tire & wheel size figure in on load capability, as do brakes, shocks & maybe engine & tranny cooling, if your lugging a lot of weight in hot weather, stop & go traffic, or in the mountains, while running the A/C & working the P/S.
Under those conditions everything gets worked plenty hard & with plenty of heat, so aux, tranny, or maybe even engine oil coolers should be considered!!!!

Looks like you have the right idea on the helper spring configuration.

More thoughts for consideration, let us know how it goes.

 

Going by your drawing of what you want in the way of helper springs, I'm even more concerned about the loading on the rear axle, wheel bearings wheels and tires. It sounds like you want to make an F-250 out of your Ranger. I'm sorry, but it just isn't going to work. A Ford Ranger/Mazda Bxx00 is not built nor is it intended for loads such as that. Even with a trailer that can haul that kind of load is going beyond the GCW of the truck. With a heavy duty trailer, you are getting into issues with the towing and stopping ability of the truck.

I agree with other responders - if you want a truck that can do F-250 work, get an F-250.

 

I'm not looking to exceed the payload capacity of my pickup... not by much anyway. But I do carry heavy loads on a regular basis, and would like to install some helper springs before the factory springs are shot all to hell and I have to replace the entire thing.

Maybe it's the salt they put on the roads, but all the trucks I owned I always ended up replacing the shackles more than anything else. That's why I want a helper spring like in the picture, that transfers the weight away from the hangers to another point on the frame.

 

Won't air bags do what you want?

 

i like these, 1,200 pound rated coil helpers. mount to the axlehousing, top rest against the frame. being a 4x4 i have factory 2" lift blocks. springs arent in contact with the frame until i have about 300# in the bed. a 2wd would have the helper springs against the frame all the time, giving a slightly harsher ride when empty. ive had these awhile, what ive seen lately is the same thing but at a 1,500 pound capacity. the brake drums im running on my 8.8 with 10" drums are ment for a areostar van. they have fins for heat dissapation and are alot heavier. while in itself they dont improve braking, they do have improved resistance to fading and warpage. the springs are currently about $25 for the set, the drums are about $48 per drum. as always, be carefull when using a compact truck for heavy loads, i have a box trailer but theres times it isnt always practical, if it will fit in the truck, its better to just take it. pulling the trailer fuel milage drops almost in half (wind resistance) im sure your wondering about that chain. ive read and thought about traction bars, and it seemed to me that controling axle wrap could be accomplished just as easily with a chain as it could a soilid rod. seems to work, was certianally worth trying. probly only have $20 in materials, most of it i had laying around. the traction bar kit is over $100. i did put all new rear spring hangers on, rearmost were badly rotted, fronts werent far behind.