My front coil springs are weak. I compared them with other similar years. My van rolls and sways around corners. I installed new shocks with no significant difference.

Has anyone replaced front coil springs? I know I can rent the tool for free from AutoZone. Can I replace with E250 coils? What other parts should I replace? I live in California, so the van is free of any rust.

All my small repairs are adding up. I am seriously considering buying the heavy duty E350 rather than throwing money at this light duty van. We use it for family camping and tend to fill it up with gear. These vans are not known for scoring high in agility tests when everything is working properly.

Springs are about $200 for a pair. If it's an easy install, I may as well do it for safety and better handling.

 

What year E150? In general you can replace the springs without a compressor. Once you release the shock and possibly the brake caliper, there's enough travel in the suspension to fully extend the spring. Hence they're bolted to the suspension.

Last I checked, ATS and SDTruckSprings don't have HD coils for the front. SDTrucks has air bags that fit inside the front coils and something called Sumo Super Springs that are external helpers.

I think E250/350 springs are longer not just for load but because those vans sit higher.

Sixto
93 E150 Chateau 5.8 191K miles boulevard ride

 

I have changed the springs on mine. I recommend to change the lower spring isolators that keep the springs from making metal to metal contact with the I-beams.

1 Loosen lugnuts.
2 Raise the van and remove the front wheels.
3 Disconnect the front shock absorbers at the bottom bolt.
4 Remove the spring retainers at the top mount.
5 Remove springs and lower spring isolators.

Reverse to install springs

 

Its doubtful you can use the E250 or E350 springs on an E150---of course having the actual year of manufacture impacts this quite a bit.

Moog and almost any other spring manufacturer will have a heavier duty spring but you won't find many of any equal to the front axle rating of E250 and higher rated chassis. Front suspension pieces and the frame aren't rated to carry those sorts of GVW.

 

Thanks for all the input. My van is a 1998. I work for a local government agency and we have a fleet E150-E350 vans. When I step on the side of a similar E150 van and shake it from side to side, I notice that the van almost immediately stops rolling from side to side. I have checked this out on other '98 vans. My van continues to roll for 2-3 cycles and this concerns me.

When I say that we are fully loaded, it's not like a courier company loads the vehicle. We have light weight sleeping bags, carry a Coleman stove, 10 gallons of water, 200 pounds of food including the cooler/fridge weight, spare battery. It starts adding up. Fuel economy does not change at all. Van seems to roll less with more weight. But it's noticable.

I found Moog coil springs at my local auto parts store. I will check Amazon just like JWA for a better price and free delivery. With that said, I have my eyes on some E350 vans that already have the heavy duty equipment installed. Since we use our van every week for picking up food for the needy, it's worth it find a van made for heavy loads.

 

Well one can't go too heavy with spring rates, if the spring rates are too heavy then the truck will bounce around and give a harsh ride. That is also unsafe.

If you just replaced your shocks, then I hope you got the right ones. If your van has the handling package it has special springs and uses shocks from the E350. Check that out.

 

I can do this repair for under $200 and it will buy me some time as I look for an E350. I might end up liking the van with new coil springs!

Since you have a nearly identical vehicle with the exception of my light beer V6 engine, how is the handling of your van with new springs? I could use the extra power of the V8. I bet your van gets better mpg on the highway. I average 15.5 over all after logging in 26k miles. Sometimes I get 16-17 on the rural country roads where I do a lot gliding. On a open freeway, it's always 15.5. What mpgs do you get with your rig? We traveled over 4000 miles this summer and I would rather pay the extra $300 in fuel cost because we travel comfortably in the van.

 

The handling is decent. It is not spectacular like a planted sports car but it is way better than it was. I'm sure the extra weight up front has something to do with it. My van is pushing 215k and is still going. I am planning to buy a long block from Ford and I will do that once the original engine kicks the bucket. I get anywhere from 13-16 mpg depending on how heavy my foot is. I don't mind the extra fuel as long as it is comfortable.

 

I bought my van used for $1000 from a food ministry. I doubt is has the handling package as it's a bare bones base van with vinyl seats.

I found some at Amazon for under a $100. I am confident that I can do the install myself.

My friend engineer Dan who assists me in auto repairs said the van drives like a pogo stick. He suggested that I change the front shocks. I already had KYB gas adjust shocks and they seemed in top shape with only 20k on them. We both think it's worn coil springs as this van was used to carry food to homeless shelters in San Jose Ca. It had 85k on on it when I bought it and everything on the steering was worn. I replaced ball joints, tie rods, and brake calipers.

 

I agree about the comfort and extra fuel cost. We carried 9 people to Yosemite National Park and this under powered 6 traveled no different with the extra people. Try doing that in a Prius or Fiat! Repairs costs are cheap and that mitigates the high fuel consumption.

 

What long block are you replacing it with? What if your 4.6 goes another 150K? I have seen the 4.6 with some very high mileage.

 

I see, a basic can with a 4.2 Essex is most likely not going to be upgraded by the person who ordered it.

This is an obvoius question. Have you checked the sway bar? The bushings for it that mount it to the frame? I beam?

I am going to do a 4.6 Windsor long block and transfer over the bolt-ons. I got some smoke on start up sometimes and a knock that comes and goes.

 

Here's a thought - as easy as it is to swap springs, hit the pick-n-pull on Commercial or Monterey Rd for front springs off an E350 (~$30 each tax and fees included). Measure the relaxed height of your springs and coil thickness. Also spring diameter and bring pictures top and bottom to make sure they fit your perches. Look for something with a thicker coil and not much taller (or how will you install them?). You can't bring your spring as a sample but maybe keep one in the parking lot.

As I write this, I'm checking if a guy I know kept the front springs of his '06 E350 when he got taller springs.

You said nothing about rear springs. Does is not oscillate as much when you shake the rear?

Sixto
93 E150 Chateau 5.8 191K miles

 

coolfeet, check you private messages.

Sixto
93 E150 Chateau 5.8 191K miles

 

Those are symptoms of bad shocks or roll bar issues (mounts/links). I know you said you changed shocks, What did you install ?

You need to compare ride height of similar model vans from the same year or have a good suspension shop measure the ride height before thinking of doing the springs.