1999 to 2016 Super Duty 1999 to 2016 Ford F250, F350, F450 and F550 Super Duty with diesel V8 and gas V8 and V10 engines
Sponsored by:
Sponsored by:

Add a leaf?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
  #1  
Old 01-05-2017, 10:59 AM
Cwsocks's Avatar
Cwsocks
Cwsocks is offline
Junior User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2016
Posts: 52
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Add a leaf?

I have a 2016 F250 with snow plow package and my truck already has the 4 inch rear blocks. It sits almost dead level currently. It sags when I hook up the camper. There are many posts on here about Timbrens, air bags, and torklift stable loads. My question is whether anyone has gone with the add a leaf option instead, and how did it work out? SD trucksprings has a pair for less than a hundred dollars that provides a 2 inch lift also. I don't really need the rake but since I am level now I think it would look good. Just want to see if anyone has feedback. Thanks
 
  #2  
Old 01-05-2017, 11:25 AM
js139's Avatar
js139
js139 is offline
Senior User
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Anchorage, Alaska
Posts: 373
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I have a 350 and a camper and tow a 12k trailer. I use the upper stable loads and airbags. I also have added 2 leafs to my upper spring pack. The stable loads helped mostly with sway, though it brought me up about 1". The airbags pretty much leveled me out. I added the leafs so I wasn't pushing the truck to it's max and everything could work together to easily support the load.

For your 250, I wouldn't add a leaf to your main spring pack. This will certainly work, but your truck ride will be alot worse. If your truck has the upper overloads, i'd add your springs there and add the stable loads to your truck. This most likely would give you the desired result of riding level, while leaving your empty ride the same. If you don't have the upper overloads, I would replace your rear springs for a set that includes the upper overloads and then modify as I mentioned.

That is just my recommendation.
 
  #3  
Old 01-05-2017, 12:01 PM
SuperDutyScaler's Avatar
SuperDutyScaler
SuperDutyScaler is offline
Lead Driver
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 8,381
Received 35 Likes on 32 Posts
I have a 2004 f350 and I had a spring shop make me a custom long add a a leaf. I made them make it so I'd have no more than 1" of lift and they made it dead on, I got exactly 1" of rear lift and an additional 800lbs of capacity. My ride quality was no different after the install and I would do this again in a heart beat over air bags etc
 
  #4  
Old 01-05-2017, 04:35 PM
Cwsocks's Avatar
Cwsocks
Cwsocks is offline
Junior User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2016
Posts: 52
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Thank you for the input. There are several options but I feel an extra leaf might be the way to go. It is permanent with no extra maintenance and with the snow plow package springs the 6.2 that is lighter than the diesel, I don't think an extra leaf could make the ride over bumps much worse. I don't have overload springs.
 
  #5  
Old 01-07-2017, 09:50 AM
walter white's Avatar
walter white
walter white is offline
Senior User
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: charlotte nc
Posts: 100
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 1 Post
i got talked into airbags then pulled them out and added a leaf. (still have the bags if anybody wants them)
11 f250 6.2 3" lift 35" nittos
i really wanted the back lifted a little but it rode like a hay wagon with the bags aired up.
 
  #6  
Old 01-07-2017, 10:04 AM
stufarmer's Avatar
stufarmer
stufarmer is offline
Elder User
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Tampa
Posts: 932
Likes: 0
Received 6 Likes on 6 Posts
Look into Roadmaster's active-suspension. Huge fans in the Trailer Towing world.
 
  #7  
Old 01-07-2017, 06:24 PM
Cwsocks's Avatar
Cwsocks
Cwsocks is offline
Junior User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2016
Posts: 52
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Originally Posted by walter white
i got talked into airbags then pulled them out and added a leaf. (still have the bags if anybody wants them)
11 f250 6.2 3" lift 35" nittos
i really wanted the back lifted a little but it rode like a hay wagon with the bags aired up.
Good to hear, how was the ride quality after adding a leaf and did it help the squats under load?
 
  #8  
Old 01-07-2017, 07:29 PM
eberlestock's Avatar
eberlestock
eberlestock is offline
Laughing Gas
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: prince george, bc canada
Posts: 1,210
Likes: 0
Received 19 Likes on 18 Posts
A quality add a leaf doesn't make the ride too bad. The thing is to buy a "progressive" add a leaf. This is one that is tapered towards the ends. A spring shop usually just throws in a piece of solid spring steel. That makes for a rough ride. My trucks are always lifted and I haul a slide in camper. I use a combination of a progressive add a leaf and air bags to my trucks. When not hauling the camper the bags have 5 lbs in them. When hauling a camper I only need 20-30lbs for a stable ride. My trucks all ride fine when empty. I 4 wheel them as well and they still "flex" decently as well.
 
  #9  
Old 01-07-2017, 08:17 PM
Cwsocks's Avatar
Cwsocks
Cwsocks is offline
Junior User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2016
Posts: 52
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Originally Posted by eberlestock
A quality add a leaf doesn't make the ride too bad. The thing is to buy a "progressive" add a leaf. This is one that is tapered towards the ends. A spring shop usually just throws in a piece of solid spring steel. That makes for a rough ride. My trucks are always lifted and I haul a slide in camper. I use a combination of a progressive add a leaf and air bags to my trucks. When not hauling the camper the bags have 5 lbs in them. When hauling a camper I only need 20-30lbs for a stable ride. My trucks all ride fine when empty. I 4 wheel them as well and they still "flex" decently as well.
Good to know, are there any brands of add a leaf that you can recommend, I have seen SD Trucksprings and Rough Country. I have not seen them referred to as "progressive "
 
  #10  
Old 01-08-2017, 07:19 AM
The Bone's Avatar
The Bone
The Bone is offline
Cargo Master
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Livermore Ca.
Posts: 2,309
Received 228 Likes on 164 Posts
I kept the stock springs and added the air bags because I haul a 13,000# 5th wheel. My truck sits just fine unloaded but the ride was harsh. After I added the air bags I can add just enough air to cushion the ride. It helped a lot. Saves you from taking the suspension apart and having a problem with something.
 
  #11  
Old 01-08-2017, 08:17 AM
Masterofyard's Avatar
Masterofyard
Masterofyard is offline
Cross-Country
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: New York
Posts: 88
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I have a 2011 f250 and had the same problem when I hooked up my 10,000lb camper. I added the rough country add a leaf and it gave me about a 2" lift. The ride is still the same as stock and I like the rake. The only other thing I did was to replace the shocks since they were original. I put the bilstein 5100 series in.
 
  #12  
Old 01-08-2017, 05:40 PM
eberlestock's Avatar
eberlestock
eberlestock is offline
Laughing Gas
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: prince george, bc canada
Posts: 1,210
Likes: 0
Received 19 Likes on 18 Posts
Originally Posted by Cwsocks
Good to know, are there any brands of add a leaf that you can recommend, I have seen SD Trucksprings and Rough Country. I have not seen them referred to as "progressive "

Most lift kit companies offer add a leafs. They may call them tapered rather than progressive. Large scale spring shops sometimes offer these as well if you ask for them.
 
  #13  
Old 01-08-2017, 06:03 PM
Masterofyard's Avatar
Masterofyard
Masterofyard is offline
Cross-Country
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: New York
Posts: 88
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I believe rough country called it soft ride add a leaf
 
  #14  
Old 01-08-2017, 06:53 PM
Cwsocks's Avatar
Cwsocks
Cwsocks is offline
Junior User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2016
Posts: 52
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Originally Posted by eberlestock
Most lift kit companies offer add a leafs. They may call them tapered rather than progressive. Large scale spring shops sometimes offer these as well if you ask for them.
Thanks for the info
 
  #15  
Old 01-08-2017, 07:21 PM
SuperDutyScaler's Avatar
SuperDutyScaler
SuperDutyScaler is offline
Lead Driver
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 8,381
Received 35 Likes on 32 Posts
The taper at the end has nothing to do with the spring being progressive, it's there to allow flex so you get better travel
 


Quick Reply: Add a leaf?



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 04:13 PM.