Spring rub pad

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Dec 15, 2011 | 09:48 PM

porthole

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Cargo Master

Joined: Aug 2010

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Spring rub pad

Found this pad with a split.
Was under warranty but I didn't feel like going through the hassle, so I ordered one up and did it myself.

You guys should probably check yours if you tow heavy. This was teh rear end of the leaf

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Dec 16, 2011 | 05:08 AM

glsurratt

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I had my first set replaced at 10,000 miles in Virginia Beach, VA. By the time I got to Savannah, Ga, (500 towing miles) they were starting to tear again. Towed over to Georgia, down to Florida and back to Savannah where they were replaced for the second time. Got back to Virginia Beach and they were torn again.

Rather than stop at a Ford dealer every 1000 miles for replacements, I ordered and installed a set of Firestone Ride-Rite No-Drill Airbags (p/n 2535), a Firestone Heavy Duty Compressor and Air Station (p/n 2239) and a Firestone Automatic Leveling System (p/n 2186). With the leveling valve, when I hook up to the trailer, it lifts the back end of the truck off of the overload springs and I've had no more problems with the bump stops and it made a great improvement in the ride while towing. Compressor and 3 gallon tank is under the electric roll top cover box in the front of the bed.

I also installed a set of Wolo Philly Express Train Horns (p/n 853) in the air dam at the front of the truck behind the license plate.

Dec 16, 2011 | 09:08 AM

720Deere

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From: Maryland

You may want to try applying a little bit of grease to bottom of that pad. By the way it is torn, it looks like it is getting bound up against the spring and the arch of the springs causes enough front to rear movement to tear the rubber pad.

Dec 16, 2011 | 02:24 PM

glsurratt

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Quote:

Originally Posted by 720Deere

Been there, done that. When hauling heavy (I've got a 4,000 lb pin weight + other stuff in the truck bed), the pad is mashed tight and can't move at all, so it shreds as seen in the original picture. Grease didn't help. If you look at it without a load, it sort of just hangs loosely from the bracket.

I've seen this problem on at least half a dozen 2011-2012 F-350 and F-450s. I figure Ford will eventually blame the owners for "overloading" rather than fix the problem. IMO, they really screwed up the numbers on the F-450 - With a 25% pin weight, a 20,000 lb trailer puts one right at or over the capacity of the truck. Go to a 24,000 lb trailer and you can't really pull it because at 25% pin weight, you are definitely over the truck's carrying capacity even though you are within the towing capacity.

Dec 16, 2011 | 03:19 PM

Hdslider

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From: Roll Tide, Roll

I was thinking of trying to fab a Peice outa nylon.I haul alot of oak wood. And that rubber gets wasted very easily. I don't think they fiqured in the spring length changes. And it can't slid on mushed down rubber.

Dec 16, 2011 | 06:38 PM

glsurratt

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Joined: Jul 2006

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I got a set of Chassis Bump Stops from NAPA but never got around to installing them before I put the airbags on. They are Hyper-Flex Polyurethane Which Is More Durable Than OEM Rubber and they have a bolt for mounting. All of mine have ripped right at the seam where it goes through the mounting bracket - the steel bracket wins the battle every time.