Have any of you tried the torklift top overload spring rubber pads A7200? These pads are just larger rubber pads that engage the overloads sooner. I tried the firestone 2535 air bags while towing the fiver. I moved the bags from my 11' f250 cc 4x4 to my new 16' f350 srw cc 4x2. The bags were perfect on my 250 for 35k miles of towing all over the country...but on the 350 even with enough pressure to bring the truck back to unloaded height the bags bottom out to easily. This is due to absence of any blocks under the spring pack and low clearance. I lowered the bottom firestone mounts to the lowest (most travel) setting. But its still not enough.

I then removed the bags prior to our maiden voyage this week on a 1000 mile round trip tow, ga to ky. With the stock suspension, the ride is just as smooth but more stable in the turns. However, the bump stops are about 1.25 in from the axles (bottoming out isnt noticeable), the truck squats too far for my taste, and I get a lot of drive shaft vibration when climbing really steep hills at slow speeds.

Please dont waste my time disscussing 2wd v. 4wd. I love the ride of the 2wd and the improved mpg. I only need to hear if you have tried the torklift pads or other suggestions.

Fiver is about 14k.

 

I used them on my 08 F250. But they were not the ones you are speaking about.


I have them on the lower springs since it was a 250 with no overloads.


They worked well for me. I can only assume they will work well on the upper overload too. I would get them.

 

My only fear on the uppers is that unloaded they will keep the pad so close to the stop that you will get a lot of slapping on bumpy roads. I believe this is why Torklift recommends doing the lowers first and see where you are before trying the uppers.

 

On a DRW it is just as Karl4Cat has stated. Unloaded the ride is very harsh and you get a hard slap. On my 2011 DRW, I could leave the fronts on and take out the back ones and it road great. On my 2015, the front over load upper brackets are lower on the frame and it is a harsh ride when unloaded. They are great while towing my very large toy hauler though.

 

I installed Timbren SES kit. Nice job it does...if you set the Timbren with about 3/4 to 1 in of clearance you'll get a good ride empty but the truck won't sag. I used a 1/2 spacer they have to get that clearance. They have a 1 in as well that would take it down to 1/2 in for sure. One bolt and it's on. Easy install and cheap as well. I've been using them for 5 yrs now. On me 2011 F350 SRW and now 2016 F350 SRW.

 

Although the pads will engage the overload sooner, they are a poor design in my opinion. The placement of the spring and frame mounts are chosen for a reason, these spacers move the load from the large heavy duty spring hanger to the small, (comparatively) weak overload mounts.
Take a close look at the spring system, and imagine it at full compression. There is no room for the spacer, the overload leafs lay completely flat on the main spring.


But it's your truck, and other use them with success so it's up to you.
Air bags are a much better solution, if a kit doesn't exist for a 2wd, make your own or get someone to fab it for you.

 

Smoky, thanks for the thoughtful info from an engineering stand point. I may need to go with the timbrens. I have already tried bags, the ride is great as long as there are no large bumps. The firestone 2535 bags fit my 350 srw 2wd great otherwise.

 

I run the torklift a7200 top overload pads. In fact the set I have I put on my '11 when it was new, then moved them to my '15. I have 5500 lbs of payload (slide in truck camper) I carry in the bed of my truck and they work well to stabilize the load!

I know many people like air bags. I ran them on my '09 F 350, have not run them since. While if you install them over the axle you lift the frame using air pressure, you just move some of the weight off the spring onto the AB's. I found for payload carry they increased the lateral sway, ok solve that using the StableLoads 7200, Rancho 9000XL shocks and F/R larger diameter sway bar...the other option is the Timbren's. I have not used them, but from what I have seen they seem to be a good solution also.

 

I have the uppers on my '12 F350. They do "engage" during empty driving and cause the slapping. To me it's not a big deal.

As smokey diesel said, they do shift the load onto the smaller overload mounts. I had one of these bend. (picture shows the upper mount bent, since replaced, surprisingly cheap from Ford ~$25)

The attachment needs to be improved too. It's a single bolt/washer to hold in place and a thin metal locating plate. I've had them start sliding out and it only engages half the spring which can start imparting a twist on it.

For me they work well, I have relatively light weight camper (~2400 lbs) and they add just enough.

 

When I have the camper in the ride with my Timbrens is A-1...Empty I don't feel them as they don't engage. They are cheap,easy to install,no worries about loosing air pressure. I had them for 5 yrs on my 2011 and hauled alot of stuff from work,camper,trailer etc. They got slightly concave on the bottom. Rubber still good thou. Timbrens gave me a whole new kit for free.. I used the old ones on the new truck for 7800 miles across country with my 4000lb plus truck cammper....I finally installed the new kit the other day...can't beat them for what they are. Ride is stable and no sway.

 

Interesting in that mine were just transferred off my 11 onto my 15 and I put them on originally back in '10 when I got my truck. No bends, nothing, work as look as good as new. The camper is used almost ever weekend year round...

 

Thanks everyone for the fantastic info. I have taken all into consideration and decided that my last truck did awesome with the air bags and the only thing holding me back was the low clearance between the firestone brackets. So I cut and ground my way to the perfect mounts. I now have as much if not more air bag travel/clearance b/w the brackets. I reinstalled them this morning and took the fiver back to storage with the pressure set at 40psi. The truck now sits just above level, rides much better than stock suspension, and no longer bottoms out the bags due to low clearance.

Two pics attached, one of the almost complete bracket beside an untouched, but lowest setting, and another close-up of the completed bracket with two of the upper ears trimmed off to clear the lower shock mounts on the axle. I gained exactly 1 more inch of travel by cutting the four tabs off of the lower brackets.