Help With Rear Leaf Spring Choice ?
Posting Guru
Joined: Jul 2015
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From: Northeast Ohio USA
Yes Dave, they are Monroe adjustable coil-over shocks along with local built 5 leaf springs. I think the shocks have 4 adjustments if memory serves. Cleveland Spring built the leaves.
Posting Guru
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 2,239
Likes: 5
From: Northeast Ohio USA
This is not so bad on our trucks as the upper mount is pretty solid but in a car going to a sheet metal mount you push the shock up thru the mount (trunk floor).
Now even with the better mount I still don't like to "lift" on shock mounts because they are not made for it. Over time they can crack and break off then you got to get them welded back on.
The mounts can also break if you run a stiff shock, had Rancho's do this more than once.
If I was to find the stock (good) springs could not handle the loads I needed to haul I would go with air bags first. They mount to the axle & frame cross member both made to lift. They can also be adjusted for load or no load as needed, like air shocks did but see above, and the ride would be like stock unloaded.
Next is a toss up between helper leaf springs add to the stock springs or a helper coil spring that mounts like the air bags do.
The add a leaf only comes into play when you have a load and the truck squats down some and the springs hit the helper mounts so truck rides like a normal unloaded truck.
The ones on the axle are in play all the time so can ride ruff all the time.
That's my .02
Dave ----
Now even with the better mount I still don't like to "lift" on shock mounts because they are not made for it. Over time they can crack and break off then you got to get them welded back on.
The mounts can also break if you run a stiff shock, had Rancho's do this more than once.
If I was to find the stock (good) springs could not handle the loads I needed to haul I would go with air bags first. They mount to the axle & frame cross member both made to lift. They can also be adjusted for load or no load as needed, like air shocks did but see above, and the ride would be like stock unloaded.
Next is a toss up between helper leaf springs add to the stock springs or a helper coil spring that mounts like the air bags do.
The add a leaf only comes into play when you have a load and the truck squats down some and the springs hit the helper mounts so truck rides like a normal unloaded truck.
The ones on the axle are in play all the time so can ride ruff all the time.
That's my .02
Dave ----
FTE Legend
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 30,912
Likes: 4,123
From: Angier, NC
I brought the car thing up to show you don't want to add rear lift at ANY shock mounts because they are not meant for that.
Some get lucky and will last forever.
Dave ----
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Joined: Oct 2014
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OK here is my door tag. Sorry it took so long to post. I have bad cell reception at the house and no internet.....
The rear springs on it now are a 3+1 three leafs and a load leaf.
All look same thickness too
Spring pack is 1.5" thick
My ride height from fender to tire is just under 5.5" at the rear and 5" at the front so I am only about half an inch rake atm...
The rear springs on it now are a 3+1 three leafs and a load leaf.
All look same thickness too
Spring pack is 1.5" thick
My ride height from fender to tire is just under 5.5" at the rear and 5" at the front so I am only about half an inch rake atm...
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