This truck is a 1983 F250 HD. The original owner has modified the rear suspension I believe. I found a Hellwig Sway bar receipt in the glove box and it appears it is still on the truck. Can someone look at these photos and tell me if the leaf springs have been modified or added to or is this the stock set up for the HD.

 

I cant say for sure but that does look like and added on helper leaf spring.
I am sure if I am wrong someone will say something.


Why do you want to know? Does it ride too ruff? you could try taking the end Ubolts off and leave the springs in place to see if that helps. Also if you found you needed to have them for a load you could just bolt them back on.
Dave ----

 

I have not driven the truck yet, but will have it on the road hopefully by early spring. My plan is to install a four inch lift so it will most likely all be coming off the truck anyway, except for the sway bar. Based on some electrical connections and wiring I found, plus some holes in the bed rails, I believe the original owner carried a truck camper with the truck. Here is a photo of the huge sway bar.

 

The main assembly leaf spring looks untouched. The helper springs that sit on top look to be factory. The very top helper that has the ubolts is most definitely aftermarket. That's an aftermarket helper spring set up, most likely a hellwig also .

 

Plus the original owner took the factory helper brackets off the frame so the factory helper setup is basically useless unless the brackets are put back on .

 

I do not think it had factory helpers. I believe everything shown in the picture is the add-on helper like below.



P.S. Your sway bar will need modifications to keep it with the lift.

 

looking at the Marti report the truck was ordered with the super cooling package and the handling package. it also has the factory trailer towing harness on it at the rear bumper. The truck was not ordered with the trailer towing package. The handling package was an upgrade to the front springs, all four shocks, and included sway bars front and rear. The rear sway bar is a Helwig oversize unit for sure. The truck is an HD with the higher gvw rating but I have not been able to find out any info on the rear spring set up. I am probably going to ditch it all for new leafs at all four corners and some Bilstein shocks as well, leaving the two sway bars in place. This truck will get some use towing an old boat but will not get any use with real heavy loads in the bed. I do not want it to be a kidney jarring experience when I drive it.

 

the fuel system is finished and getting ready to put the engine back in.

 

Franklin2 thanks for that picture. I believe you are correct about the Helwig set up. I wonder if that would be functional if used with a set of 4" lift springs? I will have to research the sway bar use as well but now that you mentioned that I think it will need to go as well. I might just remove it all.

edit: actually I might try using the spring setup and just using the taller blocks in the back? That would cut down cost.

 

Very good find!

 

for about 90.00 I can add the correct sway bar pieces and keep them with the 4" lift. with the original springs having 98k miles on them, hauling heavy loads I will probably opt for new leafs in all four corners. Might as well buy once...cry once...

 

Upper pic: F150/350 4WD & Bronco rear suspension // Lower pic: 1980/89 F250/350 & F(Super Duty) rear sway bar.

 

If you do a lift kit you may get just that.....a kidney buster.
Also depending how high a lift, lifting is not good for towing.
Dave ----

 

My f250 has a 4 inch lift. It does have the blocks in the back. I do get some axle wrap when I am towing really heavy on take-off with the blocks. I have been living with it so far, no u-joint problems or anything like that. If your boat is not too heavy, you may not even notice it.

You will have to replace the front springs with the ones from the lift kit. They do ride a little stiff. You probably have already noticed if you want to spend a little more money you can get lift springs for the rear and not use the blocks.

P.S. You can keep the helper springs with the blocks in the lift if you want. Your helper fits on top of the springs, the block for the lift fits on the bottom of the spring.

 

I have decided to go with new leafs all around and I pulled all this off. I hate to throw it in the scrap bin so if anyone wants these and is willing to pay the shipping they can have them. I live about 20 minutes east of Cincinnati if you would rather do a FTF that is fine as well.