Good Evening All,

I have a 2007 F-350 CC 4x4 Shortbed V10 with a 6" lift. I am getting ready to purchase a truck camper that will weigh ~3300#. I'm wanting to get the rear suspension ready to rock and roll, but I could use some advice for what components would be best with the lift to prevent sag and increase drivability.

It appears that I only have a lower overload and not an upper on the truck. My options as I see it are:

1. SuperSprings or Hellwig Helper Springs
2. Airlift Springs w/Air Spring Spacers
3. Torklift Stableload Lower Overload "activators"
4. Torklift Stableload Upper Overload (Would require me to get the factory upper overload spring ... but with the lift I'm assuming it wouldn't allow the upper overload spring to get activated by the rubber bumper?)

I am leaning towards going with the SuperSprings and the Forklift Lower Overload "activators".

I would welcome any advice/opinions, on the direction I'm headed and if any of of assumptions and plans are correct for this application.

 

me personally would get rid of the 6" lift

summosprings (which are over sized bump stops) or air bags. I prefer the summosprings becuase you dont have to fiddle with air and air bags will leak.

any type of overleaf springs

and add an anti sway bar

what is the load rating of your tires????

 

90% in agreement with what speakerfritz wrote except for the airbags ... personally just not a fan nor does my setup require them. I too carry a 3,500 lbs. truck camper and pull a 3,500 lbs. cargo trailer. I have the camper prep package (heavier leaf springs front and back with rear top overloads), I have anti-sway bars front and rear; I have the SumoSprings SSR 114-54 (2,800 lb. rating) ... love them; and, I run Michelin LT M&S Load Range "E" tires" which is the load range you should be looking at. If you want more safety margin, go with 19.5 rims & tires and a higher load range load.

You might also want to head over to rv.net and go to the truck camper forum. Tons of information and expertise there.

 

Ok when someone added your 6" lift kit they removed the factory camper leaf on top like an idiot. In your last picture the leaf number 4 from the top is not factory, that's the add a lead for the lift kit, which adds height and some added payload to the factory pack. Like mentioned already I'd removed the lift kit go back to stock with x-code front springs or a 2" front level spring. Also go back to the factory wheels which are hub centric and put the full load on the hub where its suppose to be and not on the lug nuts like all aftermarket wheels do

 

I notice you have the Aux spring brackets but no longer have the aux springs. I on the other hand have the springs but no brackets. Would you be interested in selling those to me for a screaming deal? I don't feel like hunting for them at a pick-ur-part. If so let me know what you'd want.

 

 

I've considered removing the lift. We just purchased it for the sole purpose of hauling a truck camper (Lance 861 or 855S). The only issue I'm going to run into with removing it, is now I'm stuck purchasing *all* OEM or replacement components when I take it off since I have none of the original. I'm assuming the summosprings would only work if it was restored to a non-lifted truck?

I need to get back under there, but the build says it came with front and rear sway bars. I don't remember seeing them there however.

Load Range E Tires. Cooper Discoverer S/T.

I'd have to go look at mine again, but I don't recall having leaf springs in the front. I am assuming the either the SuperSpring or Hellwig Helper would serve the same purpose as your top overload since I don't have that on the truck still? Again, the SumoSprings would only work for stock height correct?

I'm guessing I'll probably end up with a dually on 19.5's before I throw them on my SRW, but it's something I'll keep in mind certainly.

I thought with those brackets there should have been a factory upper overload on there, but thought maybe they just install them on all 1-tons and only put the spring on if ordered.

I hadn't considered the wheels, so that's something I can do a little more homework on. Thanks.

Is it worth getting the factory upper overload or going aftermarket with the SuperSpring or Hellwig do you think? If they ended up adding a leaf on the bottom, and I going to have issues with an aftermarket install vs the factory upper overload?

Let me figure out whether or not I'm going to keep the lift, and if I do, I'd be more than happy to part ways with them. They won't be doing me any good anyway.

Did you have any concerns or issues with what the rating on the lift springs/coils are? I'm fairly it's a 6" SuperLift and talking to SuperLift, they gave a a 430#/inch rating on the spring, but no actual GVWR or GAWR value for the springs, so I have no clue if I'm running a better spring that stock or not. I know I'm going to be fairly close to the GAWR and GVWR so I want to make sure I'm not setting myself up for failure. Good to hear on the airbags. I've heard a lot of discussion on airbags simply taking a lot of the weight off of the springbuck, somewhat negating the springpack in general. Do you just load the bags up just enough to relieve sag or to improve handling?


Thanks for the feedback everyone. Knowing what is and isn't factory along with everyone's opinion is greatly appreciated.

 

airforceruss, you've got coil overs on the front ... sorry I neglected to take note of your truck's year. To be clear, I'm not a lift hater, just a practical person. Keeping your 6" lift raises your truck camper's (TC's) COG (center of gravity) significantly which in turn, changes the handling dynamics quite a bit. The taller you are, the more sway you will experience. Also, it adds almost another full step for access and egress to your TC. To answer your question, you are right ... the standard Sumo's will only work/help with a stock height unless you use spacers. SuperSprings or someone else may make a static product that works with lifts but I have no knowledge of those.

Before I did my mods, I talked to a number of suspension shops here in Canada (land of road salt and rust) and in the USA. My personal aversion to airbags is based on listening to the experts at those shops steering me away from them. Perhaps in gentler climates, the issues are fewer or non-existent. If your truck originally had the camper option, you likely would have had the anti-sway bars which, I believe, would have had to of been removed for the 6" lift kit. IMHO, the anti-sway bars are really a must have with a TC.

A lot of times setting up your truck for a TC comes down to personal preferences and biases. There are a number of ways to strengthen and improve the suspension to get to the same end goal. As Sir Kayakalot posted, he's happy with his set-up and recommends it. Personally, I went a different route and am also happy with it and recommend it. To each their own. Again, I encourage you to visit rv.net ...

 

 

Superlift uses the same pound value as procomp on their front leaf springs, 430lbs is equal to the factory v-code front ford spring which is the 5600lb. That is stock the spring on diesel trucks or one up above stock 4400lb spring on the gas motors if you have the HD package. The V codes are ok in ride and height but eventually will sag unlike the x-code 6000lb snow plow spring that gives you maximum height and capacity and in my opinion ride really good

 

We have a F-250 hauling the 855S. I put 5k airlift springs with compressor and separate air lines(Very important to keep separate) Roadmaster swaybars front and rear (necessary to control rocking, tracks like its on rails now!), Torklift lower stableloads(very helpful) I don't have the upper overload spring or brackets from the factory and had thought about buying those but with the above items installed I can run the airbags with 35 &45 psi for slide side and it handles extremely well. Almost forgot. I had the 20 factory wheels with tires rated for 3750lbs. That was the only weak area so I found a set of 19.5" wheels and tires with 4550lb ratings so really set now!

PS Not a lift hater but would take that off as the TC gives you a very high CG and the lift doesn't help that. Also with the camper on you will be a just under 12' tall without the lift so bridges,tree branches etc won't be as much of a issue!

 

I appreciate the feedback. I've got the front and rear sway bars already installed. I'm actually now questioning what lift I actually have. Once I started taking measurements, I can't tell what I've actually got on here, and I'm just going off of what the previous guy who sold it said.


Super good info. Thanks.

I'm going to throw some more pictures in here and probably start a new thread. I'm not completely convinced I actually have a 6" lift. Which brings good and bad to the conversation. I loaded up the Lance 861 (weighs ~3300#) and the rear end was sagging a LOT which doesn't really add up or make a ton of sense when you look at what the truck should be able to handle. This was with a SuperSpring SSA22 (2200# Rated) installed on the lower shackle setting. 35" wheels below on the truck. Rear block appears to be a stock F-350 based on measurement, but I'm assuming there is some type of lift on the front then?

 

with no rear overleaf springs of course it will bottom out with a 3300lb load.

so on your front pics. since you can do a 2" lift with just springs, a pic of springs with no spacers wont help determine what you have.

on the rear, it looks like you have stock f-350 blocks.

so the question is ,,,,is an f-350 2" lifted in the rear compared to a stock f-250 of is it stock...Id say 2' lifted from a shock measurement perspective.

you need
1) sway bars
2) over leaf leaf springs...you already have the bumper for them
3) some type of sag limiting solution such as air bags (PIA), or summo springs (which are solid air bags that preload in a non linear way they come in 1000 or 1500 flavors)

 

 

Agree: Center of gravity way too high with a truck bed camper and 6" lift... Truck will rock and roll but not the kind you're thinking of

Cornering and wind resistance.... You'll be a tall brick going down the road..