I have a 99 f250 superduty that i keep overloading apparently and breaking leafs in the rear pack. This has happened twice now. My question is, is there a heavier duty spring (1 ton or ?) that is a direct swap? If not, I'm considering having a custom set made.

Thank you in advance. I'm not a Ford guy so i know little about these trucks....

 

Give these folks a call and tell them your needs, they can fix you up. Russ
We Manufacture Leaf Springs - OEM and Custom - EATON Detroit Spring

 

How much are you hauling to be breaking springs??? Sounds like you need a F450 not a F250...

What the spring code on you're door sticker? Do you know if you have a trailer/towing/camper package? How many leaves do you have now and do you have overloads? The F250s/F350's all could've been fitted with the same springs based on the options so just grabbing some "350" springs doesn't necessarily mean you're getting heavier springs. Cab and Chassis or F450+ rear springs are usually rated much higher and will bolt on, but they're thick packs so they will add lift and ride like a buckboard unloaded. My '99 350 C&C dump is rated at around 2.5 tons in the bed.

 

I was hauling a small yard of gravel. 2 miles on pavement, 2 miles of primitive road at which time i was in 4low, 2nd gear.
Springs are stock from a f250 superduty also and a 6 leaf pack. No overloads other then the thick bottom leaf that comes stock. I know a stronger set will be more leafs and ride like crap. Don't think i need 2.5 ton ones but maybe some 3500-4000# rated would do. Also considering maybe just another set like i have and investing in air bags instead. Then i could keep ride quality and air them up when needed.

My original question though was which other truck years and model will have a compatible spring that is a direct swap?

 

For both f250/f350, 99-04 front springs interchange, 99-07 rear springs interchange. I believe the f450+ springs of the same years interchange but they're gonna be rated really high.

 

Ok, they're "stock", but what is the spring code listed on the door label? I'm not familiar with the 250 and 350 springs, but the Rangers and F-150s had several different springs packs on the same year model truck. I would imagine that the 250s and 350s were the same way. Two visually identical trucks of the same year and model could have different spring ratings depending on the options and packages on the truck. An F-250 and F-350 of different years and different packages could have the same springs installed depending on the options and packages equipped.

If these guys know what spring code your truck is equipped with, they might be able to point you in the direction of a spring pack that will better suit your needs. To do that they need the spring code, not a description of the spring. You might also be surprised to find that more leafs isn't always stronger. Depends on how the pack was built and springs used in building it. Could have a taller pack with more flex. Could have a shorter pack with more capacity. Could have a thicker pack with more flex, softer ride and same capacity. Many ways to get the same results with different pack constructions, or different results with same construction. That's why they need to know the code.

To answer your original question though, looks like 1999-2007 F-250 and F-350 would be a direct swap. For a true direct swap you would also need to match up the spring code, but any 1999-2007 F-250 or F-350 spring should bolt in.

 

Your other option is to head over to a local truck spring shop. Try to find out whoever your county DOT uses to rebuild springs on their trucks and go there. They will likely be familiar with your spring packs, and if not they'll have a 'look up chart' that will tell them how to build the various rate spring packs that your truck originally came with. They will easily be able to tell you what spring rate they can put in your truck and how it'll ride. And they'll probably be cheaper than buying new springs from Ford, and they'll be brand new instead of used from a junkyard or Ebay.

I had to do this on my '99 F250 years ago, as I had a broken leaf. Remember this was years ago, so stuff was cheaper, but I think I paid $250 per side installed, and ended up with almost the exact same spring rate as what came on my truck.

 

I'd looked into a set of airbags for this reason. I don't haul heavy too often, but have been known to haul a yard of dirt or rock more than once. Boy, that was a smoooooth ride! If I had airbags, I could just pump them up a bit and take a bunch of load off of the springs. Ultimately, I didn't spring for it (lol, see what I did there....?) because I would need to get quite a few components, including an air compressor, for it to work properly and it wasn't worth it for how sparingly I haul heavy. I've also seen kits that are basically just shims to engage the stock overload spring sooner too, so that might be worth looking into.

 

99 to 07 ALL rear springs were the same capacity, only difference between part numbers was if the truck had a too overload spring.
the dually had the same five leaf pack as the srw f350 BUT the top and bottom overload springs were thicker to handle more payload.
My 2004 f350 srw is rated just about 4400lbs payload, stock it sagged too much for my liking. I had a spring shop bend me a new long add a leaf. It now sits 2nd from the main leaf, it only raised the rear approximately 1/2" and added roughly 1,000lb of capacity. It did not effect the unloaded ride quality, it did give me that little extra capacity so the truck didn't sag under moderate loads.
I did take dually take off springs and use the top/bottom overload springs into my stock pack and tossed the weak stock overloads. I dont haul everday but when I do the truck sits perfect with 3500 to 4k in her. I've owned the truck since new and it has 188k and my springs are still arched properly and hold weight the same with no signs or cracks or leaning.

I'd call junior at ats springs in Pennsylvania, he will set you up right the first time