As a new PSD owner (96 F250 4X4), I am curious as to how many of you have the dreaded "front end sag?"
I define sag as being 1" or less between the front leaf and stop.
Mine has 3/4" and I am going to do something about it, the only question is what.
I just want to do an informal poll. Please post a reply with how you handled the problem.

 

When I bought my truck (used), it had air bags on it, front and rear. With no air in the bags, I sag in the front, but can overcome it by adding air to the front bags. 25psi will bring it up a little without sacrificing ride quality, 40psi will bring it back up to stock height with a stiffer ride, 100psi makes it look like it's got a lift kit, but the wife won't ride with me without wearing a sport bra. Needless to say, I normally leave it at 40psi.
Just my $.02.

 

I need to do something about the front end sag - My truck has the biggest, beefiest springs in the back, they would not look out of place on a semi, but the front suspension sucks.... tell me more about air bags.. how to fit, etc... please.
Wm
'96 F450 White with Grey interior Crew Cab. Banks Turbo, Intercooler and Exhaust,
Power pack Chip, shift kit, Auxiliary transmission, electronic enhanced transmission control,
16 forward and 4 reverse ratios. 340hp 660ft lb 4 wheel drive, 4.10 gears, 12,ooo# winch

 

I don't profess to know a lot about air bags, but what I do know, I'll gladly share with you. The purpose of air bags is to stabilize a load, for example a heavy camper that is top heavy. The air bags in the rear would help keep a load like that from swaying. The bags in front would assist the rear bags. On an empty truck, they work much like air shocks do: by inflating them, you raise the vehicle. The difference is, these puppies really firm up the ride, more than I remember air shocks doing. If I inflate my front bags to 100psi, and the rear ones to about 45psi, the truck looks like it's been lifted. The problem is, the ride goes beyond firm, beyond harsh, and approaches brutal. If you want to raise the front of your truck in the worst way, this is it, the worst way. I wouldn't consider this a viable option in leveling the truck, when you consider all the alternatives that are better, and will give you a better ride. You can install the reverse shackle kit, or add-a-leaf, or a leveling kit, which is basically the front half of a lift kit. Any of these will be better in the long run.
You can also get a lot of information over on the Towing/Hauling forum.
I hope this helps.

 

Hi there
i have had the same problem of front end sag in my truck, 93 F250 heavy duty SC 4X4.
the way I corrected it is this...
had the front springs rearched and another leafe added.. it stiffened the ride some what but not too severly but definatly brought the front back up to where it should be.. it rode like a new truck again after that...
that is how I cured it on the truck... just another bit of food for thought and more to consider
Roaring

 

I just checked the distance between the rubber stop and the front spring on my 94 F250 4X4 PSD, and it was less than 1". I Could not find any reference in the factory service manual for correct front end height. Does anyone know what that distance would be on a new truck? Can't say I notice any difference in the ride over the 8 years I've had it. Always rode pretty rough from the first day. Put 3000 Lb camper in the back and it smooths out a little bit in the rear.

 

After I had an incident that left my truck leaning to one side, I was looking for new front springs. The Ford house wanted too much for OE. I ordered a 2.5" lift kit from Tuff Country in Utah that replaced my two front spring packs and had add-a-leaf in the rear for $100 less then Ford wanted for just the two front packs. The kit leveled the truck front to back, and was very well thought out. It had all the hardware I needed. BTW, my truck is not a diesel, its a 460. But, they send the 2" diesel kit to 460 owners for a 2.5" lift.

[a href="http://www.tuffcountry.com"]Tuff Country Web [/a]

Another 2cents....

David

 

Since my original post on 6/30, I have been checking around as many places as possible. I came across a post on the 'net that said the front springs from an F550 are a direct replacement for the F250 springs.

I checked with Torrie at fordpartsnetwork.com and he confirmed this.

All I want is to raise the front about 1.5" to 2" to save my new front tires. I have raised the front end 2" with a jack and it makes my camber perfect. FYI, raising the front end 2" produces an increase of 1.25" at the spring bumper.

The question I still have concerns spring rates. I don't want the truck to ride any stiffer than it presently rides. I figure if I get springs with rates 500 to 1000lb. greater than stock, the weight of the Powerstroke will be handled and the sag will be cured without sacrificing too much ride quality. Local dealers go into mental meltdown when spring rates are mentioned and Ford is no help either.

I know from reading other places that Ford makes front springs with different rates and uses a letter designation, e.g. U, V, X, etc. My understanding is that these various spring-rate springs are available for the F550.

Do any of you have any detailed personal info, or a link to find out spring rates for Ford trucks? I need to know 3 things: (1) the rate of the factory-original 2-leaf springs (which sag); (2) the rates of the Ford letter-designation springs (U,V,X, etc.) used on the F550; and (3) the number of leaves of the letter-designated springs (so I can figure the length of the new U-bolts). Would also need part numbers of the springs -- I have the part number of the X-rated F550 spring but fear its rate may be too high.

Good luck

 

I had mine re-arched with I leaf added on my F-250HD 4x4 dsl and it corrected my camber and actually rode better than it did before.



Brian

 

I have received several emails on this subject, and want to explain my understanding of the issue further.

My understanding is that the F550 springs are a direct replacement for the front springs on the F250. What this means is that we can use F550 springs to replace our F250 springs.

When Ford built our trucks (94 to 97), it used the same leaf springs on the front end of all the F250's. The problem is that the Powerstroke Diesel engine alone weighs 900 lbs., which is far more than the 351 or 460 gassers. The effect is front spring sag.

I'm glad Brian460 has had good luck, but I wonder if it will last.

Rearching the original springs doesn't really solve the problem. The original springs are not strong enough to begin with.

Adding a leaf doesn't really solve the problem. Since the original springs are already too weak to support the engine, an additional leaf will only cause the new leaf to support the engine and it will soon fail.

As I said in my last post, I calculate that if we can replace our front springs with ones which have spring rates 500 to 1000 lbs. greater than stock, the problem will be solved. Two new front springs each having spring rates 500 lbs. greater than stock results in a front end load capacity 1000 lbs. greater than stock, meaning that the 900 lb. engine will be supported and the springs won't sag.

The reason I mentioned rates within a range from 500 to 1000 lbs. is that many of us have reasons for more front end capacity. For example, my truck has a "ranchhand" front end replacement which weighs more than 300 lbs., meaning that I need front end load capacity of 1200 lbs. over and above the capacity of the stock 351/460 springs -- 900 lbs. for the engine + 300 lbs. for the ranchhand.

My problem, as I mentioned in my post, is finding out the spring rates of all the springs. I need the rates of the factory original F250 springs so I can know how much more spring rate I need. I need the rates of the F550 springs so I can know which ones to select.

Therefore, the F550 springs can either level the front end (with the correct rates) or even raise the front end (with higher rates, but at the cost of a stiffer ride).

Good luck

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 29-Jul-02 AT 00:35 AM (EST)]Well it has lasted so far. I have had the truck for 6 years, had the springs re-arched 5 years ago and have put over 100,000 miles on the truck since I have had it.

Actually the springs in your truck are designed for a diesel engine from Ford. I have a friend that bought a truck that had been wrecked with a 460 in it, and for whatever reason the springs in front got replaced with factory diesel springs. Now that truck rides so rough you would think that it didn't have any springs at all.

I think that if you have a 300# whatever it was on the front you should have an extra leaf added to your spring packs.

Another friend of mine has the same truck as you he has 120,000 miles on his truck and his are the factory springs not re-arched with just a leaf added on both sides. His frontend shows no sign of sagging, although it does ride slightly rougher, but not as bad as a F-350.


Brian

 

Hi folks!
Just want to join the front end sag club...
Mine had a 3 leaf system to start with F5TA HA, EW 26996 but this was way too rough. I swaped to an original 2 leafsystem for dsl 9 months ago and now Im down on my belly
Talked to the guy at the shop and he said it must be something wrong, well I dont say no, so now he is doing some research but I dont think he will find the right thing concidering what you guys here have experienced. Maybe I should rearch my old 3 leaf ones? They had 300.000 km on them!!! FYI I have a special second leaf in the rear so mu truck is some kind of super-duty (ambulance?) Any hints on this would be much apritiated

 

Well all his indoes me no good on my front sag ,caue my 1997 F250 HD powerstroke has front coils , not leafs . So any help wouls be appreciated alot . I was told that those little things you can get at Auto Zone that kinda twist in the front springs to give it lift would work , what do yall think ???????:-X11

 

 

>After I had an incident that left my truck leaning to one
>side, I was looking for new front springs. The Ford house
>wanted too much for OE. I ordered a 2.5" lift kit from Tuff
>Country in Utah that replaced my two front spring packs and
>had add-a-leaf in the rear for $100 less then Ford wanted
>for just the two front packs. The kit leveled the truck
>front to back, and was very well thought out. It had all the
>hardware I needed. BTW, my truck is not a diesel, its a 460.
>But, they send the 2" diesel kit to 460 owners for a 2.5"
>lift.
>
>[a href="http://www.tuffcountry.com"]Tuff Country Web [/a]
>
>Another 2cents....
>
>David
I have been reading all the messages regarding front end sag. I own a 97 F250 PSD with about 110000 miles. Hasn't done any real work except haul my 160 pound frame to the office daily. I have, on rear occasions, pulled a trailer with a car on it. I replaced the ball joints and shocks about 10000 miles ago. I have noticed lately excessive ware on the inside of both front tires, which are new. It also appears the front springs are sagging, although I have made no measurments. My(a mechanic) son have been telling me to shim the front springs. That proceedure didn't sound correct to me. I was thinking it needed lined up. But that was before I read about the "sag syndrome". I know there are a couple of bushing in the front that will change the camber but none of the messages even mention them. Do they ever cause a camber problem?