Just finished transfering my utility bed and contents from my 83 F-250 4x4 to my 97 F-350 4x4 CC Manual SRW. I would have thought that the F-350 would have held the load better than the F-250. Did have 9spring packs with dual mains on old truck and extra spring on the front.

The load has the F-350 well down on the helper springs.


Is there a spring set that is available that has a veavier rate than what the F-350 is built with.

If not. I will have to find come extra top/main spring leafs and cut the eyes off so I can fix it to handle the load.

I calculate that the F-350 is just shy of 12,000. Bare with a P/U bet it is over 7,000. I still need to add the front bumper/winch whish will add around 400, a generator, another 350, a rear winch 100 and a 60x19x18 box full of GPS Equipment. I did want to put a 4 wheeler on top of tghe utility bed(It has been enclosed) but I will definitly have to change springs to do that.

 

Not to be rude but that sounds like an awful lot of weight for a truck that doesnt have anywhere near that GVW your talking. If thats the weight you need to move have you thought of an old like 550 or even pulling a trailer. I have had that much weight in the truck myself but once here once there for a few miles or even a few hundred but as a dailer driver and to still add the weight your talking that to me sounds like to much. I could be wrong just thought i would ask since well you did post the question.

ryan

 

I have no choice. This is a Land Survey truck that I have used in this format for 15 years. I simply wore the F-250 out. Believe it or not, it only had a 300 cid and weighed in over 9000 with the conventional cab. I made the springs on it from scratch.

I do rough country surveying and spend most days off road in the woods surveying.

I carry a lot of equipment so I don't have to make additional trips back.

The bed alone weighs over 2000 lbs When I took off the pu bed and put the utility bed on, it dropped the truck nearly 2 inches. It made the helper springs contact the pads. This bed has a steel cover covering the center and steel doors on the rear. It also has tubes inside for equipment and a honeycomb in the bask part for survey equipment.

I carry equipment to cut concrete, steel, drill in road pavements, 300 feet of 1/2" rebar, 200 feet of 1" rebar, 100 feet of 1 1/2" sucker rods cut for dead men, 200 feet of chains, 5 tripods, 3 sledge hammers, hand post hole digger that has solid steel handles to cut tree roots, 4 4x4 x30" concrete monuments, 200 4' lathe, 50 18" oak stakes, 15 24" traffic cones, 6 prism polesw/bipods, 3 level rods, 2 large picks, 3 shovels, 200 lbs of weights to use on bipod legs in windy weather, 4 tribrachs, 2 gallon water jug, 50 lbs od 60d nails, 20 rolls of ribbon, 12 cans of marking paint, 4 GPS Static units with tripods, poles and antennas and accessries, laptop, printer, power converter, portable raidos, 12 battery chargers for all the batterie, plat books(All probably weigh nearly 50 lbs), handbag of files, 2 Surveying instruments and more. When I leave int he morning, I do not get back to the office until after dark usually and may not see a road the entire day. Work in Southern Illinois where it is not that rough, just do surveying that takes me into the woods for long periods of time.

A trailer is totally out of the question. When I made the swap, I discarded quite a bit of stuff.

I need the heavy front bumper, that is where one of the winches is and I use it to push down scrub brush for survey lines. Also have a snow plow mount and sometimes mount a dozer blade in place of the plow to clear line.(Made a blase from 3-pt tractor blade. works great). Purchased a second winch to put under rear, usually need to pull out backwards as that is the wey I came in and pulling forward is not always the way I need to go to get unstuck. The generator is not an option, it powers the drill I use for searching for conrer stones under pavements. Yous see, I usually do more per job that 95% of all other surveyors in my area. Have been business for 45 years and intend to stay for about 8 more years.

I was a little surprised when I removed the load from the old truck how high it went up. It was actually higher off the round that the F-35 before I put anything on it.

 

Now i understand what your situation is. You carry ALOT of weight bottom line haha. I have no answer accept maybe some airbags and some stouter leafs. Hope it all works out for you. wish i was able to help.

ryan

 

My 14K lbs. 5th wheel mashed my F-250 real bad.
WIth airbags its level and night and day.
I went the cheap route meaning no on board compressor and it costs about $250.
I use my bicycle pump to fill them up no problem.

 

Air bags would be the way to go, unless you just really want to make a custom leaf pack, the old chevy and ford 1 tons used to have 15 leafs, you could put any amount of weight in the bed and the truck wouldn't squat, tires would blow first, people like nice soft trucks now, nobody really works these trucks anymore, just use them for the grocery store and to soccer games, lol

 

you are still over weight and need to get a bigger truck. A 350 dually would be cutting it close so a 450 or even a 550 would handle the weight better. but all that costs alot of money.
so look for some aftermarket stronger springs and a set of air bags, or just get a full rear air ride from kelderman. (sp)

 

I had a 97 F-350 and now have a 2005. I tow the same trailer and the 2005 carries it much better. After my first tow trip I did add air bags to the new truck and love it. Air bags would be my suggestion.

 

Dually is out of the question. Too wide...travel a lot of roads in the woods that a dually would not fit on.
I will make me a set of new springs. Probably will use two top leafs, cut the eyes off the second set, and double up the next 3 leafs and try it.

On the old F-250, I had a local spring company make me a set...Installed and the truck was lower than before...they were the ones to suggest doubling up the top several sets. It worked. Old truck had 9 leaves.

I am not too concerned with ride... Usability is my main concern..

I already have an extra leaf for the front, will put it on and work on the rear. You can tell it is heavy when you stop. Rocks on the tires.

I always use the highest rated tires I can get and carry 80 psi. THey never seem to get very hot so must not be too over loaded..

It is rated at 4600 front (60psi) and 6084 on rear (80psi)
I will never drop my 235x85x16's that low.
License go to 16,000 so not a problem there.

 

The best fix would be the air bags, ether Air Lifts or Ride Rites 5000 lb bags, I have the Air Lifts of my work truck that carries 5200 on rear axle all the time. I have 55 lbs in one side and 30 in the other to level the truck from side to side, no control just manual fill.

Denny