a buddy of mine told me another way to re-arch your springs at home besides using a hammer is to use a wood splitter, try at your own risk lol

 

I bought a leveling kit consisting of front springs, quad shocks for the front end, and new rear springs for $350, it put my 96 F150 4x4 up to my rear wheel well level, looks good and costs *****

 

Squiggy
What brand and who was the dealer?
Does your truck sit level now? How many inches did the front come up?
How is the ride?
Thanks Frank

 

Cool idea. :)

In practice I see that as a very safe method since the trick would be to mimic a hammering-job by taking little bends very close together. :)

Years ago i went to a spring shop to talk to the owner about his heat treating furnace etc (I'm a knife knut) and watched a couple guys re-arching springs with hammers. When I see something like that it hits me whether I could do it or not. Looked like it was right down my ally! ;)

Asked about reheat treating old springs and the owner claimed he'd tried that and it didn't turn out good at all. "too many of them broke :/"

Took a metallurgy class (told you I was a knife knut ;) and exactly what all is wrong with re-heat treating steel varies with the source but all agree it's not the best way to go. Especially for old "rusty" steel like used knife blades and used automotive springs has trouble with hydrogen cracks.

Alvin in AZ

 

RoadRash. I'm the opposite of all these guys I'm looking to lower my truck. It's a 1996 Single Cab, Short Bed, V8 with A/C. What spring do you think would lower it? Without going to an Eibach or something like that.

 

alexjp01 -- Sorry for the delay and you probrably already have you springs in. But you should get about 2" of lift out of it. As for install -- take off shocks lower bolts, remove brake caliper then stand on the the hub. the spring will just hit the ground, assuming you took the spring hardware off!

 

consti2tion- I would try the cc818 they would probably drop you truck about an 1" and a bit. If you got a good spring shop or parts store get them to look up a Moog number CC8426. This spring should drop your truck 2 plus inches and not change your ride quality. I am not sure what thier for and buying them and not being able to return them would suck. Thier installed height is 11.5" but they only support 1295lbs so the shorter installed height and 250lbs /pair less weight support should drop it nicely. DON'T forget you will need an alignment and new caster/camber bushing kit.

 

How would I adjust the camber on my truck? The I-Beams say " Do not heat " on them. To my understanding that's how you use to adjust camber on the older I-Beam trucks. Thanks for the help RoadRash! Greatly appreciated.

Also Oreilly Auto parts sells Moog Parts, for anyone that's wondering where to get Moog stuff. I bought some Moog balljoints there for my old Mustang about a year ago.

 

Anyone got a factory too aftermarket chart?
my 96 f150 has front spring code L wich i found on the decoder = 5310 but not sure what fords 5310 is in aftermarket.

44

 

44dwarf -- I don't have a cross reference chart. Most aftermarket are laid out pretty good thought, wheel base, ex/cab, engine, tranny, 4wd, etc... when looking them up.

Consti2tion -- Your upper ball joint fits into a excentric bushing. This bushing can be removed and replaced with a different offset. The kits are about 40 or 50 bucks and most alignment shops have them. I had mine replaced when I lifted my 94 cause the shop couldn't get it close enough with the factory bushing.

 

I have a 150 i-6 w/ac 2wd would the 844 springs be good for 2" of lift? Right now the front sits 3" lower than the rear (I'm sure the orignal factory ones are down 1")
And I would still like it to be aligned correctly is this possible?
As a added bonus I have a set of brand new 33-12.50 buckshots I'd really love to put on, they will clear the rear fine and I under stand that they may rub the frame and radius arms but I should be able to get them to work, right?

 

DAN -- The 844 will give you more than enough to get those 33's under there. Your truck would be pretty much level. Measure you I-beam at the frame pivot to ground and then the center of your wheel hub to ground of the same I-beam. The difference should be about a 1" -frame pivot being higher. If it is your probably good to go. BUT an alignment still wouldn't hurt.

 

Ok, if that would be more than enough room could I go with a lighter cap. Spring for a softer ride? And still clear Or would the regular 844 what I need, or the 844s? They may be too stiff...

How much adjustment is there on the front end of a 2 wheel drive?
Or would I be better off with leveling coils? I think they are 1 1/2". I'd really like the truck to sit level!

 

Dan-- If I remember right it was +/-1.5 deg. If your concerned about the ride quality then the 844 may not be the right choice. The 2wd's sit lower with the same spring due to the width of the I beam compared to the traction beam. Saying that you will need the extra lift for the 33's. You may want to look at some of the softride lift springs from superlift or trail master.

 

Thanks for the reply, do they make progressive rate 844 springs? Would those help?
How about a coil spacer big enough to run 33s or a somewhat stiffer factory spring with a smaller spacer?
Thanks again...