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need suspension help

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Old Sep 5, 2005 | 08:33 PM
  #1  
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theonebigrock
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need suspension help

I have a 2002 f150 plus one honda 4trax 4 wheeler. My wife purchased an additional polaris 4 wheeler. I purchased a rack that would allow me to carry both wheelers and still tow my trailer. However my suspension could not handle it and I was dragging. What is out there that will make it so I can carry all of my stuff. Do I need different shocks, need to install overload springs? Any help would be appreciated. I really do not want to pull a double.
 
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Old Sep 5, 2005 | 09:56 PM
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shocks stop the bounce, springs carry the load. you can either add a helper leaf spring, or add air shocks where you can boost the load carrying capacity with air pressure. standard shocks to not carry load.
 
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Old Sep 6, 2005 | 04:04 AM
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Let's see: probably ~1400 lbs in atvs/rack, ~300+ lbs of people, gear and such, you're probably well over your GVWR (without the tongue weight of the trailer). The only F150's w/ over 2K payloads are (some) 2wd reg. cabs and the 7700 series (7 lug wheels), most are well under. 10% over once in a while is one thing, more than that regularly is another. The best change would be to remove the rack and put it in an F250.

If your dragging tail to start with, band-aid cures won't make it safe. Your suspension isn't the only thing overloaded. What kind of trailer are we talking? Description of your truck (cab style, engine, 2/4wd)? GVWR?(on sticker in door jamb).
 
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Old Sep 6, 2005 | 05:51 AM
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Originally Posted by theonebigrock
I have a 2002 f150 plus one honda 4trax 4 wheeler. My wife purchased an additional polaris 4 wheeler. I purchased a rack that would allow me to carry both wheelers and still tow my trailer. However my suspension could not handle it and I was dragging. What is out there that will make it so I can carry all of my stuff. Do I need different shocks, need to install overload springs? Any help would be appreciated. I really do not want to pull a double.
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