In this day and age, while the trucks are so advanced on so many levels, why do we still have leaf springs in the rear ? besides the obvious ability to carry a heavy load and the stability etc.
At least the half tons should have coil springs, I used to have an old 72 GMC PU with dual rate coils in back and the ride was truely amazing, I swear if someone drove it on the bumpiest old back road they'd swear they were driving an LTD. it must be pure cheapness that the major manufacturers are not upgrading todays pickups. considering the kind of money people pay, we deserve a lot better !

 

How much do you seriously wish to drive up the price of a truck?

New tech is good, if it is cost effective. If it costs more - I'd rather go with the old ways. If they can do as much and be less pricey, I'm all for it.

Besides - I can swap parts around.

When we alter the means, we make modifications more difficult.

PARKS911 recently had a set of air bags blow under a trailer he was hauling. Springs would not have done that.

 

Leaf springs do two things well and cheaply.
1. They locate the rear axle
2. Carry the load.

With the probability that a pickup will be overloaded, I'm sure the manufacturers take abuse into account when they design them.

 

Nice thing about leaf springs is that they can be tuned...you can't really say that about coil springs. Add some leaves for more carrying capacity, take a few out to soften up the ride.

Leaves are cheaper to lift too!

 

I know nobody believes this except those who know- but a C6 'Vette rides on leaf springs.

 

Really? I would have thought it would be on a 4 link with coil springs. Or IRS.

 

It has a short-long arm and transverse leaf spring independent suspension, with 2 leaf springs (one front, one rear).

Front:
short/long arm (SLA) double wishbone, cast aluminum upper & lower control arms, transverse-mounted composite leaf spring, monotube shock absorber

Rear:
short/long arm (SLA) double wishbone, cast aluminum upper & lower control arms, transverse-mounted composite leaf spring, monotube shock absorber

 

It's about money; leaf springs = lower cost than coil.

 

Leaf springs are better for hauling weight than coil springs.
Octane

 

Luckily the aftermarket is there for those who wish to change their vehicle to suit their needs,be it towing, performance ,etc.

 

coil springs are not heavy duty thats why they are not used in trucks ford did use them in the old ranchero and it could only hold 500 lbs before bottoming out. i want a truck that can take a few thousand pounds and not bottom out. right now ford has the irs rear being used on the expys maybe they will put that in the f150's sometime. the expy has a axle rated for 4,200 lbs so it is doable.

 

It's KISS man, Keep It Simple Stupid. Leaf springs are cheap, simple, and they flat out work. Plus, they don't ride that bad.

Mike

 

I think the materials and construction of the Corvette suspension doesn't quite qualify it for this conversation

 

Thanks for all the replies guys.

Your right, rear coil suspension would probably cost more, however, trucks today are so over priced I think a coil rear suspension should at least be an option. if you want a work truck the F-250 or a one ton does the job, but I think todays modern truck should be more versitile, it spends most of it's time puttering around town or going for a backroads cruize, if all you need it for is moving the ocasional couch, fridge or dirt bike, you don't really need leaf springs.
I agree, leaf springs can be tuned and played with, if a leaf spring is all you have to work with you can do your best to make it better, but it can't be compared to a coil, by it's very nature a leaf spring can't respond to bumps and damping the way a coil can.
As far as coil springs being less heavy duty than leaves, thats a myth, leaf springs are much more common, maby we believe this cause we see them on the more heavyduty trucks, but when was the last time you checked out the suspension on a train, it's all coil !
Now when you say the leaf spring suspension does two things, locates the axle, and takes loads, I agree, but those dual rate coils on my old 72 GMC did two things as well, they sucked up all those little bumps like an LTD, and took a load, if you've never driven a pickup with rear coils you really won't know what I'm on about.

 

I imagine rear coils would be a marvelous idea. I've seen them used as a "helper" along with the traditional leaves. It just strikes me as odd to peer under a truck and see coil springs.

Maybe with time i'll come to accept that. Which will probably be around the same time they come out with a truck with a full 8 foot bed, with front wheel drive only. And thats the day i'll stop looking at new trucks.