Has anyone swapped the factory F250 front springs with F350 springs? If so how did it work? I have a 1984 F250 6.9 plow truck. I'm thinking of doing this swap. I have an older Myers plow and it is HEAVY!!!!

Thanks for your input!
Tim

 

so your saying about an inch to bump stop is not factory height on the 50 ifs?

 

im starting to question some things now... hmmm and correct me if im wrong but arent 250 and 350 front springs the same? just the backs are different

 

When I tore mine apart, what I found that got my height back up to around 2" clearance on the bump stops was the front shackles were shot.

The end up inside the frame, the bushing was gone and the bolts were worn almost 1/2 way though.

To bad I had ordered new springs and hardware and had 2 extra leaves added to each spring, 600 dollars worth.
Before you say it, I was also installing the 60 at that time.

Anyway back to the story.
So when I dropped the shackles down out of the frame and saw how bad they were worn, I installed the new shackles on the old springs.
Measured the bump stop clearance.
Then I took it back apart, took the two extra leaves out of the new springs and installed them.
Measured the bump stop clearance again.
Same negative arch, exactly the same bump stop clerarance.

So 80 dollars worth of hardware would have got me as much clearance as 400 dollars worth of hardware and springs did.
The extra 200 was for the extra leaves.

And as a side benefit, there was this strange clunk that I never could find when I hit bumps.
You almost felt it more than you heard it.
After the shackle change, the clunk went away.

Yes, I tore it back apart and installed the extra leaves after the 60 went in, and yes I no longer have negative arch springs.
I also no longer have any teeth.

 

Dave would this be what you replaced? http://www.lmctruck.com/icatalog/fd/full.aspx?Page=49

Part #45-1563?

 

I put add-a-leafs on my F250 to compensate for the plow weight. Without lift brackets (which I don't have) my wheels definitely sit \ / and during the summer I get some pretty messed up tire wear from it.

Dana 60 here I come!!

.... and new tires

Chris

 

45-1532 bushings in the front shackle would be the bushing kit.

When I tore mine down, the bolt was into the steel plate and had a notch 1/2 a bolt deep in the shackle.

And 1/2 the bolt was gone as well.

So I just bought new shackles and bolts from Ford and replace everything.

Firestone Ride Rite air bags are a much better choice than helper springs, you can air them up when the plow is on, air them down when it is off.

When I installed the 60 under mine, I almost doubled the tire life.
With the IFS axle, by the end of the second year I had no tread left.
With the 60 I made it half way through the fourth winter, but with all the snow and ice we had this winter, I replaced my front tires to get more tread on them even though they passed our safety inspection in January.
Then in February I almost put it over the hill, well had one tire over the hill in my driveway and had to chain up to get it out.
The next day I had a new set of tires on the front axle.

 

ok so you the shackle item 6 part number 45-1357 LMC Truck Parts - Page 128

Any idea what the difference in bushings are from 45-1532 and the 45-1325/
45-1326

Also when i looked into 45-1357 it is described as FRONT SHACKLE W/BUSHING, so i would assume i dont need the upper and lower bushing but prob the bolt?

And dave, was the rear mount ok, anything worn there that needed replace?

 

Strangely enough... That 2 inches at the Bumpstops translates to Roughly 4-5 inches at the tires due to the Rotational Geometry of the Ford Suspension.... I have an 88 F250 4x4 that only has about 1.5 Inches... and I had it in for an alignment back in September The only thing they had to do is Toe... Everything else was OEM Spec'ed with the Original OEM Bushings still in the Axles.. Plus with the spring rate of the Diesel Springs You are likely to start to flex a Frame before you ever hit the Bumpstops LOL (I have experienced that 1 too)

 

1980 - 1997 F250 / F350 4x4 front shackle: General Spring offers leaf springs, coil springs, lift kits, leveling kits

I think thats the shackle he means.

 

2" is alot compared to some suspensions, go poke your head under a chebby IFS.. they litterally sit on the snubbers. Our 2011 Stroker is only 3/4-1" off the snubber... its like wtf?? run over a cockroach, and its bottomed out essentially. No doubt smarter ppl than me designed it, but i will say our 03 rides nicer, and it has a bit more travel.

 

F250 F350 Front Shackle, Each
them are what i used and worked great. i cant even get my fingers between one side of my bump stops.... but that clunk sure went away!