Hey gang, I'm usually posting in the 60's section as I am restoring a 65 f100. But my daily driver is a 95 f150 2wd 5.0 auto trans. I have the typical Ford leaning wheel issue due to weak front springs. I am about to replace front shocks and brakes. I want to do something about the springs but I am a little unclear about what to use. I look on Oreillys, Advance Auto, etc. They list what springs fit what trucks. So what I find is that my truck, as common as it is, seems to fall between things in these fitment charts. Example is that they have maybe 3 options, one being a HD spring. Of the other 2 stock replacement springs, they are slightly different in unloaded and loaded height. I find that 1 fits trucks that are extended cab V8, or maybe the inline 6 is different. Or a V8 truck with towing package takes one, etc..... My truck is a Regular cab 8 foot bed , 2 wheel drive, 5.0L automatic does not have a hitch nor does it look like it ever did. The fitment charts seem to exclude my truck, then I see forums where someone changed springs and had to change them again due to truck sitting to high thanks to getting wrong coils to start with. I have had this happen with a 4x4 ext cab I had once, truck sat to low and I couldn't return the coils so I ended up buying a lift kit that is a plastic block that fits under the coil to make the truck level. I'd rather just get the right set of coils to begin with.
My question, is there a way to identify what springs should be in the truck? Accurately? The 2 options there are available are only around an inch different in height, but that is enough to make or break the repair! Any advise would be great!!
Thank you

 

I also need to add that the truck has AC. Apparently is matters when dealing with coil springs. Only Ford, lol i tell ya!!!

So again, my stats, 1995 Ford F150 2wd Long bed 5.0l Auto AC no tow package , only 1 shock per side, XLT package with anti sway bars front and rear

 

I saw the AC question comeup at Advanced Auto, I have been wondering this myself.

 

I guess not many people on the forum have had issues with coil springs. I'm not getting much feedback. No problem though!
I am just very unclear as to what springs will fit as my truck has features or options for both of the 2 basic coils offered aftermarket. I experienced this once before with a truck I owned a few years ago. That time the coils that claimed to fit were too short and the truck still sagged with new coils. I just don't want to do the job twice, not even once really but i need to get it back up straight. I need to replace the front tires in the next week or so as they are getting pretty skimpy. I have shocks and brakes ready for it, just need the coils....... I guess I will have to take a chance on the set that fits the most criteria and hope for the best

 

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/3...your-info.html

 

Thanks for the link.
I read all of the info. Still confused though. And I will explain why. From that link, there are 4 possible coils that fit my truck. Per the comments, any of them "can" be used on my F150 as they are interchangeable. That part I understand. From what I gather after reading the comments, if you put in a different coil than your original, you can adjust camber with offset ball joints. That part is clear as well. But here is what I am having trouble with. I want to replace the coils with a set that doesn't end up with me having to replace ball joints to offset me putting in coils that don't match the ball joints I already have. It comes down to 2 choices for length, 12.13 or 13 inch loaded height. As my original stock coils are worn out. I had a 95 F150 4x4, installed the new coils, the truck still sagged as I got the 12.13 height, and apparently needed the 13's, had to shim under the coils as I needed the truck and couldn't wait to order the right set that time.... The 95 F150 2wd I have now uses 1 or the other as there are only 2 choices. I'm just trying to buy the set that will put it back to the right ride height without having to replace ball joints or bushings.
I guess 1 option to determine the best spring height to buy is jack truck up enough to have tires sit decent, and measure the spring height. If it is close to 12 ", buy the 12.13, and if it is close to 13" but the 13"..... Maybe there is no real way to know what it should have in it now? I'd call Ford but they want my money as bad as I do!! lol

 

maybe go on a ford parts website and enter your vin to identify your vehicle and see if it only lists one spring.

 

I replaced the springs on my '91 with Moog Cargo Control progressive rate coil springs about 5 years ago, and I am very pleased with them.

https://www.summitracing.com/search/...0coil%20spring

 

From looking at Rockauto, you have lots of choices.

I installed Moog Cc820 coils and it leveled my front with the rear. But the trade off was camber bushings, axle drop brackets, and a 2" drop pitman arm to get the correct geometry. Just with camber bushings, it put me at 3+ degrees. That is max without more work like axle drop brackets to get it around 2+ degrees.

Without the drop pitman arm, my geometry was /\ with all new inner and outer tie rods and ball joints.

And no matter what spring you install, you have to have it aligned. Whether you do it at home with a proven method or at an alignment shop, it has to be done unless you wanna chew up the crap tires you already have or replace tires every several thousand miles.

And if you have to replace ball joints after a coil spring change, then you needed ball joints anyway. Good balljoints are good, regardless of coil or shock replacement. Bad balljoints are just bad, period.

 

There are several choices for sure! I just don't want to have to replace something else to correct using different springs than i have now. I have replaced coils on a few older F100 and F150s in the past, just quickly checked the toe in and off we go. By changing ball joints I mean that if i need an offset ball joint to correct camber AFTER a new spring set. I am trying to avoid that. I should be able to get the right set of coils and not need to fool with camber, only toe in adjustment if needed. I am going to try the vin seach on ford parts direct and see if it gives me 1 part number or several for my truck. That was a great idea camoF250! I hadn't thought of that. I will post my results, good or bad!!
I'm not dropping my truck, just trying to get it back to stock stance, the original coils are toast!

 

I would put springs in it that are spec'd most closely to match your trucks configuration. Maybe you'll not need anything more than check the toe, maybe you will. It is standard practice to make fine caster/camber adjustments with upper ball joint bushings. Not having to adjust anything is nice, but involves some luck or just saying "good enough"/"close counts".

Another thing you might want to check on is what one of our site sponsors suggests; ATS Springs.

 

I've never heard of adjustable balljoints, only Camber bushings to achieve correct alignment.

And if your saying the stock coils are toast, then anything New is going to need an alignment, because an inch of sag means that it isn't stock now anyway.

Don't get me wrong, I understand what you want to achieve, but going about it "Right Now" is far away from "The Right Way".

 

I have a '95 regular cab long-bed with 4.9L and AC. When I rebuilt the front suspension, I used Moog CC822. These springs may have raised the front a bit compared to the sagging 300,000 mile springs that were on there, but I wish it would've raised it another inch or two. I didn't have any issues getting it aligned, and they ride pretty nice.

 

I had a Bronco II yrs ago, put in a 2" taller spring, it was aligned with no additional parts IIRC. As far as your spring choice go with closely matches your truck. My trucks have always been way higher in the rear. Plenty of room to level things out.

 

It may not be the "Ford Tech" way, but the Right Now way is the way I am going, one way or the other. This is a 24 yr old truck daily driver. I don't have time to fool around changing bushings to correct camber. There are 2 spring height options. One of them has to be what my current camber bushings are for. I'm just trying to avoid doing 2 spring changes if I get the wrong set first. I'd like to get the right set and get it over with in one shot. As for adjustable ball joints, I thought I read where there are offset ball joints in different configurations to adjust for camber issues. I expect to have to adjust the tie rods as it may have been adjusted over the years. One thing in my favor is the truck has very low miles, and it barely got used for many years. I got it with 116,000 miles on it, it now has 125,000. Last owner had it since year 2000 or so. It had like 60k miles on it when they got it. It may not have ever had more than 1 alignment in its life. I'm not looking to level the truck, or lift it. I am simply trying to get the spring height correct so the wheels sit somewhat straight as far as camber is concerned.
I'm going to check the Ford parts site in the morning, might get lucky and find my VIN only pops up 1 spring part number. Otherwise I will just go with the closest option and hope for the best. I will post my results either way!