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Leaf spring pack build for my 00 green Ranger project

Which option?

  • A) donor pack plus cut down main

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • B) donor pack plus cut main and medium leaf

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • C) donor pack plus cut main and medium leaf and delete short leaf

    Votes: 1 100.0%
  • D) donor pack plus medium leaf

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    1

lil_Blue_Ford

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So I had a plan, now I’m questioning the plan…

Original plan was to take the Explorer leafs off my donor and split it apart then break down another set of Explorer leafs I had and cut the main down so I would have main, cut main, long leaf, short leaf, overload. So that’s what I started to do until I lined the cut mains up and found they don’t have the same arch. I also discovered that the short leaf from the old packs I broke down is shorter than the long leaf from my donor but longer than the short leaf from the donor. So now I have basically three options.

The reasons for wanting to add a leaf or two is that I’m leaving this as a spring under and I also want to make sure I have some decent load capacity since my trucks work for a living even if they are playtoys. Hopefully some of y’all have some opinions/insight on this, I’ve built leaf packs before with somewhat mixed results, so this isn’t completely uncharted territory. But I’ve never done a spring under and am not sure how it all translates.

I know the longer the leafs, the more springy the pack stays and the shorter, the stiffer. More leafs or thicker = more carrying capacity. My first Ranger I did a Ranger pack with a cut down main and an extra leaf worked in. It would take being loaded down but because I kept all leafs as long as possible, it was still not a hard ride. My choptop I did about the same, but Explorer leafs all around and as light as that thing is, the leafs are too hard in my opinion, but it’s tolerable. My F-150 I did an F-250 pack (well, two of them), cut down a main, added a couple other longer leafs and flipped the overloads. It’s a bit on the hard side for a ride, very tolerable though, but it takes weight extremely well which is exactly what I wanted.

So… options…

A) original plan, add the cut down mains to the packs and call it a day (I’ll drill out the ends for spring pads and refresh all the pads and stuff for whichever I go with). Right side of both pics.

B) add the cut down main AND the medium length leaf from the old Explorer packs. Left side of first pic.

C) add the cut down main and the medium length leaf AND delete the short leaf. Left side of second pic,

D) add just the medium length leaf from the old to the donor packs (not really a big fan of this one, but it is an option).

F21012A4-FC1D-410C-9DC8-699D8D15529C.jpeg

1E04507D-7942-4C86-BF41-8BABD17FB761.jpeg
 


Uncle Gump

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E) use all the springs

We use to build all our spring packs when young. Then we got spoiled with a local spring shop the did fast... great work. They were very reasonable too. It wasn't worth messing with.

So...

F) I got nothin
 

lil_Blue_Ford

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E) use all the springs

We use to build all our spring packs when young. Then we got spoiled with a local spring shop the did fast... great work. They were very reasonable too. It wasn't worth messing with.

So...

F) I got nothin
I thought about going to a spring shop, but there’s none exactly close. Plus I’ve sunk a small fortune into this project already and I still have exhaust and a shakedown to go at minimum and I still really should do something about the headlights. Thinking about going to the 01 style and go with C style headlights. Just need this thing done though
 

racsan

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How much are you really needing to increase the load capacity by? I run axle-mounted coil helpers on mine. Seems like building a big leaf pack will have you a empty dump truck ride, the rear axle (im assuming stock) is only rated for 3000#. I think the rating on my helper springs is 2500#. I paid about $50 for them 5 years ago. Had a set on my ranger trailer & the ‘93 4wd ranger I used to have, as a bonus the 4wd (because of the lift blocks) didnt ride on the helper springs unless it was loaded, still had a nice stock ride. My ‘94 is a little stiff in the back but mostly in the summer when the cap is off and the bed is empty. Right now in addition to the cap Ive got 240# of softner salt in the back. I went the route I did because the stock rear suspension is single leaf fiberglass.
345A3C2D-688E-41DE-A674-8A4129E6DEDA.jpeg
AC14B7A3-E03D-4B5D-AFEC-994CF5C1F2FC.jpeg
 

2011Supercab

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Just my thoughts

A - will be to stiff
B & D - I think by the time you bolt them together the arched spring and the one above it will be about the same length
C - Is what I would try first
 

lil_Blue_Ford

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How much are you really needing to increase the load capacity by? I run axle-mounted coil helpers on mine. Seems like building a big leaf pack will have you a empty dump truck ride, the rear axle (im assuming stock) is only rated for 3000#. I think the rating on my helper springs is 2500#. I paid about $50 for them 5 years ago. Had a set on my ranger trailer & the ‘93 4wd ranger I used to have, as a bonus the 4wd (because of the lift blocks) didnt ride on the helper springs unless it was loaded, still had a nice stock ride. My ‘94 is a little stiff in the back but mostly in the summer when the cap is off and the bed is empty. Right now in addition to the cap Ive got 240# of softner salt in the back. I went the route I did because the stock rear suspension is single leaf fiberglass. View attachment 87956View attachment 87957
So that’s definitely something I forgot to consider.

I undeleted your post because it is an option I failed to consider and it certainly is an option. For that matter I could even add airbags or something. I was looking at going to an electric power steering pump, which would free up an accessory spot on top of the motor which could be used for an air compressor pump… I could also possibly go with air shocks or coil over load helper shocks. At this point I’m going to say I’m going to build a leaf spring pack and see how it does, if it needs help, then this will be a good thing to refer to. Do you remember where you got them or a part number or brand?

I’m not looking to use this like a dump truck or full-size, I have those vehicles here for heavy work. I just don’t want to pretty much be on the bump stops hooking up the small trailer (6.5’x11’) and Craftsman GT tractor like the worn Ranger leafs that were on this truck. Realistically this truck should be able to handle the small trailer and whatever I put on it including my Ferguson TO-20 small farm tractor and it should be able to handle my boat (17’ Bayliner I/O). Also should be able to handle pulling my choptop on a tow dolly. It would be really nice if it would handle the equipment trailer (6.5’x14’ dual axle), but that thing is a tad on the heavy side (it sinks my F-150 a couple inches), so that might be asking a little much. I’m ok with having to use the F-150 or dump truck for the equipment trailer if that’s how it has to be.
 

lil_Blue_Ford

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Just my thoughts

A - will be to stiff
B & D - I think by the time you bolt them together the arched spring and the one above it will be about the same length
C - Is what I would try first
Little confused here…

A and D should be the softest options based on experience. A should actually be the softest with a boost to load capacity and D should be a little stiffer but similar in my estimation. With A I’m just adding one long leaf and it’s a bit on the flat side (worn), so my only concern is that it might not be enough. Option D isn’t in the pictures, I didn’t think of it until I was writing this up, but it’s option B minus the cut down main.

B should be by far the stiffest, adding two leafs to the entire donor Explorer pack may be ok or it may be an empty dump truck ride.

C should fit right in between D and B for stiffness

I checked lengths, there is enough difference in leaf length to do any of the options listed. Guess I could clamp each option together and try jumping on them to get a feel for flex.

Guess I’m kinda just not sure how stiff an Explorer pack will be on a Ranger (I know they are rated higher) and how much I’ll need to add to achieve my goal, which mostly is to tow a small trailer without riding on the bump stops. By keeping the axle spring under, it’s going to put the axle a lot closer to the frame than the Ranger axle that is spring over with 2” blocks. I’m ok with the truck sitting lower than stock, being V-8 AWD, that’s a handling advantage which is also why I’m not flipping the spring perches and adding blocks as well as retaining all of the Explorer stuff (factory sort of traction bars, dampening shock, sway bar, spring under, both shocks on the back of the axle and attached to the u-bolt plates). I’m not sure that axle wrap is really going to be a concern with it being AWD, but stiffer springs and all the other factory stuff will help combat any.
 

racsan

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I believe I bought those at autozone, The reason I deleted the post was I re-read yours and saw you were going with a spring-under setup. That (obviously) puts the axle housing closer to the frame, I dont think my setup would work well with a spring under unless you cut a considerable amount of the coils down. I wasnt sure my setup/idea would work for you but if it does, great. 🙂 I think airbags are a great idea, adjust as needed for the situation.
 

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My option e is a 4 link setup. It's taken this long already.. might as well add a boat load more work and complication.
 

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Weld some perches on top, put a couple short springs on. Put L brackets on the frame to engage the short springs at a height that engages only with load.
 

racsan

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Weld some perches on top, put a couple short springs on. Put L brackets on the frame to engage the short springs at a height that engages only with load.
There’s a idea, use 2.3 lima valve springs!
 

alwaysFlOoReD

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I meant leaf springs...lol.
Same as some 1tons I've seen.
 

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Option D isn’t in the pictures, I didn’t think of it until I was writing this up, but it’s option B minus the cut down main.
Guess I didn't look at the pictures that close, Didn't notice that both right side springs are the same.

From the pictures, I still like the left hand spring in the second picture.
 

lil_Blue_Ford

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I believe I bought those at autozone, The reason I deleted the post was I re-read yours and saw you were going with a spring-under setup. That (obviously) puts the axle housing closer to the frame, I dont think my setup would work well with a spring under unless you cut a considerable amount of the coils down. I wasnt sure my setup/idea would work for you but if it does, great. 🙂 I think airbags are a great idea, adjust as needed for the situation.
Yeah, didn’t think about the coils potentially being way too long, but it was still a good thing to bring up, I hadn’t really considered other potential solutions to this problem. Airbags might be the most ideal/least involved should I end up needing them. But the coils are indeed a simple solution and less to potentially go wrong. We shall see how this all pans out and I’ll hold your idea if needed.
 

lil_Blue_Ford

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My option e is a 4 link setup. It's taken this long already.. might as well add a boat load more work and complication.
No. I don’t have any more time to play with this, my F-150 is now leaking gas somewhere above the gas tank and along with all of its other issues, my time is better used getting this Ranger done instead of fighting a losing battle with the F-150. If I can get it out of DD duty and slap a couple band-aids on it, I can limp it long enough to get the dump truck fixed (I hope), then I can do a major overhaul to the F-150. Right now too many things are going bad too fast on the F-150 and between winter, no garage, health issues, and all, I need a better DD. That is the Ranger. I’m deleting a few “wants” from my list of what needs done on the Ranger in favor of getting it back up sooner. I don’t need to add more work back in right now. All of the “wants” though, I’m leaving provisions to do something about those in the future electric power steering (I’m leaving the adapters in position and using -6AN so all I’ll have to do is make up the correct lines and mount the pump where I found room), electric fan (again, not a problem, I was planning it from the start), mirrors with puddle lights (yup, again, not a problem), some other electrical stuff…
 

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