Helper Springs

[Nathan123]

I was wondering what the opinion on helper springs is both for rangers and bII's. There are only three leaves on my bronc 2, and even with air shocks the back still sags. So I was looking at helpers ,550 or 1000 pound, because they are cheap and easy, but I read a post about them being dangerous or something, and just wanted some opinions.

 

[cocoasranger]

I put a pair of explorer springs on my 89 Ranger which lifted the rear about two inches higher than the front with the bed empty. The ride quality was as good or better than the stock springs and they only cost $100 for the pair.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Helper leafs are mostly just for load-carrying capacity. Most of the cheap ones you buy are dangerous because they clamp to the leaf pack - so if your main leaf fails from the extra stress, your springs are coming up through the bed floor.

Factory helper leafs on like an F-250 is an additional spring pack clamped above the regular pack and they touch pads mounted to the frame, so it transfers weight between the frame and spring pack instead of just from the stock springs. (hope that makes sense, not sure how else to explain it without pictures)

I custom built leaf packs for both my Ranger and my Choptop and I will be building a custom leaf pack for my F-150 before long and adding a set of factory helper springs. If you keep the leaves long, it will help with ride quality. Ranger springs in a BII will make it sit around stock height, leafs from a 4-door Explorer will give it a lil lift in the rear.

 

[adsm08]

I had a Nova that the PO put helper coils on the back because the leafs were getting iffy. It rode alright at first (PO happened to be my uncle) but by the time I got it the main leafs were both broken and I had to replace the spring packs (one stack came out in 2 halves, front and back) but I was in a hurry and forgot to take the helpers off and it was really dicey driving it once it got below 1/2 tank. One day I had probably 9.5 gallons in the 20 gallon tank and got cutoff on the highway while it was raining. Smashed the brakes and ended up facing North in a Southbound lane of I-81 a few minutes before rush hour. Scary stuff.

The moral of that story is, if you rear is weak get new springs, if you want more height, lift it (or get Ex springs), helpers make the rear dicey once the actual problem has been fixed.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

I had a Nova that the PO put helper coils on the back because the leafs were getting iffy. It rode alright at first (PO happened to be my uncle) but by the time I got it the main leafs were both broken and I had to replace the spring packs (one stack came out in 2 halves, front and back) but I was in a hurry and forgot to take the helpers off and it was really dicey driving it once it got below 1/2 tank. One day I had probably 9.5 gallons in the 20 gallon tank and got cutoff on the highway while it was raining. Smashed the brakes and ended up facing North in a Southbound lane of I-81 a few minutes before rush hour. Scary stuff.

The moral of that story is, if you rear is weak get new springs, if you want more height, lift it (or get Ex springs), helpers make the rear dicey once the actual problem has been fixed.

It depends on the type of overload used. The type that Ford puts on their trucks from the factory has absolutely no affect on unloaded driving because the helpers are either not touching the pads on the frame or just lightly touching (depending on the year and such). The cheap aftermarket ones are just like you said, they mask a problem and can make the repair dangerous.

 

[Nathan123]

Okay so aftermarket helpers are dangerous. What about helping a sagging rear with add-a-leafs like in the tech library? Does anyone know if longer shocks are required on a bronco 2 with add-a-leafs?

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Okay so aftermarket helpers are dangerous. What about helping a sagging rear with add-a-leafs like in the tech library? Does anyone know if longer shocks are required on a bronco 2 with add-a-leafs?

I have not been impressed with the add-a-leaf option. IMHO, you're far better off replacing the whole pack. Use a Ranger pack and slip a leaf or two from your old pack in it or use an Explorer pack. And replace the bushings in the ends of the eyes while it's tore apart.

 

[adsm08]

+1 on the bushings. I usually get a new set any time I have to take it apart unless it's got super low miles. They only run about $25 a side.