new F-150 leafs upgrade

[IRKillroy]

has anyone put some of the new monster 3" wide f-150 leafs on their 1st gen rangers? even the 2nd gen would be good to hear about.

I'm seriously considering making this happen to increase my load capacity... frame strengthing being a foregone conclusion.... what would I need to do? just cut the brackets off the younger big brother or what?

 

[Rifleman]

I would think you have the possibility of clearance issues either at the wheel or inside the bed with the mounts. Wider leafs decrease the axles ability to flex/twist. You would want to change out the axle spring seat for a wider mount to insure proper impact resistance when off-roading.

If you want increased capacity just add an extra leaf to what you have. It would be easier and yield the same result. It wouldn't create the extra leverage that would prevent the axle flex either.

As for doing it, yea, just lob off the old spring hangers from the frame, measure out and mount the new being sure to keep the exact same wheelbase distance and pinion angle (to prevent driveshaft/U-joint issues).

 

[UrbanRedneckKid]

I take it you've never looked under an OLD F-150... 3" springs aren't a new thing.

If your looking to just up the capacity, add more leaves to your springs. Or do the 64" GM 2500 spring swap. Both being much easier than changing: 4 perches, shackles, axle perches, resetting pinion angle, losing clearance to the brake lines and bleeders, and hours of pointless work.

I've seen factory Ranger out haul F-150. With the same amount of stone in the beds the 150 was on it's bump stops and the Ranger still had an inch before to stops.

 

[IRKillroy]

the 2009 f-150 springs are 63" long... so, um... what's wrong with them? they're 31 5/8 in the front and 31 3/8 in the back.... so they are plenty long, Ford, and not as many leafs as the chevy 2500 springs....

or so my research says... I'm not into chevy's so I can be sure on it but they have 5-6 while the new ford leafs have 4 (4x4 version)

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

I've seen factory Ranger out haul F-150. With the same amount of stone in the beds the 150 was on it's bump stops and the Ranger still had an inch before to stops.

It must have been a beat light duty F-150. My Ranger squats more with a empty car trailer on it than my F-150 does with a tractor on the same said car trailer. I almost run out jack letting it down, if it wasn't so darn handy to move the trailer around the lot with I would have no reason to even hook it on.

 

[Shran]

It must have been a beat light duty F-150. My Ranger squats more with a empty car trailer on it than my F-150 does with a tractor on the same said car trailer. I almost run out jack letting it down, if it wasn't so darn handy to move the trailer around the lot with I would have no reason to even hook it on.

Yeah, no kidding. My Ranger squats down 4" with a C6, C3, D20, and half a roll of chain link fence in the back. My F150 wouldn't even move.

 

[IRKillroy]

that's why I want to do the swap... the older f-150 springs were longer in the rear than the front... the new has them equal front and rear... so it's better to use...