New leaf springs..

[TrexMex]

Mine look like an ugly "-w-"... couldn't take pics, sorry... so called a junk yard and they have a pair out of a 2000 supercab and selling them for 80 bucks.... price right? what should I'll be looking for?

 

[Rifleman]

Sounds about right. Not going to do a whole lot better than that in any of the boneyards I visit.

 

[TrexMex]

Went today and took a look at them.. still installed in a 2001 Mazda B2300, look in perfect conditions, still powdercoated no rust... looks like same chassis as mine but would like confirmation from you guys

another thing, those leaf springs have 4 leafs and mine have 3.... the more the better?

 

[Sasquatch_Ryda]

They are the same length and everything, ford builds the Mazda B series.

The 4 leaf pack will be less prone to bagging out like your stock set did.

 

[Rifleman]

They are the same length and everything, ford builds the Mazda B series.

The 4 leaf pack will be less prone to bagging out like your stock set did.

Do what I do and steal a leaf from the old set to add to the newer set. Just take both sets to any local spring shop and have them trim them up to add one. Of course if you get ahold of a leaf from a different truck that is an "in between" length, you can bypass the trimming at a spring shop.

Only thing I do not advise is adding one longer than the second leaf from the main spring. Adding one longer than the second creates too much stress on the spring eyes.

 

[JeepRecoveryTeam]

every junk yard ive been to in co only want 30 bucks for any leafs. 15 a leaf pack 30 for the pair. 70 sees alil high for me. well unless they pull them for you but pulling them your self is worth the 40 bucks.

 

[Sasquatch_Ryda]

Well consider yourself lucky. All the wrecking yards here, its $100 per side.

 

[Mechanickid]

Here in wv my friend just bought a pair of explorer leafs for 80$

 

[TrexMex]

Well consider yourself lucky. All the wrecking yards here, its $100 per side.

I thought they were a good deal, the skyjackers cost like $450 a pair as well as the OEM leafs. Payed half today and I'm picking them up tomorrow; thanks for all the advice! Have a spare set of poly bushings laying around and I'm good to go..

So what would be the benefit of adding and extra leaf in there? just lift? wouldn't that stiffen the rear too much?

 

[Rifleman]

I thought they were a good deal, the skyjackers cost like $450 a pair as well as the OEM leafs. Payed half today and I'm picking them up tomorrow; thanks for all the advice! Have a spare set of poly bushings laying around and I'm good to go..

So what would be the benefit of adding and extra leaf in there? just lift? wouldn't that stiffen the rear too much?

Lift is minimal, mainly the thickness of the leaf, typically about 3/8" or less.

Mostly what it does is eliminate the weakness and droop caused by use and age, it prevents the springs from going to the \/o\/ shape you described. I was mainly addressing > |QUOTE> The 4 leaf pack will be less prone to bagging out like your stock set did. ---------- Simply making the point it is easy to add a leaf when in there anyway to prevent such things.

As far as ride, the difference is minimal when adding a shorter leaf as compared to a longer one. The longer springs carry most of the "ride" weight and the shorter ones are for the "load" weight. So if you just want to add some extra strength to your new springs for loads, add a shorter leaf. If you just want to tighten up the ride to renew an old set of springs, you are best off with a longer leaf. Some folk will opt for adding a long leaf to renew their old springs to prevent having to deal with the shackle bolts in changing the whole set.

I had 6 leafs plus the flat overload on my old 1987. It had a thicker upgraded main spring and five stock leafs all of which were trimmed with a bias towards loaded strength (shorter). It had the RS9000 shocks with cab control unit and I could completely fill the 7' bed with gravel or moistened sand, turn up the rear shocks, and the rear would set down about 1.5" (maybe 2" but I doubt it) and ride and handling was changed very little. During day to day running I ran the RS9000s at level 2 on the front and 0 on the rear, at max load I would run the front at 3-4 and the rear on 3. Same for heavy off roading. Truck still had massive flex as all springs were re-arched and rated by the spring shop that trimmed them (Point Spring and Driveshaft in WV). The top three leafs would still push on the ground hard at a an 8" droop leaving the tips of the lower three hanging free.

I realize these are the front coils, but these are the only two pictures I've got of the truck and show the RS9000 kit.