Rear Suspension lift/upgrades questions

[Timbershave]

I have an '06 4wd XLT w/ a superlift kit on the front and 3" blocks in the back. The truck sits mostly level. I bought this truck this way.

I am buying a fiberglass top and adding some other Overlander gear on the truck that is going to weigh the back down and make it sag.

The rear suspension is already questionable; bushings deteriorating, leafs seem stressed the way they are sitting, stock shackles... and I want to get rid of the 3" blocks.

I have it in my head I want to replace the leafs with 4" lift springs to rid the truck of the blocks but the skyjackers I'm told are soft so I'm worried it won't handle the weight. Are there better options?

I'm thinking about putting longer shackles on, and am wondering if this would be a suitable combination with the lifted leafs. I'm not very familiar with shackle function and effect so I don't know if this will additionally soften or lift...

I've been looking at variety of branks... belltech, Maxtrax, Camburg...

My first step is wanting to counter balance the weight I'm adding, and my second goal is to remove the blocks.

Thanks

 

[rusty ol ranger]

Air bags sound like your best bet once you fix what needs fixin and change the springs.

 

[bobbywalter]

are you saying you have two sets of blocks/stacked blocks?

or just one set of blocks?

if you only have one set of blocks, whats wrong with the blocks?




3-4 inch blocks are fine unless your doing serious wheeling....even then unless you have huge tires and a huge motor 4 in blocks are fine....traction bars will be required to maximize spring life of course....

stockish springs and a 3-4 in block maximize ground clearance. over axle traction bars and air shocks may be all ya need...besides the fresh bushings.

of course, a set of air bags work best for higher loads when your constantly changing load conditions.......but you wont want to use over axle traction bars with those... with lift springs you will have to customize the air bag installation as well. and still need traction bars. the larger arc lift springs caused me more problems if i did not have traction bars..


generally speaking, i run the high load f150 springs. it requires perch mods(drill bit) but has a livable ride and increased load capacity and they are cheeeep and easy to buy.. still have stock axle blocks though. i ran bastard packs with b2/explorer leafs back when good real b2 springs were easy to get. now they are not.


and i beat the holy livingfawk out of my truck...and i regularly destroy springs from overloading and off road abuse. so high dollar lift springs are off the table.


the 63 inch chevy mod may be worth a look for you as well....

 

[Timbershave]

Thanks for the replies.

I have the factory 2" blocks that are the bump stops, and then under that is the 3" added lift block. I want to raise the back of the truck 1-2 additional inches.

I figure getting the axle closer to the spring and getting rid of that 3" block would reduce the cantilever action (there's a name to describe this I can't remember) from rapid acceleration and such. I don't have

I'm not doing serious wheeling. I do, and want to do more, back woods to destination traveling, which includes seriously pitted old logging roads up mountains and other such semi-forged paths. I need/want the ground clearance, and retain the weight capacity for both my gear and DD uses.

It'd my DD & adventure rig.

I thought the shackles would possible give me the added lift, and new springs would help reduce the block and increase weight capacity... or at least let me handle the weight I have/am adding while keeping a light raised rake in the back.

I've thought of bags but I'm not crazy of the idea because I don't really want the added equipment and rubber. I get were your going and thanks for the reminder option.

I have no rear traction bars... I'll have to google what that looks like on the back of the Ranger.

I can't afford new springs right now, but can add shackles if it will help in the interim to offset the weight of the canopy I just bought and the gear I'm adding to the bed... at least in rear rake.

The rear springs have a weird bend upward right at the axle connection point. Not sure how normal that is. I'll try to add a pic.

Thanks!

 

[91stranger]

There's a lot you can do. You can add a leaf for not too much money. If you are handy then you could make longer shackles. I would keep the 3 inch block and do the add-a-leaf to the leaf springs. Also the term you may have been looking for is axle wrap? Where the axle torque from acceleration can cause a "wrap" affect. I could be wrong but just trying to help. There's a lot of info on the tech articles in this forum. Might give you some ideas. The lift blocks are tried and true. as long as you have good strong u-bolts then they can take the punishment as long as you don't have 6 inch blocks or taller.