straight leaf springs

[Rangered06]

ok i have a very tight budget right now and need a way to fix this problem(see pics below) the pics are taken under an empty load sitting level in the driveway was considering getting a set of helper springs http://www.jcwhitney.com/leaf-sprin...wx?skuId=166012&filterid=c11298d658y2006o40j1

my question is would these be a good add or should i look at a leaf swap? the blocks are factory i believe its a 2006 FX4

just looking for positive feed back here thank you.

 

[t0x1k]

Get new springs, those are just too flat to put an AAL under, and will probably snap down the road.
Plus it looks like it was overloaded at one time, the over load spring looks bent...it should be perfectly flat.

Hit a junkyard for explorer springs and flip the center pin. This will give you some lift, if that's what you're going for.

PS. Those are crap. A real add a leaf is put in with the pack, requires you to decompress the pack, install the leaf and re-compress it.

 

[dugga4life]

flat springs are never good,,,bad for ride bad for tires and bad for your ass.

 

[Rangered06]

what year explorer should i look for if i go that route?

 

[dangerranger83]

http://www.therangerstation.com/tech_library/ExplorerLeafs.htm

Make sure that you get them from a 4 door, the 2 door have fiberglass leaves.

 

[Rangered06]

it really sucks being broke lol still trying to figure out how to get money to replace my springs lol well i thought id give u all a closer look at what they look like atm maybe u all can give me an estimate on how much life if any they got left.

i think the curve is going backwards.....

not an expert but it should not have that gap right?

 

[legoms013]

flat springs are never good,,,bad for ride bad for tires and bad for your ass.

Ideally leaf spring should be flat. They come from the factory flat, or just a curved upwards just a hair. Flat leaf springs means equal amounts of up and down travel and ride better. When I say flat I do not mean completely flat, I mean like how they look when the truck comes off the factory assembly line. Nothing wrong with completely flat springs though as long as they aren't going into negative arc. Go look at an diesel f250/f350 and the front springs are flat.

Ever wonder why lift leaf springs most of the time ride like shit (aside from good leaf packs manufactured by deaver or alcan). Its cuz they are curved.

Bent, or sagging leaf sprigs are another story though.

OP, go to a junkyard and either replace/weave together a new bastard pack with your existing leafs and a set from an explorer. This will be the cheapes route. about $90 total or sometimes cheaper for a new set of explorer leafs (at least thats what I'd be charged in my area).

 

[t0x1k]

Ideally leaf spring should be flat. They come from the factory flat, or just a curved upwards just a hair. Flat leaf springs means equal amounts of up and down travel and ride better. When I say flat I do not mean completely flat, I mean like how they look when the truck comes off the factory assembly line. Nothing wrong with completely flat springs though as long as they aren't going into negative arc. Go look at an diesel f250/f350 and the front springs are flat.

Ever wonder why lift leaf springs most of the time ride like shit (aside from good leaf packs manufactured by deaver or alcan). Its cuz they are curved.

Bent, or sagging leaf sprigs are another story though.

OP, go to a junkyard and either replace/weave together a new bastard pack with your existing leafs and a set from an explorer. This will be the cheapes route. about $90 total or sometimes cheaper for a new set of explorer leafs (at least thats what I'd be charged in my area).

Apples and oranges there.
It should not be resting on the over load spring. With that little space there's very little upward travel, once it bottoms out on the overload it will be a jarring hit. Overload springs are not meant to bend, look at how thick they are. His are even bent.

My suggestion is to even swap out the axle. Check for axle end play(with drums off), if there's even the slightest amount pull the shafts and use a micrometer or just feel the bearing surface, if it feels like it's worn, swap the axle. After replacing the bearings and shafts a donor axle could be had from the same explorer and then be 4 times stronger.

 

[bilzy7]

Idk where your located but if in ma and you don't have tools I can help. I need new springs also. Mine aren't that bad though.

 

[bilzy7]

Looks like you hit your bumps stops easily.

 

[strvger]

i think i'd have a better idea if the jack was under the frame rather than the axle. it's lifting it thus compressing the spring some.
but that's just me.

 

[bilzy7]

I never jack up my truck from rear axle... I yelled at my brother inlaw for putting the jack under axle

 

[legoms013]

i think i'd have a better idea if the jack was under the frame rather than the axle. it's lifting it thus compressing the spring some.
but that's just me.

This is true, but it shouldn't be much more than what the tire would do while sitting on the ground as long as the axle is only jacked up to horizontal and no higher than the other side. There isn't really a good way to see static ride height with the tire off AND get a good picture.

 

[Rangered06]

I never jack up my truck from rear axle... I yelled at my brother inlaw for putting the jack under axle

i usually dont but as legoms013 said i wanted to get it as close as i could to if it was sitting on its tire wasn't like that more then a couple minutes before i had the tire back on the ground

 

[Rangered06]

found a junkyard that has a set of c-code 4-leaf springs which mine are the k-code springs

gonna give them a call tomorrow site shows them at $65 a piece sound like a good deal or would it be a waste of time?