Wanted: Coil Spring Measurements When Installed (Stock & Lifted)

[Ramcharger90]

@Jim Oaks are you interested in the belltech lowering springs height with a 5.0 in the truck?

 

[Curious Hound]

@Jim Oaks are you interested in the belltech lowering springs height with a 5.0 in the truck?

Somebody would be. Post them.

 

[Ramcharger90]

2 trucks at my one store today.

97 2wd reg cab
manual unknown engine
Tire size 225/70R14

https://imgur.com/a/krZZzrv

https://imgur.com/a/kDFPRiZ

https://imgur.com/a/GpbBDuQ

93-95ish ext cab
Unknown engine auto 4x4
Tire size 235/75R15

https://imgur.com/a/WjkGyJv

https://imgur.com/a/FD3BhTs

https://imgur.com/a/2L26M93

 

[Jim Oaks]

Is that measuring 11 inches on the 2wd and 10 inches on the 4wd?

 

[Ramcharger90]

Is that measuring 11 inches on the 2wd and 10 inches on the 4wd?

Yes.

 

[Ramcharger90]

90 regular cab
5.0 2wd 5 speed (M5OD-R2)
Belltech 2" lowering springs.
Tire size 215/75R15

Say 9 3/4 inch

https://imgur.com/a/qVhw3Lu

https://imgur.com/a/ZTzeS5v

 

[Jim Oaks]

Well that's interesting.....

Can someone with a James Duff lift measure their springs and post the results?

 

[Jim Oaks]

People have reported 3-1/2 to 4-inches of lift from stock F150 coils. I wonder if you would get 5-6 inches of lift with a 2-inch F150 leveling coil?

 

[Jim Oaks]

So here's some coil spring specs thanks to Moog:

Ranger:

Accoring to Moog, a 1996 Ford Ranger extended cab 4.0l 4x4 has a coil spring that is 10.5-inches installed, and 13.47 inches free. 485 spring rate / 899 load rate.

The standard cab version has a coil spring that is 10.5-inches installed, and 13.75 inches free. 430 spring rate / 1,447 load rate (also comes as 377 spring rate / 1,323 load rate)

The 2wd standard cab short bed 4.0 has a coil that's 10.5-inches installed, and 13.75-inches free. 430 spring rate / 1,447 load rate.

The 2wd standard cab long bed 4.0 has a coil that's 10.5-inches installed, and 13.94-inches free. 489 spring rate / 1,650 load rate.

The Skyjacker 6-inch coils are 18.875-inches free, and have a 435 spring rate.

@ericbphoto has a Skyjacker 6-inch lift on his 1993 standard cab Ranger, and he's measuring 16.50-inches. That means he has a true 6-inches of lift.

@4x4junkie has a skyjacker 6-inch lift on his 1994 standard cab Ranger, and he's measuring 14.8-inches. That means he has 4.075-inches of lift.

@Kona has a Skyjacker 6-inch lift on his 1991 Ranger, and is measuring 14.50-inches . That means he has a 4-inch lift.

Myself, 4x4junkie, and Kona all have extended cabs with heavier bumpers, and winches. Do the bumpers and winches really cause the 435 spring rate springs to droop 2-inches, or have they sagged over time from the added weight?

If I have coils that were 13.75-inches free, the Skyjacker coils should supply my Ranger with a 5.405-inch lift. They only give me 4-inches of lift (14.50 inches installed).

Oh ya.....,​

​

Spring Rate is the amount of weight required to deflect a spring one-inch, making it a measure of softness for the spring.​

​

Load Rate is the amount of weight a spring is designed to carry at a certain ride height, making it an engineering consideration.​

F-150:

1986-1996 Ford F-150 4x4 coil springs are 13-inches when installed, and 16.38-inches free. 366 spring rate / 1,230 & 1,428 load rates.

1979 Ford F-150 regular cab 4x4 coil springs are 13-inches when installed, and 18.25-inches free. 271 spring rate / 1,575 load rate.

The TTB F-150 coil springs should give a Ranger a 2.63-inch lift.​

​

The solid axle F-150 coil springs should provide a 4.50 inch lift.​

Bronco:

The 1986 Bronco 4x4 coil springs are 12.125-inches when installed, and 16.18-inches free. 366 spring rate.

Econoline Van:

The 1975-1987 Ford E-250/350 coil springs are 15-inches when installed and 18.88-inches free. 420 spring rate / 1,650 load rate. This spring should give my Ranger 5.13-inches of lift, and is slightly softer than the Skyjacker 6-inch coil (Skyjacker 6-inch coils are 18.875-inches, and have a 435 spring rate)

The 1978-1991 Ford E-350 coil springs are 16-inches when installed and 19.27-inches free. 549 spring rate / 1,797 load rate. This spring should give my Ranger 5.33-inches of lift, and is stiffer than the stock spring due to the 64 ppi spring rate difference.

What Does This Mean:

I have no freaking idea.

Actually, my biggest question is what affect the Load Rate has on any of this. People have said that the F-150 coils were stiffer, but they have a lower Spring Rate than the Ranger coil. AND, the F-150 has a 1,230 & 1,428 load rate versus the Ranger standard cab 1,447 load rate.

Reminder:

Spring Rate is the amount of weight required to deflect a spring one-inch, making it a measure of softness for the spring.​

​

Load Rate is the amount of weight a spring is designed to carry at a certain ride height, making it an engineering consideration.​

​

New Coils or Spacer?

Skyjacker doesn't offer 8-inch coils anymore. Replacing these coils with a new set of Skyjacker 6-inch coils is just going has the same result over time. The 1977-1987 Ford E-250/350 coil springs should give me a 5.13-inch lift, but has a softer 420 spring rate over the stock extended cabs 485 spring rate. Their even softer than the Skyjackers 435 spring rate. They're $77 for a pair at Rock Auto. Skykacker 6-inch springs are $195.

The 1978-1991 Ford E-350 coil springs should give me 5.33-inches of lift, but have a higher 549 spring rate.

There's also an idea of 2-inch Skyjacker lift springs for an F-150 that should provide 5-6 inches of lift, but they're $165.00

 

[Curious Hound]

So here's some coil spring specs thanks to Moog:

Ranger:

Accoring to Moog, a 1996 Ford Ranger extended cab 4.0l 4x4 has a coil spring that is 11.5-inches installed, and 13.47 inches free. 485 spring rate / 899 load rate.

The standard cab version has a coil spring that is 10.5-inches installed, and 13.75 inches free. 430 spring rate / 1,447 load rate (also comes as 377 spring rate / 1,323 load rate)

The 2wd standard cab short bed 4.0 has a coil that's 10.5-inches installed, and 13.75-inches free. 430 spring rate / 1,447 load rate.

The 2wd standard cab long bed 4.0 has a coil that's 10.5-inches installed, and 13.94-inches free. 489 spring rate / 1,650 load rate.

The Skyjacker 6-inch coils are 18.875-inches free, and have a 435 spring rate.

@ericbphoto has a Skyjacker 6-inch lift on his 1993 standard cab Ranger, and he's measuring 16.50-inches. That means he has a true 6-inches of lift.

@4x4junkie has a skyjacker 6-inch lift on his 1994 standard cab Ranger, and he's measuring 14.8-inches. That means he has 4.075-inches of lift.

@Kona has a Skyjacker 6-inch lift on his 1991 Ranger, and is measuring 14.50-inches . That means he has a 4-inch lift.

Myself, 4x4junkie, and Kona all have extended cabs with heavier bumpers, and winches. Do the bumpers and winches really cause the 435 spring rate springs to droop 2-inches, or have they sagged over time from the added weight?

If I have coils that were 13.75-inches free, the Skyjacker coils should supply my Ranger with a 5.405-inch lift. They only give me 4-inches of lift (14.50 inches installed).

Oh ya.....,​

​

Spring Rate is the amount of weight required to deflect a spring one-inch, making it a measure of softness for the spring.​

​

Load Rate is the amount of weight a spring is designed to carry at a certain ride height, making it an engineering consideration.​

F-150:

1986-1996 Ford F-150 4x4 coil springs are 13-inches when installed, and 16.38-inches free. 366 spring rate / 1,230 & 1,428 load rates.

1979 Ford F-150 regular cab 4x4 coil springs are 13-inches when installed, and 18.25-inches free. 271 spring rate / 1,575 load rate.

The TTB F-150 coil springs should give a Ranger a 2.63-inch lift.​

​

The solid axle F-150 coil springs should provide a 4.50 inch lift.​

Bronco:

The 1986 Bronco 4x4 coil springs are 12.125-inches when installed, and 16.18-inches free. 366 spring rate.

Econoline Van:

The 1975-1987 Ford E-250/350 coil springs are 15-inches when installed and 18.88-inches free. 420 spring rate / 1,650 load rate. This spring should give my Ranger 5.13-inches of lift, and is slightly softer than the Skyjacker 6-inch coil (Skyjacker 6-inch coils are 18.875-inches, and have a 435 spring rate)

The 1978-1991 Ford E-350 coil springs are 16-inches when installed and 19.27-inches free. 549 spring rate / 1,797 load rate. This spring should give my Ranger 5.33-inches of lift, and is stiffer than the stock spring due to the 64 ppi spring rate difference.

What Does This Mean:

I have no freaking idea.

Actually, my biggest question is what affect the Load Rate has on any of this. People have said that the F-150 coils were stiffer, but they have a lower Spring Rate than the Ranger coil. AND, the F-150 has a 1,230 & 1,428 load rate versus the Ranger standard cab 1,447 load rate.

Reminder:

Spring Rate is the amount of weight required to deflect a spring one-inch, making it a measure of softness for the spring.​

​

Load Rate is the amount of weight a spring is designed to carry at a certain ride height, making it an engineering consideration.​

​

New Coils or Spacer?

Skyjacker doesn't offer 8-inch coils anymore. Replacing these coils with a new set of Skyjacker 6-inch coils is just going has the same result over time. The 1977-1987 Ford E-250/350 coil springs should give me a 5.13-inch lift, but has a softer 420 spring rate over the stock extended cabs 485 spring rate. Their even softer than the Skyjackers 435 spring rate. They're $77 for a pair at Rock Auto. Skykacker 6-inch springs are $195.

The 1978-1991 Ford E-350 coil springs should give me 5.33-inches of lift, but have a higher 549 spring rate.

There's also an idea of 2-inch Skyjacker lift springs for an F-150 that should provide 5-6 inches of lift, but they're $165.00

Nice compilation

 

[4x4junkie]

Jim,
I've never seen a stock coil myself that measured outside of the range of 10.5" to 11.0" loaded. An 11.5" tall coil would not be real far from the maximum the camber bushings would allow (about 1.5" lift, max generally being 2"). Knowing Moog, I suspect this is an error (the spring height should be very similar across all the different body & cab types, heavier trucks are equipped with stiffer coils from Ford for this reason.
I never did measure my '94's stock coils before I took them out, but I do recall my BII's were 10¾", so it's right in the middle of that range.

The 16.5" Eric posted for his also doesn't seem right either... No, a bumper & winch should not cause the spring to sag 2":
A typical winch w/full bumper should weigh something around 140-175lbs... With a 435PPI spring rate (I've determined the SJ 6" & 8" are closer to 410PPI) 175lbs on the front should not compress the suspension more than approximately 0.3" - 0.35".

435PPI × 2 = 870PPI total
870 ÷ 1.5 (effective TTB leverage) = 580PPI
175lbs ÷ 580 = 0.30".

If I use 410PPI (what I believe the SJ springs actually are closer to), the number becomes 0.32"

FWIW, I have not once seen a Skyjacker coil spring sag with time. Whatever height they sit at initially with whatever weight is on them, is what they have always remained at (both mine and a buddy's Ranger TTB springs, as well as mine and another buddy's Cherokee XJ springs). They seem very well-made as far as manufacturing quality goes. The issue here (at least with their RBV TTB springs) is that they are manufactured too short. The load rating they applied to them is apparently too low, and does not take into consideration the weight of the different cab styles (Supercab vs. Regular Cab vs Bronco II, etc.). This is why I had written this article many moons ago about compensating for this by using spacers on SJ lifts.

Load rate (like you said) is the weight the spring was designed to have on it at a specific compressed height. It has nothing to do with the ride stiffness, that is determined by spring rate.


Edit:
I put the wrong link, this is the link to the Skyjacker tips article:

TRS Magazine - Optimizing the SkyJacker Suspension Kit

www.therangerstation.com

 

[Jim Oaks]

I found the specs on the Econoline Springs interesting. I was hoping @bobbywalter would chime in. For some reason I think he's used them before, or has more info about them.

Something that puzzles me about all of these different springs is the spring rates and load rates between the Ranger and F-150. People have said that the F-150 coils ride much firmer in a Ranger, but their spring rate and load rates don't seem to be that much different.

 

[Ramcharger90]

I found the specs on the Econoline Springs interesting. I was hoping @bobbywalter would chime in. For some reason I think he's used them before, or has more info about them.

Something that puzzles me about all of these different springs is the spring rates and load rates between the Ranger and F-150. People have said that the F-150 coils ride much firmer in a Ranger, but their spring rate and load rates don't seem to be that much different.

It could be just less leverage on the f150 springs

 

[Elutheros]

Stock springs: 10 3/4" 1992 Extended Cab, 5.0, stock bumpers, no suspension lift, 3" BL, full size truck M5ODR2 trans., NP205 TC and I'm putting Skyjacker 132s on it this weekend.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

'85 std cab longbox, 5.0, M5ODR2, NP205 (heavy), fiberglass topper and full tank of gas. 10 year old stock replacement springs for a 91-94 4dr Explorer from Carquest. Around 9-3/4" to 9-7/8".