Dat Saggy Butt

[C420sailor]

98 4x4 Ex w/ 193k miles. Stock suspension. Experiencing the dreaded saggy butt syndrome. I'd like to get it back to stock height, but I'm confused by my options. Add a leaf? New leaf pack? Shackles? The leafs/shackles haven't been touched since the factory...

What's a man to do?

 

[chefduane]

98 4x4 Ex w/ 193k miles. Stock suspension. Experiencing the dreaded saggy butt syndrome. I'd like to get it back to stock height, but I'm confused by my options. Add a leaf? New leaf pack? Shackles? The leafs/shackles haven't been touched since the factory...

What's a man to do?

Wow. Same exact truck here. '98 4.0L 4x4 XLT, 192k miles. I put Monroe SensaTrac Load Adjusting coilover shocks on #58617 . Problem solved.
Little stiffer ride but no real complaints.

 

[masospaghetti]

I like the Monroe helper springs, they work really well. New leaf packs might ride a bit softer but way more expensive.

 

[Greg_DonWindsor]

AAL and new rear shocks fixed it for me years ago.

 

[drdoom]

Same here as Greg DonWindsor.

 

[rkh58]

Wow. Same exact truck here. '98 4.0L 4x4 XLT, 192k miles. I put Monroe SensaTrac Load Adjusting coilover shocks on #58617 . Problem solved.
Little stiffer ride but no real complaints.

I'm with chefduane. Put them on my '98 4.0 SOHC with 187k couple thousand miles ago. No complaints. My 2000 got KYB gas-a-just only because I had them laying around, new in the box, and it needed shocks bad. You'll be happy with the Monroes. Quick fix for under $100 on Amazon.

 

[1992fordgreen]

I had KYB gas-a-just shocks and they worked great. Afterwards there was no saggy butt syndrome even though they were used.

 

[ccm2001]

Warrior 153 shackles

 

[J_C]

I vote Monroe Load Adjusting shocks. Not very expensive, something that eventually needs replaced anyway, and relatively quick and easy to replace unless your bottom bolts are frozen on like mine were and you have to make a trip out to get replacements. They make the ride slightly firmer than factory but remind me a lot of how it rode new... better with a load in it.

 

[HackGolfer]

Anyone have any ride quality comments on just doing the Warrior 153 shackles? Seem to affect the stability or anything? My 03 Sport XLT has the saggy butt and I just put new shocks on (not KYB or Monroe coil overs) and my shackles are pretty rough looking so I was planning to replace them anyway. Just trying to decide if I should go with stock shackles and suck it up and buy the Monroe's or the KYB's, or if the Warrior's will work okay.

 

[J_C]

^ There is nothing in particular about the KYB shocks that would improve saggy leaf springs, they're not coil-overs like the Monroes... at least I have never seen any KYB coilovers for our vehicles and I did look at the time, but not for a 2003 model.

 

[HackGolfer]

Oh yeah, my bad. I thought the KYB gas-a-just were able to actually add pressure, sort of like an air shock.
Okay, back to my question - is anyone able to give any feedback on handling changes (if any) by using the Warrior shackles? Thanks in advance for any help!

 

[J_C]

If you use both shackles and your left side is drooping more than the right (as was mine and many others) then you still have the left lower than the right. If you use only the left I would think that is going to do something weird to the handling - just a guess.

You also don't regain any load capability that was lost because the springs are still sagging.
The "right" way to fix it is new or rebuild springs and that should give the best ride... if best means softer. Then again if you are completely happy with the way it rides and handles a load, the shackles should change the ride less than the other options.

In the past some people have also suggested swapping the left and right spring packs so the stronger one is then on the heavier side, but I don't recall if it's something they actually did or just an idea.

 

[swshawaii]

HackGolfer, how much rear droop and lean do you have? You can compensate by lowering the front. Dropping the front passenger corner will lift the drivers rear. Issue with tweaking front ride height is that it affects camber and toe, and may require alignment.

 

[HackGolfer]

swshawaii (wish I was there today! 5 below F with 20-25 below windchill here in Indianapolis this morning) - Fortunately I don't have the common side lean, and I am happy with the ride and handling. It is just the fact that I have about 1-1/2, maybe 2 inches of butt sag. After hearing about the slightly stiffer ride from using the coil-over Monroe's and add-a-leaf/load leveler options I think I might give the shackles a try.

Quick question/favor for anyone out there that has a set of these 153's - can you please measure the center-center bolt holes and get me that measurement? I can get the inside width measurement from the stock pieces. We have a good fab-shop here at work and I might just make a set extra heavy duty. If it works out I might be able to custom build some for anyone that wants a set in other sizes or a heavy duty set this same size. This is NOT a post to try to sell anything! Just throwing it out there....

 

[Nomojeep]

Do a search on F-150 leaves. I found a 5 leaf pack at the pick n pull and used the 2nd, 3rd, and overload spring under my main leaf. Fairly easy job and leveled my truck. Rides decent as well. I got both leaf packs for $50. A word of advice... Since you don't use the F-150 main leaf, don't bother trying to unbolt the whole leaf pack. Save yourself that headache and take the packs apart and just take the leaves that you'll use. Remember, I got a 5 leaf pack but did not use the next to last spring. It would've been too high and too stiff. If you can only find 4 leaf packs then use the bottom three. You want 2 1/2" wide. Later F-150's used 3". Look for mid 80's- early 90's.

 

[HackGolfer]

Wow! Thank you Nomojeep! That is really helpful and great advice! Whenever we get out of this deep freeze we are in I will have to do some searching at a couple of the pick-a-part places here in Indy. Your instructions were great! I will post someday when I get a chance to try this out.....

 

[Nomojeep]

You're welcome. But I can't take any credit for it, everything I said I learned by searching on this forum. As I said, do a search on F-150 leaf springs. You'll find more info than you can imagine. There is almost nothing that I haven't been able to find by searching this forum, there is nearly an endless supply of knowledge here for just a little time spent looking for it. If you pm me your e-mail address I will send you a pic of my truck just so you can see what this will do for it, I don't think I can post a pic on here.

I just saw that you have an explorer sport. Is that a two door with the single leaf? If so, you may only need the 2nd leaf from the f-150 to get your truck up where it should be. I would go ahead and use the bottom overload spring as well just in case you ever need it. It won't affect the ride or height but you will need longer u-bolts.

I know it's starting to sound complicated, it's really not and all your answers are here somewhere.

 

[alohamonte]

OP, have you considered Hellwig helper springs? They should increase load by 1500 lbs which should give you a nice butt lift

 

[Alaskakid87]

98 4x4 Ex w/ 193k miles. Stock suspension. Experiencing the dreaded saggy butt syndrome. I'd like to get it back to stock height, but I'm confused by my options. Add a leaf? New leaf pack? Shackles? The leafs/shackles haven't been touched since the factory...

What's a man to do?

Here are the monroe's I will be installing later this week on my explorer in the rear! I can't wait to see the difference and later on I will purchase the hellwig helper springs the 815 model