Rear Leaf Springs

[Craigerz]

Hello,

I am a proud new owner of a '97 5.0 AWD. When I got it about a month ago, it had the air ride control suspension ( if that's what its called), but was broken and was riding on the bump stops for awhile. I have been trying to get it ready for a trip to Big Bend Ranch State Park ( that we took last week and was amazing) so I did a coil over shocks and rear shackle kit to the rear, and TT to level it out in the front. Not really sure how much "lift" it gave as opposed to getting it back to what would be stock ride height, because I didn't really have a starting point to measure from.

Now that we made it home, I have a question about the rear leaf springs. When I put the rear shackle kit on, it brought it up about 4 inches along with the coil overs, so I am guessing it sits about stock height give or take. But to me it just seems that the leaf springs are almost flat, and when I put all of our camping gear in for the trip ( nothing heavy or over loaded just 4 days worth of camping stuff) they WERE flat.

Did the air ride Explorers have different rear leafs than the normal ones ( my searching has come out to say yes), and when people take off the ride control and swap out for normal suspension parts, should I have done the leaf springs also? Or maybe they are just worn out? Not trying to tow anything with it or lift it up anymore than it sits right now, it just seems to me that they are almost maxed out.

Still new and trying to learn to post some pictures to help.

 

[imp]

Hello,

I am a proud new owner of a '97 5.0 AWD. When I got it about a month ago, it had the air ride control suspension ( if that's what its called), but was broken and was riding on the bump stops for awhile. I have been trying to get it ready for a trip to Big Bend Ranch State Park ( that we took last week and was amazing) so I did a coil over shocks and rear shackle kit to the rear, and TT to level it out in the front. Not really sure how much "lift" it gave as opposed to getting it back to what would be stock ride height, because I didn't really have a starting point to measure from.

Now that we made it home, I have a question about the rear leaf springs. When I put the rear shackle kit on, it brought it up about 4 inches along with the coil overs, so I am guessing it sits about stock height give or take. But to me it just seems that the leaf springs are almost flat, and when I put all of our camping gear in for the trip ( nothing heavy or over loaded just 4 days worth of camping stuff) they WERE flat.

Did the air ride Explorers have different rear leafs than the normal ones ( my searching has come out to say yes), and when people take off the ride control and swap out for normal suspension parts, should I have done the leaf springs also? Or maybe they are just worn out? Not trying to tow anything with it or lift it up anymore than it sits right now, it just seems to me that they are almost maxed out.

Still new and trying to learn to post some pictures to help.

@Craigerz
Not sure on the question, of ride height (normal), or if springs were different. However, leaf springs are made to operate in all sorts of forms: deep arch, no arch, even reverse arch. If no one answers adequately, if it were me, I would check the unloaded arch chord (approximately, guesstimate OK), then fill the vehicle with people, and check it again. Flat is probably OK, but I would not want to see the springs deflect beyond that. imp