Rear Spring Survey

[Tom Wilk]

Well, I went to the dealer this morning, and had a little talk with the parts counter trying to dig up some info on rear springs. All I found out was that there are three different leaf springs used on Explorers (at least late model ones). They were "F", "H", and "L". He could not tell me what the spring rates were or which models had what. What I'm trying to do is see which models have which springs, how many leafs are in the spring, and whether the car was equipped for towing when it was bought. So here's the questions:

1) What year and model Explorer?
2) 2 or 4 door?
3) Factory towing package?
4) Rear spring code? (this should be on the door sticker, mine had front code then rear code: DL meaning "D" springs on front, and "L" springs on rear).
5) Does it have auto ride control?
6) How long is the stock rear shackle bolt center to center?
7) How many leafs?
8) How many plates under the leafs to lower the shock mount (if any)?


The only things I've noticed is that it appears that all late model Sports have the single leaf, with a stack of spacers under the spring to bring the shock mount down a bit. It also appears that all 4-dr models have multiple leafs. I don't think that there is a towing suspension, though I could be wrong. I'll try to compile the results and post them. This will help me decide whether to get springs from Ford or have a shop make some. I wish that I could find a listing of spring rates (how much weight compresses the spring a given distance) and amount of arch somewhere, but the dealer did not have that information on the computer.

Anybody that can offer some information, I greatly appreciate it. Dead Link Removed


------------------
Tom

 

[FordMan]

1. 1997 XLT
2. 4 door
3. Tow package - Yes
4. Rear Spring code - F
5. Torsion bar code - B
6. Auto ride control - no
7. Stock rear shackle - 5.5"
8. How many leafs - 4

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Vic W.
1997 XLT 4x4

 

[Tom Wilk]

Thanks, Vic.

I guess I should put my own in too.

99 sport
2 door
no towing pkg
Rear code L
no auto ride
5.5"
1 leaf (3" wide)
4 plates under the spring

------------------
Tom

 

[Tom Wilk]

Just checked out my friend's XLT.

year 99 XLT
4 dr (of course)
no towing
F on the rear, B up front
No auto ride
Don't know the shackle length
4 leafs
Don't know about the plates.

I still haven't seen any rear springs with H code. I think that it's already been established that there is no suspension upgrade for towing, HD, etc.

I appreciate all the input so far. I'm going to search the archives here for more data.

------------------
Tom

 

[sbrawner2]

95 XLT
4 door
Suspension codes FF
3.73 Limited slip rear end
towing package (LS rear and extra tranny cooler).

Shackle length 5.5"

 

[KyleC]

1) 1993 Explorer XLT
2) 4 door
3) not sure
4) "WU" (dont ask me, that's what it said)
5) no
6) no time to measure
7) 4
8) none

 

[Shorty]

1- 1992 XLT
2- 4 door
3- No tow package
4- Springs N U , Yes N U
5- No ride control
6- 56 1/2" bolt C to C
7- 4 leafs
8- 0 plates

Shorty

 

[nodego]

1) 1995 Limited
2) 4-dr
3) Yes
4) LH
5) yes
6) Didn't measure
7) 4 leaf
8) not sure

Chris

 

[Tom Wilk]

Well, so far it appears that all the sport models have spring code "L" in the rear, which is the single leaf (3" wide). They also seem to have the 4 plates mounted between the spring and the lower shock mount, presumably to place the shock near the middle of its travel when the vehicle is at rest. This makes sense, as the shock will have an equal amount of travel in either the compression or extension direction. The plates, in essence, replace the space used up by the multiple leafs used in 4-door models.

I think that the Sport's suspension is set a bit lower to the ground than other models, but this is compensated for by larger tires, at least on ones with the 255-70-16" tires. My overall height is the same as my friend's 4-door despite my having larger tires on mine (or at least it did!).

It also appears that there was a different set of spring codes for earlier models. I'm guessing that 1995 was the first year to use the newer codes, since that is when Ford changed the suspension design, at least up front.

Code "F" seems to go with all 4 door models, except those with the automatic ride control (ARC) or automatic level control. My thinking is that the ARC Explorers (at least the ones with 4 doors) are equipped with "H" springs at the rear, although that may need verification. I've only seen one response that shows this.

I think that Ford uses the single leaf in the Sport model to provide somewhat better handling. A wide, flat spring would better control side to side movement of the rear axle, which one would want in a better handling vehicle. The Sport did turn in some decent numbers when Car and Driver put it on the skidpad.

Of course, this effect will be reduced when one uses longer shackles or a spring with a greater arch. But, that's the tradeoff to allow for more ground clearance and larger diameter tires. Better shocks can help here, since they are mounted at an angle. The firmer the shock, the more they dampen side to side movement.

I'm going to e-mail Ford to see if I can get some data on spring rates, that is pounds of pressure per inch of spring compression. I'm sure that the 4-dr springs are firmer, since the 4-dr models have about 400 pounds more weight than the 2-door models. This could help those of us with Sports that may want a bit more lift and a stiffer rear end for towing as well as clearance. Unfortunately, of you already have the stiffest spring, which is apparently the "F" code, you can't stiffen up the rear with factory springs.

Those with older Explorers are fortunate to have available aftermarket lifts so this would not be of as much concern to you. Dead Link Removed

This has been longwinded enough. I've got to get a life. Dead Link Removed Anybody with the factory level or ride control might want to check their rear spring code to verify that they are using the "H" spring.

Thanks to all!


------------------
Tom

 

[Kris Guilbeaux]

Here are spring codes for ours

1992 Navajo
2dr
no towing (manual tranny)
YV
?
did not check.
3 leafs

1991 XLT
4dr
Does have towing
JU
?
did not Check
4 leafs



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Kris Guilbeaux
--
http://www.tisd.net/~guilbeau/explorer.html

 

[withers]

What is the auto-ride control? Unrelated to the option "load leveling system"? From the above posts, it seams that some limiteds and sports have the auto-ride control, but no XLT's. thanks


------------------
Withers

99 XLT 4X4

 

[Tom Wilk]

Withers,

I'm thinking that auto ride control and the load leveling system are the same thing. They both use air shocks and an on board compressor to automatically level the vehicle when loaded (the car, not the driver). Does anybody know differently? I'm not 100% sure on this. It was probably named differently in different model years or when sold in different markets.

------------------
Tom

 

[Trace]

Tom
Get a hold of Rick. He has software from Ford with all the spec's on our Explorer's, including the information you are looking for on spring rates. He should be back from the Color's Run in a couple of days.

 

[98EBV8]

The Sports and XLTs never had an automatic ride control as an option. Only the EB and limited from 1995-1998 has as an option with either an 4X4 or AWD along with the 946A package.

The load leveling is available on '99 to current XLTs, EBs, and Limiteds with 4X4 or AWD.

Shane

 

[Jeff Sauser]

1. 1996 XLT AWD V8
2. 4 door
3. Tow package - Yes
4. Rear Spring code - F
5. Auto ride control - no
6. Stock rear shackle - 5.5"
7. How many leafs - 4

 

[pistol_fish]

1995 Limited

1- 1995 Limited
2- 4 door
3- No tow package
4- Springs L H
5- Ride control- Yes
6- 56 1/2" bolt C to C
7- 4 leafs
8- 0 plates

 

[CougarX]

1) 98 Eddie Bauer AWD
2) doors: 4dr
3) tow package: yes
4) Springs Code: 2H (??)
5) ARC: Yes
6) Shackle: I think 6"
7) Leafs: 4
8) N/A

Anybody else have a "2H" spring code?? I've never seen that one before.

 

[asessnios]

1) 1997 explorer limited
2) 4 door?
3) yes
4) mine says 2H
5) YES
6) explain better please
7) 4
8) explain better

 

[asessnios]

oh, my tortion bar says U

 

[SkanlaxJMO]

1) 1997 explorer limited
2) 4 door?
3) yes
4) mine says 2H
5) YES
6) explain better please
7) 4
8) explain better

nice searching....6 year bump