Tired Leaf Springs

[CDW6212R]

Evan, try Eaton, they sent me this email a while ago;


"Yes, we have the springs with inserts for $399.00 to $479.00 a pair depending on number of leafs, and if it's a 2 or 4 door.

We accept Visa, Master Card, American Express, Cash, checks, money orders and wire transfers.

Due to the high volume of e-mails we receive, we request when replying to this E-mail kindly do so by hitting your "REPLY" button. This way we can maintain a clear line of communication.

Thank you
Mickey
Phone 1-313-963-3839
Fax 1-313-963-7047
www.eatonsprings.com

Due to the volume of E-mails we receive, we request when replying to this E-mail kindly do so by hitting your "REPLY" button. This way we can maintain a clear line of communication. Failure to do so may result in you not hearing back from us."

 

[MountaineerGreen]

the is a company called carrier or something that makes custom springs....for a good deal a couple of people on here have used them...ill see if i can dig up the link
www.customsuspension.com/store/index.php/cPath/365

Thanks for the link They have good prices on springs, I will have to see what their shipping prices are like.

They offer 4" or 6" springs, I don't really want 4" or 6", more like 5" I think. I need a stock explorer measurements to see how much front lift I have and try to match that in the back.

 

[MountaineerGreen]

Don, are those lift springs or stock replacements?

 

[MountaineerGreen]

Its really strange, I just got this email seconds ago:

Evan,

We do not make lift springs more than 3 inches above stock.


Due to the volume of E-mails we receive, we request when replying to this
E-mail kindly do so by hitting your "REPLY" button. This way we can maintain
a clear line of communication. Failure to do so may result in you not
hearing back from us.

Thank you
Mickey
Phone 1-313-963-3839
Fax 1-313-963-7047

 

[CDW6212R]

I mentioned the special inserts, and that I wanted to restore my stock ride height, sagging. I figured that they would make many others. I was just beginning to search, is that price range typical of other manufacturers? Ford springs would be in the low $400 range, I figured the better inserts between leafs would be worth getting. Regards,

 

[carlover]

The deavers are kind of expensive i can tell you that. A 14 leaf race pack would give you the lift you want and ride and offroad like a dream. But it would cost 750$ to build because they have to be custom made since deaver doesnt have any real off the shelf explorer leaves.

National would be another good source, but they arent cheap either....

 

[MountaineerGreen]

I was afraid Deavers would be expensive, but I had to check. Not many people are interested in making custom springs for Explorers/Mountaineers, I guess the market isn't good enough. I wont be dropping $700+ on leaf springs, just can't justify it.

The "Custom Suspension" people are looking pretty good right now....

 

[carlover]

Yeah that is kinda steep. Ill be buying some by the end of the year but only because i need a rear end setup thatll keep up with the front. So its either deavers or nationals for me..

Im having the same problem as you with my rear leafs right now. Between the shackles and the "california rake" my rear springs are flattening out pretty badly.

 

[MountaineerGreen]

I really prefer a bit of forward rake- don't like the saggy butt look at all.

I am going to find a stockish late model Explorer, measure the fender lip heights and determine how much lift I need for the rear to match the front.

 

[carlover]

How long did the superlift springs last you?

Edit: Never mind i guess i need to learn how to read lol.

They should have lasted longer thank that. Hmm thats strange.

 

[MountaineerGreen]

OK, measured the fenders on mine.

(I know its not the most reliable way to measure height, bla bla bla- I don't want to start a debate Thanks.)

Front fenders: 39"

Rear Fenders: 37"

So, I searched this whole forum, found a few threads, hence my side note up there ^. I found more than one member who measured fenders and got 33" up front, and 32" in the back, stock. I will use this as my baseline.

Now, all of my lift isn't suspension, its partially bigger tires allowed by the suspension lift.

My tires measure 33", sock tires are about 30". So I gained 1.5" of lift from my tires.

So: My height-tire "lift"- stock height = Net Lift

39-1.5= 37.5 37.5-33= 4.5" of front lift

37-1.5= 35.5 35.5-32= 3.5" of rear lift

So, would 6" of rear lift be OK?

I do have trail armor, a hitch, full size spare, etc. which ought to make the springs sag a little?

 

[wolfnutts]

how about some air bags for the rear axle an lose the leaf springs all together / or i had a set of over load springs on a dodge dakota before the kind that looks like a big giant coil spring lays length ways with leaf. forgot what the call um now ?? u dont feel a difference in ride till u put some weight on ur bumper i was very happy with them on my dodge. or would that not work for you an the way ur trk is used ))

 

[CDW6212R]

I'm not at all up to speed with off road suspensions, so I'll be cautious with ideas. I'd think that gaining it all with just leaf springs would be too much. It seems like you need to lower the mounting points of the leafs to keep them in their designed shape.

How much can air shocks help with ride height and still work in off roading? Regards,

 

[MountaineerGreen]

Well, I haven't seen air shocks in the length/travel I need, so I've never even thought of them for this. Also, I am not sure how they could be stiff enough to cause lift yet be able to "flex" offroad.

I don't know that moving the spring mounts lower would be effective, because lower points create more hanging points offroad.

 

[CDW6212R]

That's where my ignorance of off-roading shows. I thought that some lift kits might have brackets which relocated the leaf spring shackles lower, spacing them lower like the front parts which lower the front suspension. That would mean that the upper shock mounts would need to come down also.

How do lift kits change the back, I understand that most are body kits but some are just for the suspension yes?

 

[Hokie]

Maybe find a low mileage wrecked Explorer/Mounty? I would think that would be your cheapest option.

Have you priced brand new springs from Ford?

Luckily I have the rear axle out of my Sport so I don't have the torque arm mounts... not that it would be thaaaaat hard to plasma/torch them off

 

[MountaineerGreen]

Most rear lift kits consist of leaf springs with extra arch to achieve height. Members on here often use shackles to push their leaf springs lower, achieving lift, similar to your idea, but only in the rear.

Rather than lowering the shock mounts, most lifts use longer shocks with more travel to make better use of the articulation by the lift.

 

[CDW6212R]

Well you have found 3" or so lifting springs, and suggest wanting 5" or so. How about finding a shackle mount which bolts to the frame at the four points, and locates stock length shackles lower by 2-3"? If you could do that can you find any shocks with the needed length of travel?
I wonder this because the frame is your standard, the strength of the truck. If you can extend the mounting points slightly and not hurt the strength of the mounting, then the leafs aren't so far away from their design range. Decent ideas, maybe?

 

['97 V8]

How much are a set of superlift springs anyways?

 

[MountaineerGreen]

Well you have found 3" or so lifting springs, and suggest wanting 5" or so. How about finding a shackle mount which bolts to the frame at the four points, and locates stock length shackles lower by 2-3"? If you could do that can you find any shocks with the needed length of travel?
I wonder this because the frame is your standard, the strength of the truck. If you can extend the mounting points slightly and not hurt the strength of the mounting, then the leafs aren't so far away from their design range. Decent ideas, maybe?

That's an interesting concept- a departure from the ideas I've seen of most lift manufacturers. I guess ultimately its easier to make leaf springs with extra arch rather than building brackets to lower the leaf spring shackles.

But, once you lower the shackles to the point of 3" of lift, then use factory shackles, you have considerable mass hanging out near the bumper. That would be a considerable hang up offroad, hurting departure angles.