Rear Spring Question

[pilotblake]

This is what my rear spring setup currently looks like. I have a glastite fiberglass topper which is somewhat heavy and a generator that I keep in my truck most of the time. I could stand to gain 2-3 inches of lift in the back or better. For the best results what do I need to do to my setup? Will adding a leaf or two be my best option to help out the springs? Would a new set of springs make a noticeable difference comparable to the cost? Right now my springs are maxed out correct? I am looking for ideas of what you guys would do to keep it flexy like MJs like it but help out the suspension the best as possible.

 

[mvusse]

Your springs aren't maxed out, but depending on compressed length, your shocks may be.

 

You can get an add-a-leaf, you can bastard pack your spring pads, or you can add a 2nd overload leaf.

[Pete M]

You look t be sitting ont he overload leaf, so help is needed. If you stick with used I would definitely add in another main leaf (with the eyes cut off) to help support the current main. that won't add much height though, so you'll need another leaf for that. You might be able to get all you need from a MJ or Dakota or S-10 leaf pack outta the junkyard. :thumbsup:

[mvusse]

The increased spring pack stiffness from adding another leaf will lift him some. On top of that, he's SOA, so the thickness of the spring itself will lift it a bit more. One added leaf may do it.

[87mjdriver]

If you always have some weight in the back, I would suggest hell creeks metric ton leaves.

[SW86]

If you always have some weight in the back, I would suggest hell creeks metric ton leaves.

 

 

that would work but hell creek quit making springs recently...

[Usamedic]

Umm I got my hell creek springs last Friday, so I doubt that he quit making them since 4 pm when I talked to him....

[jvd]

How long ago did you order your springs from hellcreek? There is another thread on here about him stopping production, I also emailed Tom and he stated they are not makin mj springs.

[mvusse]

He may still have some in stock. IIRC, the 3" lift ones are gone, but he should still have some of the other ones, including MT ones.

[jvd]

I asked about stock and he stated nothing in stock, he was makin them only when ordered

[pilotblake]

Thanks for the tips. I had in my mind to rebuild the pack first since it would be the least expensive. If that doesn't work I will look into new springs. Ideally I shouldn't be riding around on the over load spring when the truck is only lightly loaded right?

[Pete M]

as a general rule of thumb, no.

[gogmorgo]

What's considered a "light" load?

I know my leafs aren't in the best shape, but the 200lbs of salt and the bed full of snow that I've got for traction enhancement has mine sitting on the overloads. I haven't lost traction unless I, er hem, intended to for quite some time, but I'm starting to wonder if I'm risking breaking something with the weight in there. I'm guessing I'm hauling somewhere between 500-700lbs total in there, which is only about half of the max payload?

 

Just to be clear, I haven't added snow, it's just what fell/blew into the bed, and I didn't bother taking it out. But my bed's completely full.

[Pete M]

long term loads can adversely affect the leafs too. In fact, they could be worse depending on the circumstances. I had an engine block in the back of my metric ton for about a year, wasn't even at the back of the bed. the leaf packs will never be the same. :( Years before I had carried plenty of loads that put the bed on the bumpstops without affecting anything in a perceivable way.

[gogmorgo]

Yeah, that's what I was wondering about. I was planning on doing new springs next summer, but I just don't want to have to do it before then. Maybe I'll dump some of the snow, since it's likely it'll still be there in March.

[Usamedic]

He just made mine. He doesn't stock anything, but he makes what you want when you order them