Suspension Add On Options

[Ibby]

I have a short box 91 that I often carry an import camper with. I've made bastardized spring packs from a set of metric ton springs and te stock spring packs with a new add a leaf thrown in, and I've swapped in a freshened up Comanche D44. I also did the 95 brake upgrade so all that part is good. I usually load the camper full of too much crap and wind up with a saggy sad looking rear end. I'm considering installing either some sort of airbag system or a Timbren system http://www.sdtrucksprings.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=3108

I've done some searching here but I don't see many posts about adding this stuff into a Comanche. Anyone have any input or ideas for managing heavier loads?

[Rockfrog]

For simplicities sake the Timbren seems the better option, less to go wrong and only really comes into play when needed.

[Ronnie]

I added the Hellwig spring helpers and have been very satisfied with the improvement in load carrying and handling.  Super easy install.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Hellwig-1250-Level-Helper-Spring/dp/B001UFXS26/ref=pd_rhf_ee_p_tnr_5

[Eagle]

How many leaves are in your spring packs now (not counting the overload leaf)? Five? Six? IMHO, if you're bottoming out a suspension using beefed-up MJ springs plus add-a-leaves, you are SEVERELY overloading the vehicle. Adding helper springs of any type is only going to cause you to overload the truck more, and the chassis simply isn't (wasn't) made to carry more than the rated load.

 

Don't add more spring -- subtract load. Or buy a heavy-duty, full-size 1-ton truck or a mason's dump.

[Dadinator]

Agree.  Sounds like you are carrying too much.  If you already added capacity and are still looking for more, you need more truck.

[92tanMJ]

I can't help but agree with the gentlemen above me..either you are trying to haul way to much for your poor little truck, or you need to look into buying some new, legit packs. Which IMO could be either one. Just adding MT leafs to a POS, crapped out, saggy stock pack won't do you any good because then the MT leafs have all of the weight.

 

Got any pictures of this set up?

[Ibby]

Good advice, I do tend to overload my truck at times. New spring packs are a good idea, I hope General Spring have some in stock still. I'll take pics of the setup this weekend, she needs a new muffler installed anyway. I'm looking at a lighter camper as well, the import one I have now is a little on the heavy side for its size.

[92tanMJ]

Good advice, I do tend to overload my truck at times. New spring packs are a good idea, I hope General Spring have some in stock still. I'll take pics of the setup this weekend, she needs a new muffler installed anyway. I'm looking at a lighter camper as well, the import one I have now is a little on the heavy side for its size.

 

Hellscreek is back in business, you should try them. They even sell MT springs as well as lift packs that keep you SUA.

[Ibby]

I thought I read somewhere that the Hell's Creek MT springs were not made by them, they were made some place else?

[Blue88Comanche]

I be leave they are sold by hellcreek but made by another company to hellcreek's specs..

 

anyway I have hellcreek MT springs on my SWB and love them, I have pictures on my build thread comparing them to stock springs

[92tanMJ]

Yeah what Jeff said ^ now upload those photos so we can see what we're working with :thumbsup:

[Ibby]

How the heck do I post a pic from my computer onto here?

[Eagle]

How the heck do I post a pic from my computer onto here?

 

http://comancheclub.com/topic/35337-posting-pics/

[Ibby]

Took me a bit but I figured out how to host the pics. here they are:

 

 

The springs with the camper on. It's not heavily loaded in this pic.

 

 

A pretty typical load when I take road trips in the summer.

 

[Dadinator]

Yup, looks overloaded to me.   :dunno:

[92tanMJ]

<p>Well first off you need new leaf packs..you can clearly see leaf inversoin going on..is that from it being weighed down too much? I personally couldnt tell you. Mine have looked like that since the day I got it. lol</p>

[Ibby]

I noticed when I took the metric ton springs out of the '90 Comanche and rebuilt the packs using the 91 short box pack that the size of the regular leafs were different. The metric ton springs were a bit thicker than the regular springs. I would up swapping just the overloads and the preloaders onto the 91 spring packs. They're better than before, but not as good as the original metric ton ones were (when I took the metric ton springs apart, 7 of them were cracked).

Thanks for the advice here folks, from what I've read up on here I think new metric ton springs with a set of sensa track load leveling shocks should fix things up proper.

[92tanMJ]

Sounds good man! Post pictures after you get'er all done

[carnuck]

The D44 axle will be the next thing to have issues. You are using a 1/2 ton truck to do a 1 ton truck's work.