overload springs

[kbenz]

I'm gonna need some extra spring in the back for towing. Will superduty overload springs work on my 93 f350? Edit. “This is a tow truck”

https://www.autoandtrucksprings.com...rear-helper-spring-heavy-duty-43-903hd/#tab-2

I now have just a single leaf overload and can't seem to find a heavier duty spring pack for a 350

 

[gandalf]

My '86 F250 in Maine has a set of Hellwig overload springs on the rear. I got them because I was carrying a 10 1/2 foot camper in the bed. Handling was a bit squirrley with the stock suspension, enough so that I was nervous driving the truck. Aside from stability, the weight lowered the rear end noticeably. The handling improved somewhat with the overload springs, and I eliminated the tailend droop to almost nothing. The downside was that, without the camper, it felt as though there was no suspension. It rode like the proverbial truck.

 

[kbenz]

My '86 F250 in Maine has a set of Hellwig overload springs on the rear. I got them because I was carrying a 10 1/2 foot camper in the bed. Handling was a bit squirrley with the stock suspension, enough so that I was nervous driving the truck. Aside from stability, the weight lowered the rear end noticeably. The handling improved somewhat with the overload springs, and I eliminated the tailend droop to almost nothing. The downside was that, without the camper, it felt as though there was no suspension. It rode like the proverbial truck.

Hellwig is totally different than what I'm looking at. the hellwig style gives added spring all the time

 

[franklin2]

Not sure what your plans are. It's going to take a lot of tongue weight from the trailer to sit the truck down on the overloads. Unless you sit the frame perches very close. And if you do that they hit all the time going over bumps unloaded.

If you want your cake and eat it too, I think I would get a airbag kit so you can adjust things the way you want. https://www.sdtrucksprings.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=4515

 

[kbenz]

I should have specified better than towing. This will be a tow truck

 

[chillman88]

I still agree with Franklin2 on the air bags. You can get them relatively cheap and they'll do exactly what you're looking for, with the ability to adjust the ride.

 

[kbenz]

Springs are a lot less maintenance though. think I found what I need.. https://www.stengelbros.net/510-335C-Heavy-Duty-Helper-Kit_p_680.html

 

[u2slow]

Is this a pickup or a cab & chassis? Leafs are 3" wide vs 2.25" wide. Makes a difference what you need to buy.

 

[Booyah45828]

There are a lot of options out there for load-leveling, what's best is determined by what you're using it for. That kit from stengel bros looks similar to the late model overload springs found on the 1 tons. IDK if the factory overload springs will work on your tow truck, but a quick measure on one in the junkyard would be easy enough.

I've installed several air lift kits from air lift and firestone. They're nice because they maintain a soft stock suspension unloaded, yet give you stock ride height when loaded. I've received no complaints yet, and out of the couple dozen kits installed, only one had the bags fail, and that was after 7 years.

If you're going to be loaded heavy all the time, look at timbren ses kits. They're cheaper then that stengel kit, and will do the same thing as an overload spring would. You might hear them contact now and then on a rough road, but I've largely had no issues with the ones I've installed.

On one e450 van, we had a local truck shop rebuild the leaf pack and add a few more to it. It made it ride like a log wagon when empty, but it was very rarely empty.

 

[1mouse3]

F-super spring are 3in and not the 2.25 of the cab & chassis. I have f-super springs front and rear on my truck and has a hard ride with no weight, it takes 2 tons in the bed to get the overloads to where the the tabs should be.

 

[kbenz]

Is this a pickup or a cab & chassis? Leafs are 3" wide vs 2.25" wide. Makes a difference what you need to buy.

Pickup. Has 3” wide springs

 

[kbenz]

F-super spring are 3in and not the 2.25 of the cab & chassis. I have f-super springs front and rear on my truck and has a hard ride with no weight, it takes 2 tons in the bed to get the overloads to where the the tabs should be.

The f super springs are longer than stock f350 overload spring. Not sure how that would work

 

[kbenz]

There are a lot of options out there for load-leveling, what's best is determined by what you're using it for. That kit from stengel bros looks similar to the late model overload springs found on the 1 tons. IDK if the factory overload springs will work on your tow truck, but a quick measure on one in the junkyard would be easy enough.

I've installed several air lift kits from air lift and firestone. They're nice because they maintain a soft stock suspension unloaded, yet give you stock ride height when loaded. I've received no complaints yet, and out of the couple dozen kits installed, only one had the bags fail, and that was after 7 years.

If you're going to be loaded heavy all the time, look at timbren ses kits. They're cheaper then that stengel kit, and will do the same thing as an overload spring would. You might hear them contact now and then on a rough road, but I've largely had no issues with the ones I've installed.

On one e450 van, we had a local truck shop rebuild the leaf pack and add a few more to it. It made it ride like a log wagon when empty, but it was very rarely empty.

Went to a couple local yards yesterday. Didn’t have crap to compare or measure

 

[1mouse3]

The f super springs are longer than stock f350 overload spring. Not sure how that would work

This is the ride hight with those springs and 4in blocks in the rear, I am using f-super rear hangers and shackles for front springs. The rear ones came with the truck and not sure what was used, I see no issues with there length. It will become about level with 2 tons in the bed and is where they start to soften up.

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With 2 tons this is how close the overloads get to the where the tab should be I think and would probably touch the tab, will get the the overload tabs at some point.

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The rear that came with the truck where miss matched and I reordered them to be stacks of 11 like this.

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[u2slow]

Any good spring shop can make up some multi-leaf overloads. They fine-tune the positioning with a spacer between the main pack, and flattening out the tips. A 2x4's thickness (1.5" thick) is often used for base spacing.

You may want to strategize the spacing further - so you're not on the overloads when empty, but an average 'tow' puts load on them. What you don't want is that in-between state where a lighter load slams you hard into the overloads on every pothole.