removing F350 auxiliary springs temporarily?

[pybyr]

The paved roads where I live are getting worse by year due to budgets- frost heaves abound

I have no need to ride in a mushmobile (and my truck came with a Bostrom suspended driver's seat, which is sweet) but I wouldn't mind a little less beating, especially for passengers.

I rarely if ever need a full 1-ton carrying ability- bought this truck mostly because it was (a) cheap; (b) wonderfully cared for; and (c) splendidly sturdy and simple.

Would there be any harm in temorarily taking out the auxiliary rear springs (the ones above the main leaf pack)? I know that they are only supposed to come in with load/ bumps, but from the marks on where they meet the frame pieces that they contact, they are definitely "springing into action" on at least some of the frost heaves.

Any tips on taking them out if I do?

Thanks!

 

[Goofyexponent]

Personally, I think it would be WAY easier to just remove the brackets that the springs contact.

You can grind off the rivets and take them off way easier than you can remove the U bolts, take the springs out, buy shoter u bolts and put them in. Then you have to torque them up again after 500 miles.

Grind the rivets off and pull the overload brackets, leaving the spring packs alone. This way, all you have to do is put the bolts back into the holes where the rivets were and tighten them backup to haul the weight again.

 

[Russ]

Or toss 1000 lbs in the bed and call it good.

 

[Goofyexponent]

That's true too...got an old Honda Civic laying around? lol

 

[MIDNIGHT RIDER]

Honestly, after all the work, I don't think you would find any difference at all in ride quality; it most likely would even be worse.

But, if you really want to experiment,

Personally, I think it would be WAY easier to just remove the brackets that the springs contact.

then ^^^THIS^^^ is by far the best advice.

 

[pybyr]

Great suggestions-- thanks everyone. Guess I'm back to wishing that I could find a 2nd-Hand Kelderman air set up at a modest price....

 

[LCAM-01XA]

if you wanna remove the overload springs you can, but you'll need new U-bolts after that as these things are torque-to-yield so really a one-time use. Then if you decide you need the overloads again you'll have to buy another set of new U-bolts, for the same reason...

But, I have an idea - if you want the thing to ride smoother you can remove the overload springs, then pull the flat leaves from the bottom of the main spring packs and use the 1" overload spacer blocks in their place, this should allow you to retain your current ride height and since you now have less springs in the main pack it should ride a bit smoother as well. I personally have the F350 overload space blocks as lift blocks under my main leaf packs, then I have a pair of F Superduty overload spacer blocks where the factory F350 ones were between the main pack an the overloads...

 

[pybyr]

Thanks for all the suggestions--- I wasn't aware that the U-bolts were single use, and I am glad that I now know.

 

[BIG DAVE]

That's true too...got an old Honda Civic laying around? lol

Thats pretty good i'll have to remember that one

 

[Agnem]

Thanks for all the suggestions--- I wasn't aware that the U-bolts were single use, and I am glad that I now know.

Not only that, but cutting them is about the only way to really get them off. A torch is pretty much the best tool when doing suspension work. Have you considered velvet ride shackles instead?

 

[NapaBavarian]

Great suggestions-- thanks everyone. Guess I'm back to wishing that I could find a 2nd-Hand Kelderman air set up at a modest price....

That's similar to what I do, I love the versatility

 

[pybyr]

Have you considered velvet ride shackles instead?

Thanks for the suggestion of the Velvet Rides, Mel; apparently they are no more, but someone mentioned a similar product called "Sulastics" over in this thread
http://www.oilburners.net/forums/showthread.php?t=36546&highlight=shackle
I'd read about Velvet Rides several years ago, and heard good initial reviews, but then heard less happy things about how they hold up. I'd LOVE to get a Kelderman air rear supplemental suspension as was mentioned in the thread above (or even try to make one) but it's not in my budget right now. While the Kelderman set-up is not cheap, it seems like you get more per $$ than with the rubber shackles, which, if I am following, cost about 1/4-1/3 of the more complete air set up. Wish I could find a used Kelderman at an affordable price within drive of VT.

Continued suggestions appreciated

 

[Agnem]

Thanks for updating my at times draconian knowledge.

 

[Goofyexponent]

The ride could be worse! Ever drive a tandem L9000 Dump truck with an aluminum box...and hendrickson rubber block suspension. It's a real kidney damager!

What shape are your shocks in? An ajustacble shock (like a rancho 9000 style shock) could have an effect on the ride, although with that many springs I would imagine the effect would be minimal lol.

 

[pybyr]

The ride could be worse! Ever drive a tandem L9000 Dump truck with an aluminum box...and hendrickson rubber block suspension. It's a real kidney damager!

What shape are your shocks in? An ajustacble shock (like a rancho 9000 style shock) could have an effect on the ride, although with that many springs I would imagine the effect would be minimal lol.

The truck really doesn't ride badly in light of how it's built and what it is built for-- the problem is that, of the paved roads around here, a lot of them have pavement that's in terrible shape-- cracks and heaves all over the place. Most vehicles throw you around a fair amount on that kind of surface.

The only thing that I can say about the shocks is that they're OEM and that the truck only had 12,500 miles on it when I bought it a few months ago-- and since it was a fire rig on an AF base and then a secondary local fire truck that was rarely called out, there shouldn't be any wear and tear on the shocks.

I'm beginning to think along lines of trying to DIY a suspension system for the passenger bench in the truck (which I got out of a 97 Ford cab-over that had been retired for body rot (my truck's original passenger seat had no cushion in the center of the back, to make room for a breathing apparatus)) or take the suggestion above to look for and try to get a suspended seat from a really big truck (my driver's seat is already a suspended Bostrom that came in the truck- I love the ride of that seat). Just want the ride to be more decent for my GF and son when they're with me and we end up on some of the pavement that resembles mine craters.