Installing new leafs on 94 F250 TTB

[HS108]

I think its time for new leafs on my truck, from what I can tell they are the factory springs with an add a leaf under them. I have 225k miles and its a 30yr old truck, so think I got my money out of em.

Im looking at springs on RockAuto, factory spring load is 3486.

My question is.. I have a Ranch hand bumper on the front which weighs 250lbs, It doesnt seem worth it to get the HD 3 leaf springs with the load rating of 4100 seems too overkill? Right?

Also anyone had experience with Husky springs? Decent price on them vs the Dayton or Dorman ($150vs$230)
I want USA made quality, but at the same time I drive 1500miles a year lol

As you can see below, bushing is shot, clamp rivet if snap so its loose, and I got an inch or so to the bump stop.

 

[Nero]

Have you considered just rebushing the springs? Only reason to replace them is if they're sagging or broken usually.
I rebushed the ones in my old mans truck, and it was used and abused hard as a farm truck. Rides fine and hauls loads just fine still. 180k on the chassis

 

[Clb]

I'll go look for the recipt, just know that I followed you in what I wanted....
The sag was in the pivot bushes.
The replacement rubbers deflection was terrible, new swing shackles were just as bad.

 

[HS108]

Have you considered just rebushing the springs? Only reason to replace them is if they're sagging or broken usually.
I rebushed the ones in my old mans truck, and it was used and abused hard as a farm truck. Rides fine and hauls loads just fine still. 180k on the chassis

I have, but have read its a major pain in the ****, buddy did it and said he would just buy new springs next time, and his shop set up is way better than my driveway.

Honestly it probably would fix my issues, and I could just cut that clamp off and get a bolt on one. My add a leafs are crooked as well, could be the time to straighten em

 

[Nero]

In my experience they weren't that hard. I used a harbor freight 20 ton press and various sockets as the drivers. Just makes lots of noise.

 

[u2slow]

I can't say what your camber is like now, but new springs will most likely change it. This could require quite an involved alignment job - degree'd balljoint inserts - which may require new ball joints along with any other tired-parts replacement. Turns into a big job.

You may be better off tackling the bushings and shackles one by one; in place.

Honestly, I don't care much for TTB. I'd start putting money aside for a D60 and D60 leafs.

 

[HS108]

I can't say what your camber is like now, but new springs will most likely change it. This could require quite an involved alignment job - degree'd balljoint inserts - which may require new ball joints along with any other tired-parts replacement. Turns into a big job.

You may be better off tackling the bushings and shackles one by one; in place.

Honestly, I don't care much for TTB. I'd start putting money aside for a D60 and D60 leafs.

I’m already going for an alignment 2nd week of Dec, just installed new ball joints, and want them to last. I don’t want the sloppy leafs to mess up my new ball joints.

 

[HS108]

I’m leaning towards just redoing the bushings, I have decent gap at the bump stop, if I replace the bushings it should give me even more, and just tac weld the clamp back in place and it should be fine.

Someone has a 12 ton shop press for sale near me (I don’t have a press) might go pick it up just for this job, or I may farm it out. Idk I just don’t like paying people to do work that I can do.

 

[Clb]

A pair of springs and swing shackles were aroud $450.
Wasn't happy needing to do bushes on new sh it.

Verizon lost the pics of the new shackles cocked sideways on the truck.
And +1 on adjustable camber bushes, man did I need em.

 

[u2slow]

I’m already going for an alignment 2nd week of Dec, just installed new ball joints, and want them to last. I don’t want the sloppy leafs to mess up my new ball joints.

You'll mess up tires, not ball joints.

Camber correction is done at the balljoints with inserts, or by changing the ride height with leaf springs.

 

[HS108]

Well, just gonna have a shop do the springs for me, I drove it today and the clunking is crazy from the spring shifting, so I drove to the local spring shop in Hartford and got a quote. Rockauto with Dayton springs, shackles, and u bolts cost right around 650 shipped, local spring shop with all the same parts 1150 installed and done in a day.

I just did a ton of work on the front end and saved a lot of money doing it myself, So I'm going to Farm this one out. Its getting cold and I'm just over it. plus 500 isn't really that much to do all the work honestly.

I know the alignment is gonna be a big deal, and I want it done right, so gonna get new springs put in so I can get an alignment and call it a wrap on the front end.
I put the old camber bushings back in, 1 degree on the pass 2 on the driver, I'm interested to see how much it changes.

 

[HS108]

A pair of springs and swing shackles were aroud $450.
Wasn't happy needing to do bushes on new sh it.

Verizon lost the pics of the new shackles cocked sideways on the truck.
And +1 on adjustable camber bushes, man did I need em.

Thanks, truck looks good

 

[HS108]

I can't say what your camber is like now, but new springs will most likely change it. This could require quite an involved alignment job - degree'd balljoint inserts - which may require new ball joints along with any other tired-parts replacement. Turns into a big job.

You may be better off tackling the bushings and shackles one by one; in place.

Honestly, I don't care much for TTB. I'd start putting money aside for a D60 and D60 leafs.

Thanks, I shouldnt need new ball joints as I just did them. Its already a big job. This started as brakes and has snowballed

 

[WrenchWhore]

My truck had a bunch of camber from the blown out leaf spring bushings and the axle pivot bushings. After doing both for relatively cheap (Energy Suspension) it really made the alignment come back to where it should be. I still need to do a degree or two of camber on one side but it made a huge difference. I gained back almost 1.5" of lift from just bushings. I was blown away. With that said i'm with @Nero. Those bushings aren't that difficult at all to replace IMO. I just found a socket that fit it just right and smacked it with a BFH until the came out. Popped in the new bushings with the provided grease and back together it went. Same goes for the axle pivot bushings. I've done full replacements leafs for more than twice the price and really didn't gain much of anything other than they were painted and already done. I've got way more time than money so i'm always trying to save where I can so I can put the money somewhere else.

 

[HS108]

My truck had a bunch of camber from the blown out leaf spring bushings and the axle pivot bushings. After doing both for relatively cheap (Energy Suspension) it really made the alignment come back to where it should be. I still need to do a degree or two of camber on one side but it made a huge difference. I gained back almost 1.5" of lift from just bushings. I was blown away. With that said i'm with @Nero. Those bushings aren't that difficult at all to replace IMO. I just found a socket that fit it just right and smacked it with a BFH until the came out. Popped in the new bushings with the provided grease and back together it went. Same goes for the axle pivot bushings. I've done full replacements leafs for more than twice the price and really didn't gain much of anything other than they were painted and already done. I've got way more time than money so i'm always trying to save where I can so I can put the money somewhere else.

Thanks for the reply, I just did my pivot bushings, and it wasnt that hard actually, I used a chisel punch to fold over the bushing casing on 2 sides and then used a round punch to push it out using each side to "walk" it out.

Im just going with the new leafs, im pretty sure they are the factory leafs, and they are already being held up by an add a leaf spring which isnt even in full contact with the springs lol Its bent and crooked in the pack.

Yes I could save a few hundred bucks, and If i had more time than money I would do the bushings, pull the add a leaf and see where I sit, but its starting to freeze and I do all my work in the driveway. Ill pay the money to have it done correctly, and ill never have to touch the front end again (hopefully) Im lucky in the fact that I can work overtime at the firehouse when/if I want and earn some extra coin, so ill just do that to pay for the springs and upcoming visit from santa