F150 …. Time for new rear leaf springs?

[A930Rocket]

I have a 2014 F150, 2WD, with 220k miles on the clock. It has 3” block (part of the 4” lift), airbags, and new rear shocks. When driving, it feels like the rear end bottoms out. Looking at my springs, they look flat and there’s about a quarter inch gap at the spring pads. The airbags are barely inflated.

As a builder, I do keep stuff in the bed all the time (but not a but not a crazy amount of weight) and I also tow my aluminum car trailer to the track.

Would new springs or HD springs help?

[908/930]

How much lift was that shock intended to be used with, any chance it is your shock bottoming out?

[onewhippedpuppy]

Maybe, both leaf and coil springs will sag over time, especially when towing or hauling. Isn’t there normally a gap at the spring pads?

[oldE]

The springs may certainly have lost some of their effectiveness. I'm curious as to why you aren't taking advantage of the air bags.

Best
Les

[A930Rocket]

Originally Posted by 908/930

How much lift was that shock intended to be used with, any chance it is your shock bottoming out?

Good question. I actually bought new shocks that are for raised trucks, but I had to compress them quite a bit to get them to fit. Maybe they are bottoming out? I have a different pair (stock) of rear shocks coming tomorrow and will try those.

Originally Posted by oldE

The springs may certainly have lost some of their effectiveness. I'm curious as to why you aren't taking advantage of the air bags.

Best
Les

Right now, the truck is level front and back. If I add any more air, it’ll start to look jacked up in the back.

If I get new springs, I suppose I could get springs that have a built-in 3-4 lift. This would take away the blocks, and I could inflate the airbags more.

Edit: I mainly got them, for when I’m towing. If I had known, I could only inflate them a little bit, I probably wouldn’t have bought them. Maybe I have the wrong type?

There’s a 1.5 inch spacer under the air backI can remove and maybe that would help?

Edit 2: I removed the spacers under the airbags and there was no pressure on the system. So, it’s leaking from somewhere.

[A930Rocket]

Well, at least I found one problem, to the bottoming out issue. When I installed the airbags, the lower U bolts, I thought cleared everything, but the rears on the inside, were hitting the upper mount. I zig wheeled them shorter, finished installing the airbags without the spacer and aired them up.

Tomorrow, we will see how it goes.

[oldE]

That just might solve your problem.

Best
Les

[A930Rocket]

I also measured my shock absorbers in the mounted position and they are 23-1/2 inches centered to center.

The shocks I have installed have the following dimensions:
Extended Length (in): 33.07
Collapsed Length (in): 19.29

So that gives me about 4 inches of compression.

The shocks that came today have the following dimensions:
Extended Length (in): 30.04
Collapsed Length (in): 17.6

Which gives me 6 inches of compression.

I will install them after work tomorrow and see how it goes.

On a side note, I ordered new Michelin LTX tires from Tire Rack and they were $1700! Holy ****! I used to buy cars for that kind of money.

[Bob Kontak]

Sort of on topic. We have a place in Akron called Stuver Spring. First come first serve.

They replace the attachment plates and springs as well as re-arch springs. It's all I've used them for but it's cheap and fast and they have been doing it since the 1940's. Around back they have a much taller garage for bigger trucks.

I posted this mainly to show a pic of the place. You get there at 6:30 and you will be out by 9:00 but you have to sit in the tiny little dated office to the right. They have vintage promotional calenders in there and you can see the progression of phone number establishment. In the 40's there were five digit numbers (I'm pretty sure) and they slowly became more and more complex.

[cabmandone]

I can't get beyond all that black stuff under the truck on the frame, springs etc. Mine all looks kinda "orangeish" They must have used a different color of paint on the frame axles and other parts and a different coating on all the fasteners on my truck.

You must be running your airbags at low pressure to have that kind of movement. I wish my F250 had that kind of give with the airbags aired down. Damn thing still rides like a truck for some reason!

[Bob Kontak]

Originally Posted by cabmandone

Damn thing still rides like a truck for some reason!

Don't they start getting serious with tire load carring capacity on the F250's and 2500's? They are not so cushy.

[cabmandone]

Originally Posted by Bob Kontak

Don't they start getting serious with tire load carring capacity on the F250's and 2500's? They are not so cushy.

Yeah I think I'm running E's on my truck but can't remember. I just know that when aired up, they don't sag much with some tongue weight.