Broken Leaf Springs

My F150 is used primarily for hauling and never over its capacity. I noticed it sagging a few weeks back and today just got to looking underneath. Turns out I have three broken leaves. Two on one side, one on the other.

There is a local shop that is known for doing a fantastic job with springs with everything from old cars to fire trucks around the US. I'll be getting mine from them, but are they worth upgrading out staying stock?

I don't drive the truck often. Just for fun or hauling.

As for how they broke, I think the previous owner mistreated her and overloaded the trailer leading to the eventual demise of there transmission and rear suspension.

Thanks,
Nick

Ford leaf springs break looking at them wrong. My F250 has a broken spring and I never used the 5th wheel/gooseneck rails in it. Never overloaded either.

Buy a kidney belt if you upgrade.

Good to know, Ranger.

914, if rather get her a corset.

What I'm looking for, us there a downside to beefing up my rear springs with it not being a DD?

Oh for me? Lol. Is the ride going to be that rough? And no, I'm not buying myself a corset.

You had me looking up what kidney belts had to do with leaf springs. Then it clicked.

Just ordered a five leaf set. Thats a whole one more leaf. Guess I'll order me a corset err... Kidney belt.

Then the fun part. Putting them on.

In reply to N Sperlo:

It helps if you have someone lace it up for you... oh you meant the leafs.

I had leaf springs break on both sides of my 2008 Chevy 4wd PU this week. The truck has a 100,000 miles on it and I use (abuse) it a lot. I tow a 24 foot car trailer quite a bit. That being said, I have had a lot of trucks and have never had a broken spring before.

I purchased new springs and U bolts and set out to change them. After a short time I wanted to ring the neck of the engineer that designed the mounting system. The rear of the spring bolts to a bracket that is bolted and riveted to the frame. GM installs the bolt so that it has to slide to the inside to come out. The only problem is that the frame is in the way! I had to cut the bolt head off and then use new bolts, inserted in the opposite direction.

The front of the spring bolts through the frame. Only problem is that the fuel tank has to be removed to get the passenger side bolt out! I had just filled the tank. So, I am on my back trying to wrestle a tank filled with 26 gallons of fuel. I took me all day to change the springs. It should have been a couple hour job!

In reply to jmc14:

Damn. I read a two hour job for me, so probably about four a side and four cans of PB Blaster. You've encouraged me to take a good look at thinks tonight. These are original springs and I've got well over 200,000 miles. She keeps running good, though.

Thanks for the warning.

You could always make a call to Deaver or National Spring if you want some custom leaves made. Little more expensive than stock stuff but not as much as you'd think.

I've never seen the springs break in an F-150...

...the hangers and/or shackles never last long enough!

Start the PB blaster now so it has time to work....

In reply to oldopelguy:

Did that. The u-bolt nuts were no problem. The end links were a bitch, so I cut them. Still working on one. Need a better cut off tool than a sawzall.

oldopelguy wrote: Start the PB blaster now so it has time to work....

Better yet, try using penetrating oil.

https://www.kimballmidwest.com/Catalog/CatalogIndex.aspx?p=231.2123

Makes PB Blaster look like... motor oil.

Cut the old one out. Here's my problem now. The shackle is a bitch to pull into place to bring the spring to a boltable position for the front. Whats the trick? More help to pull that guy forward?

Is everything loose?

I suspect a long prybar in you future to make everything line up....

I can get it close, but think someone bigger than me just may be able to get it there. Want sure if anyone here had any experience. The prybar will probably do the trick if that isn't the case.

spring eye not reaching the shackle eye? clamp sq. tubing inside the spring arch and leafs and tighten clamp to straighten out and extend spring to reach shackle eye. heck 2X4 might work

In reply to fasted58:

makes sense. Thanks.

Still struggling with this. Bump.

Got dat beyotch. 2 c-clamps, a crow bar, and two guys. Had to use both your ideas. Thanks guys.

Here's the problem see...you've got all those cans of PBlaster...but you forgot the Other cans of PB. PBR.

On my F150 I left the original top spring in place (not broken) and just replaced the other leafs with some I robbed from a junk Tahoe at work. Good enough for me and free and fast.

When i had my 96 F150 i did a spring upgrade to make sure it handled my trailer, I had to replace a rotted hanger anyway so i did rear hangers and new shackles and springs. Surprisingly the hangers and shackles were cheapest right from the local ford dealer! the springs i got from a truck spring and brake house i got the 2nd from the stiffest ford stock units, no kidney belt needed ran smooth even unloaded. Check your door tag code and surf over to fordtrucks.com and find the decode sheet. to get them hooked essayer i used a come-a-long from eye to eye and slipped the bolt in the shackle.

ClemSparks wrote: Here's the problem see...you've got all those cans of PBlaster...but you forgot the Other cans of PB. PBR.

Pabst Blue Ribbon? No, I don't go any lower than Busch.