Coil Spring help - heavy duty or not?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
  #1  
Old 10-20-2014, 07:27 AM
dmp's Avatar
dmp
dmp is offline
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Armada, MI
Posts: 231
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Coil Spring help - heavy duty or not?

Since installing my bumper and winch, my truck went from leveled to about 1" low in the front. To handle the extra weight on the nose I'm looking at F150 coil springs.


My options:
F150 Heavy duty:
Type One Tangential End; One Pigtail End
Inner Diameter 3.68"
Wire Diameter .81"
Median Design Height 13.00"
Design Load 2365
Spring Rate 811
Approximate Free Height 15.92"


F150
Type One Tangential End; One Pigtail End
Inner Diameter 3.68"
Wire Diameter .75"
Median Design Height 13.00"
Design Load 2285
Spring Rate 552
Approximate Free Height 17.14"


Compared to Expedition springs from the same maker:


Type One Tangential End; One Pigtail End
Inner Diameter 3.69"
Wire Diameter .75"
Median Design Height 12.50"
Design Load 1924
Spring Rate 552
Approximate Free Height 16.00"

My question then - Considering the second F150 set, same spring rate but ride .5" higher vs the first set which are not just half in taller, but also 250lbs 'stiffer'. Can somebody help me with what 'design load' means in terms of if they springs will be more-effective at holding up the front of the truck? That is to ask - with the spring rate being the same between the second F150 option and my factory springs, does the higher design load of the F150 coils mean the springs will not compress as much?

Thoughts? Help? Suggestions? Will the taller spring help bring my truck back to level, or should I opt for stiffer rates, too? Thinking of secondary and maybe tertiary affects - having drastically different spring rates from front to rear (rear springs are stock) could cause problems - but then again, maybe not because the extra weight on the nose might...Uh..I dunno.


I'm guessing front and rear coil springs are the same for the truck - maybe I go all four with heavy rates? But...then the truck may remain unlevel.
 
  #2  
Old 10-20-2014, 09:50 AM
MGDfan's Avatar
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 10,390
Likes: 0
Received 9 Likes on 9 Posts
  #3  
Old 10-20-2014, 11:55 AM
dmp's Avatar
dmp
dmp is offline
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Armada, MI
Posts: 231
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Thanks Dan.

Can anyone help my understanding after reading that link?

Would springs of equal spring rating but different height compress to the same height under the same load? Does that question even make sense?
 
  #4  
Old 10-20-2014, 12:03 PM
MGDfan's Avatar
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 10,390
Likes: 0
Received 9 Likes on 9 Posts
Originally Posted by dmp
Thanks Dan.

Can anyone help my understanding after reading that link?

Would springs of equal spring rating but different height compress to the same height under the same load? Does that question even make sense?
Who's Dan?

Different height springs + same spring rate + same load = different compressed height for each spring.

(Assuming these are linear and not progressive rate springs, lol).

I was attempting to clarify what 'design' meant and apparently failed miserably ...

MGD
 
  #5  
Old 10-20-2014, 01:57 PM
dmp's Avatar
dmp
dmp is offline
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Armada, MI
Posts: 231
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
ha! i missed the F in your screen name. I swear it read MGDan. Eitehr way.

But thank you. You answered it - the taller springs, under the same weight, will not compress as far (thus keeping the front end of the truck measurably higher).

 



Quick Reply: Coil Spring help - heavy duty or not?



All times are GMT -4. The time now is 11:21 PM.