Anybody with pics of the new setup?

 

Well we tried dissasembling and modifiying one of our earlier designed kits yesterday and just destroyed it in the process. It was the kit that BIG BAD BOOTY DADDY sent us back before he installed it. If we could simply modify the old kits I would trade them out for the new version. However, due to the offset modification we simply would have to throw them in the dumpster. I make very little profit on these kits after the materials,wages,insurance,E-bay listing fees, E-bay final value fees, Paypal fees and free shipping are factored in. So free replacement would open up a Pandora's box and ultimately put me out of business. I hope you can understand my dilemma!!!

I,am looking into the design and fabrication of a limiting strap that only allows the upper control arm to drop a certain distance.Thus stopping the upper control arm from touching the coil. I think the limiting straps will be less in cost than a new leveling kit and much easier to install . I would hope that Daystar, EZ Lift, Top Gun Customz and the other leveling kit distributors and manufacturers will also eventually be proactive and address this issue since it affects them as well. I suspect they will also offer some kind of mod to their kits or a limiting device of some kind.

As you are all aware, the coil rubbing is only a cosmetic issue, not a safety issue and does not occur on all F-150's. I,am sorry but I cannot offer free replacement(except for BIG BAD BOOTY DADDY since I destroyed his kit) and shipping the kits back would cost you @$25-$35 both ways and are just gonna get chucked anyway. Not to mention the hassle of having to dissasemble the front suspension two more times. I can however offer replacement kits for $100 w/free shipping if you buy them direct from us. This saves both of us the E-bay fees and Paypal fees. Call me at 1-800-345-0431 or 208-362-0431 if this is an offer any of you members would like to pursue.

Thanks for all of your past support and understanding. We are doing our best to provide an affordable, high quality alternative to a full blown (expensive) lift kit.


Best Regards and Fords Rule
Kevin (owner)
Auto Spring Corp
Boise , Idaho

 

Hey Edge,
I see you're from Breathitt Co. Do you know Jess Haddix? We're buds from when we were at EKU in Richmond.

 

Is that cost just good for the guys who have them now and want them replaced or can I call and order me a 2" kit for that cost?

 

Nico- That price is good for any member or customer that mentions my offer from this website only!!!

Kevin

 

First of all let me state that I have the "old" 2.5" autospring product installled on my truck, my springs have little rub marks on them and I am completely and totally satisfied with the look, ride and design of the original autospring spacers on my truck. Little rub marks have not motivated me to abandon this fine product.

All of you that are jumping on the "new" autospring bandwagon might want to consider that the "new" autospring will also have some impact on your suspension just as the "old" one did. This impact may be a little more serious than rub marks.

I haven't closely followed the latest postings regarding autospring's response to this subject but I'm under the impression that the "new" autospring will once again alter the basic geometry of the front suspension; an alteration that will now do more than just raise the spring off the upper spring mount. This will likely have even more serious consequences than little rub marks on your springs as the angle of the spring will now be changed as opposed to just artificially lengthened.

I'm not in the business of selling parts but I question the wisdom of changing a design that has no serious flaws other than creating a "panic" within the customer base. I understand the reason for making the changes, however.

I'll give it about 6 months until someone decides the old autospring was a better design...

 

I would agree with ACKACKADACK. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. If the design would have been solid to begin with; there would really not be a redesign or reason to purchase the product again. Now you will have to pay twice for the part and for the alignment and install. The whole reason to buy the kit is an inexpensive way to alter the look of the truck. It was good for AUTOSPRING to finally admit that there were some issues. Sales may have fallen short. I and others on this forum still like the look and ease of install of our AUTOSPRING; but I for one am not ready to purchase the product again. Now that's double dipin' unless you're buying them for the first time.But if it was a safety issue then they would probably be in some type of litigation by now.They claim that the only issue is cosmetic and not a safety one. Plus what's no to say that these NEW and IMPROVED parts will not have a problem down the road. I don't like dealing with the moving or change of position of the spring. Now you're altering the intended geometry of more parts. I will stick with mine until I can get a real lift.

 

Hold on now folks, lets not start freakin out because I make a tiny change to the design of our kit. First of all the only reason I even looked at a change in the design is due to the coil rubbing issue and folks on this website complaining about the paint coming off their coils.I have sold and or installed over 2800 kits to date and have not received one phone call complaining about this issue. The only call I received is from a F-150online member who said, he wished he would have installed a leveling kit and put on 33" tires before he took his $38,000 dollar truck deer hunting. Because he trashed his aluminum lower control arms and cross member on rocks and stumps while 4-wheelin. He said I quote " I would rather live with a scratch on my coils than with a wasted underside of my new truck ".This is NOT a safety issue only cosmetic. Trust me if it were a company the size of Daystar would have pulled their kits from the market long ago. Sure, I can understand the "if it ain't broke don't fix it" group. But I fall into the "if I can make it better why not" group. So I did!! : fyi: Second, I,am not trying to sell guys that already have kits installed another one. If that was the case I would not even bother trying to design a limiting device.I,am just offering you an option if the scratch on your coils bothers you that much. Please remember as I stated on my very first post "Not all trucks experience the rub issue". My own company parts truck, a 2004 FX4 with a 2-1/2" kit has just over 36,000 miles and has NEVER had the control arms rub the coils and its been over some really crappy roads and trails delivering truck springs ,etc.
The modification we made to our kit is minute.The offset spacer moves the top of the strut/coil inward toward the motor 1/4 inch. That's all it takes for the upper control arm to clear the coil in full off-load. The strut/ coil type suspension on the F-150's is not the same as a true Macpherson strut assembly.When you move the strut assembly any direction in or out on a Machperson suspension it affects camber and caster. Not on a dual control arm suspension like the F-150 utilizes.
The best advice I have is to do like some members already have and install a piece of rubber over the scratch and save your bucks for the full blown 4-6 inch lifts. But then again, can anyone with complete certainty say they will never have a single issue with that MODIFICATION.
Sorry for the sermon, but I just wanted to clear the air here and at least be the first leveling kit manufacturer - distributor to address the issue head on.
Thanks again for your support

Kevin (owner)
Auto Spring Corp
Boise, Idaho

 

You haven't been around here very long...

I wrote my rant regarding modifications a week or so ago. https://www.f150online.com/forums/sh...ification+rant

Someone here posted they had noticed rub marks on their springs and reported they had removed their autospring spacers out of concern (concern for what was never really clear to me). Others immmediately reported their concern that they had rub marks as well and all of a sudden there was an issue regarding the safety of your product.

Some folks are installing intake systems and then expresssing surprise and concern when they throw CEL codes. They then post that there is a problem with a particular product because something like this has happened. The product becomes "defective" and lots of others post they are going to remove their intakes as soon as possible.

We have some who have installed aftermarket wheels with less than factory offset; sometimes way less. I don't think they realize the future impact this will have on the life of their wheelbearings but I predict certain aftermarket wheels will become "defective" because this occurs.

My point is the same as your point. One cannot make any modifications to any vehicle without seeing some kind of "responsive wear issue" down the line.

My comments are more directed at those who post their "concerns" and for those others who then react by assuming the aftermarket part is defective.

I think you have a fine product already on the market and I commend you for reacting to customer concerns. I don't see your response as Autospring trying to sell more pieces as much as I see your customer base not realizing there is nothing really wrong with the original piece.

I do have some concern with the change you have proposed to your product but more because I question the need to make the change in the first place.

 

Autospring i see where your new design will work just fine causing no caster or camber change to control arms. True any mods to a vehicle will have some reprocutions small or large. I see slight touch on mine also. Ah a little rust may occur but i see that all over under my truck. Any one see where there aluminum control arm rubs spindle this is factory rub .

 

Thanks for directing me to that post ACKACKADAK. I didn,t catch that one.

I have been so focused on the BYE BYE AUTOSPRING thread that all others went un-noticed. I, just like you ,wanted to remind folks that they are MODIFYING their suspensions from factory designed configurations, and as you stated in your earlier post unforseen things can crop up when performing mods. I just want to address those THINGS and fix em if possible. Sure it was a pain to re-build my manufacturing jigs to accommodate the tiny change to our kits but I would rather know my products are the safest and best ones out there. Companies that don't listen and follow up on consumers issues and improve their products will not last in this competitive market. If I was a Ford engineer, I would be on this website everyday listening and learning from consumers responses and then design the ultimate FORD TRUCK ,a New generation F-150, with a 24 valve chipped and nutted out Cummins Diesel, Allison 6-speed Auto Tranny, 4" factory taller and leveled out. With an Airride system in the rear for leveling under loads and stock with 35" MT Nitros and capable of clearing 37" tires somebody wake me up please Im dreamin again. I bet they might sell a few but then again they would probably cost $60 grand or more

BIGGER IS BETTER AND TALL TRUCKS KICK ****.

Thanks again everyone for your support and I will continue providing a high quality, made in America product that will last a lifetime.

Kevin
Auto Spring Corp
Boise, Idaho

 

It feels good to see we get some type of closure. I think modders would like to be told all the nasty details about all the negative impact of the aftermarket parts they buy. Some will still buy, and others won't. But then there would be a big loss of business. You can only give someone your opinion and they can choose to follow it or not. We all may have experienced some form of disappointment at one point in time with all of the parts we have placed on any of our vehicles. From stereos, tires, lifts and such. From thinking "wow this will be great for sound,performance and look" to "why did i ever spend so much money on something so useless" and we have spent a HECK-OF-ALOT more on these than on a leveling kit.I think being able to speak about SAFETY and concerns is one of the most important aspects of this forum; and not put any particular company's product down. After all; many of us take our family and children on these vehicles. Complaining about the AS at this point would be like knowingly getting a pair of boots too tight thinking they'll "loosen up over time " and then complaining that they don't fit and hurt your toes. I think the wal-mart fever has hit the mentality of many (Use an item for 30 days or less and then go get your money back if you didn't like it. receipt or not)(i dont' know how they can stay in business) Anyway;It has until now been a COSMETIC issue and until trucks start rolling over ( which should have happened by now) and REAL accidents happen; the AS has done it's job well. My truck looks so much better, and I never see the spring daily and check for dings and cracks. If that was an issue, we would all be inspecting the bottom of our trucks for dents when you run over a possom.Many are happy, many are sad. We have to live with the decisions we have made.Good or bad. And come one folks, we're not talking 2000 dollars. maybe 300 tops.

 

So...I realize this is about 3 years later, but are the AS spacers considered to be a good/safe product again? Any issues since the redesign?