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Old 05-14-2009, 09:44 PM   #1
Art-n-Marge
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How many leafs in your spring?

As some of you may have noticed via other forum topics and posts I have decided to give myself more leeway on my F-250 (GVWR is 10,000) by buying new heavier duty leaf springs for my truck to literally turn it into an F-350.

Funny thing though was that the worse place to go for me was the Ford dealer. The parts department only has one set of springs that can be ordered for BOTH an F-250 AND an F-250. It really puzzled the parts guy because he has an F-350 and its GVWR is 11,500 (which is what I'd like to be at) and he knows that the only difference between the two is more leafs in his springs. He thinks the F350 has an extra load bearing leaf spring on the top, but we didn't look and check.

So an informal poll would be: Count the leafs in your rear springs and report the numbers on your TV for comparison sake. You should be able to see all of them by looking inside the fender on the other side of the rear tire, don't forget the short ones.

I shall start (year, model, GVWR and leaf count at the rear):

2006 Ford F-250, 10000 lbs, 5 leafs (4 long, 1 short)
 
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Old 05-15-2009, 12:22 AM   #2
Bill-N-Donna
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2004 F-350 dually.
I counted 6 on my truck. I wonder though whether or not the springs from one truck to another might have a different strength or rating?
I believe my truck has a GVWR of 11,500lbs.


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Old 05-15-2009, 02:16 AM   #3
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Hmmm,

2003 Ford F-250, 8800 lbs, 5 leafs (4 long, 1 short) plus a top helper spring and the set of Timbrens I just installed.
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Old 05-15-2009, 03:03 AM   #4
richfaa
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08 F-350 GVWR 13K .. Front 6K rear 9K Rear.. 5 springs total. There is more to it than that..We have the snow plow package on the front and the camper package on the rear. The springs have a different rating, perhaps made of a different strength steel and a different thickness.
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Old 05-15-2009, 03:54 AM   #5
illapah
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6 total on my 05 350 Ford Super Duty w/camper pac.
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Old 05-15-2009, 06:04 AM   #6
grampachet
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2004 F-250 V-10 King Ranch, Super Duty, Camper Special 2 Front and 6 rear with timbrens.
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Old 05-15-2009, 07:28 AM   #7
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OK, so I don't have a Ford, but when I look at a couple Ford parts direct sites, I see two rear spring packs available for 99-07 F250 trucks. One has an auxiliary sping leaf, one w/o. I look at the F350, I see a spring pack the exact same price as the F250 spring w/aux. leaf. I can't access any part numbers on those sites. Wish I could as I'm suspicious those are the same spring.

Here is something else I ran across:

Part Number: H632520
MFR#: 2520
HELLWIG LP-25 PROGRESSIVE LEVEL HELPER SPRINGS -- The Original Load Leveler, A 3-Leaf Stack Provides Up To 2500 lbs. Of Additional Load Capacity, Designed For Heavier Loads And Improves Handling When Towing, Easy Installation And Provides Better Vehicle Control With Level Loads, Made Of High Quality Steel, These Progressive Helper Springs Are Fully Adjustable By Tightening Or Loosening The U-Bolt - You Choose The Tension, Mounting Hardware Sold Separately - Check Your Specific Application, Whether You're Towing A Load Or Just Carrying A Load For Do It Yourself Projects, These Helper Springs From Hellwig Will Enhance Your Level Load Carrying Capacity, Even With These Units Installed, Never Exceed The Load Carrying Capacity Beyond The Manufacturer's Gross Vehicle Weight Rating.

Notice they say it adds load capacity, then they have the little disclaimer at the end!
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Old 05-15-2009, 07:35 AM   #8
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Well, so far I am seeing what I suspected since the local dealer was no help. The F350 and Camper Special F-250 has more springs than a stock F250. Typical GVWR for an F-250 diesel is 10,000 and an F-350 is 11,500.

My problem is that the one dealer I visited I could only order the same set of springs called for both the SRW F-250 and F-350 (what's up with that?) and there is no indication of the weight rating. Another great example of an American auto manufacturer that doesn't know what it's doing, or maybe it's the dealer. Nonetheless, no help there.

I am looking at a set of springs that has 7 leafs and are rated at 4400 lbs each. My current springs give me 6100 lbs at the rear end, these will give me 8800 lbs and I was only looking for about 7500.

Thanks for the early help. I will keep watching this topic for updates.
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Old 05-15-2009, 08:43 AM   #9
KathyandDave
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2007.5 Sierra 3500HD DRW has 7 leafs in the rear. From the bottom up:
1 very thick spring, 2 thin, 3 medium and a separate one on top that can travel a couple of inches before it contacts a separate rubberized plate at each end, presumably to limit excursion, like a Timbrens? It has made contact with the plates in the past, possibly quite recently.
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Old 05-15-2009, 11:09 AM   #10
SlickWillie
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Leaf spring, f250 pick-up, dual rear wheel - 1999-07 super duty - 1999-07 SUPER DUTY
05-06 $322.77 Our price $271.13

Never seen an F250 dually. Did they make one in 05 and 06? This is from Fordautopartsonline.com. I'm thinking it is just an error.
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Old 05-15-2009, 11:39 AM   #11
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It's an error. There are no F-250 duallies out of the factory. Ford duallies start with F-350. I don't know how far back in years for sure that that has been the case, but I have only seen Ford duallies as F-350 and up.

I am looking at a 7 spring (6:1) rated at 4400 lbs each for $229.00 including bushings. It has a montrous 3 1/4" block (a block is the measured thickness of all springs in the center) The thicker the stronger.

Slickwillie, in your example do you think they might mention dually because those springs work for both?

Does anyone know about General Spring in Kansas? It's their springs I am looking at. Their price for what you get is phenomenal, because it appears this is right out of the factory.
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Old 05-15-2009, 12:29 PM   #12
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Seems like there is a little more to it than.."the only difference is a spring" My 08 F-350 has a rear axle rating of 9K. If the only difference is "the spring" then you need to find the part number for that spring set on the 08 F-350....
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Old 05-15-2009, 01:14 PM   #13
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Ford put out a dulley F250 in the old body style (94 thru 97) for 1 or 2 years not sure, but it did not sell well so the removed that option.




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Old 05-15-2009, 01:44 PM   #14
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Quote:
quote:Originally posted by Jim Dickey


Ford put out a dulley F250 in the old body style (94 thru 97) for 1 or 2 years not sure, but it did not sell well so the removed that option.
That's what I had decided. I found one in that year range for sale, an F250 dually w/service bed.

Rich, I don't guess I follow your line of thinking. I would think that the 350 SRW spring pack is not the same as the dually. Is that what you were addressing? Heck, I'm not even sure about the rear axle on the Fords. I just don't know that much about Ford trucks. I can't find a site with the part numbers like I did with the GM products. That is the only way to check it out.
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Old 05-15-2009, 01:50 PM   #15
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hey richfaa... everything I keep checking - internet, dealerships, parts department, Ford truck owner who worked for Ford's part department and looked at his own truck - that for SRW F-250 and F-350 keeps coming back to "just leaf springs". All other things - helpers, air bags, etc. only improve the ride. For dually, I suppose there could be more but I haven't checked.
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Old 05-15-2009, 03:36 PM   #16
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Well..what folks always say is That the only difference between the 250 and 350 is "the springs" Following that logic if the only difference is the springs....then what he needs is my springs. Put my spring pack on his truck and he has a F-350??? (I am being facetious by the way) as this thread is destroying the..The only difference is the springs" myth. However.. Would the spring set on my F-350 fit on a F-250? Ask the question??....If they would then finding the part number for My springs..IF that IS that only difference.. will solve the problem.

Why don't they just make a SD ford where you can order the Dually option with the snowplow package and the camper package Then you would have what is now a F-350.. Order the SWD option and it would be what is now a F-250.. Why make two different models if the only difference is a spring set and a couple of wheels...I could never understand the logic of that???

Art...I await the results of your quest.
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Old 05-15-2009, 03:46 PM   #17
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I suppose I breathed too much fiberglass resin fumes this evening. I fail to see anything in this thread that dispels the idea that the only difference in the F250 and F350 SRW is the spring pack. I'll go out, sit on the deck and breath some of that good fresh salty air, then re-read it later.
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Old 05-15-2009, 05:00 PM   #18
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Thanks Rich.... My quest ends at new springs, for sure, to give me a RAWR of around 8500 for my SRW F-250 and make it like an F350. If I had a dually, then that's where the extra 500 lbs comes in, for example your dually F-350 RAWR is 9000. A set of dually tires gives 500-600 more pounds for a weight rating on a Ford 250/350 chassis.

Finding the new springs is the new quest, and I am hot on the trail. I found a vendor in Kansas, but they haven't called back. They are making me wait until after the weekend since they are now closed. BAH, humbug!
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Old 05-16-2009, 03:03 AM   #19
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Try here...
http://www.rockauto.com/
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Old 05-16-2009, 03:17 AM   #20
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I hope you will post all your findings as to the differences between the F-250 and F-350 in terms of weight rating. I noted on the Ford site that you can only get the 3:73 diff and the F-350 SWD has a 10K GVWR option that the F-250 does not have. I would guess that that would effect the capacities.
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