Deaver Leaf Springs

[Superdannyboy]

Hi Danny,

Suspension tuning is all about balance as well as control. When you are in the aftermarket bolt on arena...finding balance is hit or miss. Rarely is it a real hit, but can be a very close miss to the point the new miss is an improvement. I leave the off road tuning to folks like Greg Foutz at FMI who is connected with Ford and had the resources to truly tune off road suspensions.

When Doug S and I created the FX4 brand...the amount of work to tune the shocks for control of the front and rear and more importantly, the front to real balance was a real leraning curve for both Doug and me. Doug was part of my Offroad team and immersed himself in the tuning and learned a ton of stuff that we applied. First FX4 prototype was handed off to my boss... He came back the next day, having taking it home over night, and told me it drives and rides better than his Lincoln...so I did not get the keys back as they were handed off to higher ups until I got the keys back with a note from the top brass. FX4 is now a GO Program.... Kudos to Doug S. In retirement Dougie and I are still fast friends.... Oh well...Good luck with your project...

Best,
Phil Schilke
Ranger Vehicle Engineering
Ford Motor Co. Retired

Phil, are you telling me to establish a strong relationship and deliver groundbreaking results? I'm just getting home from a 16 hour shift fine tuning a CMM program to run over the next day. My partner and I got the rotation of 2 bores within 40 microns, .000040".

I love vehicle dynamics the more and more I learn about it. I went with icon as they tuned the coilover and rear shocks specifically for the Ranger and when Bajakits releases the upper mount that gets mounted to the frame I'll be bolting up a secondary bypass shock using the preexisting secondary mount on the lower A arms. Icon said they will custom make this once I get the upper mount. This should be plenty fine for years until I really cut up the truck and that is a different animal where I will need very fine tuning such as what greg foutz can do.

I asked greg if I could get through the silt in baja with a rwd and he said not to lift my truck if I do. I understand prerunners not lifting to keep the center of gravity low, but I haven't wrapped my head around why that affects getting through silt.

Edit: I now understand that he meant don't lift off of the gas

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[Superdannyboy]

So I put the icon rears on today and the truck just feels so different and amazing.

The piggyback would have hit my exhaust, so I took off the last section of the left side exhaust,twisted the exhaust tube, and put the tip on like in the first picture. Thinking of doing the right exhaust the same I really like the look.
The 2.5's and deavers are a world difference. Not trying to talk you guys into it at all that is not what I'm doing.....lol ?

 

[wilsoN_]

I'd have liked the Deavers but a shipping quote of $386 to the East Coast made me change my plans to the Icon leaf springs.

 

[Superdannyboy]

I'd have liked the Deavers but a shipping quote of $386 to the East Coast made me change my plans to the Icon leaf springs.

Yea I got lucky and went to the site and happened to see them on sale for 1k so the savings almost equaled my shipping to texas. I can see the shipping being the deal breaker, I haven't been in a truck with the icon rxt springs, I bet they ride well too.

 

[Superdannyboy]

Hi Danny,

Suspension tuning is all about balance as well as control. When you are in the aftermarket bolt on arena...finding balance is hit or miss. Rarely is it a real hit, but can be a very close miss to the point the new miss is an improvement. I leave the off road tuning to folks like Greg Foutz at FMI who is connected with Ford and had the resources to truly tune off road suspensions.

When Doug S and I created the FX4 brand...the amount of work to tune the shocks for control of the front and rear and more importantly, the front to real balance was a real leraning curve for both Doug and me. Doug was part of my Offroad team and immersed himself in the tuning and learned a ton of stuff that we applied. First FX4 prototype was handed off to my boss... He came back the next day, having taking it home over night, and told me it drives and rides better than his Lincoln...so I did not get the keys back as they were handed off to higher ups until I got the keys back with a note from the top brass. FX4 is now a GO Program.... Kudos to Doug S. In retirement Dougie and I are still fast friends.... Oh well...Good luck with your project...

Best,
Phil Schilke
Ranger Vehicle Engineering
Ford Motor Co. Retired

I get what you are saying Phil. Bolt ons are only so good. If I want the best, that would be getting my shocks tuned by a pro. I understand. But, icon did a great freaking job just saying ?

 

[Superdannyboy]

For you guys with deavers, did y'all hand tighten the springs or torque them to manufacturers specs? Specifically at the front mount and at the back to the shackle. I think theoretically this might have an effect on how much the springs move and how much the shackles move with the springs.

 

[Frenchy]

I

For you guys with deavers, did y'all hand tighten the springs or torque them to manufacturers specs? Specifically at the front mount and at the back to the shackle. I think theoretically this might have an effect on how much the springs move and how much the shackles move with the springs.

Dont have Deavers but with the Old Man EMU leafs I did go to manufacture specifications on the front. The rear I went to the Old Man EMU specification as they replace the shackle and have a different design. With roughly 28,000 miles on the lift it has held up with no problems so my suggestion is go to manufacture specifications on the suspension.

 

[Superdannyboy]

I
Dont have Deavers but with the Old Man EMU leafs I did go to manufacture specifications on the front. The rear I went to the Old Man EMU specification as they replace the shackle and have a different design. With roughly 28,000 miles on the lift it has held up with no problems so my suggestion is go to manufacture specifications on the suspension.

I hand tightened mine. Gonna go over it again at 80 ftlbs.

 

[Frenchy]

Y

I hand tightened mine. Gonna go over it again at 80 ftlbs.

Yeah that would be a good idea. Double check the torque specifications as I do not remember them. Also it depends on what I messing with to weither or not German Spec is good enough or not.

 

[Superdannyboy]

Y
Yeah that would be a good idea. Double check the torque specifications as I do not remember them. Also it depends on what I messing with to weither or not German Spec is good enough or not.

What is German spec?

 

[Frenchy]

What is German spec?

Good and tight

 

[Superdannyboy]

Good and tight

The apg/deaver springs come with a washer and an interlocking nut for each side at the front mount. And it's 85 ftlbs my bad. They also told me that I could use moly lube.

 

[Frenchy]

The apg/deaver springs come with a washer and an interlocking nut for each side at the front mount. And it's 85 ftlbs my bad. They also told me that I could use moly lube.

Here is the grease I use. It has the moly in it and it is readily available at most auto parts stores.

https://www.oreillyauto.com/detail/...d-multi-purpose-grease/val0/633?q=Vv633&pos=0

 

[Superdannyboy]

Here is the grease I use. It has the moly in it and it is readily available at most auto parts stores.

https://www.oreillyauto.com/detail/...d-multi-purpose-grease/val0/633?q=Vv633&pos=0

Thanks for the tip!

 

[Todd B]

Thanks for the tip!

How hard was removing the spring eye bushings out of the stock springs and transferring them to the Deaver springs?
I got the stock weight springs in last week from APG and will be pairing them up with the Fox 2.5 coilovers & shocks.

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