Global multi leaf rear spring, anybody know spring design?

[Racket]

I asked Adam if there was any reason to utilize the factory 'cup' with the Sumos and his response was meh. He did say the plastic spacer isn't necessary. Since the global springs are thicker I'm going to leave those off and just use the Super springs plate.

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[NvrFinished]

I installed my set of Global leaf springs yesterday using the Rough Country U-bolt kit. It was an easy swap. The only thing I fought with a little bit was installing the O.E. bump stop plate from the mono-leaf spring to the top of the Global springs. I had to get creative with some C-clamps to keep the spring pack compressed enough so that the nut could grab enough threads on the centering pin.

I can see why it's important to torque everything while under load, especially the U-bolt nuts. Otherwise, the torque reading would be for pulling the spring pack together instead of the entire spring to the axle mounting plate. The weight of the truck does the job of compressing the spring pack. Now I need to decide whether to cut the factory bump stops or get the Raptor stops.

As an FYI for the driver's side spacer plate, just flip it over and rotate it 180 degrees. The small locating pin that fits in the mono-leaf spring will now face downward in a locating hole on the axle mount plate.

I'm amazed at the ride difference. About 70% of the front pogo bounce is gone as well. These definitely should have been O.E. instead of the mono leaf. I have the Eibach ProTruck 2 kit with rear reservoirs and SPG upper control arms sitting in the garage. Hopefully, I will have time this week to get it done.

 

[djsilver]

Both the longer secondary leafs, and thinner leafs will reduce the totL spring rate so I would think the global springs will offer a softer ride.

The crazy bit are the inverted overload springs, almost seems that the spring is designed to be bent backwards at full load.

If you can imagine a completely flat overload spring, then by comparison one that's curved upward will engage sooner and one that's curved downward will engage later. If they're the same dimensions otherwise, they'll all add the same load capacity, but at a different ride height.

 

[Racket]

I installed my set of Global leaf springs yesterday using the Rough Country U-bolt kit. It was an easy swap. The only thing I fought with a little bit was installing the O.E. bump stop plate from the mono-leaf spring to the top of the Global springs. I had to get creative with some C-clamps to keep the spring pack compressed enough so that the nut could grab enough threads on the centering pin.

I can see why it's important to torque everything while under load, especially the U-bolt nuts. Otherwise, the torque reading would be for pulling the spring pack together instead of the entire spring to the axle mounting plate. The weight of the truck does the job of compressing the spring pack. Now I need to decide whether to cut the factory bump stops or get the Raptor stops.

As an FYI for the driver's side spacer plate, just flip it over and rotate it 180 degrees. The small locating pin that fits in the mono-leaf spring will now face downward in a locating hole on the axle mount plate.

I'm amazed at the ride difference. About 70% of the front pogo bounce is gone as well. These definitely should have been O.E. instead of the mono leaf. I have the Eibach ProTruck 2 kit with rear reservoirs and SPG upper control arms sitting in the garage. Hopefully, I will have time this week to get it done.

Finally getting around to doing this myself - Sumos and springs. Ran out of daylight so just the passenger side on now. There is/was a thick piece of steel and a shim on the passenger side between the monoleafs and the mounting plate on the axle. The locating pin on the globals was bigger than the hole in that but fit into the hole on the axle so hopefully I don't need it or the shim.

The factory bushings on the rear shackles are hard plastic and what came with my globals looked new so I kept them. For street and highway the factory stuff is probably desirable.

As for the Sumo's I was going to use the plastic spacer since it fit the frame closer than the steel plate but the included bolt doesn't seem long enough. Since they are described as a type of air bag I wasn't going to be overly concerned with contact with the thicker spring pack.

The U bolt upper perch swap is something to plan on. Loosen the bolt on the global but don't remove the nut until you have the springs ready to go in place - you'll need vice grips on the pin to loosen the nut. C clamps would have been handy but I didn't have any for swapping the perch over.

As said before by someone else, get the pin in the hole on the axle before you wrassle the ends in position. I found loosely putting the shackles back then lowering the jack on the diff to allow the front bushing to get into position helped.

My 'new to me' springs had one with a higher arch than the other - it's going on the driver's side. I wonder if the 'unique' US model developed the more pronounced lean due to the monoleafs vs. the multi's the rest of the world has/had that requires ours to be shimmed - it gives the impression of cheap engineering.

I recall someone saying all the inspections in the world don't fix substandard manufacturing, so here we are doing it.

(Edit) I'm almost a week with the single passenger side done - night shift has been exhausting and I don't have the oomph to knock out the driver's side for a couple days.

I've been driving mostly highway and light traffic cautiously since I think it's not the best to be on oddball rear suspension setups even if they are Ford factory.

Repetitive trips over familiar roads at night with little distraction has me observing a few things. Some of this may be implied bias colored by my range of hearing but in trying to ascertain the left/right rear difference I think the single leaf's lower mass transmits more initial motion to the frame and sets up an audible oscillation that sounds like exhaust frequencies - but I've disabled the electronic nonsense with Forscan and 'hear' it in the left rear corner of the cab. I have the Magnaflow single exhaust which put sound back into driving but if this may mean the heavier multi-spring is dampening some harmonics. I'll be interested to see if the experience gets better after I get the driver's side done.

I'm not going to slalom the truck right now and the distance between left/right turning transitions are a little far to make absolute statements about handling. Since I have the Sumo spring in the passenger side as well I believe it's firming up those few hard left exit ramps I take and the sound is muted. I suspect the Sumo Springs is affecting it. As far as vibration noise back there on highway road imperfections it just seems the multi's are dampening movement and noise.

What I think I am imagining is there is more mass to the right rear of the truck as I drive which - once fully installed - I guess will contribute to the improved ride I want. The Eibachs in the rear have a range of lift they supposedly accommodate and while I'm not interested in doing that the inherent lift of these springs shouldn't create a problem there.

Taking off the stock springs and bumpstop it's easy to see where there was frequent contact so the taller and more progressive Sumo's combined with the taller springs are going to be interesting.

Probably still safer than adding a stiff Hellwig rear bar and driving with no load in the bed.

 

[RedDakooter05]

Skimming through this thread, I see these may lift the rear end up to 0.5" but the differences is on the tremors?
How much lift if any would I see on my XL(stx) non-towing packaged ranger?

Asking cause I keep 300lbs of sand in the bed so half imch of lift wouldn't really factor in.

 

[Fitzmotor]

I removed the bottom overload leaf, then it was the same height as the Tremor spring.

 

[CO2Ranger]

Skimming through this thread, I see these may lift the rear end up to 0.5" but the differences is on the tremors?
How much lift if any would I see on my XL(stx) non-towing packaged ranger?

Asking cause I keep 300lbs of sand in the bed so half imch of lift wouldn't really factor in.

My FX4 gained about .7 inches at first. Settled to about .55 inches after a few months.

 

[D Fresh]

Skimming through this thread, I see these may lift the rear end up to 0.5" but the differences is on the tremors?
How much lift if any would I see on my XL(stx) non-towing packaged ranger?

Asking cause I keep 300lbs of sand in the bed so half imch of lift wouldn't really factor in.

Mine was an FX-4. Raised my rear about ⅝.

 

[RedDakooter05]

Mine was an FX-4. Raised my rear about ⅝.

That's a bit close to being too much for me. I assume this is with little to no weight in the bed?

 

[NvrFinished]

Mine was a full 3/4" higher. 4x4 Sport SCAB.

 

[D Fresh]

That's a bit close to being too much for me. I assume this is with little to no weight in the bed?

Yep. Measured unloaded before and after, just my FasTop (40 ish pounds) on the bed.

I'd guesstimate it settled to about ½".

You could always remove a leaf like Fitz did.

 

[RedDakooter05]

Yep. Measured unloaded before and after, just my FasTop (40 ish pounds) on the bed.

I'd guesstimate it settled to about ½".

You could always remove a leaf like Fitz did.

Thanks.
I was looking at the icon leaf springs but these seem cheaper.



See if I can pay off my credit card again hah.

 

[CO2Ranger]

Thanks.
I was looking at the icon leaf springs but these seem cheaper.



See if I can pay off my credit card again hah.

Compared to the monoleaf I feel like the global springs squat sooner with weight. When I throw my sandbags in for the winter it levels out pretty well with about 200lbs back there.

 

[D Fresh]

Thanks.
I was looking at the icon leaf springs but these seem cheaper.



See if I can pay off my credit card again hah.

The Icons are pricey but have rave reviews.

The lowest "setting" might work well for you. What's your everyday load and what kind of ride height are you looking for/OK with?

Compared to the monoleaf I feel like the global springs squat sooner with weight. When I throw my sandbags in for the winter it levels out pretty well with about 200lbs back there.

Good point. My truck has some rake on it unloaded with the globals and 2" of lift up front. But when my dogs are back there, about 225 lbs, it's pretty level.

 

[RedDakooter05]

The lowest "setting" might work well for you. What's your everyday load and what kind of ride height are you looking for/OK with?

Not counting the 300lbs of sand for ride comfort, don't haul much stuff. Typical grocery getter.

Less lift the better, but 3/4" I guess would be my max. It's a 2WD so it won't be seeing any extreme offroad action.

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