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Rear Leaf Spring Upgrade Question

JasonTremor

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This was my thinking to improve ride quality. It’s either tires, leaf springs, or shocks. I’ll try to find the part number for the tremor leaf springs and possible see about getting a set in the future.
Having owned a 2013 Tacoma 4x4 and a 2017 GMC Sierra 4x4 Z71, I can share that the Ranger Tremor does not ride as smoothly as either of those vehicles. Tacoma had really soft springs and car tires from the factory and the Sierra was a lot heavier vehicle. Still, the Ranger Tremor rides good for a midsize pickup truck.
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Langwilliams

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It also could be a tradeoff Ford made to have best in class towing and pretty decent payload for this size truck.
I think it was a cost saving move. I don't understand defending the overly stiff mono leaf rear with it's jarring ride. A 40K truck should ride reasonably.

I changed the shocks an that helped stop the pogo an excessive rocking problem but I still felt every crack in the road. I installed a used set of Wildtrak springs, which is the international ranger model (I think). It rides so much better on the minor imperfections. It did raise the rear about an inch. The springs had under 100 miles on them according to the listing, removed for an airbag conversion, so I'm hoping they settle a little.

I did the Bilstein 5100 level set at 1.8" an I liked the look but now the slope is back but I don't want the front any higher. It's worth it for the ride.

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Shoran12

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I think it was a cost saving move. I don't understand defending the overly stiff mono leaf rear with it's jarring ride. A 40K truck should ride reasonably.

I changed the shocks an that helped stop the pogo an excessive rocking problem but I still felt every crack in the road. I installed a used set of Wildtrak springs, which is the international ranger model (I think). It rides so much better on the minor imperfections. It did raise the rear about an inch. The springs had under 100 miles on them according to the listing, removed for an airbag conversion, so I'm hoping they settle a little.

I did the Bilstein 5100 level set at 1.8" an I liked the look but now the slope is back but I don't want the front any higher. It's worth it for the ride.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1446908336...uid=z0sDFzaGRZu&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY
Well that’s good to know what’s causing the lack of ride quality. That’s really my main gripe with this truck is feeling everything on the roads at lower speeds. I feel it right up into the seat. Smooth roads are no problem so that why I was thinking it was the rear leaf’s. I may look into these as well. Do you know which Raptor bump stops I need? Are those the ones on the F150s? I’ll need to keep my eye out for a set that will work.
 

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You wont need the Raptor bump stops, they are shorter and designed to take harder hits than the Ranger ones, only if you are lowering the truck would you need them, or you can easily shorten the Ranger ones.
 

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Leveled, dog-squatted, 8k lbs easy.. had to take twisty bumpy haggard ass back roads the whole way home... it's a wonder how I survived!?


Not.



It's fine.
 


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The moment you start to dog squat you are taking weight off the front tires and making the vehicle more unstable. So no it is not within legal limits anymore.
The moment you put anything behind the axle you are taking weight off the front tires. You just don't get a visual indicator if your springs are too stiff to squat.

If you had no suspension at all, you could only have 1 pound of weight on the front and be horrifically unsafe, but it would look normal.
 

Frenchy

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The moment you put anything behind the axle you are taking weight off the front tires. You just don't get a visual indicator if your springs are too stiff to squat.

If you had no suspension at all, you could only have 1 pound of weight on the front and be horrifically unsafe, but it would look normal.
Here is something you are also missing. Once you start to squat you bring a big wind factor into play. How so you ask? Well the air/wind is now going to push the fro t of the truck off the ground as you go down the road. This will lift the tires off the ground even more. That makes it worse
 

Jqueen

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Here is something you are also missing. Once you start to squat you bring a big wind factor into play.
Nope, wasn't missing that. Just pointing out that getting your truck not to squat doesn't mean it's got plenty of weight over the front.

How so you ask? Well the air/wind is now going to push the fro t of the truck off the ground as you go down the road. This will lift the tires off the ground even more. That makes it worse
Yep, although I'm curious by how much- truck undersides aren't exactly a wing, and lots of people out there run the squat look on purpose- even unloaded. Probably be a significant issue at speed, but I've been wrong before.
 

Langwilliams

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Well that’s good to know what’s causing the lack of ride quality. That’s really my main gripe with this truck is feeling everything on the roads at lower speeds. I feel it right up into the seat. Smooth roads are no problem so that why I was thinking it was the rear leaf’s. I may look into these as well. Do you know which Raptor bump stops I need? Are those the ones on the F150s? I’ll need to keep my eye out for a set that will work.
There was a set of the wildtrak springs on the ranger facebook page but they were 5 hours away. Not that bad but just bad enough to not pursue. He wanted $250 for the springs an U bolts.
 
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Shoran12

Shoran12

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20220522_163324.jpg


Leveled, dog-squatted, 8k lbs easy.. had to take twisty bumpy haggard ass back roads the whole way home... it's a wonder how I survived!?


Not.



It's fine.
My first cross country move in the Navy, me and my wife loaded up my. 02 4 cylinder rwd Tacoma to the max since it was all we had and made it from NY to San Diego just fine fully squatted. Not a single issue (well maybe a few hills lol). I remember every night having to unload everything out of the truck and into our hotel room. Oh the fun times. 100 percent sure I was way over the payload but at the time it had to be done, Deployment wasn’t going to wait haha. Oh that brings back some memories I thought I had been able to forget lol. Three animals and us fully loaded down access cab.
 

samayeam

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This was my thinking to improve ride quality. It’s either tires, leaf springs, or shocks. I’ll try to find the part number for the tremor leaf springs and possible see about getting a set in the future.
You might want to compare payload and towing capacity for Tremor vs say FX4 or whatever you have. IIRC - tremor has a 500lb lower limit on towing capacity because of the softer springs. I can't recall if payload was similarly impacted - but I *think* so.

We have a Tremor and it had similar rake (nose down, rear up) that a standard FX4 had. Ride quality was among the best I've ever expereinced in a truck with an actual frame. Loaded it down pretty quick with a stainless steel topper and the bed is full of gear pretty much full time. Truck is pretty much level but the spring pack looks dead flat. Still rides great. We were blinding the crap out of everyone at night though - had to adjust the headlights down as we changed the angle of the housings by loading up the bed. For reference - it stays loaded 100% of the time as we are traveling full time.
 

Frenchy

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You might want to compare payload and towing capacity for Tremor vs say FX4 or whatever you have. IIRC - tremor has a 500lb lower limit on towing capacity because of the softer springs. I can't recall if payload was similarly impacted - but I *think* so.

We have a Tremor and it had similar rake (nose down, rear up) that a standard FX4 had. Ride quality was among the best I've ever expereinced in a truck with an actual frame. Loaded it down pretty quick with a stainless steel topper and the bed is full of gear pretty much full time. Truck is pretty much level but the spring pack looks dead flat. Still rides great. We were blinding the crap out of everyone at night though - had to adjust the headlights down as we changed the angle of the housings by loading up the bed. For reference - it stays loaded 100% of the time as we are traveling full time.
The tremor being more.level also takes part into the towing capacity. Even Ford knows once you go past level and start squating there will be problems
 

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Tremor tow capacity is 7500. No different than any other package.
 
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Langwilliams

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FYI I've had my wilktrak springs on just over a week an I remeasured today an it looks like it settled a little. Up between half an inch to three quarters an inch. It was up an inch after the initial install. Also, the passenger side might be a tad higher than the drivers side. but not enough to notice without measuring.
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