Add a Leaf for Height and Payload Options

[Mad Max]

Now that I'm mid-perched, I wanting to regain some of the factory rake back, but I also want a little more additional payload/towing support.

I know the initial response is to go Deaver, National, etc... however, it seems many of the aftermarket spring packs have had some unhappy customers, sagging due to leaf fatigue, cracking, and the re-arching maintenance...whereas a few folks that just added a single leaf between the #1 and #2 factory springs have all been satisfied for their needs.

And to be quite honest, I'm not spending $1200+ for a bundle of metal springs...I just need a little support in the rear, not an entire makeover. My Raptor is 99% highway use, and will probably not see any off-road use for many years (I have another F150 and Jeep for trails and slinging mud). I'm basically asking to see how many folks have gone the Add a Leaf route and what the long-term issues (if any) have been.

This is what I'm looking at...

Kit # 0910F150XLKIT3A contains:

2 SXL-4310 Double punched Extra Leaves
4 HC-11 Handy Rebound Clips
4 UA601S U-bolts w/deep nuts & thick hardened washers
4 CB-1550 Center bolts with nuts

Kit cost is $163.60

This kit is to install an extra leaf on each side between leaf #1 and leaf #2 of F150 2WD or 4WD pickups with OE 3 leaf springs. The result is 800lb of increased spring capacity and 1+" of increased rear height. Installation involves removal of old u-bolts and center bolts and drilling the rivet on each rebound strap to remove the OE rebound straps and provide a recess to index the handy rebound clips provided in the kit.

There is also another kit that adds a .807" spacer for a little extra height...

Kit # 0910F150XLKIT3A+S contains:

2 SXL-4310 Extra Leaves for Between Leaf #1 & 2 of 3 Leaf OE Springs
4 HC-11 Handy Rebound Clips
4 CB-1550 Center Bolts
1 pair of 0910F150SPACERPLATES

Kit cost is $199.20

This kit is a extra leaf to go under leaf #2 of the 3 leaf OE with a .807" spacer plate for under each spring pack to gain additional height. Because leaf #2 on the OE 3 leaf pack has rebound straps attached installation involves drilling the rebound strap rivets to remove OE straps and provide an index divot for the provided Handy Rebound Clips. This kit will increase load capacity by 800lb and raise rear height by approx. 1 7/8" .

There are several additional options listed on their website, up to 3+" and 1k additional payload: HUSKY SPRING Suspension Solutions

 

[Towerhog]

If you went with the first setup, Id get different U bolts. The ones you want are square U bolts. Those look like semi round ones to me. The second setup looks to have the square U bolts.

 

[TheJoker]

I wonder what effect this will have on the rear travel and the articulation.

 

[Kmandoske]

I had a extra leaf added at a local shop here in Chicago. It cost me $300 buck installed and it took them all of 45 minutes. Well worth the money. I have 45,000 miles on my truck and off road quite a bit for a Midwest guy. I was not ready to spring for the progressive leaf although I'm told the WSI ones are really good. I had the leafs added just before TRR and drove Chicago to Dallas and did not feel any significant handling issues or bumps on the road. At the rocks of TRR they were great, way better hook up and it eliminated a lot of wheel hop what taking off. The truck just planted it self while launching way better than stock. I ran them again in the sand dunes of michigan and the balwin trails and was again very pleased with the setup. I was able to go ove the whoop sections noticable faster and with much more control. I'd recommend adding a leaf to bridge the gap before going right to new progressive springs. when I hit 100k and I relace the stock shock. I'll go to WSI pack and I'm sure I will be even happier. But for not I'm very pleased with what I have.

 

[Mad Max]

If you went with the first setup, Id get different U bolts. The ones you want are square U bolts. Those look like semi round ones to me. The second setup looks to have the square U bolts.

I had a extra leaf added at a local shop here in Chicago. It cost me $300 buck installed and it took them all of 45 minutes. Well worth the money. I have 45,000 miles on my truck and off road quite a bit for a Midwest guy. I was not ready to spring for the progressive leaf although I'm told the WSI ones are really good. I had the leafs added just before TRR and drove Chicago to Dallas and did not feel any significant handling issues or bumps on the road. At the rocks of TRR they were great, way better hook up and it eliminated a lot of wheel hop what taking off. The truck just planted it self while launching way better than stock. I ran them again in the sand dunes of michigan and the balwin trails and was again very pleased with the setup. I was able to go ove the whoop sections noticable faster and with much more control. I'd recommend adding a leaf to bridge the gap before going right to new progressive springs. when I hit 100k and I relace the stock shock. I'll go to WSI pack and I'm sure I will be even happier. But for not I'm very pleased with what I have.

Thanks, that's the kind of feedback I'm looking for!

Kmandoske, do you know what your spring specs were? I'm wondering if I would be better off ordering one of these kits or if I should go to a local Spring Shop to have them come up with their own solution.

 

[carlschmarl2]

I just did the Mid-Perch mod yesterday, and my intentions are to add a leaf between the first and second leafs like it was explained in the "Axle Hop" thread...

http://www.fordraptorforum.com/f9/axle-hop-explaination-cheap-cure-10528/index3.html#post155820

 

[Mad Max]

I just did the Mid-Perch mod yesterday, and my intentions are to add a leaf between the first and second leafs like it was explained in the "Axle Hop" thread...

http://www.fordraptorforum.com/f9/axle-hop-explaination-cheap-cure-10528/index3.html#post155820

I had previously read over that thread. I just don't have anyone who can recommend a local Spring Shop in the Nashville area that I feel comfortable with. The performance shop I use to work on all my other vehicles, said they can install any leaf spring kit I bring to them.

There is a local shop called Nashville Spring Service ( If it's a spring, give us a ring! ) that could probably provide the raw material and do the work, but the feedback I've gotten was that they were always rude and might not be the kind of place you'd want a nice truck worked on.

So I'm in a dilemma, use a trusted shop I've always used, but with the parts I provide...or roll the dice on a specialty shop, which I have no personal experience with regarding their service and parts.

 

[carbonfiberunderpants]

I went the Add-a-leaf route on my truck and couldn't be happier with the results. I did end up spending more than I was planning on because I basically did it twice, but the end result is exactly what I was looking for. My original reason for adding the leaf was to eliminate the factory lift blocks with the bumpstop pads and get the leaf pack thinner. The reason I wanted to do that was so that could eliminate the 1" thick pad on the end of the Fox air bumps that you need to run on the RPG bumpstop kits when you use the stock springs. I also have a 4.5k lb. travel trailer that I haul regularly so stiffening the rear end for towing would also be desirable. I didn't want the rear end to feel too stiff, though. Matching the ride of the front on mid perch was pretty much where I wanted to be. I went with an add-a-leaf from General Spring online. Originally I ordered their middle of the road 998lb. increase spring.

2009 - 2013 F150 rear add a leaf with factory 3(2/1) leaf - 998 Lb Increase

The spring was .447" thick and as long as the main leaf in the factory pack. I wanted to have one that matched the factory .410" thick springs, but I figured I'd go with it anyway and see what happened. The one thing I didn't want was to lift the rear end, and General Spring said that the leaf would lift it about 1.5". With this in mind I ordered a custom lift (drop, really) block from Precision Metal Fab. This block was 1.5" shorter than the factory block and kept the angled taper but eliminated the bumpstop pad. I also bought factory F150 u-bolts from Ford. Everything went together perfectly, and I just took the rubber pads out of the factory leaf spring clamps and bent them around the new pack. They were a little tight but worked. The end result got me my thinner pack, but it lifted the rear end about 2" even with the shorter blocks. It was a little high for my taste; In my case wanted to eliminate the rake and have the truck ride level. The ride was not as stiff as I was afraid it would be, but it was definitely stiffer than the front suspension. It was a huge improvement towing, though. I no longer hit my bumpstops all the time and it rode much more level with the trailer attached.

 

[carbonfiberunderpants]

I ran that setup for a few months then I decided to tweak it a little to get it more to my liking. First I bought a set of softer add-a-leafs from General Spring:

2009 - 2013 F150 rear add a leaf with factory 3(2/1) leaf - 802 Lb Increase

These were the exact same thickness as springs in the factory leaf pack. Then I bought a set of custom tapered leaf spring shims from 4Crawler Offroad:

4Crawler Offroad Products - Custom Leaf Spring Shims

I also bought a set of bolt on leaf spring clamps from BDS Suspension, which I shortened to make them fit better, and a set of u-bolts from some year of Lincoln Navigator or something like that. They were the perfect length for the new setup. This time the ride is perfect. It's back to roughly the factory ride height, and it's perfectly level with the front on mid perch. The ride is noticeably softer, but still stiffer than stock. I ended up spending around $700, but that's still a lot less than an aftermarket pack, and the end result is exactly what I was after. Plus it was fun tuning the suspension.

 

[carbonfiberunderpants]

I was worried that eliminating the factory block would reduce the droop on the rear axle, but it wasn't a problem. When you jack the rear end up the wheels fall to full droop, and with 100psi in the bumpstops I have blown through about 3/4 of their travel, so everything appears to be normal.