Posted By: volaredon
leaf spring tech? - 04/06/19 12:42 AM
have 2 hi mileage Dakotas. Both 318 club cab/ one 96 4wd, the other 92 2wd. the 96 needs the a$$ lifted a couple of inches, and a lil more capacity. The 92 sits pretty nice, but could use a bit more capacity. at any given time I do tow with both trucks. sometimes a pop up camper with a bedload of camping gear, sometimes a 6-1/2'X13' utility trailer, usually with 1 or more garden tractors on the trailer.
I've done add a leaves at home (on a 94 reg cab/short bed Dakota I used to have) got those leaves from EPay. have removed original leaf springs on a few cars and took the spring packs into the spring shop for a "bench rebuild" and reinstalled them. Have replaced with new on other vehicles. While both of these trucks are well maintained (at least since I got them) and both are over 200K miles on original springs, no leaves are broken, might just be a bit tired. (though I don't have a brand new, square body Dakota to compare to) I plan to run them both into the ground.
Anytime I have to work on them, I work on them like I am gonna have them "forever", no baling wire/ chewing gum style of repairs. always buy the best quality parts I can get. I have everything I need for a total front end rebuild, going to be renewing the entire front suspension on the '92 with all MOOG parts, and then sent for alignment, as soon as my son gets his Ramcharger off my lift. I did the whole front end on the 96 last year. (I used to be an alignment guy for ~15 years, currently a fleet mechanic for the State, have all the tools, and well within my capability.)
don't really have the cash for 2 new sets of leafs, and anyone that sells them, seems to only sell "stock replacements". I want a bit better. I do have my own 2 post lift at home, made doing the add a leaves on the 94 a piece of cake.
Now the back story's done, here goes;
when I have taken springs in for a rebuild, they add a leaf almost as long as the main leaf, looking at add a leaves they mostly sell "short" versions. I found 1 company with both "short" and long" versions. I sent them an E mail their short is 24" their longs are 36" most "shorts" are 20-22" that I have seen. they claim these shorts to give 1-1/2-2" lift while beefing capacity.
Even my 2 Diplomat ex squads, they added full length leaves. one had busted front eyes, they just added new main leaves to the original spring packs, after cutting just the remnants of the original spring eyes plus maybe 1" more. but the spring shop was bought out, and their prices have gone stupid. Cheaper to buy new springs than to have them add a leaf. Even if I pull them and re install them. so I want to do my own add a leaf.
Which is better, and in what instances. Whether ride is the #1 goal, or lift is the goal or extra capacity in the bed/better towing capability. Short add a leaf or long?
I have read on some of the 4wd sites, where the readers have built their own "b@stard" leaf spring packs. Strangely, either a Dakota or Cherokee winds up the donor for any brand of truck.
I have a pair of used leaf springs and 1 brand new one from the back of a '90 W250. We put brand new ones on this truck, another of my son's trucks. (only have 1 kid)
same width leaves as the Dakota, plenty of material there to play with. Depending on whether I go "short" or "long" add a leaves, I may be able to get the material for both sides of 1 truck, from 1 of these W250 left over springs.
also I don't want to screw up pinion angle on either Dakota. Any tips to eliminate that issue?
I've done add a leaves at home (on a 94 reg cab/short bed Dakota I used to have) got those leaves from EPay. have removed original leaf springs on a few cars and took the spring packs into the spring shop for a "bench rebuild" and reinstalled them. Have replaced with new on other vehicles. While both of these trucks are well maintained (at least since I got them) and both are over 200K miles on original springs, no leaves are broken, might just be a bit tired. (though I don't have a brand new, square body Dakota to compare to) I plan to run them both into the ground.
Anytime I have to work on them, I work on them like I am gonna have them "forever", no baling wire/ chewing gum style of repairs. always buy the best quality parts I can get. I have everything I need for a total front end rebuild, going to be renewing the entire front suspension on the '92 with all MOOG parts, and then sent for alignment, as soon as my son gets his Ramcharger off my lift. I did the whole front end on the 96 last year. (I used to be an alignment guy for ~15 years, currently a fleet mechanic for the State, have all the tools, and well within my capability.)
don't really have the cash for 2 new sets of leafs, and anyone that sells them, seems to only sell "stock replacements". I want a bit better. I do have my own 2 post lift at home, made doing the add a leaves on the 94 a piece of cake.
Now the back story's done, here goes;
when I have taken springs in for a rebuild, they add a leaf almost as long as the main leaf, looking at add a leaves they mostly sell "short" versions. I found 1 company with both "short" and long" versions. I sent them an E mail their short is 24" their longs are 36" most "shorts" are 20-22" that I have seen. they claim these shorts to give 1-1/2-2" lift while beefing capacity.
Even my 2 Diplomat ex squads, they added full length leaves. one had busted front eyes, they just added new main leaves to the original spring packs, after cutting just the remnants of the original spring eyes plus maybe 1" more. but the spring shop was bought out, and their prices have gone stupid. Cheaper to buy new springs than to have them add a leaf. Even if I pull them and re install them. so I want to do my own add a leaf.
Which is better, and in what instances. Whether ride is the #1 goal, or lift is the goal or extra capacity in the bed/better towing capability. Short add a leaf or long?
I have read on some of the 4wd sites, where the readers have built their own "b@stard" leaf spring packs. Strangely, either a Dakota or Cherokee winds up the donor for any brand of truck.
I have a pair of used leaf springs and 1 brand new one from the back of a '90 W250. We put brand new ones on this truck, another of my son's trucks. (only have 1 kid)
same width leaves as the Dakota, plenty of material there to play with. Depending on whether I go "short" or "long" add a leaves, I may be able to get the material for both sides of 1 truck, from 1 of these W250 left over springs.
also I don't want to screw up pinion angle on either Dakota. Any tips to eliminate that issue?