Match truck and camper

d3500ram wrote:
I had to look twice but me thinks it is an optical illusion... there is only 1 top overload spring.

You're right. I zoomed in and it's the streak in the dust my eyes were seeing as the end of a shorter leaf. Never mind...

The top spring is a single metal leaf. As the main spring pack compresses, the upper overload spring is pushed against the upper perches and resists further upper movement once it contacts the pads. I found that the upper StableLoad pads do more to reduce sag and the lower StableLoad wedges do more to reduce sway.

My Ram 5500 is set up the same way, but has two upper leaf springs.

I had to look twice but me thinks it is an optical illusion... there is only 1 top overload spring.

Thanks, but I'm specifically curious about the part of the upper overload spring that doesn't contact the Stableload in the pic I copied. It looks to me like that spring would be pushing down, not up. I'm actually thinking it might be a way to reduce sway.

A typical F250 does not have the upper overload spring and perches with pads. If you have the camper package or a F350 the upper spring will be there but requires over 3" of sag before it is engaged. The front half of the spring will engage the pad before the rear to give you a more progressive spring rate when loaded. Using the taller upper StableLoad pads engages the upper overload in 1/2" to 1", so it uses your overload suspension sooner (like a preload setting on a motorcycle shock).

The lower overload is on both the F250 and F350. Until you compress the arch out of your spring pack, this spring does little. The lower StableLoad wedges are actually three wedge plates bolted together. This allows the lower overload spring to engage sooner and preserve more of the main spring pack arch. Based on the number of plates you use, you are also changing the preload on the lower overload spring. When this lower spring is engaged while you are unloaded, it results in a very harsh ride. Torklift created the wedges with a swing out hinge so you can disable your lower preload wedge when not carrying a load.

The photo you saw previously is the forward half of the spring and you can see the stabilizer bar end. This what the rear half looks like:



BTW: These photos were taken with my 4000 lb TC loaded, but only 5 PSI in the air bags and no trailer hitched up.

Bedlam wrote:


To carry 7000 lbs level on the rear of my truck only required upper and lower StableLoads:

My apologies for the thread hijack, but can you explain what I'm seeing there. Is that a heavier leaf sitting on top of the leaf that engages with the Stableload? Do they separate as your springs compress?

A camper package, heavy duty suspension F-250 is absolutely identical to an F-350 underneath, same everything. That being said, the difference in price between an F-250 XLT with camper package/heavy duty suspension and a the exact same options is usually nothing or a couple of hundred dollars tops. If you get it with an F-350 medallion you get about 1,800lbs more GVWR on the sticker and maybe 18" wheels and tires.

You may as well get it as an F-350 and be done with it.

Louisi wrote:
Thank you so much for the thoughtful very helpful comments, and the pictures, . Since we don't own a truck yet, we are going to look more seriously at the F350, it looks like that may be the way to go. Hope to see you on the road.

You will not regret getting a 1 ton...

Thank you so much for the thoughtful very helpful comments, and the pictures, . Since we don't own a truck yet, we are going to look more seriously at the F350, it looks like that may be the way to go. Hope to see you on the road.

There is no problem with that camper on a short bed extended cab truck. This is an AF811 on a F250:



Get the camper package and 18" wheels whether you get a F250 or F350. The F350 will come with rear overload springs and 18" wheels standard but still need the camper package to get the rear stabilizer bar. The rest of the F250 is the same as the F350.

To carry 7000 lbs level on the rear of my truck only required upper and lower StableLoads:



Air bags, shocks, 19.5" wheels and SuperHitch were added so I could tow my 8000 lb trailer behind the camper.