RAM Megacab

spoon059 wrote:

SidecarFlip wrote:
Coils are fine for ride quality, not so good for towing.

That's a pretty ignorant statement. For the record, trains ride on coil springs, and trains can tow a decent amount. Saying that coil springs won't work for towing is just plain stupid. The load rating of a spring is what determines if it is up to the challenge... not necessarily the type of spring.

The rear coils on my 2015 2500 are rated to 6500 lbs. The rear leaf springs on a 2015 F250 are 6100 lbs. Which is "better" in your opinion? For me, the higher rating (and also more comfortable ride) are "better".

No, it's not. Train cars are on coil springs because of manufacturing constrainrs, not because of physical properties. Conversely, no train engine rides on coil springs, the trucks that the engines sit on have leaf springs mounted transversely... better look sometime, apparent to me, you never have. Reason why, because when you apply power to the truck, coils want to 'wrap up and jump, leaves, because of their inherent reaction to torque, don't and unlike your truck, trains don't have shock absorbers..... which brings me to this...

A coil spring suspension is cheaper to manufacture (keyword cheaper). Coil spring suspension yield a better ride quaity but because there is no inherent starting friction (leaves contacting each other, a coil spring suspension is much harder on shock absorbers (pogo stick effect) and leavf packs locate the axles in relationship to the frame geometry, coils do not and require radius rods and stabilizer arms.

Consrquently, it's a tossup, I prefer leaves. Don't believe I've ever seen coil springs on any commercial truck...have you? Well maybe in DC there is, you do some strange things out your way....lol

I find you referring to my statement as ignorant on your part but I'll let that slide.