I recently installed lower StableLoads but found them not to my liking. Several things I don't like about them including rattling pins, steel on steel wear, rust and ugly. Going to put them up for sale. The better route for me was some Energy Suspention 9.9117 bump stops. They are 1" thick polyurethane with a stud on them to hold in place via the hole in the spring that the StableLoad used. To install I just jack the back of the truck up a little(which I had to do to engage the StableLoads)with a floor jack under the trailer hitch and drop them in through the holes. Don't even need to put nuts on them as they can't get away once the Jack is dropped. After using them on a few trips I decided I wanted a little more so I used a hole saw and made some 1/4" thick X 3" diameter washers out of some scrap UHMW and slipped them on the stud. No rattling, quicker install and removal than messing with those little pins/keepers and no wear on the springs. You can get them on Amazon for $16 a pair(need two pair). The picture they show on Amazon for a 9.9117 is wrong. They look like this -

By the way if Ya need thicker, thinner or different diameter just find what Ya need at Energy Suspention and punch the part number into Amazon.

You are right, they are very much quieter than the others. I used 3 inch bump stop rubbers, just cut them down to 2 inches high and am really happy with them.

Terrick down Under wrote:You are right, they are very much quieter than the others. I used 3 inch bump stop rubbers, just cut them down to 2 inches high and am really happy with them.Put a 9.9136 on the top frame pads and you would be set.

I used pressure treated blocks of wood held in place with a lag bolt to see if I wanted to buy the lower StableLoads. Unlike you, I never had rattling pins - I kept the lock nut tight enough that almost didn't need the pins. After engaging the StableLoad wedge and pinning it, I would back off the StableLoad so there was pressure on the pin.After two years with the lower StableLoads installed, I did not not see rubbing on the spring pack but did start to get corrosion on the wedges. I removed my lower StableLoads prior to selling my truck to the new owner that was going to use it for lighter trailer towing.I considered making my own permanent wedges, but wanted something easy to engage/disengage. If I was not planning to use the truck unloaded, I would have a gone a similar route as above or still be using blocks of wood. Not all my solutions are as refined like the OP's.I have used a number of the Energy Suspension products and feel they are good quality for the price. I even used them as taller upper overload pads before going to the stiffer Torklift product to reduce sag. They provided a better unloaded ride on rough roads where you need more suspension travel. I even mixed ES and TL products together to give me combinations not available by either company but ultimately went with the items that gave me the best loaded capacity and gave up on some of the unloaded comfort.

in the past a member used hockey pucks as spacers with good results

Better lower overload spacers | Good Sam Community

Crumm
Explorer
Jun 15, 2015
By the way if Ya need thicker, thinner or different diameter just find what Ya need at Energy Suspention and punch the part number into Amazon.
Terrick_down_Un
Explorer
Jun 15, 2015
You are right, they are very much quieter than the others. I used 3 inch bump stop rubbers, just cut them down to 2 inches high and am really happy with them.
Crumm
Explorer
Jun 15, 2015
Terrick down Under wrote:
You are right, they are very much quieter than the others. I used 3 inch bump stop rubbers, just cut them down to 2 inches high and am really happy with them.

Put a 9.9136 on the top frame pads and you would be set.
Bedlam
Moderator
Jun 15, 2015
I used pressure treated blocks of wood held in place with a lag bolt to see if I wanted to buy the lower StableLoads. Unlike you, I never had rattling pins - I kept the lock nut tight enough that almost didn't need the pins. After engaging the StableLoad wedge and pinning it, I would back off the StableLoad so there was pressure on the pin.

After two years with the lower StableLoads installed, I did not not see rubbing on the spring pack but did start to get corrosion on the wedges. I removed my lower StableLoads prior to selling my truck to the new owner that was going to use it for lighter trailer towing.

I considered making my own permanent wedges, but wanted something easy to engage/disengage. If I was not planning to use the truck unloaded, I would have a gone a similar route as above or still be using blocks of wood. Not all my solutions are as refined like the OP's.

I have used a number of the Energy Suspension products and feel they are good quality for the price. I even used them as taller upper overload pads before going to the stiffer Torklift product to reduce sag. They provided a better unloaded ride on rough roads where you need more suspension travel. I even mixed ES and TL products together to give me combinations not available by either company but ultimately went with the items that gave me the best loaded capacity and gave up on some of the unloaded comfort.
54suds
Explorer
Jun 15, 2015
in the past a member used hockey pucks as spacers with good results
Raften
Explorer
Jun 15, 2015
My experience with hockey pucks is they break in half way too soon.
Super_Dave
Explorer
Jun 15, 2015
Lots of substitute materials can be used but nothing I've tried has been as quiet as the rubber.
B-n-B
Explorer III
Jun 16, 2015
These worked great for me and one of the best mods I added. I sit level and it places the weight on the overload spring. Zero noise and pleasant ride and there is just one 9/16 nut to remove/install these. This of course is for the truck in my sig.

http://www.supersprings.com/superswaystops_overview.asp
Crumm
Explorer
Jun 17, 2015
B-n-B wrote:
These worked great for me and one of the best mods I added. I sit level and it places the weight on the overload spring. Zero noise and pleasant ride and there is just one 9/16 nut to remove/install these. This of course is for the truck in my sig.

http://www.supersprings.com/superswaystops_overview.asp

Those are for the upper overload. Supersprings, Torklift and Energy Suspention make similar blocks. The ones I was talking about are for the lower overloads.
Grit_dog
Navigator
Jun 17, 2015
Interesting ideas. I don't want the hassle of drilling my springs though.
I tried hard plastic felling wedges. Ground a couple cost notches across one side to keep hose clamps engaged around them and the spring.
Worked for a trip. Not sure how long the hose clamps would hold up but did exactly what it was supposed to.