My stock springs have seen their better days. They have gone completely flat to the point that my stock shackles are pointing almost straight out (horizontal) at rest.

One of my problems that I suspect lead to my springs early demise is the fact that I was too lazy and cheap to change out the front MonroeMatics (shocks) when I did the SOA. I moved the lower mounts and left the top mount stock.

I am needing to do some quick temporary fixes to get thru a weekend run Feb 23 & 24. I was thinking of putting some stiff, cheap, parts store shocks on the front with Ford shock towers to take some stress off of the front. I have been hitting pretty hard coming off of steep downhill ledges (about 2 foot drop) and I hope this will help to save a little damage.

I also thought about trying to pull a little arch back into my springs with a come-a-long or something.

Any Ideas?? I don't want to S these springs on the first trail.
Know any good long, stiff shock applications?

Add a leafs, cheap under a hundred for front and rear.

Put a wanted ad here and the BB for stock springs, you should be able to snag a set for a 12 pac or so. :beer: :beer:

I agree with jdjanda, slap in some add-a-leafs for a little arch, then go with a slightly longer shackle. The add-a-leaf will add some stiffness, and the shackle will help avoid the shackle over-centering and locking against the frame (not good), plus may give you a *little* more movement :D

cheap and quick.

new shocks arn't a bad idea either. If you don't want to bother with new shock towers, get the longest stud-type RS5000 or so and raise the lower mount. Or build somthing new and get some RS 5012's or 9012.... or simular. Talk to you local 4x4 shop and see what they say is the stiffest.

Originally posted by RustoleumWhite
new shocks arn't a bad idea either. If you don't want to bother with new shock towers, get the longest stud-type RS5000 or so and raise the lower mount. Or build somthing new and get some RS 5012's or 9012.... or simular. Talk to you local 4x4 shop and see what they say is the stiffest.

For shocks I'm considering Doetsch Tech 8000 Pre-Runner Series (http://www.bc4x4.com/pr/2001/doetsch/) Anyone have any thoughts on the DT's?

I was thinking more along the line of $12 truck shocks from Napa:D I don't want to spend a lot of money right now because this is a temporary setup & I don't want to be tied to some expensive shocks that may not be exactly what I want after I swap in my bigger axles.

Jd & Rust... thanks for the input, now the questions.

Add a leaf: who has them, and before you ask, NO I didn't search:flipoff2: My connection is so slow this morning that I don't have time.

Longer shackles: I was considering this to bring my angle back a little. How much longer? an inch or so? Can't go much longer than that because If I get some arch back in my springs with my negative castor I start having major steering issues. Like I said, this axle is temporary.

Originally posted by jdjanda


For shocks I'm considering Doetsch Tech 8000 Pre-Runner Series (http://www.bc4x4.com/pr/2001/doetsch/) Anyone have any thoughts on the DT's?

I had these on my old Toyota....they rode like a dream...(I don't know about hard core wheeling though, I never wheeled my truck. I didn't want to scratch it:D )

Originally posted by Hayraker
I was thinking more along the line of $12 truck shocks from Napa:D I don't want to spend a lot of money right now because this is a temporary setup & I don't want to be tied to some expensive shocks that may not be exactly what I want after I swap in my bigger axles.

Jd & Rust... thanks for the input, now the questions.

Add a leaf: who has them, and before you ask, NO I didn't search:flipoff2: My connection is so slow this morning that I don't have time.

Longer shackles: I was considering this to bring my angle back a little. How much longer? an inch or so? Can't go much longer than that because If I get some arch back in my springs with my negative castor I start having major steering issues. Like I said, this axle is temporary.

4WP can get you the add-a leafs that you need. I think I paid $100 for my set. I would go about 1 - 1.5 longer on the shackles. Do go too far to where you will dip into the bad castor area, but you should have plenty shackle length before your castor is affected.

Originally posted by Hayraker
I was thinking more along the line of $12 truck shocks from Napa:D I don't want to spend a lot of money right now because this is a temporary setup & I don't want to be tied to some expensive shocks that may not be exactly what I want after I swap in my bigger axles.



Just buy some 14" travel $30 shocks - ProComps, RS5000, Skyjacker, whatever.

Build your mounts around the shocks. If your big axle swap moves the mounts some, then move the upper mount some - but keep the 14" shocks.

Originally posted by Hayraker
My stock springs have seen their better days. They have gone completely flat to the point that my stock shackles are pointing almost straight out (horizontal) at rest.

Hmm, someone must have moved your shackles. I don't think stock shackles can go horizontal on flat springs unless someone moved the shackle mounting place in quite a bit. When I flatten my springs on an obstacle, the shackle moves forward quite a bit, but never gets close to horizontal.

I am needing to do some quick temporary fixes to get thru a weekend run Feb 23 & 24. I was thinking of putting some stiff, cheap, parts store shocks on the front with Ford shock towers to take some stress off of the front. I have been hitting pretty hard coming off of steep downhill ledges (about 2 foot drop) and I hope this will help to save a little damage.

SOA and you are getting a rough ride? That is not the springs. Might be bottoming out your shocks though. Flat springs on SOA is good. Lots of flex that way. Do you have XLC's? Non XLC's have been known to snap if you put a good negative arch into them, eh Mark?



I also thought about trying to pull a little arch back into my springs with a come-a-long or something.

Don't think that is going to work, or if it does, it will just bend right back out.

Any Ideas?? I don't want to S these springs on the first trail.

don't think *S*ing them is a big concern. Mine are flat and I have not *S*'d them. I like the way the flat springs move. Tire stays centered nicely, and I flex pretty well.

AAL at all four corners is inexpensive, and works well but with SOA, you will be a long way in the air.


Know any good long, stiff shock applications?

Sure, but I can't for the life of me remember what mine were. Just ask for *really long*. :D

You need to measure the minimum distance the shock will cover, and the maximum, then give those to the shop and they will find a shock that will work.

Do you have shock towers for the top of the front shocks? If not, you are going to need em to use shocks with your SOA.

I think the problem is shock related, not spring.

OK Hoop, so the were not completely horizontal, but they were close :flipoff2:
My springs weren't as flat as I thought. Sometime during my last trip my axle moved forward a couple of inches on the driver side and caused my front to droop. I didn't notice the droop until a couple of days after I got home because we left the trail in the dark and I was off to work the next day.

I didn't discover the problem until this weekend when I started working on it to get it ready for the 23rd.

I pulled my axle back in line and tightened the u-bolts and it brought it back up some. Then I made some shackles an inch longer than stock and installed them, so now it is sitting really nice.
The shocks have been bottoming out, but the new shocks will be here tomorrow, cheap Napa's with 10.875" travel. I will make some new upper mounts for them.

My springs aren't XLC, they are the originals that she was born with, the bands on the ends had loosened and slipped torwards the center causing the main leaf to take a little extra punishment, so I moved them back out to the ends and tightened them up a little.

I think they are going to be ok for now.

Originally posted by Hayraker

My springs aren't XLC, they are the originals that she was born with, the bands on the ends had loosened and slipped torwards the center causing the main leaf to take a little extra punishment, so I moved them back out to the ends and tightened them up a little.


Newsflash!!

Every Scout built after 1975 is an XLC.. and since the Traveler wasn't built until after 1975...

Newbies! :flipoff2: :D

If you have the 6,200lbs GVWR you should have the XLC package. aka if it came with a '44 front..

Originally posted by tsm1mt


Newsflash!!

Every Scout built after 1975 is an XLC.. and since the Traveler wasn't built until after 1975...

Newbies! :flipoff2: :D

If you have the 6,200lbs GVWR you should have the XLC package. aka if it came with a '44 front..

OK, so I have XLC springs, they still suck:D , I figured that the way you guys tout XLC's that they were some super duper shit:flipoff2:

And yes mine is a 76, so forgive my newbie ass. I partially blame this on you Tom because I gather most of my info from the FAQ on YOUR site, guess I didn't look closely, maybe you should highlight some of this pertinent info;)

Originally posted by Hayraker


OK, so I have XLC springs, they still suck:D , I figured that the way you guys tout XLC's that they were some super duper shit:flipoff2:

And yes mine is a 76, so forgive my newbie ass. I partially blame this on you Tom because I gather most of my info from the FAQ on YOUR site, guess I didn't look closely, maybe you should highlight some of this pertinent info;)

:D

Maybe we need a "What kind of SII springs do you have?" TOTD..

I've seen a lot of different styles.

Prior to '74 there were *at least* the standard and HD springs.

In '74 they introduced the "XLC" package (6200lbs GVWR - eXtra Load Capacity), but in '75 Fed emmissions went up for all rigs under 6200lbs.

Thus you have the Heavy Half Ton Chevy's, the F100 goes away for the F150, the IH 100 pickup and T'all become the 150.. the Scout II gets Dana 44s and the "XLC" package as standard equipment.

That said, I've seen a number of springs that could be called "XLC"

Mostly the XLC springs seem to have the turned-down edges on them, while the older springs have square and flat ends (which gouge the main leaf and result in a broken spring in the most inconvenient places).

They might also have an extra leaf.

I've also seen springs simlar to this, but with a big 3/4" thick bottom leaf that is almost as long as the main leaf. This leaf sits "flat" at-rest and is 3/4" thick in the middle, then tapers out at the ends.

Definitely an overload option. Wouldn't be a bad deal for an SOA rig with big tires that didn't want to put the tires too far into the sheetmetal anyhow - it would certainly limit uptravel and restrict negative arching of the springs - which, if you're not into replacing springs regularly, would be a good thing.

Note that I haven't seen *front* springs with this setup yet. Just the rears. I had a couple sets, IIRC. Then again, maybe it was just an add-a-leaf some PO stuck in there..

The ends of my leaves are square and flat on the front springs, and tapered on the rears.

Originally posted by Hayraker

The shocks have been bottoming out, but the new shocks will be here tomorrow, cheap Napa's with 10.875" travel. I will make some new upper mounts for them.


What is the brand, part number, and price on those bad boy shocks?? :)

They are a Napa brand made by ???, They are called Gas Grande 60's, part # is 76779, They list for $30 retail, and the good ol' NAPA man, who is a fellow scout owner sold them to me for $18.95 , farm use=no tax:D

Bling Bling :flipoff2:

Originally posted by jdjanda
Bling Bling :flipoff2:

Yeah, I'll be stylin now, those baby blue Monroes were crampin my style:flipoff2: