04 350 front springs on 97 250HD??

[r0n1n]

will front springs from an 04 350 fit my 97 250HD? thanx

-jason

[BigWhiteStroke]

No they will not fit, although if you put a shackle reversal on the front spring mounts can be moved forward enough to make them fit.

[rabidranger]

What is the spring length difference between superduty old school Ford rigs?

[r0n1n]

how about from a 2002 f250? will they fit?

-jason

[Andy351]

up to 97 uses 52" long springs, 98+ super dutys use either a 54" or 57" long spring, i can't remember for sure.

[r0n1n]

so is there no way taht front leaf springs from an 02 250 will fit my 97 250?

-jason

[Stoked]

not without re-working the rear hanger.

are you still running the ttb? that would lead to more issues depending on how much higer/lower the springs sit.

[r0n1n]

i'm just trying to bring the front back to stock height

[rabidranger]

To push the front shackle mount 4" foreward would be to much of a PITA. The Sky shackle reversal I have on already sits at the front edge of the frame... oh well...

[r0n1n]

i guess i'll be getting some replacement springs from bronco graveyard, anybody deal with them before?

[caryt]

will front springs from an 04 350 fit my 97 250HD? thanx

-jason
Yes they CAN!!! There are two ways of doing this, 1 is to use a RS kit relocated aprox4.5" forward on the frame. This is what I have done. The second way is to add all of the SD's front shackel parts to your frame, this is where I got the idea of adding SD springs to a early truck, I had a RS kit and the ride still sucked and read a post from a guy that added the SD parts..... so I relocated the RS front bar and bolted up V code SD springs. This mod has nothing to do with travel! its all about ride quility. The factory knew they F,,,t up by putting a axel off center on a leaf spring and they fixed the problem in the SD's. Check my picture link of the installed SD springs.

[FuzzyNuts]

the crappy ride isnt because the axle isnt centered its because the springs are short with a high spring rate. Compare your v codes with the originals, dont forget the more progressive nature of the short springs. Longer springs are more linear in rate. While the axle not being centered on the spring in a way effects the ride. It is becase its no longer distributing the load equaly along the spring . This could be corrected with spring rate. I also would like to know where they measure he rate at? Im positive SD springs are measuredin the center but would the others be measuredat the center or where the axle is (where the force is applied) So I agree that the axle being off center would definatly affect the way the spring acts, but the rate would correct it, but maby the genius designers overlooked that. Or maby they just wanted them stiff because they were still better trucks than anyone else was making, and if they needed to make em better then it would be easy to, just by fixing the gay springs. All the manufaturers hold back some better designs intentionaly or no one would buy next years models

[FuzzyNuts]

by the way I didnt see that you had the reversal, If you could stretch it ahead 4 " some how you`d be ok, and it would ride better. Im doing that swap in a few weeks for someone but we`re tossing in lifted springs

[caryt]

Well, IMHO your wrong, I talked to Deaver who is the acknowledged expert about the problem with the early ford front suspension and they told me that the main problem is the axel is not centered in the spring! You can change the rate all you want and its never gona ride good. Lift springs will only make it worse.

Cary

[FuzzyNuts]

id admit those guys at Deaver know this shit but perhaps he didnt realy think about it too much. Go set a spring upside down and bounce up and down in the middle, then try it between the center pin and the end, see how little it deflects then. By being offset, it in effect changes the amount of force required to deflect the spring, anyone that cant understand those simple rules of physics should stick to skateboards. Yes lift springs will make it worse because it would pull the front even farther forward (away from verticle centerline) did you by chance ask about the spring rates involved in the 2 sets of springs or the progressive nature of a shorter spring. I was just looking at the short 3/4" thick springs in my dads truck 10 min`s ago and comparing to the long SD springs that are 1/2 thick leaves, also note both leaves are full lenght on a SD that also keeps the rate linear instead of progressive . How bout the shackles, They reversed those too in the SD`s as you know maby thats a large part. Howcome my truck drives SO nice, better than any solid axle 4x4 Ive ever been in, until last week (building trucks for a living for about 7-8 years now) My truck has F-250 rear springs in the front, last week I finished off a Chev 3/4 ton, again it has F-150 rears in front, that truck is THE BEST riding truck I have EVER driven, know what? these springs measure, 26 -c- 30, as compared to 97> fronts 24 -c- 28 or 98< at 28 -c- 28