FRONT add-a-leaf spring install

[75hiboy]

Howdy fellow FORD truck fanatics! Purchased a set of FRONT add-a-leafs for my 1975 F-250 highboy. One leaf per side. Came with alignment bolt for each side. What are your BEST installation tips/suggestions/opinions??? Thank you.

 

[taxreliever]

Howdy fellow FORD truck fanatics! Purchased a set of FRONT add-a-leafs for my 1975 F-250 highboy. One leaf per side. Came with alignment bolt for each side. What are your BEST installation tips/suggestions/opinions??? Thank you.

I just went through this last year with my 79....there's a thread on here somewhere showing the progress......we added a leaf to the rear and it jacked it up a good amount....was the best thing I could have done to it and it really made the look of the truck. Who'd do you buy your leaf from?

 

[holtz]

Back when I was a mechanic I used a two post lift to get the wheels off the ground then used two floor jacks to put some pressure back against the axle and springs, removed the U-bolts, unscrewed or cut the centering bolt and lowered the front two floor jacks and dropping the axle enough so you can get the new add-a-leaf in and the new centering bolt and then used a c-clamp as close to the centering pin as possible to squeeze the springs back together and then tighten the centering bolt up and cut the excess off and u-bolt the axle back up. Be mindfull, you may have to drop the drag link, shocks will have to be removed and make sure the u-bolts will be long enough to accommodate the thicker leaf pack, watch your brake hoses, dont want to stretch those and be carefull not to dick up the centering pins.As far as the two post lift you could use some jack stands on the frame to get the front end off the ground .

 

[taxreliever]

Back when I was a mechanic I used a two post lift to get the wheels off the ground then used two floor jacks to put some pressure back against the axle and springs, removed the U-bolts, unscrewed or cut the centering bolt and lowered the front two floor jacks and dropping the axle enough so you can get the new add-a-leaf in and the new centering bolt and then used a c-clamp as close to the centering pin as possible to squeeze the springs back together and then tighten the centering bolt up and cut the excess off and u-bolt the axle back up. Be mindfull, you may have to drop the drag link, shocks will have to be removed and make sure the u-bolts will be long enough to accommodate the thicker leaf pack, watch your brake hoses, dont want to stretch those and be carefull not to dick up the centering pins.As far as the two post lift you could use some jack stands on the frame to get the front end off the ground .

Not sure how much different the front will be than the rear, but pretty much what you described above, except we thought it would be easier to add the leaf while the springs were completely off the rig and did the Cclamp method of compressing it together.

If you bought the add a leaf new, they should have sent you new ubolts and center bolts. And once the leafs were out and the axel dropped, we did have an issue with the brake lines, so we had to jack up the rear end as to not let it fall to far to break the lines.

Here's the process on mine:
http://www.fordtruckfanatics.com/forum/showthread.php?t=34840&page=14

Also, while you have the springs off, it was a good opportunity for me to clean them up a little.....I just slightly sanded any surface rust, then sprayed some rust converter, the rust encapsulator. Now, they look brand new.

 

[fatherdoug]

Wow, Ken. I completely missed that thread. Looks very good!

 

[taxreliever]

Wow, Ken. I completely missed that thread. Looks very good!

Yesterday, I went through my trip thread when I brought the 79 home from SC.....brought back some great memories!!!

I missed seeing Randy by just a thread on my way through....we had it all scheduled and he had an emergency come up at the last minute.

I think Ben was traveling. And Mark lives by I95, so that was out. I stayed away from I95. Absolutely loved traveling the other route.

 

[75hiboy]

Thanks guys! GREATLY appreciate the input and advice. I bought my FRONT add-a-leafs from Jeff's Bronco Graveyard. I've bought from them many times and have had great success. Came with new center bolts but not u-bolts. Thanks again! Doug

 

[vls]

I added a front set of leafs because my 79 F250 is a plow truck, and the front end sagged quite a bit when raising the plow. Figured I'd do the rear too, to keep it level when the plow was off. Added about 2" in height and no sag. The only real hassle was getting the U-bolt nuts loose. I had to use a 3/4 drive socket with a 6 foot breaker bar and walk my way along the side of the truck pushing with all my might. Can't believe I didn't break one. My suggestion is soak it a LONG time with PB Blaster, or a commercial product we use a work called Free. Even then, it was a major deal, but after that, all was easy.

Sad to say, I'm selling it, though. Replacing the bed side wheel arches which were held together with fiberglass and looked like crap. Done and primered, now. Looks brand new. Painting in a couple of days after I finish the other de-rust stuff and bang out a few dings. Figure I might get more if it looks nearly new. Problem is, I might want to keep it if it looks TOO good. Then my wife would probably beat me senseless! She wants it gone! Only because she's sick of hearing me whine when trying to get it to pass smog! Why can't California just have a "classics" class of cars that are exempt. Nevada does, and I don't see Reno choking in smog! Grrr.....

 

[taxreliever]

I added a front set of leafs because my 79 F250 is a plow truck, and the front end sagged quite a bit when raising the plow. Figured I'd do the rear too, to keep it level when the plow was off. Added about 2" in height and no sag. The only real hassle was getting the U-bolt nuts loose. I had to use a 3/4 drive socket with a 6 foot breaker bar and walk my way along the side of the truck pushing with all my might. Can't believe I didn't break one. My suggestion is soak it a LONG time with PB Blaster, or a commercial product we use a work called Free. Even then, it was a major deal, but after that, all was easy.

Sad to say, I'm selling it, though. Replacing the bed side wheel arches which were held together with fiberglass and looked like crap. Done and primered, now. Looks brand new. Painting in a couple of days after I finish the other de-rust stuff and bang out a few dings. Figure I might get more if it looks nearly new. Problem is, I might want to keep it if it looks TOO good. Then my wife would probably beat me senseless! She wants it gone! Only because she's sick of hearing me whine when trying to get it to pass smog! Why can't California just have a "classics" class of cars that are exempt. Nevada does, and I don't see Reno choking in smog! Grrr.....

I think my guy heated my center and ubolts with a blow torch and they came off pretty easy.

Any pics for before and after?