Have used these before. I could not remember if you had to unload the suspension first or after the installation. That was my reason for watching your video. On a different note, your video was made very well. Simply and strictly to the point without a lot of extra watching you tighten bolts and stuff like that. Keep up the good work
I used these to correct sagging springs on a 1968 Mercury Cougar and they worked fine; kept the rear end up with a full tank of gas and two people in the backseat... I've never used them for pulling a trailer. Thanks for making this video...
I agree with others. Finally a video without the camera being constantly shaken and pointed in different directions every fraction of a second. Good job!
I had these on my Colorado and I actually installed them in front of the axle on the bottom side of it.... it worked better then placing it on the rear... once I lowered my truck I actually flipped them and put them on TOP of my axle, it lowered the truck .5 inch BUT with the rivet in the highest setting I was still able to load a 1500 pound tool box fully loaded in the bed and haul it without any squat
these helpers are effective. they are not made as a repair or assist for damaged leaf springs as some commenters are suggesting and insulting but what is mentioned in this well made video is it decreases the hight lost from weight added to a small truck. in other words its just a rack to help hold up the weight
I put this same kit on an '02 Blazer b/c I have to tow a 5'x8' UHaul trailer which will be full. The truck will also be packed to the roof within and have a rooftop carrier. Last time, it sagged about 4 inches, which wasn't the worst. But for the less-than-$40 for helper springs, I thought this was a chance worth taking to have a better ride, headlight alignment, and control. Thanks much for this vid. I do most of my own car repairs or improvements, and this was one of the easiest. I've read nearly nothing but positive feedback from people who've used this method, esp for the occasional heavy load. It seems some people are looking for lift only, which (according to their reports) occurs more often when their stock springs are atrophied. On mine, like the springs themselves, they appear they'll 'kick in' when the load becomes too much - they work in a concentric/progressive manner. Just my take on their operation.
Your video gave me the info I couldn't really find in the kit instructions. Very well done. Keep up the great work. Down the road I'll look into new leaf springs for my '52 Plymouth. I'm not towing with it but with 2 adults in the backseat, those curb feelers starting making a racket on easy left hand turns. Hopefully, these spring helpers along with recently installed new shocks will help.
Been looking at some options for beefing up the rear on my SUV for towing, but am unfamiliar with the suspension components. Your video helped me understand the positioning and installation on a set of helper springs, which look to be about my best bet…very clear and well done, thanks!
I have a Chrysler 5th Ave. 1987 with only 78,800 original miles. Naturally, after 36 years, it sagged a little. With the helpers, it rides much more firm!
A very good step-by-step guide video. However, I am interested in the end result. Those leaf spring helpers seemed more for a lighter passenger vehicle. They don't look HeavDuty for that pickup. On another note, the load you have shown seems better handled by a 1500 Ram truck. Perhaps that would be the better fix. In the future, it may be safer to add a solid piece of flat wood to place jack and stand for positive stability. A thumbs up for the job.
Just beefed up a rear suspension on an old ford police SUV. For some reason it had only 3 leaves in the back , it was so gutless it literally wouldn't hold it's self up without air shocks. Took the springs off and just swapped the top leaf onto an 8 leaf spring from an old ford van to keep the factory dimensions in tact. I had to get longer u bolts for the axle but that thing sure isn't gutless now that old van was built with what looked like a 1 ton axle on it for some reason.
This type of helper spring also seems to put a lot more wear on the leaf spring bushings and causes them to get crushed sooner. I think upgrading the bump stops is a better solution than helper springs because it has basically the same effect of lifting the rear but it doesn't add strain on the bushings or warp the leafs.
Summo bumper stop or Timberland bumper stop would give the suspension more support. Or as i suggest just add a long leaf to your pack that goes under your bushings on both sides and supports entirely top leaf
Good video. I just installed ride effex add a leafs to my ranger. That is what you need if you want to keep a level ride and be able to haul way more than stock.
This is great! If you want counter rotation of cutter and lathe you can reverse rotation of cutter by flipping the angle grinder 180 in the jig and reclamping instead of reversing lathe although the chips would go up...
You are excellent explaining videos thank you for the input I had a doubt of what kind of lift spring helper I need to buy and with your explanation help me for make my choice
I have 2 questions for you..... Now that you have used these helper springs do you think they really make a big difference. I have a 2 wheel drive ranger truck and a family mini van that I have taken all the middle and rear seats out and it is a hauling machine. However, I haul a lot of firewood with the van and thought these would help.Question 2 is have you ever used the Timbertuff $20 sawmill that slides on a 2x4 or a 2x6. Just wanted to know from someone that has actually used it a lot to see if they are worth buying.
Thanks for the video man. Just bought the same kit. Been working in Philly for a few months and I have noticed my rear suspension is getting really beat up. 08 Colorado, I'll let you know if they helped in a few weeks.
Excell makes a heavier leaf an heavier u bolts, I would definitely not trust that little bolt and nuts holding on my existing leaf springs, an accident waiting to happen, the heavier helper spring will mount on top of existing leaf springs, please use caution with what your doing sir, thank you
My gmc 1500 Sierra leaf springs are at normal height but they have a gap between them. I'm guessing from pulling heavy loads. I can feel every little. Bump and they kind of reverberate when up go over things. Like a speed bump there are wave like rebounds as if the shocks are bad. They are brand new and the last shocks do the same thing. I was told the springs are just worn but I'd like to clamp them or find a way to get by until I replace them.
I'm gonna have to install these on my 58 MERCURY Monterey, my vehicle saggs big time, it's basically a damn low rider, I just hate that crap.😭😭 I'm always scraping the pavements and making sparks at night😭😭😭. I've installed air shocks it went up bout an inch, but that's it, my springs are no more, their super weak, and to make matters worse this car weighs almost 4 tons, I just can't afford new springs, THANKS FOR SHARING THIS WITH ME 👍👋.
This looks like it could patch my broken leaf spring on the back, I could push the broken part back in and use this to lock it in place. I love it thank you. Never heard of these products till I saw your yideo. Thank you for a well spoken video.
Will you still be able to install helper springs if your older leaf springs that they are getting attached too are less bow shaped than others? Thanks.
What's weird is that we have a 1958 Ford Custom 300 which appears to have the same kind of leaf, though it appears to have more of a bend to it. Not causing any problems but i'm thinking that maybe Ford had a towing package back in the day like they do today like on the Crown Victoria's.
Fabian Fazzari I'm not completely sure. I can still crush the springs pretty good under heavy load, but by the time I'm at that point, my truck is under powered. What I do know, is that even with a lot of weight, I've still got good handling without a lot of "roll". But my tires are pretty light on the ground. Heavy duty springs would be better, but a larger truck is always better for weight and breaking power.
great video very helpful to see it before do it. I know for larger jobs they recommend two sets of helpers. Please do this work on a hard surface you are living on the edge.
Nice job HC, nice to see the way you sped up the vid on the other side of the truck, so we saw the whole operation. That's an interesting trailer you have there, did you build it ? Thanks for sharing
hasdrubal121 I did not make it, but my uncle did. It's actually my Dad's trailer, I just use it a lot. It's made of diamond plate and some car axles, it's really low which is nice. I like it a lot, even if it is a little rigged up.
yea bc the jack is where all of the weight is being rasied the jacks are just supporting you need to jack up the frame to get pressure off the rear end
Good video and instructions. I have a 1995 ford ranger 4x4 that pulls a 15' trailer with a skid mount pressure washer and 325 gallons of water. I was gonna universal fit this same system only the 3,500 pound capacity. Do you think it'll give good improvements? The truck with the trailer fully filled squats it pretty good. I already have a 4" lift and it makes my tires almost tuck.
ya get what you pay for... either add a leaf or or upgrade..good video... i used these on a 70 plymouth duster... notorious for ass sag... they did nothing.
ChuckE2009 has an add a leaf video n his channel as well. "Cheapest improvement..." In the ChuckE video he actually added a leaf as opposed to a helper unit.
I tried this with a similar helper leaf spring kit and it ended up permanently warping the leaf springs so I have to have the helpers on no matter what to keep the leafs straight.
Dont lift the vehicle on the frame. Lift with pressure on the trucks springs. You want the helpers engaged on the load, not on all the time. Applying the helpers on the spring as they are in the natural state of the trucks weight means youll only have pressure on the helpers with a load.
Hey Homesteader. How did they work after more driving around? I have a set of these helpers, but can't decide whether or not to install them. I keep seeing videos of people installing helper springs and then not being too stoked with the results. Thank you.
