Add-a-leaves or overload springs?

[turdmagnet]

I want to beef up the rear suspension on a '74. Should I go with the add-a-leaves, the overload springs, or something completely different? I might add that I get a lot of sway when I brake hard. I'm hoping that tightening up the suspension will help with that as well as letting me haul more stuff without bottoming out the leaf springs. Thanks...

 

[CDA 455]

I want to beef up the rear suspension on a '74. Should I go with the add-a-leaves, the overload springs, or something completely different? I might add that I get a lot of sway when I brake hard. I'm hoping that tightening up the suspension will help with that as well as letting me haul more stuff without bottoming out the leaf springs. Thanks...

A thousand questions:

1) Are they original springs?

2) Have you checked/inspected the rear suspension?

A) How are the bushings?
B) How are the fasteners (bolts and nuts)?
C) Are the springs damaged (bent, moving out of pack, etc)?

3) Will you carry a constant load in your bed?

4) Or just occasionally?


Overload springs won't affect ride quality (too stiff) or height (it raises the rear about "1.5). It's only when you put a load in the back that overload springs work.

Add-A-Leaf do what overload springs won't, but will add load capacity. And they're cheaper.

 

[turdmagnet]

Re: CDA 455

I replaced the original springs about 3 months ago with new heavy duty springs, but I am dissapointed with these springs. All of the bolts and bushings are new as well. I will carry heavy loads occasionally, not all the time. The springs appear normal, no problems there, they are just weaker than I expected.

 

[AZ79K5Project]

Sounds like you are trying to load too much into the truck to me. You should be able to load the truck to rated "safe" load limit without any issues.

Heavier springs will not allow carrying a heavier load and keep everything within the working load limits of the truck.

Edit: Have you checked your front suspension? A bad front suspension could be adding to the sway and handling problems. The same questions posted above should be used on the front suspension as well.

 

[turdmagnet]

I removed the back seat to get more cargo space. When I loaded the truck, I had about 900 pounds in the back. That's the same as having 4 passengers and a large beer cooler. I also replaced the front leaf springs at the same time as the rear ones and it has fresh shocks all the way around too. I don't plan on loading it past the 1000 pound limit. I just want it to be able to haul that much without bottoming out or folding the leaf springs. Whaddya think?

 

[boggerless]

I want to beef up the rear suspension on a '74. Should I go with the add-a-leaves, the overload springs, or something completely different? I might add that I get a lot of sway when I brake hard. I'm hoping that tightening up the suspension will help with that as well as letting me haul more stuff without bottoming out the leaf springs. Thanks...

i'm assuming we are talkin about a k5 and not a truck.my jimmy had an add a leaf and six leaves in the spring pack.i put 960 lbs of weights o the rear bumper and in only went down 1 inch.plus it rode like ****.i think if you are only going to carry weight once in awhile, i would go with overload springs.if you are going to haul lots o weight all the time(beyond the weight of passengers) then have the springs built up by some one that knows what you need.and don't forget that a k5 or k10 doesn't have the brakes or anything else to haul realy heavy loads.

 

[pauly383]

I removed the back seat to get more cargo space. When I loaded the truck, I had about 900 pounds in the back. That's the same as having 4 passengers and a large beer cooler. I also replaced the front leaf springs at the same time as the rear ones and it has fresh shocks all the way around too. I don't plan on loading it past the 1000 pound limit. I just want it to be able to haul that much without bottoming out or folding the leaf springs. Whaddya think?

I don't think 4 passengers and a beer cooler are the same , the front seat passengers would put more weight toward the front , as it would to the rear .