Help Identify Rear Springs

[kaw550]

I am trying to determine what I have for rear springs. Does it look like stock springs with an add a leaf?

I was told that it had a 3" lift but it only measures 1".
It has K bar S shocks (4 up front). Maybe they are part of a kit?


I wanted to try and soften the ride. If it is an add a leaf can I swap it out for a 1" lift block? The Bronco is only use on the street

 

[cgbexec]

Swap them for some new 10 or 11 leaf springs. Much softer ridding than those springs.

 

[DirtDonk]

Does look like an add-a-leaf in there. On some aftermarket springs too. And even though they look like they've still got some decent arch to them, they appear to be well worn in as well.
How do you know it's 1" currently? Did you measure the front between the frame and the axle? Most older lift kits lifted the front more than the rear, just like on pickup trucks.
What year is your Bronco?

paul

 

[kaw550]

I did measure from the distance on the front an rear. They both measured an inch over stock.

I agree that I could use new coils and springs but they are not in the budget right now.

My goal was to try and put on different shocks to soften the ride but I did not know if it would matter with the springs that are on it.

I assume the shocks are over 20 years old (when did KbarS go out of business).

 

[WILDHORSES]

I am trying to determine what I have for rear springs. Does it look like stock springs with an add a leaf?

I was told that it had a 3" lift but it only measures 1".
It has K bar S shocks (4 up front). Maybe they are part of a kit?


I wanted to try and soften the ride. If it is an add a leaf can I swap it out for a 1" lift block? The Bronco is only use on the street

That's an ada leaf no doubt. Here's what you can do to "test" all of this out.

First just remove the rear shocks and take it for a drive around the block. That will allow you to inspect the shocks and feel how it handles with no shocks in the rear. You may not notice much if any difference. As you suspect because of the ada leaf.

Next remove the ada leaf from the spring pack. This will allow you to measure how much lift the ada leaf is actually providing in the rear. Then you can drive it and see how it feels different without it. You may find the old shocks to be in good enough condition and short enough to reuse.

Adding a block at the end of all this should allow for the same ride and height without spending much $.

 

[kaw550]

I took the front shocks off and drove around the neighborhood. It was much softer, I had to be careful not to make the front bounce around.

I put them back on and removed the rear. Not as much of a difference but it was smoother. There was much less of a jolt when I ran over patches in the road. Everything kind of rattles with the shocks on.

The add a leaf in the spring pack is basically straight. it looks to me like it is acting like a lift block until the leaf spring are really compressed. Would they even come into play with a normal load on the road?

I am concerned with broken or striped bolts. I ran into a couple of issues removing the shocks.

 

[DirtDonk]

Actually, your add-a-leaf is the next one up. The really thick straight leaf is your stock "overload" leaf that most, if not all, Broncos and other trucks had. The idea was, to keep the rided as decent as they could make it and then, when you put more weight on it and the springs compress, you hit the big-boys and things stiffen right up.
You can always tell a sagged out old set of leaves when they're laying down and touching the overload leaf all the time.
The next leaf up (the one with no polyethelene pads in between) is your add-a-leaf. Now that you know that you can see how it's creating the arch of the springs above it.

Paul

 

[DirtDonk]

I am concerned with broken or striped bolts. I ran into a couple of issues removing the shocks.

Not surprised. Yes, you could easily break one, or all, of the u-bolts when trying to remove them. Original ones especially, since they're so small and tend to rust tight.
You can always try to remove one nut and see if it loosens freely, or is stuck. If it feels like it's going to fight you, it wouldn't hurt to have a new set handy just in case.
Yours look like they've been replaced, but have multiple layers of paint, gunk and maybe a little rust. You could first try cleaning the threads above the nuts with a wire brush or something to facilitate removal.
I like to upgrade them anyway. Basic aftermarket ones are 1/2" diameter. Next, and the one I like for most uses on a Bronco, are 9/16" diameter. The mondo-whopper type are 5/8" diameter and, although overkill for most, can save the day for the hardcore users.
Either of the bigger type and you'll have to slightly modify the holes in the upper plates.

U-bolts measure 3.25" inner diameter (diameter of the axle housing) and the length (measured from the inside diameter of the curve, to the tip of the threads) is just whatever you determine it needs.

Paul

 

[kaw550]

Thanks for clearing that up! It looks like my next step is the add a leaf.

Another question. Are the front and rear suspensions rates designed to be equal? In other words...if I push down on the front bumber should it take the same amount of force as the rear?

 

[DirtDonk]

Not necessarily. You might occasionally find a setup that feels equal, but more often than not you'll find the rears actually will push farther than the fronts. Not always though.
Basically, the front springs are always carrying a heavier load because of the engine. And spring designers expect very little additional weight to be put there. Where in the rear, the vehicle is much lighter when it's empty, but they have to leave some spring rate for expected loads. Even though, unlike a pickup, the Broncos are only rated for an additional few hundred pounds.
Which is why you sometimes even find things like variable rates built right into the springs and suspensions.
So, after all that, like I said, it's hard to say because each vehicle, each spring, each shock, and each spring or shock's age and condition all play a part.

Paul