AAL vs 3/4t Springs?

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Supercharged111

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How can you tell the differences between the two 4+1 leaf packs?

Supposedly they have different lower overloads, but I pillaged both at the junkyard and the only difference I observed was a blue vs green pain splotch on the main leaf. Others have seen the visually different lower overloads, so my assumption at this point is that 6600 has a 3+1 lower overload and 7200 had the longer thicker one.
 

boy&hisdogs

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Supposedly they have different lower overloads, but I pillaged both at the junkyard and the only difference I observed was a blue vs green pain splotch on the main leaf. Others have seen the visually different lower overloads, so my assumption at this point is that 6600 has a 3+1 lower overload and 7200 had the longer thicker one.

Just having a bigger overload wouldn't affect normal driving ride quality right? Since it only gets used when loaded?
 

boy&hisdogs

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The sites I've been looking at list the 3/1 pack as 1425# and the 4/1 as 2025#

So it's a 600 pound difference. I probably have 300-400 pounds worth of lumber rack and tool box, so I'd be within a couple hundred pounds of an empty 3/1 equipped truck.

Sounds like it would put my ride quality and ride height pretty close to stock.
 

Supercharged111

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The sites I've been looking at list the 3/1 pack as 1425# and the 4/1 as 2025#

So it's a 600 pound difference. I probably have 300-400 pounds worth of lumber rack and tool box, so I'd be within a couple hundred pounds of an empty 3/1 equipped truck.

Sounds like it would put my ride quality and ride height pretty close to stock.

That's 600 per spring, though the factory difference was 1000# iirc.
 

boy&hisdogs

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That's 600 per spring, though the factory difference was 1000# iirc.

Ah, right. The actual GVWR was 1000# different. Either way though I think I'll be happy with it. I ended up ordering them last night, so we'll see! As much as I have enjoyed the smooth sedan ride of the worn out 3+1s over the past decade, I was always a bit suspicious of how soft they were. I'll need the extra inch of lift anyway to make up the difference between the 4" shackle flip and the 5" lift block that I'm not using.

I ended up having to tow a friend's car yesterday, probably about 4000# total car and trailer. The truck still controlled it fine but it was riding looowwwwwww. The Mrs. keeps talking about getting a camper, so I think I'll be glad I got the 4+1s in the future.
 

Supercharged111

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Ah, right. The actual GVWR was 1000# different. Either way though I think I'll be happy with it. I ended up ordering them last night, so we'll see! As much as I have enjoyed the smooth sedan ride of the worn out 3+1s over the past decade, I was always a bit suspicious of how soft they were. I'll need the extra inch of lift anyway to make up the difference between the 4" shackle flip and the 5" lift block that I'm not using.

I ended up having to tow a friend's car yesterday, probably about 4000# total car and trailer. The truck still controlled it fine but it was riding looowwwwwww. The Mrs. keeps talking about getting a camper, so I think I'll be glad I got the 4+1s in the future.

3+1 is worthless for hauling 5000+. Did fine with a Corolla on an open deck trailer though. With the Crown Vic? Not so much.
 

red98

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Close.

3+1 1500 was 6200# or less.
4+1 F44 1500 was 6600#.
4+1 LD2500 was 7200#.
5+1 was 8 lug 2500 and possibly even SRW 3500.
Seems like the only one that could be appropriately called a "heavy half" is the f44 then since its actually a "half-ton" with heavier components? If its a 2500 it should be a "heavy 3/4 ton" but I guess that doesn't roll off the tongue as well.

So the 1500 f44 is essentially a 1500hd before they badged them as such?
 

Supercharged111

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Seems like the only one that could be appropriately called a "heavy half" is the f44 then since its actually a "half-ton" with heavier components? If its a 2500 it should be a "heavy 3/4 ton" but I guess that doesn't roll off the tongue as well.

So the 1500 f44 is essentially a 1500hd before they badged them as such?

Pretty much. There were light and heavy 1500 and 2500 trucks back then. I guess you could say the same about the 3500 as well with SRW and DRW. The F44 1500 is frequently referred to as a heavy half.
 
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