cwjohnston

Hello all - I'm new to the forum and this is my first post. I've been reading a bunch of threads and am appreciative of all the great info on here.

I recently bought a 2003 F150 S.Crew 2WD primary to use towing trailers. I've had the truck for a few weeks and it's performing like a champ. I'm REALLY impressed with the shape this truck is in, given the age and milage. The previous single owner of the truck took exceptional care of it.



So, I have two different trailers that I tow with it, a 12 footer and a 20 footer, both pretty big enclosed trailers. The 12ft is basically full, and the 20ft is almost half full, but has heavier equipment in it. It's pretty heavy altogether, I'd say around 8k lbs and even though my truck pulls it just fine (and I don't have to pull it much in the way of distance) it still loads it down a good bit, see below.



I'm not all that interested in putting a lift on the truck, since it's 2wd, but I would like to do a leveling kit for the front at some point. However, I'm considering the idea of getting beefier shocks or something in the back that hold up better for heavy towing. And, I'd even consider a small lift kit, if the lift would prevent the back from squishing down so much when I have the heavy trailer on there.

Can anyone give me any thoughts or feedback on this idea? What have you done to increase capacity or just make the back end a little more stout for towing?

Thanks!

Feathermerchant

What does the door jam sticker say your payload capacity is? You may be overloading it.
You should have about 13% of your trailer's total weight on your hitch. A scale will tell you that info. Shocks do not carry weight. Only the springs. Air bags will help level the truck under load but will NOT add payload or trailer tow capacity.

blupupher

iTrader: (2)

8000 lbs is the towing limit of the truck. If you use lift blocks to raise the rear, your lowering the max capacity.
To help level the truck under load, you could do air bags or some spring assist/air assist shocks.

cwjohnston

Okay, so are there heavier duty springs that I can add?

Feathermerchant

You can add heavier springs but they do not increase the frame's strength or the axle's weight rating. They may level the truck but they cannot increase the load carrying capacity.
See my sig. The Ford HD Payplad Package includes heavier springs, a larger axle, and a thicker frame.

kmpconley

Monroe Coil Over Load Adjuster shocks. I've put them on my truck and it definitely will raise the rear of ur truck a lil bit. It will also increase the payload. I have an 03 2wd 4.2L V-6 and I cut and haul a lot of wood during the winter. A full 8' bed of cut and split white oak just barely above the bedrail would always make my truck squat pretty darn low. After installing those shocks on my truck, I have loaded even more wood in the bed, and the truck barely squats. (4 shocks estimated about 300-350$). I also would recommend a Rough Country Leveling Kit. I installed the 3.5in lift spindles and and everything, and the truck has a really good look to it. It sits slightly higher than my dads factory 01 4.6L 4x4. The front tires will stick about 1.5 inches further out than the rear tires, but u could buy 1.5 inch wheel adapters for the rear. DO NOT get wheel spacers!!! Those are dangerous, and I personally have no idea why they were even invented. Wheel adapters will install right to the factory studs and can be torqued down, and will expose new wheel studs.

kmpconley

Check out this link. These are the shocks I'm referring. I think it is the best suspension I've ever put on any of my Ford trucks.


http://m.oreillyauto.com/mt/www.orei...0077&ppt=C0035

Feathermerchant

The air bags I had on my 95 Ram, limited the DOWN travel of the rear axle. Over a dip, it would compress fine but coming out, the axle would not travel downward enough, to follow the road. Not a good situation.
As for the coilover shocks, where does the load go? From the bed to the frame, to the shock mounts to the axle. They overload those components. They do NOT add any carrying capacity.

kmpconley

How do you figure? The shock mounts are directly attached to the axle. The weight transfer would assist in weight distribution. The leaf springs also assist to the weight distribution. All of these components being upgraded would assist with his problem. I have also towed a trailer with my truck. Both with and without the shocks carrying 3 4wheelers. The shocks have greatly reduced the squatting of bed and/or trailer weight capacity. This is also why Ford switched to the outboard shocks in 2004. It increased load capacity, reduced squatting/body roll, and increased trailer tow weight.

cwjohnston

Right. I'm not trying to increase load or tow capacity per se. I understand that there's way more to that than mere suspension. I'm trying to figure out if I can add or upgrade anything to help the truck perform better within its capacity and really, decrease the wear down from regular hauling.