Super Springs

Gus1949 · Senior Member

Super Springs

KJB · Guru

I would be looking at more appropriate good quality shock absorbers......

Possum3 · Guru

Better speaking to a Suspension specialist such as Pedder's/Munroe's that can detail all your options and retain warranties.

yobarr · Guru

KJB wrote:
I would be looking at more appropriate good quality shock absorbers......

Agreed...I run EFS XTR shocks,and they are excellent.To the OP.....What is your towball weight? With a 3000kg van you are almost at the safe towing limit for a Ranger,and should have about 300kg towball weight. Distributing the weight correctly in the van also can have a huge impact on how the van affects the car.Watch your car's rear axle weight though! Cheers

-- Edited by yobarr on Friday 17th of July 2020 02:28:33 PM

Monica W · Veteran Member

Interesting shock absorbers can fix up a spring problem.
Must be new type of shock absorber on the market that is a spring.

Gus 1949 do not waste your money on 'Super Springs', sadly they are not super for your issue. They are a poor unsatisfactory band aid.
Either you find a spring works to reset your current springs and add another leaf, or buy heavier duty springs.
Not easy to find a spring works today. One of the 4WD companies has a spring suited to your purpose that with the vehicle laden will be standard height and carry the load well.
Did recently manage to buy a full set of springs and shock absorbers from a Ford dealer for $500 that they had replaced the standard suspension for lift kit for a new buyer. I took the old spring packs out, took out a main leaf each side, took it to a spring works and had reset to new spring pack and added. Fitted the springs back with the new original shock absorbers. Worked out well and inexpensive compared to other options. The standard Ford Rnager shock absorbers are good and do not need replacing. Fitting fancy expensive shock absorbers will do nothing for you towing and will make zero difference.

Peter_n_Margaret · Guru

Gus1949 wrote:
.... on poor quality roads there can be quite a lot of up and down movement at the rear of the ute.

This is symptomatic of poor dampers, not overloaded springs.

I agree that better dampers may well provide a significant improvement.

Cheers,

Peter

KJB · Guru

Gus1949 wrote:
Has anyone fitted Super Springs to their vehicle and are you happy with the result.
We have a Ranger and a 3000kg van (loaded). The rig sits level without a WDH. The ride is good on good roads but on poor quality roads there can be quite a lot of up and down movement at the rear of the ute. I know I can fit heavier springs but the Super Springs are way cheaper.

Correct shock absorbers will control the "quite a lot of up and down movement..." That is what shock absorbers do . Springs carry the load - shock absorbers control the compression and rebound of the spring.

Aus-Kiwi · Guru

Yep shocks . Go for quality or budget . I have never had a good cheap suspension on anything !! DONT have to fit std shocks !! Adjustable & gas is best !! Ford did have higher spec suspension ? Check that option shock wise ??

Warren-Pat_01 · Guru

Gus from what I read, Super Springs are mainly for trucks. Take the advise of the previous posts.

Radar · Guru

One of the problems fitting supersprings to the ute there is generally not enough room ontop of spring and between the chassis.

All looks good until it starts to rattle occasionally against the chassis.

I personally spent $2000 plus on a suspension package for our Nissan Navara, front and back job, excellent money spent as we are tourers with our caravan doing around 10000k's a year of towing, enjoy our unseal roads exploring.

My only regret, I waited till the ute had 60000ks on it. The ride is great with and without caravan and no I do not use WDH towing our 2750 kg caravan with a gross combination weight of around 5.5 tonnes. Now have 130000ks.

These light utes are sold only to carry a load short distances, the tradie to throw some gear in, drive down the beach at the weekend, tow the trailer to a park once year and back home. They were never intended to do what us retires are doing with them and I did not want to ride in a truck also.

Aus-Kiwi · Guru

Shocks work to control the spring rate . Leaf springs dont require strong shocks compared to coils ., They all work together . I have fitted in past a flat leaf on bottom , adjustable bump
Stops on the end of them . To adjust travel stiffness giving a shift ride, progressive travel . But should never ride on them when loaded .

Greg 1 · Guru

Simple solution is to fit a WDH. I have one on our Ranger and use a fairly light preload on the torsion bars. Takes much of the bounce out you are describing and improves steering feel. Just don't crank it up too much. Our van is just on 3000kg loaded with a 308kg ball load when weighed before the last trip east.

Aus-Kiwi · Guru

geoffk200 · Member

I had Super springs fiited to my D-max 2012. While they performed quite well, reduced sway and coped with C/van load until 1 broke after about 12 months. I then had a suspension expert check my C/van weights, D-max etc. I went with slightly H/Duty Terrain Tamer rear springs and new shocks. Well you wouldn't put Super Springs on another vehicle. The ride unloaded was great similar to new vehicle and loaded, the vehicle remained level.
After my experience, I would never recommend Super Springs for a towing vehicle.

-- Edited by geoffk200 on Tuesday 28th of July 2020 10:38:02 AM