Removing leaf for softer ride??

My truck rides stiffer than hell. When I called Alcan some 10 years ago with a request that the springs provided 2" of lift and 200# extra load carrying, I was not expecting a horse buggy. After a decade, a hundred thousand miles and many, many wheeling trips, these springs are still so stiff that fellow taco owners ask me, "damn, do you have AAL? Your truck rides stiff!"

I want to soften these up, so which leaf should I start with? The second from the top? Bottom? Thanks!

 

Maybe call Alcan and discuss with them.
Post a pic of your springs.
But in general if you start with the longer springs you will reduce the support for the main leaf, so carrying ability, axle wrap and the possibility of a kink I think would all be pretty high.
Maybe switch to a whole different leaf pack.
Deavers or wheelers 5 leaf.

 

What tires are you running and at what pressure? Any consideration given on changing the rubber?

 

E-rated 285s at 35psi... yes I know.. it's those damn E-rated tires..

 

Have you out a heavy load in it? I had some hd springs in a older Toyota, rode like a brick til I out a load of sand probly 1500lbs. After that it rode much better. How many leafs in your pack?

 

8 leafs... I've tried to weigh it down several times... when I first got the springs I rode around with about 400 lbs in it for months... still no change really. I've loaded the bed completely with mulch several times... I think I just need to remove a leaf. Rides great with tons of weight.... but never any other time

 

Pull the 2 middle leafs is where I'd start. D does it have overloads also?

 

no overloads. At least not like the OEM ones (inverted looking leaf)

 

can you take a pic of the leaf pack

 

Yeah, I'll take a pic tonight

 

I'd drop the psi by 10. I'm running C's @ 25, at 1400#'s over stock... I'm running a custom Dakar 12 pack and it never rides stiff.

Also Alot of people that have this issue are either running to short or too long of a shock. What's your rear setup? Lift, shocks ext/compressed measurements?

 

So, are you carrying the prescribed 200# of gear in the bed all the time? If not, that's why...

Or Alcan didn't get you the right springs for what you asked. I'd still call them for advice.

Might be your shocks, though, too.

 

Listen to what just said... you're running thin sidewall tires at low PSI and high weight.. unless you are referring to your springs load capacity. That's like the opposite of my issue... so no wonder your truck rides fine. I have the softest shocks I can get with good travel (bilstein 170/60). That's not the issue. The springs are just too stiff. Maybe if I had a camper shell it would be ok. But it's not and I never plan to have a camper

 

They don't ride nice till I have about 400lbs in the back... if you read my original post you will see I've had them for a decade. My initial "oh, they'll just break in" has never happened. So it's time to actually do something about it.
170/60 shocks.

The problem is so many lift springs say they will have reduced load capacity. That's why I said I wanted 200 lbs extra cap. That should have meant load cap similar to stock. Instead I got Ford F-350 springs.

 

You guys are trying to pull my OP off topic. Trust me, I've done every other thing imaginable. It ain't working. Time to bust the leafs down and remove one. So which one? Was the original question.

I don't want to buy new springs... especially if I have to deal with the headache of selling these. I just want to modify what I have to work.

I understand my tires aren't helping, but they are not the sole reason for the ride quality.

 

@slander

 

I would pull the 2nd from the bottom and 3rd from the top if it was mine.

 

I was thinking of starting with pulling second from the bottom, since the shorter leaves are doing the most to add stiffness. I will try that first and remove the 3rd from top if that doesn't help enough

 

Correct?