Cheap-O rear helper springs

[Nikkormat]

I'm going to be towing a u haul trailer with another wagoneer on it up to MT when I head back (talk about a long slow drive!) so I'm on the hunt for options to make the rear end of the 90 a little stiffer on the cheap. AKA I don't want to spend $80 on air shocks.

Has anyone used some of those overleaf (or underleaf) universal rear helper springs vatozone and advance sell? Do they really do much to stiffen things up?

What about the old farmer fix of sticking a wedge between the overload leaf and the main spring pack, and then clamping the whole mess in place? Will that just be asking to break stuff? I could get a couple of felling wedges and some trailer leaf spring clamps for less than $30...

Any better ideas under $50?

[fulsizjeep]

I have used leaf and coil helpers in the past and would recommend leaf for towing the load you are talking about.

https://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p/aut ... 10053619-P

[rocklaurence]

Go to the salavage yard and get a set of 2.5" wide springs and add some of those leafs as helpers. However, now your investing a lot of Time and labor and it would have been cheaper to purchase the Air Shocks. Plus, the air shocks can be adjusted as the demands change a lot easier than adding/removing the helper springs.

[Nikkormat]

I have used leaf and coil helpers in the past and would recommend leaf for towing the load you are talking about.

https://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p/aut ... 10053619-P

I've heard you're a fella who has experience in the wag-wag-uhaul department Flint. How balanced of a load is it in your opinion?

[fulsizjeep]

I have used leaf and coil helpers in the past and would recommend leaf for towing the load you are talking about.

https://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p/aut ... 10053619-P

I've heard you're a fella who has experience in the wag-wag-uhaul department Flint. How balanced of a load is it in your opinion?

You are going to get some squat in the backend. 50 is about tops, 40 on mountain grades. Take you time.

Sent from my XT1032 using Tapatalk

[Nikkormat]

I have used leaf and coil helpers in the past and would recommend leaf for towing the load you are talking about.

https://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p/aut ... 10053619-P

I've heard you're a fella who has experience in the wag-wag-uhaul department Flint. How balanced of a load is it in your opinion?

You are going to get some squat in the backend. 50 is about tops, 40 on mountain grades. Take you time.

Sent from my XT1032 using Tapatalk

10-4 That's what I figured. Planning lots of stops. Only pushing for about 350 miles a day. Will be a different experience than I'm used to, that's for sure!

[babywag]

I’ve done it as well...
It’s a poor combo, but like Flint said go slow and you’ll be ok.
Braking is second enemy, if folks cut in front of you + braking the pucker factor is high.
Bring some spare undies, you may need them

[fulsizjeep]

Stock springs.

[letank]

I’ve done it as well...
It’s a poor combo, but like Flint said go slow and you’ll be ok.
Braking is second enemy, if folks cut in front of you + braking the pucker factor is high.
Bring some spare undies, you may need them

X2

Braking is really teeth grinding time.... even on road that I knew very well... basically I stepped on the brake pedal and nothing happened... sure it was downhill... but ...

A way to monitor your trany temp... in fact I did it in 40ish degrees temp, so when the floor started to fill warm, I pulled over... it took 30mins on a twisty mountain road... and yes I have an external trany radiator and 3.31 gearing...

you can also use the helper springs that go under which I have, but I bought it that way, curious about the differences with the upper version?

[fulsizjeep]

With a regular car trailer, we had more room to balance the trailer. There is not as much runway on the U-Haul.

[Nikkormat]

The towed wagoneer may not have an engine. Which I imagine will help significantly.

[candymancan]

I know one guy on this forum is anal as hell when it comes to them... But i would suggest you use some gabriel load assist shocks.. I habe 4 of them on mine.. no issues.. even gave the Jeep is slightly 1.2 inch lift.. They keep the jeep at stock height up to 500 lbs in the cargo area or tow tongue weight. Im 270 lbs and when i sit on the tailgate the Jeep moves down maybe 1.4 inch with them on.. When before itd drop like 2 inchs

[Nikkormat]

I know one guy and this forum is anal as hell when it comes to them... But i would suggest you use some gabriel load assist shocks.. I habe 4 of them on mine.. no issues.. even gave the Jeep is slightly 1.2 inch lift.. They keep the jeep at stock height up to 500 lbs in the cargo area or tow tongue weight. Im 270 lbs and when i sit on the tailgate the Jeep moves down maybe 1.4 inch with them on.. When before itd drop like 2 inchs

Yeah but they're $80 a piece. And why would I add load to the shock mounts when I could do the smart thing on the springs cheaper?

[Nikkormat]

I really appreciate the help guys, but this trip just went bust. Whole lot of copper flakes in the oil filter tell me I'm not going to be towing a Jeep up there with me. I need to just fix the one that was being towed and drive the sucker.

[FSJunkie]

An equalizer hitch, sway control, and adjustable electric trailer brakes are amazing devices and I've towed a Dodge Durango on a flatbed (~7500lbs) behind my Wagoneer with them. I was slow, but I tracked down the road well and stopped well. I was able to keep the trailer under control.

Unfortunately you can't use those devices on a UHAUL. I towed a 6'X12' box UHAUL (~4000 lbs) behind my Wagoneer once. You'll have to load it pretty tongue-heavy to keep it from swaying and all that weight will go to the rear wheels of your tow vehicle. The UHAUL has built-in hydraulic brakes that do an ok job.

You should realize that if you are putting enough weight on your rear wheels to bottom the axle against the bump stop with stock springs, then you are also overloading the axle beyond its designed maximum capacity. Higher rate or taller springs mask this problem, but you're still overloading the axle.

Not much you can do.

[candymancan]

I know one guy and this forum is anal as hell when it comes to them... But i would suggest you use some gabriel load assist shocks.. I habe 4 of them on mine.. no issues.. even gave the Jeep is slightly 1.2 inch lift.. They keep the jeep at stock height up to 500 lbs in the cargo area or tow tongue weight. Im 270 lbs and when i sit on the tailgate the Jeep moves down maybe 1.4 inch with them on.. When before itd drop like 2 inchs

Yeah but they're $80 a piece. And why would I add load to the shock mounts when I could do the smart thing on the springs cheaper?

I dunno what website youre looking at but i bought 4 of em for 160$ with free shipping from autoanything.com

[Cecil14]

The helper springs mentioned above are $45, and locate the load in the correct spot.


aa

[HowardT64]

I would like to give mine a boost. At least until I can afford a whole new set of springs. I dont tow...just haul my carcass around. The springs on the Duck Blind are so worn...they are flat when on a lift. Would love to get some clearance between the tires and fenders. Maybe an add a leaf or what is being mentioned in this thread will help for now?