82F100SWB

Another reason not to change the shackle design on a TTB truck is the stock A frame shackle; which on a solid axle truck defeats the side to side axle locating inherent to a normal leaf spring design and requires a panhard bar, is designed to allow the spring to twist and follow the arc of the axle beam during suspension travel. I'm not sure how a standard shackle setup would ride with a TTB.

I did have a considerable amount of my stuff scanned and online, but alas, when the server, your desktop and all three laptops burn you really wish you had of opted not to host things yourself. The 84+ F250 extended cab 4x4 is essentially identically speced as an 80-85 F350 with a shorter rear block, extended cab of course automatically made it a HD. I can tell you without a doubt my crew cab F350 does for the most part ride better than my extended cab F250, and the ex cab really doesn't ride much different than my regular cabs did, but the solid axle doesn't handle short sharp bumps and washboard nearly as well as the TTB due to the front shackle setup being designed for the TTB's inverted leafs. A set of super duty front leafs and a shackle reversal alleviates that problem. Another option for the rear is to go to 08+ Super Duty springs. They are 8" longer than our stock ones and a longer leaf is going to ride and handle sharp bumps much better. We won't even talk about how I have my Dodge sprung so soft I had to put the sway bar back on, but it will still bounce you out of the seat on washboard because the 48" long front springs just can't handle it.

The over 8500GVW F250's were pretty much F350's rear suspension wise, minus 2" of block. My 96 F250 and 350 have the identical spring code, both trucks have overloads. The overloads however were an option on both models. Really missing my literature right now. Lost all of my brochures and manuals in a fire back in March.

The picture of the 82 back when it was still grey was taken at my dad's in Long Point.. LOL It is a very small world for sure.

I originally hail from Nova Scotia as well, Route 19, about 15 miles north of the Causeway. As for the trucks, the big guy continuously evolves, mostly in the area of improving reliability on the trail. I have it to the point now mechanically where I really don't break much of anything anymore. I am debating putting a C6 in there, but I will need to gear to suit and if I'm gearing the front is going to get a selectable locker... I have been tossing around the idea of a bolt on EFI setup as well. I have all of the parts for a factory setup, but I have too much invested in my carb heads to start over and I'm not sure I could make it run happily with a factory ecu. The current engine build is 9.5:1, 425hp @ 6500, 505 FT/lb at 4500, and breaks 400 ft/lb at 2000. It and the t19 make up for the 4.10 gears... Lol As for the 6.9 truck, it needs a new body again, the 81 cab is toast. I'm hoping I can find an 85/6 cab that already has A/C, cutting all the holes in the firewall on the 81 cab for all of the AC stuff and the clutch master was a pain. I swapped the entire wiring harness and dash from the rusted out 86 cab when I built it. Currently the project on hand after I get my new daily driver on the road is an engine change in the 96 crew. I bought it with a hurt 7.3 about 7 years ago and am finally getting a round tuit.

Even with the same spring count, those leaves are going to be stiffer than the stock ones as they don't taper out at the end like the factory ones do, and the individual leaves look to be thicker as well. Pull leaves until the ride suits you and then use airbags or the likes for carrying capacity. Bags are good but absolutely make sure you keep 10-15 psi in them or they will eat themselves. I've often contemplated building something along the lines of a Peterbilt low air leaf for my truck, and I do believe there is/was a company building a similar setup that wasn't a small fortune.

Looking at the shape of the end cut and the thickness of the leaves, I would be inclined to believe that those springs in big blue aren't factory pieces at all and that may well explain your ride issue.

That's the 82. Only the cab, most of the interior and passengers fender remain from the original truck. Chassis is a shortened 86 ex cab F250 unit, bit still with an 8 foot bed... The grille and turn signals are actually OEM parts, the 81 on the other hand I bought with hood letter delete and an 82-86 grille. I'm up here on the cold side of the border in Dryden Ontario. This was the 82 back in 1998. This was the 81 before the 3/4 ton chassis, but after the 302 got swapped for the built 300 from the 82, then a 351w, and I converted it to 4x4...

Some of you will probably recognize the username, been posting about the same old Ford on various forums since 1998 as it has transformed from a 82 F100 FlareSide with a 300 into an 8x F350 on 44's with a 460. I also have an 81 F100 melded with an 86 F250 diesel as well as a couple 96's. We won't talk about the number of these trucks that I have parted or bought and sold in the last 20 years... Lol