Silence The SuperDuty Springs!

[Gary Lewis]

Yes! Those should work nicely!

 

I've actually not seen those before. They fit the bill in many ways, including having the rubber pads and being very adjustable.

 

The only issue is that those are for 2 1/2" springs and I think the SD springs are 3", but I'll confirm that this afternoon. (We are finishing the painting of the guest bath this afternoon, but I have to go to the shop to get the roller and pan, so can check then w/o getting caught. ) But I'm sure there are ones just like them for 3".

 

Here's the pic to remind me of what I'm looking for. And with the spring liner where it is the clamps won't be able to go anywhere.

 

I don't need to measure. Just need to think, and since I'm almost at the bottom of my 2nd cup of Joe that is starting to get easier.The spring liner was ordered for Dad's truck, which has 4wd and, therefore, 3" springs. Since the liner fit the SD springs perfectly they are 3" wide as well.So, gotta find padded 3" wide spring clamps...

[Gary Lewis]

Gary,

I know they’re available in 3” wide. Couple good things…you can control how tight you clamp them, and you could always use thicker rubber pads in them if you wanted to.

So far I've found 2" and 2 1/2", but I'm sure you are right about the 3" variety.

And, you are right about the tightness. I don't want them so tight that they inhibit the sliding of the springs or that will stiffen the suspension. But tight enough to prevent vertical movement is what is needed.

As for the rubber pads, I suspect that any rubber in there will keep them from rattling. But it'll wear out over time due to the movement of the springs. So I may need to replace them some day, but that won't be all that difficult.

[Gary Lewis]

So far I've found 2" and 2 1/2", but I'm sure you are right about the 3" variety.

And, you are right about the tightness. I don't want them so tight that they inhibit the sliding of the springs or that will stiffen the suspension. But tight enough to prevent vertical movement is what is needed.

As for the rubber pads, I suspect that any rubber in there will keep them from rattling. But it'll wear out over time due to the movement of the springs. So I may need to replace them some day, but that won't be all that difficult.

Don't you just love searching for things on the internet? For instance, searching for "padded leaf spring rebound clip" found this result: Find Deals on Leaf Spring Rebound Clip in Womens Shops on Amazon.

[ArdWrknTrk]

Don't you just love searching for things on the internet? For instance, searching for "padded leaf spring rebound clip" found this result: Find Deals on Leaf Spring Rebound Clip in Womens Shops on Amazon.

If it's the noise that bothers you, damp the noise, don't keep the spring from functioning as it was designed to.

I'm not going to say "They all do that", because we all know they all do that.

I'd have thought you'd have more appreciation for the dedicated engineers that planned these springs.

Obviously they know their job. And they know how best to design for its intended use in a truck.

But you don't want a truck. You want a unicorn.🦄

Maybe it would be best to find a way to fit coil springs to a solid 4WD front axle?

Or maybe you could just eliminate metal to metal contact while the spring is still free to function as it should?

[Gary Lewis]

If it's the noise that bothers you, damp the noise, don't keep the spring from functioning as it was designed to.

I'm not going to say "They all do that", because we all know they all do that.

I'd have thought you'd have more appreciation for the dedicated engineers that planned these springs.

Obviously they know their job. And they know how best to design for its intended use in a truck.

But you don't want a truck. You want a unicorn.🦄

Maybe it would be best to find a way to fit coil springs to a solid 4WD front axle?

Or maybe you could just eliminate metal to metal contact while the spring is still free to function as it should?

Yep, I want a unicorn. In fact, I have a unicorn. How many trucks have what Big Blue has? And as far as I'm concerned that's not bad.

As for "the dedicated engineers that planned these springs", I would have thought that reversing the springs would be an indication that I didn't want them to work exactly the way they were designed.

Having said that, I'm trying to make it so they can work as they were designed w/o making noise. It looks to me like the "loose end", meaning the loop of the bottom spring around the eye of the top spring, was intended to allow the two springs to move fore/aft with respect to each other as the load changes. So it looks to me like there are two ways to allow the springs to work - quietly:

• Padding: Do something to fill the gap to ensure the springs cannot clang together. That would include pouring the gap full of something like the stuff from Smooth-on, but it would have to be the right density in order to allow the needed fore/aft movement w/o all of the up/down movement.

• Clamping: I don't want to clamp the two together in a way that they cannot slide, which is what the u-bolt style clamps would do. But I do want to keep the loose end from banging into the eye. So perhaps a padded clamp that will hold the two springs together closely enough that the ends can't hit while still allowing them to slide would work.

I welcome your input on which way to go. Or if there's another approach that needs to be added to the list.

[ArdWrknTrk]

Yep, I want a unicorn. In fact, I have a unicorn. How many trucks have what Big Blue has? And as far as I'm concerned that's not bad.

As for "the dedicated engineers that planned these springs", I would have thought that reversing the springs would be an indication that I didn't want them to work exactly the way they were designed.

Having said that, I'm trying to make it so they can work as they were designed w/o making noise. It looks to me like the "loose end", meaning the loop of the bottom spring around the eye of the top spring, was intended to allow the two springs to move fore/aft with respect to each other as the load changes. So it looks to me like there are two ways to allow the springs to work - quietly:

• Padding: Do something to fill the gap to ensure the springs cannot clang together. That would include pouring the gap full of something like the stuff from Smooth-on, but it would have to be the right density in order to allow the needed fore/aft movement w/o all of the up/down movement.

• Clamping: I don't want to clamp the two together in a way that they cannot slide, which is what the u-bolt style clamps would do. But I do want to keep the loose end from banging into the eye. So perhaps a padded clamp that will hold the two springs together closely enough that the ends can't hit while still allowing them to slide would work.

I welcome your input on which way to go. Or if there's another approach that needs to be added to the list.

I think you have a workhorse with a horn strapped to its head and a pair of fairy wings on its back.

I can't think of any other way, but I'm sure the clamps will be easier to try (and MUCH easier to undo if they bind or fail)

As for the rubber there are charts showing Shore compared to more relatable materials.

I think I had this discussion when talking to Matthew about using a brayer to roll paint onto tailgate lettering.

He said he had a grasp of hardness because of wheels he used with his robotics group.

I still think you'd be better off packing the gap with a paste than trying to pour catalyzed silicone in there.

I've made more than a few molds and know how it wants to escape.

[salans7]

I think you have a workhorse with a horn strapped to its head and a pair of fairy wings on its back.

I can't think of any other way, but I'm sure the clamps will be easier to try (and MUCH easier to undo if they bind or fail)

As for the rubber there are charts showing Shore compared to more relatable materials.

I think I had this discussion when talking to Matthew about using a brayer to roll paint onto tailgate lettering.

He said he had a grasp of hardness because of wheels he used with his robotics group.

I still think you'd be better off packing the gap with a paste than trying to pour catalyzed silicone in there.

I've made more than a few molds and know how it wants to escape.

I took a look at my Pro-Comp SD lift springs, and they have nothing in between those two leaves, nor is there anything around the curve. But I noticed my springs seem to be much tighter than yours as I can't see any daylight through them. But I don't know if that's because I'm sans engine or if you took that photo with the springs unloaded.

[Gary Lewis]

I took a look at my Pro-Comp SD lift springs, and they have nothing in between those two leaves, nor is there anything around the curve. But I noticed my springs seem to be much tighter than yours as I can't see any daylight through them. But I don't know if that's because I'm sans engine or if you took that photo with the springs unloaded.

Jim - I've not made any molds so will take your word for packing rather than pouring. And I certainly agree with you that the clamps will be easier to try, and remove for that matter, and probably less expensive as well. So I think that is the best approach.

And I'm pretty sure the clamps won't have any noticeable effect on the ride as I put the hose clamps on and could tell no difference in ride, but a huge reduction in noise. In fact, even with the hose clamps loosened after the GOAT there was no difference in ride and really little, if any, difference in noise. You just need enough restraint to keep the ends from clanging together.

Shaun - That pic was taken with the truck on the lift, so full droop. But obviously the clamps were on there. Without the clamps it is easy to move the end of the spring while the truck is on the lift, and you can make it clang like a bell.

Apparently my springs are "factory" springs 'cause my way of getting the old tip isolator out and a new one in was exactly like the instructions from TSB 99-16-3:

SERVICE PROCEDURE

Raise the vehicle so that the front axle is allowed to hang freely suspended (lift vehicle by frame).

Use a prybar to open gap between two (2) leaves.

CAUTION: PRIOR TO STEP 3, IT MAY BE NECESSARY TO REDUCE THE HEIGHT OF THE CENTER BARBED NUB WHICH PROTRUDES THROUGH THE LEAF. CAUTION SHOULD BE TAKEN NOT TO NICK OR GOUGE INTO THE METAL OF THE LEAF.

Pry out worn tip isolator.

Using pliers to hold the replacement spring tip isolator on the locator flange and maintaining force on the prybar to keep two (2) leaves separate, position the isolator so that center barbed nub fits into the hole of the lower leaf and the two (2) locator flanges are oriented outboard of the spring.

Remove prybar and allow leaves to close on each other.

[salans7]

Jim - I've not made any molds so will take your word for packing rather than pouring. And I certainly agree with you that the clamps will be easier to try, and remove for that matter, and probably less expensive as well. So I think that is the best approach.

And I'm pretty sure the clamps won't have any noticeable effect on the ride as I put the hose clamps on and could tell no difference in ride, but a huge reduction in noise. In fact, even with the hose clamps loosened after the GOAT there was no difference in ride and really little, if any, difference in noise. You just need enough restraint to keep the ends from clanging together.

Shaun - That pic was taken with the truck on the lift, so full droop. But obviously the clamps were on there. Without the clamps it is easy to move the end of the spring while the truck is on the lift, and you can make it clang like a bell.

Apparently my springs are "factory" springs 'cause my way of getting the old tip isolator out and a new one in was exactly like the instructions from TSB 99-16-3:

SERVICE PROCEDURE

Raise the vehicle so that the front axle is allowed to hang freely suspended (lift vehicle by frame).

Use a prybar to open gap between two (2) leaves.

CAUTION: PRIOR TO STEP 3, IT MAY BE NECESSARY TO REDUCE THE HEIGHT OF THE CENTER BARBED NUB WHICH PROTRUDES THROUGH THE LEAF. CAUTION SHOULD BE TAKEN NOT TO NICK OR GOUGE INTO THE METAL OF THE LEAF.

Pry out worn tip isolator.

Using pliers to hold the replacement spring tip isolator on the locator flange and maintaining force on the prybar to keep two (2) leaves separate, position the isolator so that center barbed nub fits into the hole of the lower leaf and the two (2) locator flanges are oriented outboard of the spring.

Remove prybar and allow leaves to close on each other.

Mine are a completely different animal, as there are four leaves total and a traditional riveted clamp around all four. I surely hope that I don't run into the same issue, but I'm also of the same opinion that Jim carries regarding these trucks and their noisiness.

[Gary Lewis]

Mine are a completely different animal, as there are four leaves total and a traditional riveted clamp around all four. I surely hope that I don't run into the same issue, but I'm also of the same opinion that Jim carries regarding these trucks and their noisiness.

Do you know what code of springs you have? Must be heavier than mine.

As for the noise, if yours aren't as far apart as mine you shouldn't have as much noise. I'm guessing mine have 3/8" of gap, and when you hit a bump and the spring travels that far and hits it is loud. While I realize it is a truck, if there is something simple that can be done to minimize the noise I want to do it.