Raising/stiffening the rear only to compensate for cargo weight

[Palmermc]

I’ve been out on a few camping trips with my First Edition and I’m noticing the rear sags quite a bit when loaded up.
Even with my bike rack only on the back I’m noticing some saggy butt.

Does anyone have a recommendation for either raising the rear only an inch or so, or at least adding more preload or perhaps running stiffer springs?

I’ve been looking around and all the leveling kits I see are primarily for the front or for all 4 corners.

Open to all ideas. Thanks!

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[Murfman]

Why not run load leveling air bags in the rear coils? Then you just use them as you need them.

 

[HBTFD]

Try something like this

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/...7294A73NyQLagNNtViK2XYGxwC7rsm1xoCRSUQAvD_BwE

 

[dgorsett]

I am with you. Mine has very little rake with my normal stuff on board. In your case heavier springs would be the proper fix, but the research doesn't seem to be there for load carrying capacity of available springs.

As far as spacers, the top hat spacers by most manufacturers for the front should fit the rear. The listed lift for a given spacer for the front would yield about 2/3 in the rear ie a spacer listed as 1.5" for the front would lift the rear about 1', 2" would lift about 1 3/8". I'm looking at 1 1/4" front Readylift and a 1 1/2" Fabtech (1" yield) or 2" Superlift (1 3/8" yield) in the rear.

 

[da_jokker]

Are spacers not advertised as their actual thickness? Meaning if your rear sags 1" when you load it up, would you just not need a spacer that measures 1" to get the rear back up to original height?

Now I know that the spring will be more compressed than before, but the shocks and any other suspension geometry would be right back to OEM.

 

[da_jokker]

Try something like this

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/...7294A73NyQLagNNtViK2XYGxwC7rsm1xoCRSUQAvD_BwE

I've used something like these before, but they were bolt based. You could either compress your spring (aka lower your vehicle), or spread them out (aka raise your vehicle).

In either case, they basically work by eliminating a pair of coil rings, by making them act as 1 ring.

Basically they ride like . With that said, I'm might be able to see them come into play under only one circumstance. If you have a progressive spring, so they're very soft when they first start to compress, these can be used in that progressive spring area (the thinner rungs) to take those out of the equation so that the heavier coils might maintain the weight better.

 

[Snacktime]

How often do you run empty? No one is making lift coils or overland coils(heavyweight) yet. Best option might be going to a roof rack to shift weight forward. I am currently looking at roof racks and hitch racks for camping. Looks like you have maxed out the hitch weight.

 

[Silver-Bolt]

Do not use a spacer lift. You need stronger springs. A spacer lift does not increase your spring rate.

 

[Palmermc]

Thanks for the tips everyone. On one hand a mild spacer lift would be appealing just to level out the ride, but I realize the shortcomings. I suppose I need to wait for stiffer springs to be released. My only reservation is that I don’t want to kill the ride quality when the truck isn’t full loaded up. Maybe a combo of a mild spacer lift and slightly stiffer springs is the way to go…

 

[internationlriders]

I'm with you on this one OP, I tow a travel trailer that when loaded up is right on the max weight of both tongue and trailer, it tows beautifully and doesn't sag, until my two dogs which way a combined weight of 220lbs are in the back of the Bronco. In my case the weight distribution hitch does the job but stiffer springs or air bags to deal with the sag would be really good. I'm not looking for extra capacity anywhere, our Bronco is empty except for us and our dogs, but the sagging isn't great.

 

[Overlander22]

I was leaning toward sumos but after hooking up trailer and driving I'm gonna have to mull it over some more. Sag wasn't as bad as expected (1 inch lower in rear, 1 inch higher in front) but the trailer weight throws the Bronco around (up and down) more than my previous tow vehicle. Gotta be the supple suspension on Badlands? Maybe stiffer springs are better that than sumos?

 

[Roger123]

I go with an inside the spring air bag setup. No impact on day-to-day then you can put some air in when you're loaded up.

 

[kodiakisland]

Just like a work truck, I think people are just going to have to live with a little more rake if they occasionally throw some real weight back there.
You could remove rear seats if not needed to trade weight. Hard to balance good articulation with max load carrying capacity.

 

[kodiakisland]

I go with an inside the spring air bag setup. No impact on day-to-day then you can put some air in when you're loaded up.

Bronco has coilovers, so that setup won’t work, unless you are adding a second set of springs.

 

[Roger123]

Bronco has coilovers, so that setup won’t work, unless you are adding a second set of springs.

Yes, brain fart, good point, disregard!

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