Donahoe became Icon. Deaver used to make the springs for Donahoe, but parted ways. Icon still uses the same type of springs as were supplied by Deaver; multiple thin leafs to offer a plush ride.
I have Donahoe 3" hanger/shackles & 4-8" box kit and Icon 4" front leafs, 5" rear leafs, 1" blocks, adjustable tracbar & steering damper kit and OUO traction bars. Firestone airbags help when loads get weighty.
Figure out how high you want to lift and make the decision on the direction you go from there. If your springs are factory originals, you might want to consider replacing those (with stock again or with Icon or Deavers) and build off that. There are way too many options.
As it sits now. 7" lift with 37x13.50 Toyos on 18x9.5 AR rims
7" lift with 35x12.50 Toyos on 18x9.5 AR rims
3" Hanger kit and add-a-leaf with 35x12.50 Toyos on 18x9.5 AR rims
Donahoe became Icon. Deaver used to make the springs for Donahoe, but parted ways. Icon still uses the same type of springs as were supplied by Deaver; multiple thin leafs to offer a plush ride.
I have Donahoe 3" hanger/shackles & 4-8" box kit and Icon 4" front leafs, 5" rear leafs, 1" blocks, adjustable tracbar & steering damper kit and OUO traction bars. Firestone airbags help when loads get weighty.
Figure out how high you want to lift and make the decision on the direction you go from there. If your springs are factory originals, you might want to consider replacing those (with stock again or with Icon or Deavers) and build off that. There are way too many options.
As it sits now. 7" lift with 37x13.50 Toyos on 18x9.5 AR rims
Thats a nice ride you got there . Well I just got off the phone with deaver and got a quote for 5" front springs,Icon box kit,carrier drop bracket,adjustable pan rod,sway bar links and rest of hardware . I wanted to have a spring lift up front . There was a another that was mentioned to me to go with 4.5" hanger kit and 2" spring pack and build to 5" from that but I dont like the hanger kit . Well Iam just looking for different options that will fit my budget . On the rears I was thinking OUO 6" track block to get it leveled .
What do think about that ? Oh and I want to run 35 Toyo's and have a tire to fender clearance about 12 inches. How much tire to fender clearance do you have ?
If you want the best ride quality and 12" over your 35" I'd use 4.5" hangers and V codes or 3" hangers and X codes..Here is a pic of mine 10.5" clearance..V codes and 3" hangers..
I was trying to stay away from hangers . But i am still up for options .So with the 3" hangers and V code springs how much lift do you have ? How is the ride ?
I'm currently running donahoe 8 inch fronts springs, donahoe box kit, dual steer stab, and adj track bar up front. Out back I'm running icon 10 inch springs with no block or swaybar. Dual res. shocks up front singles in the rear. Truck rides great and flexes good with 37 inch super swamper m16s.
I'm currently running donahoe front springs on my truck and ABSOLUTELY love the ride with my bilsteins...they are amazing. they're definitely worth the money for the soft ride.
What was the price you got quoted for the5" Deaver springs? You can PM it to me if that better.
You also should consider price between hanger vs Leafs if you plan to go with new v or x code factory springs to go with the hangers.
I fully agree with Cary that the best ride comes from the 4.5" hanger plus V codes. That is on road only though. If you are hitting rough roads or logging roads at a bit of speed the ICON/deaver springs win out. They also offer more drop so more total travel than the hanger combo.
but if you are going to be planning on buying new leafs no matter what its going to cost you a few hundred more to do a stock leaf + hanger kit than it would to do a striaght Deaver or Icon leaf lift. I am up against this same issue.
I had ridden in trucks with just about every combo of lift I was considering.
From that I came to the conclusion to be doing just as Cary had suggested. Icon 4.5 hanger + stock V codes. Most all the leafs in salvage yards have a ton of mile and are worn out as they are at least 6-7 yrs old. That meant new would be best. Thats about $375-$400. Then you have the hanger kit ( forgetting the other parts as you will need them regardless the hanger and shackle alone is another $450 + shipping $500. You are stilling at $850-$900 to go with this option. A set of front Icon or Deavers usually run about $650-$750. They ride a bit different on the road. Even ICON states the same exact thing but still better than stock. If you need 1" as you are set on 5" with any spring pack you can always add a zero rate spring to the bottom of the pack. cheapest way would be to cut a couple of your stock spring's leafs to make two super short leafs you can add to the bottom of the pack and will get you that extra 1".
What I am going with all spring in the front as it will actually be cheaper will be a stronger setup. Still ride better than stock. My rear I am going to something a bit different than most do and IM should offer the best ride setup period short of linking it with coil overs or bags. What my total lift will be is 4-4.5 front and rear. Blistien shocks @ all 4 corners.
Like I said the zero rate spring can be added to pick up a inch if that is an issue with a 4" spring.
BTW I strongly recommend speaking with Cary once you are ready to purchase. He offers very good pricing and will be there to help you with advice etc well after you have all your parts etc...
Cary,
can you shoot me a PM with your number I lost it when I unintentionally :doh: cleared out my inbox. I need to get with you to order my front springs and small parts, shocks, and likely some brake lines.
As mentioned Donahoe Racing was done many years ago.
Icon offers very good products. All American made and lifetime warranty.
If you want a new spring the Icon 4-6" springs may be what you are after. Many regard the 6" front leaf spring they offer as the best riding between the 4", 6" and 8".
OUO rear Traction Block setup is also very nice. If they had been out when I lifted my truck I would have gone with them. Going to be changing some stuff on my truck so I will be adding them in the future.
We sell Icon, OUO, Deaver, etc so if you have any questions let me know
As mentioned Donahoe Racing was done many years ago.
Icon offers very good products. All American made and lifetime warranty.
If you want a new spring the Icon 4-6" springs may be what you are after. Many regard the 6" front leaf spring they offer as the best riding between the 4", 6" and 8".
OUO rear Traction Block setup is also very nice. If they had been out when I lifted my truck I would have gone with them. Going to be changing some stuff on my truck so I will be adding them in the future.
We sell Icon, OUO, Deaver, etc so if you have any questions let me know
Not ALL as their leaf springs at least not what I was told. Still very good by a good company with a good rep but not USA manf or USA steel. But no question on the quality and or the lifetime warranty/ Top flight products for sure.
The owner of donahoe was arrested for child porn. His products were decent but I will never run them because of that.
Icon has some bad ass new products coming out, and having a buddy that works there I would run their products in a heart beat.
Also deaver puts out one hell of a product. They are know heavily for their involvement in offroad racing. I run them on my race truck, and probably the only leafs I will ever run as far as aftermarket goes. National puts out a good product too. Don't want to derail this thread, but here is my deavers on my ranger
NO ONE has a better name when it comes to leaf springs than DEAVER Period..
National Spring is now under new owners and the issue of CS etc are now a thing of the past and they put out a very good spring as well. Alcan Spring is also getting a good rep as well out in Colorado. It sucks we do not have the topography on the east coast to where we would have custom leaf manf of this caliber. You need desert to have desert racing and rocky mountains to have real rock climbing. We have good 4x4 just not anything like what they have out west.
The best way to go is to actually take your rig to them and have them fit them right there. That way you KNOW they are right. Otherwise the best you can do is give your goals weight your front and rear axle weight subtract out unsprung weight with everything you plan to have in the truck and where. Send all the info off and I bet ya they can get very close.
04yfzkid,
Very nice looking truck. Running deavers race packs in the rear about 18-20" travel? Linked up front. What division you running it?
I am planning of setting up 3 steel anchor in my garage floor concrete for a triangulated pulley setup. .Two spread out evenly with closed eye hooks to secure pulleys to. A single back to hook the come-a-long to.I can easily unscrew it from the anchor when not in use but will allow me to fully compress the front or rear suspension to check for all possible clearances.
the 5/8 hold about 5000 PSI and the 3/4 hold around 10K psi running one for each side of the axle is more than enough and the load will be static as well with zero shear angle.
Unscrew the eyebolt when finished and put screw head in screwed in flush to the floor to keep it clean of debris. Cheap simple alternative to check suspension versus having to break apart your leaf packs and mock up with just the main leaf to allow you to easily flex them thru full compression.
Great for setting up your shackle position and angle as well.
Thanks for the nice words. I am run the giant 64" pack which was designed by geoff falzone at giant motorsports, but he gets the springs built at deaver. Before I moved the shackle back to allow for more droop, I was pulling 19.5" of travel from the rear end to the begining of the bump stop. I have compressed the bump stop enough for the frame and rear end to contact :doh:.
Up front is just Giant motorsports extended beams with longer radius arms. It's a 2wd truck, but it's right around 21" of travel in the front.
I am planning of setting up 3 steel anchor in my garage floor concrete for a triangulated pulley setup. .Two spread out evenly with closed eye hooks to secure pulleys to. A single back to hook the come-a-long to.I can easily unscrew it from the anchor when not in use but will allow me to fully compress the front or rear suspension to check for all possible clearances.
No need to do all that. It is easy to take apart a leaf pack. Just take it all apart, and bolt up just the big main leaf. I reccomend using a piece of wood drilled with a whole drilled to simulate the other height of the other leafs, and bolt it back together. Thats how we do it in the desert world. He is come crappy pictures when I was taking measurements for my drive shaft length and when the bedcage was being built
Yep that is where I first learned to use the the woodblock. My only thought was its actually a bit quicker once you have the anchors in. I have the tools etc to do it so its only about a 10 min job to set it up. Deaver has a setup similar to this at there shop outside to do the same thing. Its where I got the idea. No have to break down and put it all together. But otherwise yes the way you guys do it would be the only other way I would do it.
I know Homesteader is interested in this stuff from speaking to him off line so do not worry about derailing talking about spring setup info.
The way I had done it on my past 4x4 and was planning on this was to first hook the leaf up to the axle then center it in the wheel well to set the location for the front hanger. Then set the rear hanger for the shackle. For setting the rear shackle I have seen a couple different recommendations.
One was at full droop to set it to have shackle at 90 degree to frame no more. Others were to set it so at full compression its not past horizontal. Obviously both conditions should be met so which to sue to set the shackle hanger position?
On the front hanger am I setting the hanger for wheel centering with it unstrung no tension on the leaf pack? It seems with a leaf with a centered pin location 08 springs unlike the 99-07 which is offset forward.The 08 will have the axle traveling almost striaght on a vertical path instead of the forward to rear arch of the offset 99-07s. It shoudl be similar to you deserts guys trucks as with the new beefed up rear shackle hanger the shackle will be in compression. will that effect any change of palcemnt of the front hanger or is the procure still the same. What screw with me is the way the offset leafs of the 99-07 caused the axle movement with the flip.
Any tips or tricks you care to share on getting it just right?
What I am asking about is what procedure have you found best for locating your rear axle when going to a new leaf spring hangers and shackles. Imagine a clear frame and or one where youa re going to a new legnth of spring pack.
I know how I have done it in the past but I wanted to see what ways that may be better different more precise etc.. Always trying to learn new and different ways of doing things. Never know when you find something better.
Homesteader,
Same thing we were talking about in the PMs. More and better travel line, softer ride, better flex. The longer the spring the better ( of course to a point but you get the idea). Going from offset front axle location on the leaf pack to a center position gives a more vertical axle travel line as opposed to a pronounced front to rear arcing path.
What I am asking about is what procedure have you found best for locating your rear axle when going to a new leaf spring hangers and shackles. Imagine a clear frame and or one where youa re going to a new legnth of spring pack.
I know how I have done it in the past but I wanted to see what ways that may be better different more precise etc.. Always trying to learn new and different ways of doing things. Never know when you find something better
I am still learning a lot as that is my first truck I have put together lol. From what I understand is all the kits out usually try to keep the axle in the stock location to help keep the stock driveshafts, or to require a little bit of drive shaft mods. I know explorers there is no real quality leaf pack, so people adapt others and move the axle back to get a wheel base along with centering the axle in the fiberglass. Explorer fiberglass sucks lol
With that being said, on trucks with the hangers off the side of the frame (like all fords, toyota have wider frames with the shackles mounted on top or bottom of the frame) we use drop hangers and longer shackles to allow for my travel. I believe it also gives a more progressive spring rate somehow but I don't know for sure. I can tell you that near the end of the travel leafs suck because you pretty much loose all the spring rate. Lastly for the rear we run a spring under set-up to allow for the most amount of arch and helps with droop.
I don't know if any of this will help with the front end though
I am currently building longer shackles and drop hangers for my OBS so I can run 6" lift leafs with a spring under set-up to give it about 3" of lift or so. Here is a guy who has done the same set-up pretty much in the rear I am doing GoFastBroncos.com - View topic - Big Bertha
If you want some help from the desert guys, there is ton of guys running shops that build Trophy trucks, and everything else on. They can help you and explain pretty much everything to help you out with your questions. It's where I learned all my stuff, before joining those websites I didn't even know how to change a set of brake pads lol
Not sure why you'd think they aren't made in the USA.
As for where the spring steel comes from, that I do not know......I just know where they are made, and they are made in CA.
I will take this to pm as I am not in any way trying to hurt their rep and ts certainly possible what bI was told is incorrect or I misundestood.
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