Thanks. I'm just west of Tucson.

personally i would take that upper right off, it says on that site the 8 spring packs are 5k each. i dont know what your doing with it but say you had a 10k fifth wheel thats 1000 to 2000 on the truck you would still be well with in your limits. if you haul alot in the bed you could do like i did and get a airlift kit and just pump it up when hauling stuff. and when unloaded you can save some ride quality

Primarily the truk will be carrying a 2300 lb x 12 ft. overhead camper. The truck had only 3 leaves in it and was lowered all 'round. I got "new" coil springs from the same truck, at the salvage yard, when I got the rear leaf springs. Gonna change them soon but I'm kinda tired out right now. Sore too.

I have been looking at Air Lift 5000 bags and the Firestone bags as well. I'd like to keep the truck as smooth and comfortable as possible and I think bags will do that when not loaded; just deflate them and all should be okay.

What of my original question - could I just add some spring pads on the frame? This would keep the springs as from the factory for the truck they came from. ( it was a 2000 one ton with single axle in rear. Mine is a 1991 "dually" with 2wd and 4 speed overdrive automatic )

Thanks
Harvey

if you really want to keep those i would just get some c channel as wide as the over load and thicker than the bed supports and weld them in between your bed supports running lengthwise above the spring, looks like they cut the rear one you could bring the c channel through there to get your strength back. it will have to be able to slide back and forth as the spring compresses

Looks like the front spring perch was cut off the frame and moved up. That should be fun to fix.

Gotcha JWFIREBIRD. I was thinking along those lines myself. I'm considering the air bags too.
Can't get TOO MUCH support I think. And they wouldn't add much weight either.

Thanks for your help.
Harvey

well i think you can really, the springs are 10000 and the air springs add about 5000 and you have to keep 10psi in the bags all the time to prevent damage so the truck is going to ride like the axle is solid mounted when empty, even when you have a good load in it. you would have to fill it with dirt or rocks to get it to ride decent

Looks like I've already started learning alot from you folks. I'll have to sort this all out but for now I guess the spring perch repair/addition should give enough strength to the setup I have.

Thanks again.
Harvey

firebirds suggestion is a sound one but looking at the pics I dont think that spring is the overload that'* meant to be on top and hit the perch. It'* looks like you do have the bottom one. The correct top one would not even hit the perch without a load, and that one is way high. Not all GM 3500'* have the top overload. They do all have the bottom one.

yep, thats why i suggested he take it off, i dont know what the 2000 3500 looks like but i would think you wouldnt want the springs directly acting on that thin part of the bed. if it still seems soft when you put the camper in you could always add some aigbags