# F350 Front spring upgrade 1999 7.3 Diesel



## Jguck25

I know there are a lot of threads on this but I am not finding what I am looking for.. The front leaf springs on my truck are sagging a LOT and are really worn out. The guy who had the truck before me had already replaced the rear springs and it sits really high in the back and not the front. It makes it look horrible.

I was just wondering what everyone would reccomend for the best replacement front leaf springs on this truck so that it will level it out more. Probably a spring that is even around 2 inches higher than stock. I also need it to carry a 9 foot fisher plow.. Any opinions from everyone out there? I would rather not just add add-a-leaf springs because the ones i have now are really worn out.


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## Jguck25

by the wary, This is not the truck that is in my avatar.. It is a different truck


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## Pinky Demon

Replace the springs in front with Ford X code rated springs at 6k lbs. Those are plow prep springs BTW. Did the previous owner add extra springs to the back or try to lift it? Are the rear springs stock or modified. With new plow preps, you should be sitting pretty close to level, better than you are now. You could also add a leveling kit after the fact to see if thats what you like. I'd replace your front first, then go from there. 

What size cab do you have? What does the Fisher weigh? Post some pictures of this truck.


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## Jguck25

The truck does have the snow plow prep package.. I made sure when I bought it, i sent the vin number into ford and a few weeks later they sent me the build sheet with all of the facts... so I know that it does have the plow prep package but for some reason the truck says 4400 front gvwr...

Im not entirely sure what the other owner did to the back except that it sits REALLY high in the back and really low in the front..i can remember for sure but i think the back tires had somewhere around 16 inches of clearance from the top of the tire to the metal on the wheelwells. and the front only hadbetween 7.5 and 8 inches.

the rear springs seem MUCH more heavy duty than normal, for an example, last winter i had my warren two yard sander overloaded with two and a half yards of sand in the back of the truck and it didnt even touch the overload springs...wesport 
I almost think he took springs out of a dump? but not sure if that would even work..

I run a fisher MM1 9 foot blade with a metal snow foil on it.. Im not sure, but i have been told that the actual blade is from an 80's plow but idk about that. I know a current Fisher MM2 9' fisher plow is 745 according to their website, although i do not think that includes the cutting edge, which i have the 5/8 one. Nor does it include the metal snowfoil
Here are some pictures of the truck and of the plow. The picture doesnt really show just how much it sags in the front because of the angle


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## Pinky Demon

While that does look somewhat unusual to me, it's hard to tell because with the weight of a diesel combined with no weight in the back, it would do that. 

What I would suggest is first throw on some new springs. Then, see how it sits. You could always then add a leaf on top of the new springs, or you could simply look into a leveling kit if it really matters. But I have a feeling with new springs plus your spreader for ballast, that truck will even out nicely.

The other thing you could do is take it into your dealer or mechanic and have them look at your rear springs, and tell if it's a factory setup or not.


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## maelawncare

A cheaper route would probably be to add air bags up front. They run under $400 w/o installation. That way you can adjust the front to what ever height you want.

But by the looks of it. You really just need a lift on the front.


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## Jguck25

I just went out and looked and the front gvwr is actually 4560...I couldnt find where they rated the front axle though, like which code springs. All i saw for axles was a code D1 which is for the rear axle.

Are the Ford X-code springs for the plow prep F350, or are they the F450/F550 springs? I would like to get the heaviest ones if possible..


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## oldmankent

I don't think your truck has the plow prep package. If it did the FGAWR should be 5200 lbs. Look at the front spring code on the truck at the door sticker. It should be an "X" Your best bet is to go to a reputable spring shop and ask them what they recommend to level your truck out. You may need more than just the X springs. But for starters I would install the "X" springs. I would just get the springs and hardware from Ford. Can't be that much $$$.


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## grec-o-face

I'm pretty sure the X codes are F450 springs. I don't have em, but I have installed a set on an F250 (diesel) with a friend. 

What a huge difference too. Truck stays level, doesn't sag or bounce. I can't remember what he paid, but something around 300 sounds right - got em' from our local spring shop.


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## Pinky Demon

grec-o-face;1083285 said:


> I'm pretty sure the X codes are F450 springs. I don't have em, but I have installed a set on an F250 (diesel) with a friend.
> 
> What a huge difference too. Truck stays level, doesn't sag or bounce. I can't remember what he paid, but something around 300 sounds right - got em' from our local spring shop.


I don't think so. The x codes are a 6k spring. The 450 and 550s go somewhere around a 7k FGAWR. You're going to need more than a 6k spring to achieve that.


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## grec-o-face

My bad dude. I guess they're not 450 springs. I do know that they handle blades just fine.


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## Pinky Demon

grec-o-face;1083414 said:


> My bad dude. I guess they're not 450 springs. * I do know that they handle blades just fine*.


More than fine. An X code spring will work well for 90% of the applications out there.


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## TJS

I have factory X springs on my 02 with an old heavy diamond (circa late 70's) blade and it only drops one inch when lifting the plow up.
T.J.


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## nevrnf

The X code spring was the heaviest spring avaliable for the SD platform. The same part # was used on the F350, F350 cab and chassis, F450 and F550. The spring you want is the 
2C3Z5310AF which is the 6k rated X code spring


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## Niteman9

Pinky Demon;1083402 said:


> I don't think so. The x codes are a 6k spring. The 450 and 550s go somewhere around a 7k FGAWR. You're going to need more than a 6k spring to achieve that.


The X-Code Springs are the same as the F-450 and F-550. I installed them on my 2002 F-350. It carries a Blizzard 810 real well. The ride is a lot stiffer but worth the trade off. The parts were about $400.00 including new u-bolts and nuts. I got them at Powerstrokeshop.com.

Here are the part numbers

(2) 2C3Z-5310-AF Springs 
(4) F81Z-5705-ZA U-Bolts 
(8) N805480-S426 Nut


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## Pinky Demon

Niteman9;1084501 said:


> The X-Code Springs are the same as the F-450 and F-550. I installed them on my 2002 F-350. It carries a Blizzard 810 real well. The ride is a lot stiffer but worth the trade off. The parts were about $400.00 including new u-bolts and nuts. I got them at Powerstrokeshop.com.
> 
> Here are the part numbers
> 
> (2) 2C3Z-5310-AF Springs
> (4) F81Z-5705-ZA U-Bolts
> (8) N805480-S426 Nut


You sir are right. My bad. In 99-04, an F550 could have a maximum FGAWR of 6k. So, a 6k spring would be right on the money. It's in 05 with the change to coil springs that they bumped it up to 7k.

Thanks for the insight.


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## 01lariat

Friend of mine removed the leaf spring all around on a plow prep truck when his lift was installed. His was a diesel. Anyway, I got everything for nothing. Here is what I found.
a. his F350 had lighter rated springs in the rear than my F250, So I choose to keep mine and add his factory taller blocks.
b. removed my 4400 rated front springs for his X-springs. (Looked like hell, nose dive city)
c. He had a leveling kit, which I reinstalled. It and the x springs were too much with my lighter V10. I'm 6'1 and my hood latch was nose level!
d. Finally found a happy medium by cutting the leveling kit in half. 
The truck is now tall enough to clear 35's if I wanted, but 285's it shall stay. The truck handles so much better (my front springs were shot). The front end is stiff enough to handle a very heavy plow no doubt. The only situation I have found. The plow dealership still goes by the door sticker. They refuse to install a plow bigger than 7.5', so I'll do it myself.


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## jasonz

My f350 looked just like yours, went with the rough country 2" lift and now it looks great and handles my 8' western with no problems.


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