Hellwig Lp-35 Heavy Duty Leaf Kit Review
I drive a 2005 Ford F250 FX4 Superduty, and I pull a 30-foot toy hauler that I live and work in.
My truck has around 160,000 miles on it, 25,000 or so put on by me. I have the 6.0 diesel engine with all kinds of aftermarket parts and an aggressive tune, so pulling my trailer isn’t an issue.
The suspension is a different story. I don’t know if the FX4 suspension just isn’t meant for it, or maybe the rear leaf springs are just old, but when I hook up my trailer without the equalizer hitch, the rear squats four to six inches (depending on cargo).
This may not seem that bad, but if you’ve ever driven any length of time with a squat rear end, you know your steering almost vanishes. Not to mention the wear on your truck’s suspension and the wear on the trailer by not pulling level.
I do have a weight-distribution hitch, but to make the truck and trailer level, I have to put some severe strain on it. With the amount of strain on the load bars, I have to pull every turn extremely wide, so the bars don’t pop out.
I Thought It Was Time For A Suspension Upgrade
After a bit of research, I decided upon the Hellwig Lp-35 Heavy Duty Leaf Kit. This kit costs $203-$245 on eBay, which I thought was a reasonable price for what I was getting. The kit consists of a four-leaf spring pack that offers a progressive rate of up to 3500 lbs.
The only downside to the purchase of these helper springs was the additional cost of the hardware kit ($104.84).
I understand why I would need a separate hardware kit, the springs are a universal fit, but each application needs its hardware. That being said, I would much rather have the kit for my truck ready to go for one price rather than tracking down what hardware kit I need.
I understand that from Hellwig’s point of view, this makes everything easy, plus it gives the customer the illusion of only paying $225 for a set of springs when you’re paying $330 to be able to install them.
Still, though, $330 is a Bargain for What you Get.
Hellwig states that the LP-35 helper springs won’t change the ride height or ride quality of your truck, and this is simply not possible. For the springs to do what they need to do, your truck will ride different, it’s just physics.
When reading reviews, I came across several “bolts not long enough” problems, and I didn’t understand what they were talking about until after I installed the springs, but more on that in a minute.
Related: While we’re on the topic of suspension, checkout these pivot works bearings and seals!
Hellwig Lp-35 Build Quality and Installation
I was very impressed with the build quality of the springs and hardware. The springs are coated steel, and the hardware is a grade 8 quality.
The installation is extremely easy. You build the spring packs, then secure them to your truck with big U-bolts. The spring packs consist of one center bolt, then two U-bolts securing the mounting bracket to the spring pack.
The mounting bracket uses crush nuts to ensure the nuts don’t go anywhere. I HIGHLY recommend an impact wrench for these four bolts. Otherwise, you will spend a lot of time and energy wrenching by hand.
Jack your truck up by the frame, so the springs hang as low as possible; this lets you secure the ends of the leaf springs without too much trouble if you have a huge clamp use it!
Once the springs are installed, hook up whatever it is you’re pulling and make minor tension adjustments to the outer U-bolts to dial it in.
That’s it! Super simple to assemble and install; the entire process took about two hours from start to finish. Again, I highly recommend air tools to make things more easy for yourself.
The result – Will Adding Springs Solve My Problem?
Absolutely yes, but at a cost. As I said earlier, the ride height changes, and the ride quality suffers. Again, physics. If you install longer end U-bolts to loosen the ride when unloaded, the springs won’t have enough tension to do their job under load.
So how much does the ride height change unhitched? For my truck, about one (1) inch. This doesn’t seem like a lot, but as you can see in the picture, it is noticeable.
What about when my truck is hitched to my trailer? Almost perfectly level front to rear, and that’s what I was hoping for.
Final Thoughts
Now when I use my equalizer hitch, I won’t have to rely solely on the bars to stay level, but as a supplemental leveling instead. How much does the ride quality suffer? It’s noticeable but not a deal-breaker, but my truck didn’t exactly ride like a Cadillac, to begin with.
Overall I am happy with my purchase of the Hellwig Lp-35 leaf kit. It solved my problem, it was easy to install, and the price was reasonable.
You can pick up a set for yourself on eBay!
P.S. – Below are several before and after pictures to show you exactly what these springs will do.
If you have any questions or anything to add, please leave them in the comments or on our FaceBook page!
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