We're TOO HEAVY- Upgraded our Suspension to SUPER SPRINGS | Ford Transit Conversion

Ford Transit Van Build Australia
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Remember to leave a COMMENT if you found this helpful!
After driving around for a year we have noticed our ride quality had started to degrade. The weight of the conversion was taking its toll on the suspension. As it pans out it is very hard to upgrade a parabolic spring which is a commonly found in this style of cargo van.
The best solution i found was to upgrade the stock suspension with helper springs and aftermarket permanent bump stops from SuperSprings International.
Front Coil SumoSpring amzn.to/3c9afki
Rear SumoSpring amzn.to/3RxuPLy
Rear SuperSpring amzn.to/3RG5y1Q
We appreciate all comments, feedback and constructive criticism along the way!
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PARTS USED THROUGHOUT THE BUILD
All parts used in our entire build can no be conveniently found here in a single location :
saltyvanventur...

[@Nomadikadigital]

Honestly I can’t believe how much difference it is driving on rough roads now. So happy for the upgrade. Great job Marcel 🥰

[@saltyvanventures]

So much better right!

[@NorthwestLights206]

@@saltyvanventures is this a 150 250 or 350?

[@saltyvanventures]

@@NorthwestLights206 350

[@mikefranks4528]

@@saltyvanventures I feel sorry for the 150 and 250 vans. Thank goodness I have an HD Dually.

[@Reneellinedance]

Hi I have RV mobile home that’s on a Ford Transit 350HD Chassis which I just got in January. I wasn’t aware of SuperSprings I just know about the sumo springs for front and rear. So I know I’m not overweight or sagging in the back and everything is pretty even in the RV. So next week having the Sumo Springs and a Hellwig Sway Bar added. So now I will monitor the back very closely and see if in the future I may need to add SuperSpring to my RV. Excellent video.

[@an04ker]

You can upgrade the leaf springs I did my transit custom last week. It’s the exact same set up as yours. Bought them off the shelf.

[@saltyvanventures]

Good to know you can now. When I enquired with ford when I encountered this issue they didn’t offer any suspension upgrades, well in Australia anyway

[@julianroccopesa3491]

Great video, Ty This video was so needed I have been going crazy removed everything out of my van just put some plastic in to lighten it up and I am still dealing with issues and I really don't have that much. The mechanic prices to fix anything or through the roof and pretty much you pay them and they never fix anything. So I am so grateful for this video I'm so grateful for the time you took and the details of every nook and cranny in explaining successfully a great fix. My van is a 92 Chevy g30 sportvan and I am not willing to let it go at this point. I just need more videos like yours and I can live successfully off grid. So gratefully, thank you so much.💯✌️❤️🕯️

[@saltyvanventures]

That’s awesome I’m glad you found it useful. You should check them out to see if they stock a set for you van. They are a pretty universal product so they accomodate for a range of vans and pickups. Good luck and I hope you can find a solution

[@julianroccopesa3491]

@@saltyvanventures Ty brother,💯✌️

[@nooneidaho333]

Love this video. Well done and thank you for the support of our company and products!

[@mikefranks4528]

Mate, you solved a major concern for us Ford Transit DIYers! And you saved a lot of money! Subbed! 😊

[@saltyvanventures]

Glad I could help

[@my_van_apartment]

Thanks for addressing this issue. Like you said it’s not talked about. I’m about to get some springs in my sprinter lwb this week so great timing in this episode to have a better understanding of how it works. I know when I built my van I focused on not going above the GVS but I should have focused more on keeping it as much under that as possible. I too am experiencing it more on drivers side as more weight that side even though I tried to distribute weight evenly. So my Xmas project is doing a van renovation to help reduce some weight. Cheers to a better ride ✌🏼

[@saltyvanventures]

So glad this has helped you out. Yes i think its common for people to try and have the GVM as a target weight but thats probably not the right mentality, as we have both discovered.

[@DavidHaney1]

I too added a leaf helper "super spring" but later took it out and got myself a completely new set of extra heavy duty leaf springs that had 5 brand new leafs vs original old 2 leafs. Much much better solution and it didn't cost that much more.

[@RedbackAviation]

Was there any problem you found with the superspring?

[@DavidHaney1]

@@RedbackAviation It just wasn't enough lift for me. At the time I thought it was my only option and I didn't realize that you can order a completely new leaf spring set.

[@benuelblank9554]

Thanks! This is some great content. So thankful for every detail that you shared and thanks also for the links in the description. I will definitely do that to my van.

[@saltyvanventures]

So glad it was helpful!

[@DavidLiebBIKE]

Is there a reason you couldnt use the van compass leaf pack?

[@saltyvanventures]

Among other reasons, van compass doesn’t ship to Australia

[@honda116969]

Cool video, glad your happy with your modification on the van! I have a third gen Toyota Tacoma TRD off-road it always sags when I put my trailer because the "off-road" model has soft suspension I just put on the sumo springs I need to do the front I just did the rears... I don't have $600 bucks to blow right now haha

[@philipfrkovic1486]

Thanks for putting this one together. Definitely something we didn't think about with our Transit conversion. Just hoping Amazon gets availability of all items soon :)

[@saltyvanventures]

I hope so too for your sake! Can't rate them enough, Life changed

[@millanferende6723]

Thank you so much for this DIY solution! It also makes it less scary to try it out on your own and thank you for showing us some "troubleshooting steps" you have done with the camera! I've been wondering, wouldn't it be better to make the Assister-Spring tighter on the right side, by setting it to middle-position, instead of lowest position? Wouldn't that bring it perhaps closer from 845mm to the 885mm on the left side? Just wondering why you haven't decided to do that? Thank you so much for the explanation!

[@saltyvanventures]

I tired that but the suspension was then too stiff and wasn't as comfortable to drive. There is a happy medium with the springs you need to find for each vehicle.

[@lordduvet1141]

it dont take much weight to do that. i put 3 plus 1 springs on mine

[@shesails3313]

We just built out a 2023 Ford Transit AWD 250. It’s GVWR is 9070. We are about 700 lbs over that. This van rides nice but the leaf springs are slightly inverted and the bump stop is sitting (no gap but not compressed) on the axle. We are looking at the Stage 4 TOPO 2.0 System. Ever heard of it? How would you compare your kit to this kit? Price wise, big difference. I just wonder if I’m going overboard if I go with Van Compass’ TOPO 2.0 system. Thank you for this great video!!

[@ryankim3612]

Good on ya! Great find. You got your suspension back!

[@saltyvanventures]

Yes I did and super happy still with the outcome after 2 years

[@socalted]

Noticed you used the blue spring (highway), rather than their black truck/tow spring option. Does it work well for you?

[@mikestanmore2614]

Great video about a seriously underappreciated topic. Thanks Marcel, you've saved me hours of research.

[@saltyvanventures]

Glad it was helpful!

[@didjhopkins4135]

Mate, this is awesome!! I’ve got a sprinter so unfortunately not much I can do about the front. But this will be awesome in the rear spring. Thanks for the tip

[@marzpop]

They make the front sumo springs for the sprinters too!

[@nicholasbenedetto6319]

I'm planning on getting a Transit 350 and doing just what you described. One thing that I'm worried about is the battery under the seat. What do you do if the back is all built up?

[@FairuzRazakLife]

Love how you present this topic

[@saltyvanventures]

Cheers guys! I tried to make it in a way everyone would understand!

[@ab-ym3bf]

Did you ever consider air suspension on the rear, replacing the stoppers? Easy diy fix, cheap and extra ride comfort.

[@saltyvanventures]

I did but they aren’t designed to regain the lost height like the super springs are for. They are more a comparison to the sumo springs. But the airbags require more maintenance and a compressor where this solution requires none.

[@MrSpaceace1999]

I added super springs on my transit eons ago and sumo springs too

[@hypercasual]

Can you get air bag suspension thay sits in where the bump stops are?

[@rederick5]

Excellent video, I have my transit 350 HD dually and I’m wondering if the super spring would work .

[@saltyvanventures]

Thank you. I think they sell the kit for the dual wheels too

[@leithmurray736]

You may want to think about adding a pair of Thor airbags to the rear, before the new springs also sag.. I have a VW 4 motion campervan the 2 different sets of extra HD springs that I fitted both failed within 6 months of each other

[@saltyvanventures]

The great thing is that the sumo spring is essentially a permanent airbag which works with the super spring to stop that from happening

[@RedbackAviation]

Was it a superspring or just more leafs to the original pack?

[@obr170]

Great video guys. Taken notes and will do the same with out build

[@bigjav240]

Could you order new factory springs from ford from a higher trim? Can I replace my t-150 springs with factory t-250 springs?

[@saltyvanventures]

From my research, no.

[@TheOtherSide777]

The whipping feeling is so horrid over speed bumps. Thanks for the great video and loads of info mate! Cheers!

[@saltyvanventures]

No problem 👍

[@Tru_G.R.I.T]

Thank you for covering this it was definitely something that's not covered enough

[@saltyvanventures]

Yes I really agree that this is not very spoken about. Especially now that people are making their vans more elaborate and heavier. There was next to no information I was finding myself. I hope it helps a few people out solve their own problem.

[@vanlifebiker]

Very cool. I was up in the air with deciding to do this or not on my Sprinter build. You have definitely convinced me to do it. The comment of a passenger & driver side let me know they come in pairs. Unfortunately it doesn't state that on the website. I'm putting a order in right now. Thanks. 😎👍

[@saltyvanventures]

Yes it does come as a pair! Hopefully they work out for you too!

[@vanlifebiker]

@@saltyvanventures Thanks for the response. I figured out I needed the extra center bracket too which was extra. I will be doing a install video on my channel as soon as I get all the parts. 😎👍

[@PureGlide]

Hey that's awesome, my Transit is almost identical, and definitely need the same upgrade. Cheers!

[@saltyvanventures]

Good to hear. We are loving the upgrades so far. Nothing but good things to say about them

[@markmcsharr8777]

So can you put abit of a lift kit on top of this only asking because i have no idea but like you i can give it ago great ideas hope to get my van next summer just in the saving process 😴😂

[@saltyvanventures]

It not meant to increase the load carrying capacity. It’s more designed to increase drivability and comport after adding weight to your vehicle.

[@1958linedancer]

well done, love your videos mate

[@saltyvanventures]

Thanks mate, really appreciate it!

[@adventure_onthedaily9851]

Thanks for another great informative video Marcel. This is something I would not have thought could be done DIY!

[@saltyvanventures]

Glad you liked it! Yes me either but it was actually very easy. Much better and cheaper than having to take it to a spring manufacturer for sure!

[@howardtennant5766]

Why did you not consider air suspension for the rear of your van and sumo assist for your front springs

[@saltyvanventures]

I did but they require more maintenance and also a compressor. Also the airbags aren’t designed to get the hight back, the sumo springs are essentially an airbag but in solid state

[@LadeVedin]

@@saltyvanventures SumoSprings an airbag? Mine are compact.....

[@mickeytaker4255]

Replace the springs with 5t rated ones

[@saltyvanventures]

Not possible

[@thudang3039]

Thanks for the share!

[@saltyvanventures]

Our pleasure!

[@abettermankind9761]

Your videos are always so informative and extremely helpful. Thank you very much for your great effort.

[@saltyvanventures]

Glad you like them!

[@DarwinDrone]

Hi, Just wondering where you sourced your wheels, I have a 2020 350 I want to upgrade wheels also. cheers.

[@saltyvanventures]

I bought them from just a tyre shop on the Gold Coast

[@davidbirkmeier5207]

What about adding a sway bar... Hellwig makes some and Ford has OEMs...

[@saltyvanventures]

Interesting. I haven't looked into that option, although I suppose this would only solve the issue of the van swaying around corners more due to the weight of the conversion. This might be an option for some people if they are experiencing that, but with this Supersprings and Sumosprings system, it gave us back the ride height that we lost, a smoother more comfortable ride, as well as solving the sway which seemed like the best solution for us.

[@Maik1968]

Great job, simply amazing! Without your Swiss father this time 😁 Hope you secured the nuts and bolts with threadlock, so that on a rough road you won’t leave the new system. Thanks for sharing this video and have a good and safe ride again 🖖😎🍀🌞

[@saltyvanventures]

Haha yes no father watching over. It’s a very simple process though. And yes of course, the pack actually comes with a tube of thread lock which is amazing as I didn’t have any!

[@Maik1968]

@@saltyvanventures perfect, then I’m relieved and can let you drive through the wonderful but sometimes roughly off-road parts of Australia 😂✌️🍀🌞👍😘

[@ryanngalea]

Great video, made a lot of sense doing the upgrade

[@saltyvanventures]

Awesome, thank you! yes it really did and stoked with the outcome!

[@marekszybrowski4564]

Wich Ryobi have you got? How much Nm ? I have the same Ford, but with 2 metal stripes under van (I wish you understand) Iam working with him in Poland as courier. Best Wishes 😊

[@tjacques]

Could you adjust the two back springs differently to compensate for the weight imbalance and get the ride height equalized?

[@saltyvanventures]

Yes possibly as it is fully customisable. I did think of that but ran out of time to test it out. I wonder what it could have done, although I really don’t think it’s an issue having one side slightly lower than the other

[@yookalaylee2289]

Nice! I'm surprised by how straight forward this install is. Maybe you just made it look easy lol.

[@saltyvanventures]

It's actually as easy as i made it look!

[@LewWatkinsauto]

Great job Got the link so we can buy 🤟🏼

[@matthewappleby8272]

Glad you got a smoother ride, I've been researching lift kits and struts that suite more off-road application but have been struggling to find anything in Australia, most of the modifications are from USA and do not ship to Australia. Have you come across anything in your research of these that would raise the vehicle by about 2 to 3"?

[@saltyvanventures]

Nothing I found was from Australia, only the states but they did mention they don't ship international. If you really wanted to get them you can use postal services that get around that problem that forward your parcel through a 3rd party

[@timbo8486]

I have a Ford transit the same as yours and looking at new tyres. Can you please tell me the size and details of what you have and will I need to lift the van

[@saltyvanventures]

You can find all the information about the tyres in the description of this video. Hope it helps kzbin.infozZLDNArTbAU. No need to lift or modify the van for them to fit

[@finbowles4736]

Great work; this is awesome to watch

[@saltyvanventures]

Cheers mate! Glad you enjoyed it!

[@stevesims8232]

Nice video, I like the rear fix but I think an upgraded spring at the front would be a better fix. Also wondering if you plan to try the rear with a little more gap between the axle plate and the sumo spring.

[@pattiedooley9667]

thank you for being so detailed

[@saltyvanventures]

You are so welcome!

[@callumdickie6545]

Hey mate was wondering How squeeky your van is after gluing all the timber parts together when driving?

[@saltyvanventures]

It’s not too bad. You hear a little bit. It much. It’s more the glass and plates that we hear clinking when we drive

[@imjason8129]

Where did you get your wheels from? Are they John Brown?

[@saltyvanventures]

The wheels are black rhino

[@imjason8129]

@@saltyvanventures thank you. did you get 16x7 or 16x8? I’ve seen these on a few vans but having trouble finding stock

[@calvinmichael2737]

What wheel offsets are you running 38mm? And are those 8 inch wide rims? Do you get any rubbing?

[@saltyvanventures]

The rims are Black Rhino Arsenal 16x8 5/160 P38. No rubbing. The only mod I needed to do was remove the mud flaps from the front tyres as the hex nuts were touching with the larger tyres.

[@theeroom]

Really enjoyed this 🤓

[@saltyvanventures]

Thanks

[@AdventureswithRach]

This was so interesting! I don’t have suspension issues in my van but still really enjoyed watching this 😂

[@saltyvanventures]

Thank you so much. Really appreciate it!

[@fedornikandrov910]

I tried to order all these parts from super springs international, but it showed that are not delivering in Au. How did you get it?

[@saltyvanventures]

There are a couple of Australian retailers for stock and distribute these parts. If you do a quick google shopping search you should find them

[@BryanConnelly]

Great video👍😎 thanks a lot

[@saltyvanventures]

Glad you liked it!

[@choochoodebut3059]

Why not air bags?

[@darrenjordan841]

any ongoing maintenance required for the floating springs ?

[@saltyvanventures]

No maintenance and life time warranty

[@JoelR-qs2ru]

Do you happen to know what the actual weight of the van was?

[@saltyvanventures]

3.0t curb weight

[@billblecher9215]

Have you ever tried gas shocks on it as well

[@saltyvanventures]

No I never tried these. What are the benefits?

[@riobravomultimedia4104]

Aren’t shocks what dampen all the hard bumps…

[@RedbackAviation]

@@saltyvanventures on the 4wd conversions they always add a new shock to match the upgrades.

[@brettharris2851]

Thanks for the awesome info 👌👌👌

[@saltyvanventures]

Thanks for watching!

[@arnilcasul2263]

Where can i buy this i need this actually very heavy stuff i carry

[@saltyvanventures]

Check out the supersprings website

[@Sam1976sam]

Nice work mate i love it 👍🏻🍺

[@saltyvanventures]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@curtisthornton5280]

Take the bump stop out put 5000 lbs air bags on😊

[@saltyvanventures]

The sumo spring is actually doing wonders, better than airbags I would say

[@rogerlittlejohn475]

which super spring did you use? 1900? or 2900?

[@saltyvanventures]

The one we used is called the SuperSprings SSA42

[@NCtrailX]

Thanks for posting with the before and after. Was thinking about picking up Sumos to help smooth out the bottom out, but good to see the helper spring in action, too!

[@saltyvanventures]

Glad it helped. They actually work really well. I would say if you don’t have a big weight issue you can get away with just the sumo springs but we really needed the extra steel in the rear

[@NullStaticVoid]

that's an axle, not a driveshaft.

[@saltyvanventures]

Yeh I realised I misspoke right after I filmed it 🤦‍♂️

[@897aa33]

I think changing original ford leaf spring to new one will gives even better result. The one you have looks tired and out of performance.

[@saltyvanventures]

Possibly but I still don't think it would have been the end all fix. The springs would have eventually gotten tired too. I think this super springs setup is just what we needed.

[@897aa33]

@@saltyvanventures yes what I mean along with superspring have new ford leaf spring as well . Just a thought. Great videos 👍

[@saltyvanventures]

@@897aa33 Oh yes, agree, although i didn't want to fork out some more premium $$$ for OEM springs as well

[@oppositeistrue]

Take the number plate off, that will make it lighter.

[@riobravomultimedia4104]

Why don’t you get better shocks??

[@saltyvanventures]

Shocks aren’t going to lift the van back up to factory height. That’s not what they are designed for. We needed to upgrade the springs fist and foremost

[@RedbackAviation]

@@saltyvanventures shocks are essential with the rear upgrades.

[@PL88888]

Spring rate and shock controlling the rebound goes hand in hand.

[@MrSpaceace1999]

@@RedbackAviationincorrect ,

[@MrSpaceace1999]

Tie that c. Lamp off, if it popped off you would lose your face

[@joeconnolly4353]

Don't understand why people put in heavy wood fixtures. Especially on roof.

[@saltyvanventures]

I mean people, like us, who live in a van full time want it to feel like a home. Your own little place where you feel comfortable and you decorate the way you like which effects so many feeling and moods. Also sometimes you can only work with materials that are available to you. Ideally you would install thin, lightweight materials but three can either be expensive or not available.

[@stevesuckling8705]

What was the cost mate

[@saltyvanventures]

this set up with the super springs and sumo springs would cost roughly $1500AUD

[@fedornikandrov910]

@@saltyvanventures without delivery from US?

[@MrSpaceace1999]

Super springs do t help sway , sumos do on highway for sure

[@saltyvanventures]

Yes they do for sure

[@riobravomultimedia4104]

I don’t think you understand a bump stop is not part of your suspension like you’re thinking the suspension is your spring and your shocks the bump stop is there just to keep from bottoming out your axle against your frame the two components that are important on your suspension are the shock and your spring

[@sebastianfairfax2058]

Agreed. The suspension upgrade is necessary but seriously insufficient.

[@saltyvanventures]

Yes and no. Yes a bump stop isn’t part of the primary suspension however in these van they aren’t the standard hard rubber bump stops that resemble a rubber door stopper. They are a marshmallow like compressible rubber and although they are defiantly not meant to be ridden on them permanently, they do act as some sort of compression suspension when loaded heavy or on roughy roads where you could bottom out.

[@bigdaddymex2003]

Seriously you want to get a cheap alternative but they always forget to upgrade the suspension the brakes etc. come on!!

[@thetransittravelersvanlife437]

Wrong tires on the van .....

[@saltyvanventures]

We upgraded

[@johnonyoutube6080]

Good video, and good that you compared like with like which a lot of people don't properly do. Have you seen this video about a sprinter that cracked its chassis rails with a similar setup? kzbin.info/www/bejne/Z2HdeWSLqdCch5Y&ab_channel=FreelyRoaming . The chassis in a unibody van isnt designed to take constant loading at the bump stop mounting point and could lead to cracking, especially on gravel roads. I'd look into getting some U channels folded from 3mm steel to spread the load of the bump stop over maybe half the length of the spring.

[@saltyvanventures]

Oh wow i just watched it. Yes that is a big problem with the airbag solution. That is why our first and foremost priority was to upgrade the steel springs to lift the chassis back to factory. This then takes a monstrous load off chassis around the bump stop. The sumo spring then does the secondary role of additional support while on the rougher road.