How To: Install Deaver Springs on your Ford Raptor

Courtesy of SDHQ

What you will need:

Leaf springs
U-Bolts with nuts and washers
4-Bushings with flat side
4-Standard round bushings
2-Bolts with nuts
2-Larger sleeve
2-Smaller sleeve
Lots-o-grease


With the truck on the ground the removal of the stock leaf springs and block begins.
Start by removing the lower shock mount bolt

Remove the stock u-bolts and lower u-bolt plate








Now comes the removal of the leaf spring mounting bolts
The front mount takes a little extra work to get out of there because it is so close to the fuel tank, after the bolt has been loosened and the nut removed, the head of the bolt must be cut off in order to remove it. ( Use of a torch is NOT advised) Once the head of the bolt is cut, the remainder of the bolt will need to be punched out.











On the rear mount, you are going to want to loosen but not completely remove the shackle bolt, in order to make it easier to transfer it over to the new spring once it is off the vehicle.(top bolt in pic 1) The lower bolt may be completely removed. Keep in mind that once this bolt is removed there is nothing solidly holding the leaf spring in place




The truck can now be jacked up high enough to release the leaf spring, the easiest way is to push the spring upwards and towards the front of the truck, keep an eye out for any cables that may become entangled in the spring.








Now its time to prep the Deavers for install
Grease the bushings and insert into the eyes of the spring. The bushings with the flat side are going to go on the front of the leaf pack, which is the larger diameter end of the spring. The standard round bushings will go into the rear eye which is the single wrap side.











The Deavers are now ready to be installed on the truck, the truck should still be jacked up to the height of where the springs were removed.








Next the u-bolt retainer needs to be removed from the stock leaf pack. The best way to do this is to loosen both the center pins but only remove one. Then oscillate the plate to the side so the pin may be reinstalled to keep the pack from falling apart, then the second pin may be removed and the u-bolt retainer is now free.





The new bolt will be utilized in the front spring mount since the stock one was cut off. ( do not completely tighten)

Since there is no longer a block on the axle the center pins of the leaf spring will go right into the opening of the perch.
The stock bolt on the rear mount will be reused ( do not completely tighten)















The holes on the retainer may now be bored out to clear the nuts on the center pins of the Deavers





The retainer will install over the top of the nut of the center pins


The stock lower u-bolt plate is reused



Install the provided u-bolts with new nuts and washers ( do not tighten completely)



Reinstall the shock into the lower mount





Lower the truck back down to the ground, tighten all bolts.
Remember to retorque all bolts after 500 miles

Word. Great write-up.

Did you read all that Jules?
....we're doing this when my truck gets outta the shop.

Bojangles said:

Word. Great write-up.

Did you read all that Jules?
....we're doing this when my truck gets outta the shop.

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What's wrong with your truck????

IRONMAN said:

What's wrong with your truck????

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-Leaking some gear oil from my rear diff (where I mounted that *** Spider rock guard). Funny thing is ive had it installed for a few months and it didn't leak a drop... Now all the sudden my rear diff is needing that Tampax Heavy Flow.

-brakes are squealing again, dealer is replacing the pads with the Ford non-motorcraft ones.

-third brake light is letting in water/moisture.

-hill descent control fault light has gone on and off a couple of times. I once read on a thread that someone linked this problem to moisture getting into the 3rd brake light and rusting a component in it thus creating some kind of wiring glitch and tripping the fault light. I have no idea whether that's true or possible, but I found it interesting that I also discovered the two problems around the same time.

-passenger airbag fault light was on, now it's off but they're checking it out.

-gasket/seal of my windshield has a gap in it big enough to let moisture in at the lower passenger side corner.... looks like a factory mistake. They're replacing it and will hopefully keep my windshield intact in the process.



With that laundry list of problems and my gear concerns, I decided it was probably a good idea to let someone who has a Ford logo on their shirt and doesn't have a beer in their hand check it out.

Bojangles said:

-Leaking some gear oil from my rear diff (where I mounted that *** Spider rock guard). Funny thing is ive had it installed for a few months and it didn't leak a drop... Now all the sudden my rear diff is needing that Tampax Heavy Flow.

-brakes are squealing again, dealer is replacing the pads with the Ford non-motorcraft ones.

-third brake light is letting in water/moisture.

-hill descent control fault light has gone on and off a couple of times. I once read on a thread that someone linked this problem to moisture getting into the 3rd brake light and rusting a component in it thus creating some kind of wiring glitch and tripping the fault light. I have no idea whether that's true or possible, but I found it interesting that I also discovered the two problems around the same time.

-passenger airbag fault light was on, now it's off but they're checking it out.

-gasket/seal of my windshield has a gap in it big enough to let moisture in at the lower passenger side corner.... looks like a factory mistake. They're replacing it and will hopefully keep my windshield intact in the process.



With that laundry list of problems and my gear concerns, I decided it was probably a good idea to let someone who has a Ford logo on their shirt and doesn't have a beer in their hand check it out.

Click to expand...

Holy Crap! When it RAINS it POURS....I keep hearing all kinds of people complaining about the rear diff leaking I'd better check mine, and my brakes just started sqeaking again also. It came then went away, but now its back.
Hope you get everything figured out..

What did you use to cut the bolt by the gas tank?

Tonloc08 said:

What did you use to cut the bolt by the gas tank?

Click to expand...

From the sparks looks like a cutoff wheel. OP how do you like the new setup in the rear, I'm thinking about getting a set soon, just picked up my truck last week.

Hey Birdman, your not going to use any kind of a bump stop at all?

And I see they are military warped with three springs, that's nice!!!

What are they considered, HD? And did it keep the stock ride height in the rear?

This was not a DIY project for me. Took it to Outlaw and they did a great job, also got the bump stop installed. I like DIY projects, but sometimes when it comes to cutting and fabricating I dont do it myself for long term projects.