SumoSprings? SuperSprings? Both? for a Ford F-150.

The Question

Anthony asked via a contact form,

“I am currently running SumoSprings SSR-117-47 on my 2013 Ford F-150 4WD. I am curious. Would I be able to run SuperSprings in addition to the SumoSprings? I am looking to stiffen up the rear suspension as I am very close to my max payload. My concern was the added stiffness might actually cause other component failures on the truck. What is your advice?”

This is a great question! So, I thought I would share the answer here. Whether to use SumoSprings or SuperSprings is a common question. We include it in our Frequently Asked Questions Page:

Should I use SuperSprings or SumoSprings?

Does your truck/van have rear leaf springs? Do you regularly use your truck/van to carry heavy loads? Is your truck/van setup with a service body? Is your vehicle a crane truck, wrecker truck, tow truck, or other work industry truck carrying a lot of weight? Are you experiencing excessive rear-end sag negatively effecting drive-ability? Does your truck/van have noticeable body roll and poor handling while unloaded or loaded? If so, it sounds like SuperSprings are a great match. Are you an R.V. owner? Do you own a truck/van used for recreational purposes such as towing a boat? Are you looking for a smoother ride and want to dampen road noise and shock? Is your rear suspension not a leaf spring pack? Do you take your vehicle over rough terrain or off-road? If so, it sounds like you should check out SumoSprings.

The question of can I, should I, and when to use SumoSprings in conjunction with SuperSprings is Anthony’s question.

The Answer

One of our awesome support staff, Peter, answered Anthony,

“We actually recommend using SumoSprings in conjunction with SuperSprings! Adding SuperSprings – in the case of your Ford F-150, part number SSA28 – will not damage your original components. In fact, it will actually do the opposite, and help the original components better stabilize and carry the load. The SuperSprings will alleviate some of the weight your original suspension is carrying, especially while working in tandem with the SumoSprings.”

SuperSprings and SumoSprings are both helper springs, they both help reduce sway and stabilize weight from loads or transfer (turning and braking). However, they are each unique. SuperSprings are steel. SumoSprings are micro-cellular urethane. Inherent in each material are unique properties with unique benefits for your suspension. Since the steel and properties of SuperSprings can be summarized as “strong,” SuperSprings will work to help level and stabilize heavy loads. SumoSprings have been described as sponges, and some people refer to them as “shock absorbers,” because of their unique damping properties. Since SumoSprings resist more under greater loads, progressively, they help reduce sway and act as a cushion in the void between your truck’s frame and axle. Thanks to these unique properties working together, the result is a combined effort to stabilize the load, reduce sway, level sag, and improve your ride quality.

SuperSprings with SumoSprings Solo Kits are a great two-prong approach to suspension concerns like Anthony’s. Thanks for the question!

Comments 9

Walter Morse

December 15, 2017 at 4:48 am

Anyone out there have experience with a Nexus Phantom on an International chassis ?

Mark d'intino

March 3, 2019 at 6:29 am

Hi, I have Sumo SSR-123-47-2 on my Ford F-250 2010 5.4L. I had the Spring Spring Leaf too. I removed it and put only the Sumo spring. Question is, can I combine the Super Spring Leaf with the Sumo SSR-123-47-2 together? The Sumo SSR-123-47-2 is a full kit rated at 5000 lbs. Are the both compatible together? Or too firm?

Mac Tackett
March 4, 2019 at 9:08 am

Mark,

Thank you for your entry, unfortunately the SuperSprings and SumoSprings will not work in conjunction with each other on this application. The SumoSprings sit on top of the leaf pack and would not be able to be installed correctly if the SuperSprings were also installed on this application. Please let me know if you have any questions.

Thank you,

Mac Tackett
Sales & Service Representative
Direct: (805) 745-5751

Reply

Robert Griffin

July 30, 2019 at 11:41 am

I have a 2004 Dodge Ram 3500 4×4 with Supersprings installed. Can I also install the Sumosprings helper springs, and would it be beneficial? I have a light weight truck camper installed most of the time.

Thanks

Peter

July 31, 2019 at 4:04 pm

Hi Robert,

Great question! Yes, you can use both the SuperSprings and SumoSprings on your truck. We actually recommend this combination as much as possible, as you get the best of both worlds:

SuperSprings offer the additional load-leveling ability.
SumoSprings offer the additional capacity, ride comfort, and control.

The part number I recommend to use in conjunction with the SuperSprings for your truck is the SSR-302-47.

SSR-302-47 https://www.superspringsinternational.com/shop/SSR-302-47

Let me know if you have any questions, or if you’d like me to get an order started for you!

John Hopper

September 29, 2019 at 1:50 pm

I have a 2016 F-150 screw 2wd with a 6” lift. The blocks in the rear have the “ears” sticking out to provide a place for the jounce pads to land since the axle is so much further away now. Can I use the SumoSprings in this application?

Peter
September 30, 2019 at 2:54 pm

Hi John,

Thanks for the info! Can you please tell me how much clearance in inches there is from the frame where the bump stop is mounted to the nearest point of contact? The effectiveness of the SumoSprings will depend on the amount of clearance. Feel free to give me a call if you’d like to! You can reach me directly at (805) 881-5205.

Reply

Pedro García

August 19, 2020 at 7:54 am

Good morning. I have a C-Class RV on a Mercedes Benz Sprinter 2020 chassis. Should I put both on it or is SumoSprings enough? Thank you.
Pedro Garcia
Florida.

Peter
August 21, 2020 at 8:07 am

Hi there,

Thank you for your message. The SumoSprings on all four corners would be a major upgrade to the factory suspension. I can help with the part numbers if you’d like. Is it a Sprinter 2500, or 3500? Is it 4×2, or 4×4?

Reply