What leaf springs for a recovery build?

[mk7power]

Hey guys

Just in the process of building a new Mk7 recovery truck to replace our old trusty Mk6.

The leaf springs on the Mk6 were 2+1 and to be honest a little weak at times.

I'm trying to avoid this new build bottoming out so I have been looking at 3+1 and 4+1 leaf springs. I have seen them available at £319 and £339 from transitpartsuk on ebay and the price difference between going that little bit heavier duty doesn't seem like a great deal.

I don't want to waste money though and make the ride for the most part painful because there is zero give in the back end so I wanted to see what people thought was the best path to take?

Thanks!

[rodney]

go for an airbag kit mate , about the same money and give a better ride you keep your old springs too

[rodney]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FORD-TRANSIT ... Sw3~5Z0L52

[Retired John]

Admittedly ours is a motorhome but have heard of similar on vans , we spapped out the 'orrible original parabolic ones for a set of , in our case, 11 leaf progressive springs so very soft till 50% load then they get stronger , they are maybe a tad soft in the first stages as we got some body sway on winding roads and roundabouts so I then fitted a set of firestone airbags which we run at 20-25psi just for stability . I got them cheap from a friend who had bought the airbag kit to boost up his sagging parabolics but all it did was damage the chassis by concentrating the load in 1 spot not spreading it over a large area as leaf springs do

[mk7power]

Ok so it looks like the airbag kit is the way forward then? Looks like a straight forward retro fit. Anybody else have experience of using these bags?