M818 springs vs m813

[dezert ratt]

I didn't want to post this but after searching and asking people and not getting a for sure answer....
Does anyone know if the 818 rear leaf springs are different from the rear spring packs on a m813 cargo?
I have a m818 with a shortened deuce bed and still on 11.00 stock tires. The truck has a very very stiff ride.
My deuce rides like a caddilac compared to the 5 ton. I have ridden in another m818 with a full length deuce bed and the big Michelin 53" tires, and it rode considerably smoother than my truck.
I'm just to a point where I can't figure out what is different, or if the 5 tons just ride that much more rough.
Could the m818 have more leaves due to being a tractor and towing more weight over the axles?
Thanks for any info or input.

 

[73m819]

The springs should be the same except the wreckers have the walking beam.

 

[Lonnie]

I was told the rear spring pack is larger on the M818 but never confirmed. Mine rides terrible as well.
The tires are likely the only suspension cushioning when empty, so the larger tires will considerably help ride.
I could even feel a difference by just changing tire pressure.

My M818 has a rear axle GVW of 16977lb. each.
The M813 data plate I saw online was 15359lb. each.
Not much difference.

Can anyone with an M813 give us a leaf spring count?

 

[MWMULES]

Wheel base is a foot shorter on M818 at 167" where a M813 is 179". My 818 was a rough rider bob tailed and mine came from the military with radials on the front and NDCC's on the back. When I changed it over to all G177's the ride was greatly improved. Tire pressure can also effect the ride and mine is a lot smoother with a M142 trailer on the 5th wheel.

Totally different truck but when I owned a M715 it would beat you to death unless you had a load in the bed.

 

[doghead]

Look at the parts TM for the correct answer.

 

[EMD567]

Springs are the same. The difference is that the 813 has more metal to support then the 818. 818's don't ride well until you put a trailer on the 5th wheel, and even then, the ride is choppy, due to the short wheelbase.

 

[dezert ratt]

I don't even really give people rides in the bed because it's so choppy. The smallest bump or pothole will make the rear axles hop like crazy!

 

[MyothersanM1]

D-R...mine is the same. They're just light in the @$$. But, yeah, the spring packs are all the same, less the wrecker (walking beam) and bridge trucks (slightly longer).

 

[5tonman1971]

It's the tires that make it ride nice. I went from the 11.00r20 ndts to the 16.00 michilen xzl and man what a differnce it rides like a pick up truck now

 

[dezert ratt]

Yea I need to save up and get some 16.00 tires and hemmt rims...

 

[5tonman1971]

Yea I need to save up and get some 16.00 tires and hemmt rims...

Honestly if I had to do it again I would go with the 14.00 xzls instead. Yea the 16.00 look bad to the bone, but they almost gear the truck down to much so you a lot of your bottom end. If you just do slit of cruising go with the 16.00 but if you do more hauling I'd go with the 14.00

 

[dezert ratt]

I had a opportunity to drive sbkarmen's truck "m818 turbo nhc250 with pump tweaked" and it is on 16.00 tires. It is able to accelerate with traffic no problem and is very driveable compared to my truck on 11.00 tires and stock n/a motor. My plan is to do the turbo conversion and 16.00s

 

[5tonman1971]

Yes if you had the turbo conversion and tweek the pump then that would deffintly make up the bottom end!

 

[dezert ratt]

Does your truck wear the front tires funny? Mine cups the stock 11.00s if I don't rotate them regularly