Skyjacker® Softride® leaf springs use only American steel and the individual leafs of each spring are shot-peened with hard steel pellets at very high velocities. This shot-peening compresses the surface of the steel, thereby increasing the tensile strength of the spring. Without this shot-peening procedure, the maximum wheel travel and ride quality could not be achieved without sacrificing the life of the spring. Skyjacker® Softride® springs use ‘bolt’ style spring clips, eliminating friction. Other spring designs use the ‘cinch’ style bend clips, which bend tightly over the spring leafs to cause binding and friction. Skyjacker® leaf springs taper over the entire length, creating more flex at the leaf ends. This tapering distributes loads more evenly over a greater area and reduces the tendency for one leaf to dig into the leaf above it. Rear Softride® springs are used to complete the ‘SYSTEM’ in a Skyjacker® suspension lift.