Took my rig to Les Schwab to check out some cupping I am getting on the front tires. Diagnosis was, blown shocks (free replacement under warranty), sagging leaf springs (they want to put on an add a leaf), and shackles are wearing out (they say replace).

I don't mind these things but I want to be shure to do right by my truck and not just put a bandaid on. My truck is a 97 F350 Crew 4x4, with 134,000mi. There was no play/wobble in the wheels, we checked it while it was in the air.

My questions to you are; 1) should I do the add a leaf or would it be better to get new leafs for the front? 2) Is this something I could cheaper myself and then take it to them for the shocks and alignment? 3) where do you get new leafs and shackles? 4) is there anything else worth replacing while I'm under there?

 

I would do it all myself except for the free shocks. If you have front end sag as most of us do an add-a-leaf will fix it. I have heard that the shackles wear out but I would imagine you could replace the bushings and you would be fine. I hope this helps.

 

Sagging leaf springs on a straight axle won't wear your tires out prematurely. Not like on a TTB axle it sure does. You can't get the camber to adjust within specs if the front springs are sacked.

 

1. and 2. how much are they sagging? our trucks all bow the wrong way, and dont have much clearnce between the frame and the stops. how many miles on truck?
addaleafs are ok and cheap but i think they make your ft end a little stiffer ride, but definatly better than new spring prices, a helper spring kit is under a hundred bucks complete. add a leafs are easy to do, all you do is remove your ft u-bolts, and unbolt your center pin. slide the new leaf in place, install new center pin, cut off excess and install new u-bolts that came with the kit, done, first timers i give less then 2.5 hours to complete with hand tools, but no matter what you do an alignment is still needed
3.http://www.jcwhitney.com/autoparts/P...003427/c-10101
any 4wd magazine or summit and jegs will have springs and helpers, the shackles i'd stay with fords

 

good lord you guys are killing me here

 

Oops I was thinking ttb front end. I guess my truck is not the only truck made. Sorry. I would still do all of it myself.

 

man you ar fast c00n.

 

smae here, other then the alignment do it all yourself, and even that i am dam good with a bar and string

 

sounds to me like perfect time for a shackle reversal/SD leafs

i just got my kit and hope to get to it this weekend if it isnt still 98* with 99% humidity and heat index of 115*!

-cutts-

 

When I did my truck, I to my truck to a spring shop where the have special presses to actually re-arch your springs, and had all my shackle bushing replaced with polyurethane bushings. Worked great and wasn't a lot to do..

 

I'm looking for springs too. Any idea which of these would work for an F250 with the D60 front?

 

I just got done doing the bushings on my front end. They were all shot. Especially the pivot bushings. I replaced them and the spring bushings with energy suspension poly bushings and put on a set of rancho RS 5000 shocks.

My camber and caster fell right in where it should be and I only had to adjust the toe a little. The tire shop that put on my new tires when I got this truck a few months ago told me I needed new springs. I'm really glad I don't listen to other mechanics. I'd be broke all the time. In fact when I was a mechanic I got fired from two different places for telling people what their vehicles really needed instead of what we thought they could be taken for.
Those springs are a lot tougher than they are given credit for. They will sag over time but not very often. Usually they just need a new set of bushings to bring it back to factory alignment specs.

 

Cutts,

The good thing when it is around 100* is you don't need as much heat to break nuts loose. Kind of like building pip fence in August here, you just back the welder amp setting up about 30 amps and go until the county issues a burn ban.

I would not be able to get anything done around here if I stayed inside when the temp was 98 - 105*, after that it is broderline hot!

Mark

 

Have your upper and lower ball joints checked for excessive play. I have a 97 F250 4x4 sc that has just hit 281,000 mi and I've alway's ran 33in BFG tires and get 72-76K mi out of each set. I have my ball joints checked and a front end alignment every Fall before sledding season kicks in here in MI.

 

lol yea but see i am spoiled, i work in and around a server room all day where the temp is kept at a very constant 68* and it feels perfect! i am what most would call a hefty guy and dont fair well in hot weather. now in the winter time... thats a whole different story, i love the cold!

-cutts-