Took the pickup in to a tire shop earlier to see if they could test for flat spots (it had set for 4 years in a pasture before I bought it this fall) because it shakes at highway speeds. The shaking varies in intensity not so much with speed, but rather it changes everytime I go around a corner. Figure it's the tires because the outside tires rotate that little bit further, sometimes the shake is really bad, sometimes it's just a little vibration. Nothing like a death wobble or anything that I have to stop or even slow down for.

Anyway we noticed at the tire shop when he was checking the wear that it's leaning to the side. Brought over a guy that has known about Fords all his life and he spotted this right away...




Looks like the front passenger side spring rotated out of place. Not going to jack up that wheel until something keeps it from launching at my face. All the shops are currently closed so I can't take it to a mechanic which is what I'll probably do, haven't done any suspension work myself yet.

Any of you fix something like this at home or have any idea how it happens?

 

somehow the spring jumped completely out of the pocket, i wouldn't drive it like it is! Put a chain through the spring and chain it off to the frame. Jack the truck up to where there is no tension on the spring, ndo the clip, get the spring back into that pocket, and refasten the clip to the spring. Easy fix. Happened because of abuse more than likely, looks like the truck was airborne at some point, causing the spring to fall out of the pocket.

 

Bad bumps and jumps do that

 

Welp....Looks like your Dukes of Hazzard days are over..

-Wes

 

Is it possible to do that without a spring compressor? I've always had the assumption that you need to compress the springs to get them back in.

I wish I could say I jumped it, but the power just isn't there. I did slide off of a dam and that tire was the one dangling over the edge. The weight of that corner was supported by my step on that side. Someday I'll build me a prerunner style truck to do some real jumping.

 

No need to compress the springs to get them back in. I didn't even use a compresser when I put my 4" lift springs in. Some people will tell you that you need to, but I will tell you from experience that it can easily be done without. Remember, if force isn't working, you're simply not using enough of it!

 

big-ugly is right. I've done this a couple times. one you jack the frame up so that the axel is hanging, then there is almost no tension at all.

 

Alright, well next question, with the top already being disconnected, is there a chance for it to fly off? The posts I've found they didn't remove it until after it was already suspended. I have no idea how much travel is in the spring.

My only worry now is that it'll try to go through my roommate's bedroom wall while I'm jacking it up because it's not currently fastened.

 

Spring compressors are only for struts, like what you find on a car. On these trucks, if you jack the frame up high enough that the wheel is hanging, there will be no pressure on the spring, and yours will literally fall away. No danger at all once you have the truck jacked up. Theres actually a higher chance of it popping out while its just sitting there.

And no, it wont go flying anywhere anyways, its also attatched to the truck at the bottom of the spring

 

Ha, I didn't even think of the bottom attachment. Alright, thanks guys! Weather and homework permitting, I'll jack that front end up tomorrow and try to reseat the spring.

 

Remember jackstands. We don't want to hear about you getting crushed fixing a popped-out spring!

 

Remember what Confucious say: Man who not use jackstands; Has promising career as jackstand....

-Wes

 

waitaminnit .. cant you fix a jumped out spring by doing a jump in reverse ?

 

You'll need to unbolt the shock to allow the suspension to drop enough to get the spring back in.

 

it looks like to me that 1 of the rings broke off the top and thats y it popped out of place, thats what happened to me... but its kind of hard to tell in the pic but the top ring of ur spring should be smaller than the others (except the bottom 1 thats even smaller)...