Truck slants
The Pacifier
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,245
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From: Cloverdale, BC
Originally Posted by Diabolic
Bigrigfixer: What if the truck is a stick? Not apply?
I know we're talking about swapping springs, but since my truck for the most part will sit level, I don't worry about it. The first time it happened, I don't even think I freaked out. I just got back in and moved the truck a couple feet. Now, I don't even bother. It sits level in my parking spot in front of my house, so that's all that matters.
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Senior User
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 126
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Originally Posted by AG4.0
How much did the used springs run you.
The difference in my ride height now is 1/2". I'm going to put the original RR on the LR. This should fix it completely. This spring seemed to be the problem.
Question: For those of you w/ unequal ride height, do you have bad tire ware? Do you think your truck vibrates on the freeway more than it should? I'm wondering if there is a correlation. Also, I'm wondering if peoples ball joints are going out prematurely because of this ride height issue. My ***** joints seem okay at 40K so far. Didn't I read somewhere on this site that it is always the LF ball joint that goes out? This would correlate because the RR spring would put extra pressure on the LF tire.
Thanks
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Senior User
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 126
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Originally Posted by zoti
How hard is it to switch the springs ? Can you do it your self ? Do you need to lift the truck ?
- find a level service
- secure the front tires from rolling AT ALL (you will not have an emergency brake after jacking up the rear.
- jack the rear of the truck enough to put it on jack stands SECURELY; use the frame rails as a support point for the jack stands (enough to take off the rear tires on BOTH sides)
- have two jacks two hold up/adjust the rear end on both sides near the shackles
- let the rear end virtually hang
- ONLY remove one spring at a time (one side holds the rear in place while you remove/replace the other side)
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Senior User
Joined: Jul 2003
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Not sure. I had two extra springs so ... Make sure you have a jack on both ends of the rear end. If you let the rear end slip back to much the yoke will pull out of the transmission and oil will leak out of your transmission. If you take off both leaf springs at the same time leave the shocks connected to the transmission.
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Joined: Apr 2004
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I have noticed the same type of thing happening on both my 00 4x2 XLT Reg Cab, and my 93 4x2 XLT Reg Cab with one slight difference...My trucks seem to lean towards the driver side front on both. The RR leaf being off on both could be a possibility but I tend to doubt it on my 00 since I have never hauled anything to put extra tension on the RR spring and I am the first owner. On my 93' that I got recently I just went around and replaced the LF Ball joint, new rotors, new front/rear brakes and new shocks all around. Anything else that anyone can think of would be greatly appreciated. Tks
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Joined: Apr 2004
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From: Everybody knows this is nowhere
Have you considered either your rear spring hangers not being on the vehicle properly or your rear spring(s) in need of re-bending?
My car has a transverse leaf spring in the rear, and I know it can be re-bent back to original specs to put the car bak to its original ride height. I don't see why your rear springs couldn't be re-bent if this is the cause of the problem.
You might also wish to measure the distance to the ground from each frame rail at all 4 corners to see if the frame is level from right to left (not necessarily front to back). If the frame is sitting level but the distance from fender to ground is not level, then body mounts could well be the culprit. Being a 2000 model, I doubt seriously it is body mounts, but stranger things have happened.
What are the chances or a previous owner having a bad wreck with the pickup? Something may be torqued badly enough to where that the frame needs to be straightened. I bet this is worse case, but may not be out of the mix.
My '92 ranger was "not wrecked" in 1995, but about 3 weeks after I purchased it the front bumper dang near fell off and the piece of trim between the grille and bumper revealed several places where body work had been done.
My car has a transverse leaf spring in the rear, and I know it can be re-bent back to original specs to put the car bak to its original ride height. I don't see why your rear springs couldn't be re-bent if this is the cause of the problem.
You might also wish to measure the distance to the ground from each frame rail at all 4 corners to see if the frame is level from right to left (not necessarily front to back). If the frame is sitting level but the distance from fender to ground is not level, then body mounts could well be the culprit. Being a 2000 model, I doubt seriously it is body mounts, but stranger things have happened.
What are the chances or a previous owner having a bad wreck with the pickup? Something may be torqued badly enough to where that the frame needs to be straightened. I bet this is worse case, but may not be out of the mix.
My '92 ranger was "not wrecked" in 1995, but about 3 weeks after I purchased it the front bumper dang near fell off and the piece of trim between the grille and bumper revealed several places where body work had been done.
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Senior User
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Originally Posted by CMazz
I have noticed the same type of thing happening on both my 00 4x2 XLT Reg Cab, and my 93 4x2 XLT Reg Cab with one slight difference...My trucks seem to lean towards the driver side front on both.
Same problem I had. Originally my RR was an 1" higher than the LR which caused the truck to dive towards the LF. The LF front was lower than the RF also.
After doing the musical spring thing in the rear I have only 1/8" - 1/4" difference in the rear maybe now (no spring spacers). My LF and RF are only different by maybe a 1/8" - 1/4" now also. I well now see how my front tires are after a few thousand miles. I may need to adjust the caster camber now, don't know.
My .02 cents,
I think these trucks are doing this because FORD adjusted them for MAX suspension travel and as a result the springs to not settle in correctly.... Maybe because the driver and the gas tank are both on the left side of the truck, I don't know.... but I appear to be more level now.
Thanks
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Senior User
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Originally Posted by Stoge
Have you considered either your rear spring hangers not being on the vehicle properly or your rear spring(s) in need of re-bending?
You might also wish to measure the distance to the ground from each frame rail at all 4 corners to see if the frame is level from right to left (not necessarily front to back). If the frame is sitting level but the distance from fender to ground is not level, then body mounts could well be the culprit. Being a 2000 model, I doubt seriously it is body mounts, but stranger things have happened.
What are the chances or a previous owner having a bad wreck with the pickup?
You might also wish to measure the distance to the ground from each frame rail at all 4 corners to see if the frame is level from right to left (not necessarily front to back). If the frame is sitting level but the distance from fender to ground is not level, then body mounts could well be the culprit. Being a 2000 model, I doubt seriously it is body mounts, but stranger things have happened.
What are the chances or a previous owner having a bad wreck with the pickup?
I'm a pretty good judge, I feel, as to wheather a vehicle has been in a wreck, mine hasn't. I am also very observant of other like trucks doing the same thing, LEANING to the left.... maybe because I've been an engineer for so long ... I don't know. At any rate, read the TSB in this thread, it is how you measure suspension and so forth as I have done.
Tip #1 when buying a used vehicle: Never buy a used vehicle w/ new tires.
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Joined: Feb 2004
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Originally Posted by Ken00
There's a TSB on this problem, drop me an email if you want a copy.