Replacing front leafs and shackles
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Junior User
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 50
Likes: 0
From: Ridgefield, WA
Replacing front leafs and shackles
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 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?
Post Fiend
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 9,010
Likes: 5
From: Johnson City, TN.
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.
Lead Driver
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 8,608
Likes: 13
From: Belair md
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
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
Post Fiend
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 9,010
Likes: 5
From: Johnson City, TN.
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Lead Driver
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 8,608
Likes: 13
From: Belair md
smae here, other then the alignment do it all yourself, and even that i am dam good with a bar and string
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Tuned
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 472
Likes: 4
From: Goodyear, AZ
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..
Laughing Gas
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,087
Likes: 189
From: Reno, NV
I'm looking for springs too. Any idea which of these would work for an F250 with the D60 front?
Senior User
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 178
Likes: 0
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.
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.
Senior User
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 260
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From: Whitewright, Tx
Originally Posted by fishmanndotcom
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-
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-
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
Junior User
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 50
Likes: 0
From: Michigan
Replacing leafs and shackles
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.
Lead Driver
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 9,236
Likes: 12
From: Senoia, GA
Originally Posted by MLCinNCTX
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
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
-cutts-