I know there's been a few posts/replys to this in other threads, but I couldn't find one that was spacific to this and what people have found/done.

My 94 F150 4x4 has, what seems to be a common issue, left rear bed sag that also causes the right front bed corner to be a little high. I saw a truck in the show your pre 97 trucks thread that was identicle in sag appearance. It was a lightning clone, green I think.

Here's what I've done so far......

1) Checked all the leafs for cracks or missalignment. No problems found.(this is a HD tow pakage truck with the 4 leafs plus greater arched top leaf that makes contact to the to bump/load stops on the frame. So, if I understand it right, it's a 5 leaf spring pack)

2) Inspected the spring mounts and shackles. All in excellent shape. (looks like a CA or dry desert rig....no rust and all solid including the bushings.

3) Measured from the bottom of the frame just behind the axle bottoming/bump stop tab to center line of the axle on both sides. The left (drivers) side is lower than the right by 1/2". This is the same amount off at the front right bed corner body lines to cab body lines...1/2"

4) Driving, handling and braking are all spot on and straight. Well with the 31x10.5's it does want to slightly pull right on highly crowned roads....no surprise there.

5) Checked all bed mounts and condition. All secure, in tact and no rust or issues. Even took a few mesurements frame to bed and cross sills. Even on both sides.

Here's what I haven't done yet and just picked up in reading a couple of other posts......

1) Measure the rear shakle angle back tilt on both sides to see if they are the same.

2) Measure from the ground (level) to the fnt and rear spring mount eyes center line to check for sagging or flattening spring pack. This could also be done by measuring several points along the curve to see if there is different radius. Or at least that looks good on paper. LOL

Now correct me if i'm wrong, but what I've read so far is that this is a common issue with these springs both 4 & 5 leaf packs and it can be either left or right. However, it seems the left is more previlent. ???

The front is spot on frame to ground and other measuring points.....so it's just the rear. Frame and all crossmembers look great and no signs of tweaking. Not surprising as this looks as if it was a garage queen with horse trailer tow duty occasionally.

Let me know if you've had to deal with this and what you found. I'm sure I'm not the only one with this issue. My first guess is gonna be spring sag on the left pack and if so, I'll replace both sides with matching. Want to stay with the same rate/5 leaf pack. Any suggestions to manufacturer recommnedations? I've had Rancho and Trailmasters in the past on other than Ford's and had good luck. But I'm just beginning to bleed Ford blue, so need suggestions.

Thanks

 

I was searching this problem and found this thread. I too have this problem on my 95 Eddie Bauer 4x4. Any information will be appreciated.

 

like this?

 

Yep, but without the 6x6

 

I have a 1996 Eddie Bauer f150 4x4. Its short bed,reg cab. Truck had a similar sag issue when I bought it. A year later it threw 1/2 a leaf out while driving. The break was in the center of the leaf much longer than the outer .5 inch judging by the rust in center. Anyway I replaced the rear leaf packs with f250 springs and I still have some sag in the rear left. Its only about .5 inch and barely noticable unless your looking. When I asked a Leaf spring professional (owned leaf business for 30 years) all he could tell me was he sees it all the time with ford factory springs. He had no clue why.

 

ok, i have a 90 250 4wd, and do not have this problem, just trying to throw out ideas that may or may not help, but as you said drivers side, now could it just be that the left leafs are wearing out at a faster rate due to fuel tank configuration being on that side in turn adding extra stress that the other side does not have to deal with over its lifetime? i know it doesnt say how to fix it, but could be a cause

 

Well folks, it appears there is a few of us that have this issue.
While mine isn't as significant as 93 mix's, it's the same kind of issue.

I'm the kind of guy/mechanic that will find the issue(s) and let you all know. We find issues all the time that Harley says can't happen.....right, doesn't happen...can't.....sure. Then we find solutions and make sure it gets to HD and our customers. We're not the only shop that does this. Difference between the factory and the field. LOL

I'll keep checking here as I can. We're (wife & I) are about 700 miles from home for her 30th HS reunion, so I won't get started on this until monday. At least the weather here in Sunny CA is nicer than the rain up north. LOL

The fuel tank suggestion for cause is curious. But single saddle tanks have been on rigs for years and not all have this sag/issue. But it's food for thought.

My idea is to find a good set of OE spec springs and replace them. What I haven't done yet is mesure the width of the pack, verify the # in the pack and look at the upper, what I'll call a helper, spring and measure eye to eye, etc. I finally found a good site for OE Ford parts that had a good blowup of the whole assymbly. What I didn't know, till then, was the upper spring was not part of the pack, but mounted above a top plate/spacer before the the top plate that's held with the u-bolts. I still need to measure between this helper spring and the pads on the frame that they would contact in a loaded condition. And yes, this is a factory set up and not an add-a-leaf aftermarket.

Well, catch you all later and I'll let you know what I find out. I will find the issue and the solution. If anyone has delt with this before and found the "fix" let us know.
Thanks!

 

well might as well spill the beans.......driver side worn, passenger side wrong side spring.

 

Update on the bed sag...or so I thought.......

Finished measuring and during that found something very interesting. The drivers side is not sagged....the passenger side is lifted about 1/2". How you ask, well here's the scoop!
Found the lower (overload) spring on the pass. side not in the same position as the drivers side....it was farther rearward and there was no air gap at the ends to the 3 leaf pack like the drivers side. Called a local well respected spring company and the guy knew exactly what the problem was. Sheared center bolt! Went down and let him look at it visually and yep, it had shifted. He told me that this is usually a sign that the u-bolts had loosened up or been loose at one time and the axle wrapping action shears the bolt....and usually on the pass. side with non LS diffs. Once the bolt shears, each roll of the axle spring pad slowly forces the lower spring to slide rearward. When this happens, it puts it into a different position and arc location to the upper pack causing it to provide force to or not allowing the pack to sit in a rested position and acts like an added spring leaf...kind of a backyard 1/2" lift kit....LOL.
The best part, he sold me a new center bolt @ $1 and told me the procedure which is just a little easier than removing the whole leaf pack and sent me on my way. They could have done it for a price, but he was helping me save some money and I thought that was very cool! If I ever need springs, I'll go there without question. And, they can reproduce the "L" spring pack since Ford no longer has them available....obsolete. But these guys have the specs to the "t". While in there, he also looked at the shackles and mounts and all was in great shape.
Well, there it is in a nut shell and I will be repairing this monday if the weather cooperates or I can use the shop at work. I'll let you all know how it turns out.

 

Mine still has the sag after i installed the Gen 1 Leafs not as bad as the picture above but it still sags.

 

hey Jason,
yours is one of the trucks I saw in the galary that was similar to mine. Sorry yours didn't work out. Were the springs you installed new? Did you do both? Juswt curious.
When you say you put in gen1 springs, why not gen 8/9? aren't our rigs gen 8/9?

 

I found a temporary fix for my 95 Eddie Bauer. After taking measurements I found the the front was also sagging .5" on the driver's side, while the driver's side rear sag was almost 1". After finding no apparent problem under the truck a friend suggested that perhaps the passenger side rear was high rather than the driver's side being low. Using that assumption I installed a set of coil spring boosters on the driver's side front coil spring and raised it .5". It worked, as raising the left front lowered the right rear. Now I just have to figure out a more permanent solution that does not involve buckets of money.

 

ty for the info guys. i just traded my ps3 for a 89 f-250 4x4 460ci. c6 trany.. i got for as a project truck for the winter while i am laid off of work. it has the same prob. im a new user of this site and i can tell i will be on here a lot.

 

I've the same problem on the 87...That might explain the clunking on take off...The blue grease didn't fix that...I had the axle out too...when I put the new diff in. HMMM...And I was beginning to think that it was my giant "rear end"....

 

makes sense, ive got some clunking when goin into gear, and its not in the ujoints, or trans. also has the bed sag...will look for that sheared centerbolt sometime.