Rear Leaf Spring Advice Needed

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Mar 20, 2010 | 11:22 AM

wilbur996

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Joined: Apr 2004

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From: Port Murray, NJ

Rear Leaf Spring Advice Needed

Not sure how it happened but drivers side rear leaf spring has a broken leaf in it. The leaf second from the bottom is broke. With not money being plentiful these days I was going to have the leaf replaced in the stack. The cost of this is about half the price of one complete new spring.

My questions are, has anyone done this? Did your truck lean at all cause of one new leaf? What's the chance that the other side will break? Is this common on early 99 trucks? Truck has about 140,000+ miles on it and I don't really load at all.

This truck does not have helper springs on it. It has 5 leaves and that's it.

Thanks

Mar 20, 2010 | 03:51 PM

danskool

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Joined: Jan 2008

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From: Buffalo, NY

Here is a bump for yea. Not sure on springs...

Never had to replace a spring. But i think i would replace the busted leaf and also toss in the same leaf on the other side.. To keeps things balanced.. If you replace a leaf on one side, Who ever made the leaf, we can only hope it has the same characteristics as the factory on the other side.. Probably not ,and you will have a "TILT" condition if you only go with one. You can always try it.. Just replace one (the one that is busted) And see how it looks/feels.. If it tilts than address the other side when money is available.

Mar 20, 2010 | 04:11 PM

dwigmore

Cross-Country

Joined: Apr 2009

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I've replaced leaf springs on big semi's, and usually just replaced whatever's broken. As danskool says, check and see how it looks after you change the one, and you may decide to change the other. Have a new set of u-bolts before you start though, as you may have to cut the old ones off! There's also a pin that runs vertically through the leaf spring pack to keep them all in line. Make sure that's in good shape while you're checking things out.

Mar 20, 2010 | 04:52 PM

kccatpower

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From: independence,mo

are you planning on doing the work yourself or pay to have it done? i would replace the u-bolts, use clamps to unload and compress the springs back together, when i installed my add a leafs i used a new center bolt as a safety.

Mar 20, 2010 | 05:54 PM

cookie88

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From: Cabot, Arkansas

Just replace the broken one. It will level itself out in a day or two once the pack resettles. kccatpower pretty much nailed the procedure. It's not terribly difficult to do. No need to even remove the spring pack from the hangers. New u-bolts are a nice thing to have, especially from a safety perspective, but I've replaced broken leaves several times reusing all the old hardware. Never had one fall off a truck yet.

Mar 20, 2010 | 07:32 PM

wilbur996

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Joined: Apr 2004

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From: Port Murray, NJ

Thanks guys. I got the spring out without any troubles. I'm taking the whole spring to the spring shop and having them install the new leaf. Then I'll put it back in the truck. I may just purchase the leaf for the other side as the leaf is only about $35 and have it on hand to install in the other side myself.

Thanks for all the replies.