rear end sagging question

[Holty]

my drivers side rear end is lower than the passenger side by over an inch. I have a full tank of gas, and I know the tank sits on the drivers side, but I never noticed it being this low before. i'm taking measurement from the flat ground up to the center of the wheel well. is this normal? or could something be broken? it rides fine still, and it dosn't look like the shock is bad, so what could it be? thanks for the help...

 

[Alec]

It's normal. You have a few options to fix it:
adjust the torsion bars to try to level it out,
swap your leaf springs from side to side,
or get new leaf springs or addaleafs.

Good luck!

 

[Holty]

well, seeing that my truck is a 1999, i don't think it should need new leaf springs already? I don't really tow a heavy trailer. how much would it cost to switch the leafs from side to side? or how much for the addaleafs?

 

[Alec]

A single ProComp addaleaf kit is about $27 from 4wheelparts. Gives you about an inch of lift, and/or should level your springs out. You could swap your springs at the same time. Swapping the springs takes a couple of jacks, a couple of jackstands, a few hours, a friend or 2, and some beers

 

[Holty]

let me ask you this.......is there anyway that I could have broken something to make it sag like this? I look at my truck everyday, at different angles depending on where it's parked and I just noticed this happening yesterday. The reason why i ask is because i towed a friends boat friday night and it is a 21ft weighing around 4000lbs. I"ve never towed anything that heavy with my X before, and the next day is when I noticed the abnormal sagging, but i did happen to fill up my gas tank before noticing. This is really bugging the heck outta me! maybe i'm just being ****, but i think something is wrong.

 

[Holty]

no chance that I could have broken something? besides the shock....

 

[Alec]

well, just look on that side and see if a bolt or a leaf spring broke. Don't think so though, it probably sagged due to the towing.

 

[dogfriend]

material science explanation

You may have loaded the spring (while towing the boat) so that the stress level in the spring reached the plastic range. (As opposed to the elastic range).

The non material science explanation: You might have bent it.

If the boat trailer has a high tongue weight you might have overloaded the spring. One reason that it is more noticeable on the drivers side is that the weight of the fuel tank and the tongue weight of the trailer combined on that side.

 

[jonny 5]

Aka, you only lower one side of the Ex! I think the swap or replaced springs is the best route to go.

 

[jonny 5]

Damn 665 posts, where does time go?

 

[Mike]

nope now you have 666 posts.... QUICK its bad luck post agin!!!!! hurry!!!!!!!!!

 

[MONMIX]

I am glad this post came up , I noticed my 2000 Sport had a bit of a squat to it. Took it in , under warrenty they said they mesured other 2000 sports on their used lot and said there were all about the same. They slapped on two new shocks any way.
I might look into the add-a-leaf.
Hey Alec , that $27.00 that is for both springs right ?

 

[Alec]

yup, $27 buys you one aal for each side.

 

[Tarron]

All about the same?

Just because they are all about the same doesn't mean that they are still working properly. Every machine made has a weak part and on our Sports I'm beginning to think it's the single rear springs. After adding the Warrior shackles my right rear spring (no gas tank on this side) is still a half an inch lower than the other three wheels. OBTW if you only have one spring on your 00 Sport you can't use the $27 add-a-leaf. Bummer.

 

[jonny 5]

Don't worry Mikke, it couldn't have stay at 666 for long, I've been on a posting rampage the last couple of days.

 

[Leucoandro]

Try running your tank almost empty and then check the sag.

 

[Holty]

Try running your tank almost empty and then check the sag.

That is what i'm going to do.

Also, if I took my truck to the dealer, or any local suspension shop, could they tell me if my leaf is bent? This is eating me alive....i can't stand to even look at my truck. My fiancee' thinks i've gone pyscho.

 

[dogfriend]

don't go psycho

I said you MIGHT have bent it. I think that the only way to know for sure would be to take it off and compare to a new spring.

If you did bend it, you only bent it a little (otherwise it would be obvious)

Back to material science mode:

If you did get into the plastic stress region, you actually made it a little stronger with respect to yielding.(It will take more stress next time to bend it). This process is known as work-hardening.


So if it makes you feel better, youre just making your springs a little stronger

 

[Holty]

i'm going to stop by my local meineke were a i know the owner and he can take a look at it. what would make me feel better is to have a truck that sits level.

 

[Robert]

Originally posted by Holty



That is what i'm going to do.

Also, if I took my truck to the dealer, or any local suspension shop, could they tell me if my leaf is bent? This is eating me alive....i can't stand to even look at my truck. My fiancee' thinks i've gone pyscho.

Holty - Post your before and after measurements here once you measure it. Take a yardstick or tape measurer with you to the gas station and measure the height from your left rear fender to the ground before and after the fill-up. I'm curious whether or not they match my findings.