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Does your 4wd truck sit even at all 4 corners? #1400587
03/11/13 12:03 AM
03/11/13 12:03 AM
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Granite Bay CA
Kern Dog Offline OP
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Mine doesn't. I have parked it on dirt and gravel for the most part and thought it looked out of whack, but yesterday I had it on level concrete. The drivers front wheelwell sits 38" from the pavement and the right front is 39 1/4". That seems like a lot. I usually deal with stock height or lowered vehicles, so I try hard to achieve an even reveal from the tires to the wheelwell edge.
The arch of each front spring appears the same. There is a difference of 5/8" at the rear, again with the drivers side being lower. I am tempted to have the left front leaf spring REarched. Am I on the right track or should I try something else?
Thanks, Greg

Re: Does your 4wd truck sit even at all 4 corners? [Re: Kern Dog] #1400588
03/11/13 07:32 AM
03/11/13 07:32 AM
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NITROUSN Offline
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Normal. Put a spacer between the left front spring and the axle. There was an old tsb with the part numbers years ago.

Re: Does your 4wd truck sit even at all 4 corners? [Re: NITROUSN] #1400589
03/11/13 07:40 AM
03/11/13 07:40 AM
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Iowa
76dodgeboy Offline
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Its called the Dodge lean. Do to everything being on the driver side. Steering box, battery, driver plus fuel tank

Re: Does your 4wd truck sit even at all 4 corners? [Re: 76dodgeboy] #1400590
03/12/13 10:11 AM
03/12/13 10:11 AM
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Elk Grove, Calif.
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bigblock340power Offline
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I can't think of the last time I saw a truck (of any kind, let alone Dodge) sitting level. I guess it's just the nature of the beast!

Re: Does your 4wd truck sit even at all 4 corners? [Re: bigblock340power] #1400591
03/12/13 01:47 PM
03/12/13 01:47 PM
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Granite Bay CA
Kern Dog Offline OP
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Maybe so. Still, with my borderline obsessive nature, I'll have to even it up some.
Looking at it closer, there is a bit more arch to the RH front spring. I've read about slipping in an add-a-leaf, but it seems cheezy to do that on just one side. I think that a re-arch may be the way to go. The rate will remain the same that way.

Re: Does your 4wd truck sit even at all 4 corners? [Re: Kern Dog] #1400592
03/12/13 03:12 PM
03/12/13 03:12 PM
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Iowa
76dodgeboy Offline
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It wot hurt to add a leaf on the left. It has to hold more weight. There's more than 300# on the left side with a slimmer driver a full tank of gas.

Re: Does your 4wd truck sit even at all 4 corners? [Re: 76dodgeboy] #1400593
03/12/13 06:48 PM
03/12/13 06:48 PM
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Florida
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scratchnfotraction Offline
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what a conundrum...

? is..do you lower the high side or lift the low side?

the frame could be tweeked,worn body mounts,spring bushings,sagging leafs, all adding into the mix of "the dodge lean"

on 2x trucks with the dodge lean,using JY parts I swap in a front coil/rear leaf springs from the pass side of a donor truck and have corrected it with fair/good results.

I have also found trucks that have had the xmember to lower frame rail braces removed,tend to flex and bow the channel of the frame tweeking it enuff that the frame sits twisted on the springs.(4x4 would be xmember to upper frame rail brace)

IMHO,I would just add some body shims to the core support bushing/cab bushing/bed bushing to level it with tape measurment from top of wheel lip like you did to find it leaning.

rearching/replacing springs could lead you to chasing the lean by not correcting everything in the mix of the lean.

I done a couple rusted 4x4 this way with washers as needed to get it level.


Last edited by scratchnfotraction; 03/12/13 06:53 PM.
Re: Does your 4wd truck sit even at all 4 corners? [Re: scratchnfotraction] #1400594
03/12/13 07:48 PM
03/12/13 07:48 PM
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ahy Offline
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I have '47 PW that was very lopsided with a set of "good used" springs. A local spring shop pulled the rear springs apart and rebuilt them alternating left and right leaves to even it up. I also had one leaf added. Cost, not counting my time for R&R was reasonable. Its about 70% better. I'll do the fronts next.

Re: Does your 4wd truck sit even at all 4 corners? [Re: scratchnfotraction] #1400595
03/12/13 08:06 PM
03/12/13 08:06 PM
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NITROUSN Offline
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Why do you guys keep trying to reinvent the wheel. The fix is simple. They did this when the trucks were new to correct the problem. If it was good enough for a new truck 30 or 40 years ago is sure is good enough for these old beaters. Shim the left front at the axle. Also as Mike said shim the core support or any other body areas to help with the issue. Here is the TSB. http://dodgeram.info/tsb/1987/02-05-87A.htm

Re: Does your 4wd truck sit even at all 4 corners? [Re: NITROUSN] #1400596
03/12/13 09:12 PM
03/12/13 09:12 PM
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 18,493
Granite Bay CA
Kern Dog Offline OP
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Quote:

Normal. Put a spacer between the left front spring and the axle. There was an old tsb with the part numbers years ago.





This may just work!
I wonder if they still have these parts at the dealer...? I also like Scratchys idea. Thanks guys!

Re: Does your 4wd truck sit even at all 4 corners? [Re: NITROUSN] #1400597
03/12/13 09:14 PM
03/12/13 09:14 PM
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Lost and Spaced
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bboogieart Offline
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How about putting some weight in the bed on the high side?
Too simple?


I have mechanical Aptitude.
I can screw up anything.
Re: Does your 4wd truck sit even at all 4 corners? [Re: Kern Dog] #1400598
03/12/13 09:16 PM
03/12/13 09:16 PM
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Iowa
76dodgeboy Offline
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I wouldn't bother swimming the body/core support. If your taking it that far replace all the rubber
You could simply make a space for the axles with some 3/4-1" flat stock if its no longer available

Re: Does your 4wd truck sit even at all 4 corners? [Re: 76dodgeboy] #1400599
03/13/13 02:45 AM
03/13/13 02:45 AM
Joined: Feb 2010
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Granite Bay CA
Kern Dog Offline OP
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I was thinking earlier.... I have a pair of 1 inch lowering blocks that I pulled out of the Charger. I'll look and see if the U-bolts are long enough to accommodate the block.

Re: Does your 4wd truck sit even at all 4 corners? [Re: Kern Dog] #1400600
03/13/13 11:06 AM
03/13/13 11:06 AM
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Iowa
76dodgeboy Offline
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NEVER reuse u-bolts.

Re: Does your 4wd truck sit even at all 4 corners? [Re: Kern Dog] #1400601
03/13/13 12:49 PM
03/13/13 12:49 PM
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Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
4dr4x4 Offline
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My truck sat the same way. We took it to a local spring shop and it didn't cost much to fix it. They work on big truck springs all day, they take one look at it and they know how to fix it the right way. In most cases they only have to lift or replace one spring. Now it sits level.

7624489-IMG_6363a.jpg (55 downloads)
Re: Does your 4wd truck sit even at all 4 corners? [Re: 4dr4x4] #1400602
03/13/13 01:13 PM
03/13/13 01:13 PM
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 18,493
Granite Bay CA
Kern Dog Offline OP
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Hey... Thats a 78 grille in an 81 and later body. Nice job.

Re: Does your 4wd truck sit even at all 4 corners? [Re: Kern Dog] #1400603
03/13/13 01:18 PM
03/13/13 01:18 PM
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Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
4dr4x4 Offline
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Thanks, it's an 87.

Re: Does your 4wd truck sit even at all 4 corners? [Re: Kern Dog] #1400604
03/13/13 05:43 PM
03/13/13 05:43 PM
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Maine
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jerseybud Offline
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NitrousN posted the tsb with the factory fix (which is NS1) and this thread here:

http://ramchargercentral.com/mopar-trucks/1999-w250-project/

has pics of the spacer from front and back. 8 th post down. IMO its either this or diesel front leaf springs so it doesn't sag as fast or as much

Re: Does your 4wd truck sit even at all 4 corners? [Re: Kern Dog] #1400605
03/13/13 09:57 PM
03/13/13 09:57 PM
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Sunny South Florida
Golden-Arm Offline
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might sound silly, but can you swap the springs, from left to right? as mentioned, the battery, starter, steering gearbox steering column, fuel tank, master cylinder, etc. are all on the drivers side. all contribute to the lean. you could always go out quick and easy, and just run a set of smaller tires on the pass side.


"When Tyranny Becomes Law, Rebellion Becomes Duty"

Re: Does your 4wd truck sit even at all 4 corners? [Re: Golden-Arm] #1400606
03/14/13 12:45 AM
03/14/13 12:45 AM
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Posts: 12,043
State of Confusion
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Quote:


you could always go out quick and easy, and just a set of smaller tires on the pass side.




Or bolt some weight in the passenger side rear of the box...


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