97 chevy suburban k1500 5.7 axle help needed

[movietvet]

FWIW, this is prehaps related.

I've noticed on my 1998 Suburban that, if I jack up the front end with the jack centered on the crossmember, the vehicle lists to one side. I've always figured it had to do with aging of the rear springs, e.g., sag, rust, bushing collapse.

It can but it typically is the way the load is on it. Fuel to one side can do it, if tank is full enough. Theoretically if the engine and transmission is down the center line, then it is load or spring related. Or is something to do with the floor jack pad area.

 

[1998_K1500_Sub]

It can but it typically is the way the load is on it. Fuel to one side can do it, if tank is full enough. Theoretically if the engine and transmission is down the center line, then it is load or spring related. Or is something to do with the floor jack pad area.

Too, with a partially-empty fuel tank (supposedly 42 gal capacity on my 1998 Sub, where the tank's mounted in the rear center b/t the frame members), any lean will potentially cause a LOT of fuel to run to one side.

The pickups have the tank on one side and so can lean simply from that imbalance, as you note.

 

[movietvet]

Too, with a partially-empty fuel tank (supposedly 42 gal capacity on my 1998 Sub, where the tank's mounted in the rear center b/t the frame members), any lean will potentially cause a LOT of fuel to run to one side.

The pickups have the tank on one side and so can lean simply from that imbalance, as you note.

Yes, you would hope the partially full fuel tank would just flow to the back but if there is any lean at all, it flows there and then leans further and the fuel flow gets worse. Even a 1/4 tank will have 75-80 pounds of fuel moving around. That should not be enough to make a spring compress/sag though. A side mount tank, over years of fuel carrying, can wear a spring pack down over time.