Leaf springs worn out?

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HotWheelsBurban

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^^^X2 plus, if your tires are cupping your shocks are probably bad.
Yes or upper control arm bushings. That's what my truck is doing lately. Replaced shocks in May and that made a difference, but everything I haven't replaced is still original, 21 years old....
 

gearheadE30

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Most of these trucks need nearly everything in the suspension by now if it has not been redone already. The only exception I have personally seen is that the OEM Bilsteins seem to last an incredibly long time. Most average/cheap shocks have a 50,000ish mile life before they are shot, but it can be a lot less if you drive on a lot of rough roads.

It is typical for shocks, especially cheap ones, to quickly wear internally and lose performance without visible indications. Sometimes you will also end up with a blown seal and leaking shock, at which point it is definitely time to buy new ones. Generally, if the truck is bouncy or floaty, especially over rolling bumps on the highway, it's probably time.

Upper and lower control arms can be checked for visible cracking. They last a long time, but after 100k+ miles, they are probably worn. They honestly aren't great to start with (very big, very soft) if you corner aggressively or have oversized tires. Too soft to control the extra load.

Nearly everything else (tie rods, wheel bearings, ball joints, steering gear, etc.) will have play once worn, which you can check with the truck on jack stands.

Big and/or wide tires will wear everything out more quickly. Especially when you start talking about the silly 24x12 kind of trend of low offset stuff that stick way out. Moving the scrub radius out like that gives the wheels and tires (which are also heavier than stock) a lot more leverage over components not made for it. These trucks tend to wear a lot of stuff out and get loose as it is, so upgrading or at least keeping a close eye on things becomes more important.
 

94K3500PROJECT

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320,000+ miles with new bushings, new plastic friction isolators, clamp bushings and center pin.
Tapered the ends of the leaves slightly (probably does nothing because they contact the friction isolators anyway)
Also tapered the separation plates between the leaves.

I’ve got a handful of other things left to either do or try on the rear.
This is going to be the smoothest riding lifted 1 ton ever LOL

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Supercharged111

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Where'd you get all the plastic **** for the leaf packs? I destroyed a couple of the 3 sided things that snap into the holders/mounts/whatever you call the things that keep the leaves aligned.
 
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Springz absolutely sag, my K1500 had been overloaded so much in the past 5 years we've had it it looked like a lowered truck. When I took the stock springs out to replace them with NBS 2500 springs, I could easily move the leaf packs seperatly. New, heavier springs greatly increased ride height and quality, not to mention drivability. New springs or some bags or shocks certainly couldn't hurt to try.
Do you have a part number or model info on those leaf springs the nbs 2500?
 

GMCanada

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When I got my GMT400 this spring the rear leaf springs were so wore out the drivers side would ride on the bump stop with a full tank of fuel, and the passenger side was almost. I replaced the factory 3 leaf packs with new 5 leaf packs and put new Bilstein 4600’s on all four corners, replaced a bad ball joint, pitman arm, and got the the torsion bars set back to factory tolerates and had a wheel alignment done. After all that this truck drives as good as my 2018 Sierra.
 

Jerryred94silvy

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Would worn springs cause a shake when driving? At about 60-70 the truck vibrates from what feels like the rear end. Tired and wheels are all balanced and I replaced a bent axle shaft not too long ago. But she still shakes a little, just enough to vibrate what’s left of the dash.
 

Jerryred94silvy

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It’s a vibration. Bent wheel is possible and U joints are brand new. Nothing is above suspicion with this truck lol. And it’s mostly when I’m on the highway that I feel it, but I’ll pay real close attention on the way home from work tonight.
 
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