leaning to one side. question?

[Darby]

I hope I'm posting this in the right place on the forum- you all seem to be a pretty knowledgable bunch of people and I have a quick question before I take my truck to the shop?
I have a 98 4x4 1500.. the other night I walked outside and the whole truck was leaning to the right side? Like about to touch the tires.. I backed it up and drove it around a second and it lifted itself back up (??!) but it's still leaning almost 2 inches.. from the top of the tire to the wheel well(?) Tire pressure is the same, the ground is level. That would probably be a coil spring(?) and not a shock, right? IDK..I just don't want the guys at the GMC dealership I work at to walk all over me and try to replace a million things for no reason when I get it in there..because I have absolutely no idea wtf I'm talking about.
Any suggestions are greatly appreciated!

 

[WFO4X4]

if you work with the guys just go to the front end shop and ask one of the guys to help you figure it out. let them know that you don't know **** and want to learn. MOST techs will respect that as long as you aren't a dousche. if you are already friends with a tech, ask him who he would ask in the same position if he isn't a front end tech.

now, as to what I would check first.... springs (which are actually torsion springs not coils) and actually measure the ride hight and make sure everything's with in specs. a shock usually won't effect ride hight to the degree of making it ride low unless you just replaced the shock and put the wrong one on.... there isn't alot that effects ride hight dramaticaly so the easiest thing to check are the springs.

 

[Rewind]

Well you don't have a coil spring on your truck. Was it leaning just in the front or reaar? I'm thinking a bad shock(s).

 

[Darby]

LOL shows how much I know. both ends seem to be leaning but the rear is worse. Was going to try and replace shocks this weekend. I am going to ask around up there, I would love to learn but everybody seems kinda standoffish. Thanks guys!

 

[Fobroader]

If the truck is leaning that bad, check your torsion bars and leaf springs. how does the truck do over bumps, like an old Cadillac, like hit a bump and 1/2 an hour later its still bouncing, or is it pretty tight??

 

[WFO4X4]

they are standoffish, it's their job and its a very competitive industry. offer to buy the dude lunch if he helps you out also. you need to remember every min he gives you he's missing out on pulling a new ticket. so make it worth his wild.

 

[Darby]

Oh I mean, I understand. I would be too working how they do- and of course I would try and return a favor. and it's pretty ridiculously bouncy over speedbumps, but I just assumed it was because the speedbumps in my neighborhood are crazy tall.

 

[WFO4X4]

it sounds like shocks are bad, and you still need to check the ride hight. to test the shocks, get on level ground and compress it by bouncing the bumper down once and count how many times it goes up and down....

 

[Darby]

I will do that as soon as I get outta here.. Thank you.

 

[Fobroader]

If you push the bumper and the truck keeps on bouncing, your shocks are done. The sagging isnt the shocks though, thats all in the leaf springs and torsion bars. Id replace your shocks if you say its that bouncy, cheap insurance and theyre easy to do. For the sag, check your leaf springs, the mounts and your torsion bars and their mounts.