Rear uneven height after adjusting shackles?

[JJMaine]

My truck has the lift shackles that have two sets of holes to choose how much lift you want. When I bought the truck they were set to the highest setting and the rear was dead level side to side at 37 1/4" from the ground to the fender.

After taking the bolts out and using the other set of holes to drop the rear about an inch, drivers side is now 36" and the passenger side is at 36 3/4"?

How can this be if it was perfectly level before? I did not swap the shackles from side to side and made sure to jack the differential up until the entire weight of the truck was on the rear end before tightening and torquing all of the bolts?

I could see if the truck had always had a slight lean but it didn't when I bought it. How to correct this?

 

[pentode]

When I lift from the diff it's often not totally level/balanced side to side. Maybe that's what's up?

 

[Uncle Gump]

The previous owner may have torqued things up at full drop... making things even. And riding rough...

Chances are the original springs are worn some.

Look at the arch of the spring with vehicle weight on the springs. The closer to flat... the more they're worn.

Most of these trucks have a little lean. I have Airlift bag system to cure it.

 

[JJMaine]

I wonder if that's the case because it wasn't quite perfectly level but close as I could get in my yard.
Still, I lifted it until the truck was off the jack stands on both sides so all of the weight was on it.

I did fill the fuel tank this morning and the drivers side is the one that's lower if the fuel tank favors to that side? Still it's going to bother me until the end of time haha.

 

[JJMaine]

That could be Uncle Gump, they messed everything else up in the suspension department lol. The truck rides excellent now so I'm not unhappy about that. A far cry from when I got it, it was actively trying to kill me.

 

[JJMaine]

Leaf springs do look a bit flat now that you mention it especially the drivers side. With only 100k miles is it time for fresh springs? I don't mind putting them on the truck if it needs it and I know I'll be good for at least another 100k.

Also when you look at my leaf springs ahead of the tire, the drivers side only has 2 and the passenger has 3?

On Rock Auto, they don't have side specific leaf springs so the replacements will both be 3/1 springs per side, will this level it out? I'm thinking of I'm going to do it nows the time because I don't want to be doing it this winter crawling around in a snowbank lol. Also plan to tow a snowmobile trailer all winter

Another question is should I get the 1200lbs or HD 1750?

 

[DRanger024]

Both sides should be the same number of leafs in the pack. Something seems fishy there.
How big is the snowmobile trailer? 2 place? Open or enclosed? Is the truck a super cab or regular cab?

 

[JJMaine]

Yeah, I'll go out and look again but Im pretty sure I only saw 2 on the driver side. Lord knows what they did to this poor ranger, they had the suspension all messed up and I've slowly been trying to fix it. Ive been reading up on it and it seems like it's common for these Rangers to lean a bit towards the drivers side. Just perplexed on why it was dead level before I took the shackles off and readjusted them.

I have a 10' clamshell trailer and I only haul one sled in it which weighs around 450lbs I think

It is a 2011 Super cab, 4x4.

 

[JJMaine]

Ok so here's the passenger side view from what I can see fore and aft of the tire:

And here are photos of the driver side leaf spring:

 

[JoshT]

It's a little blurry, but I think I see three (excluding the thick bottom overload) behind the axle and only two in front. I thinks you might have a broken leaf spring from those pictures. Take a look up behind the wheel to verify. If so, that could definitely cause a height difference.

 

[JJMaine]

Yes you are correct only two in front and 3 in the back. Thanks, I'll go out and check right now! To think I had both tires off yesterday and completely missed it lol

 

[JJMaine]

You are 100% correct, so I guess new leaf springs are in order. I think I'll go with the 1200lbs as I think OEM is 1100 on an XLT 4x4?

Now I know what a broken leaf spring looks like lol. The break looks rusty to me so not sure if it was broken when I bought the truck because in all my suspension faffing, I've measured the front and rear height a dozen times and I swear it was always level lol. I'm guess it doesn't matter now as I need new leafs either way. Is it safe to drive the truck to work until I put new leafs in this weekend? Thankfully the job site is only 10 minutes from my house this week

 

[JJMaine]

Has anyone ordered from General Spring? They have 1200lb springs with bushings for $109 each vs $160 each from Rock Auto. Both places estimate that I will receive them by Friday.

 

[Uncle Gump]

For doing truck stuff... IMHO...

Get the 1750 ib springs... you will likely regret not doing so.

 

[Uncle Gump]

Cause we Ranger guys never ask our trucks to do more then they should occasionally.