Rear Suspension Issues

[Tractor Dan]

Ok. Well as usual i get my eyes set on doing a leveling kit on the front end of my 97 Ranger and low and behold my rear leaf springs are acting odd. I will explain.

I was driving in town tonight and i noticed when i would take turns i could feel the rear end not riding right. It almost felt like going into turns what ever way i was turning it would either pitch or squat to that side. It's also riding very stiff like there is no spring flex at all. Another thing i noticed not sure if this is attributed to my tires needing replaced or the suspension but i merged into a turn lane doing about 35 and i went to slow down as i came up to the late and i'm hitting the breaks and i stopped but it felt like my tires had ice under them like i had no traction. This was on ashpalt roads. I know it has nothing to do with the rear shocks seeing as they were just replaced in April. They have less then 5,000 miles on them. I'm thinking maybe my leaf springs are starting to go or the perches are shot? So if anyone has any advice or input i would gladly like to hear it. I'm debating on my options if it is the springs. I mean if i have to replace springs and have it torn down why not go for the explorer to ranger leaf spring swap?

It's a 97 2wd with a 3.0. It's all stock at that moment all the way across the board.

Dan

 

[Tractor Dan]

Just an update on this. Since last night i got under the truck with a light and looked around from everything i can see nothing majorly wrong. I checked the leaf springs and they looked solid as far as no cracks or obvious stress. That being said they do seem to be a little "flat" they don't have as much curve to them as i would expect leaf springs on a truck to have. I took it out for a quick drive today and it seems to do the same thing it was doing last night but it's worse on the drivers side then the passenger side. So i'm assuming it's just my leaf springs are worn and need replaced seeing as my shocks are fairly new. As for feeling like the tires were loosing traction and whatnot. I did get to thinking and looking and realised that my tires are in need of being replaced they are getting bad and my brakes need done as well. So thoose two factors might have played into that. Anywho, yall can still feel free to give me input on the springs as far as the best option to go with. They will be replaced at somepoint somewhere down the line so i might as well get the idea in my head of what i want to do as far as the replacements.

Dan

 

[ForOffRoadDriving]

you can do the explorer spring swap or check out LMC truck. i bought a set of 3 leaf springs for my 94 and they ride awesome. they also offer 4 leaf heavy duty packs and their prices are very reasonable. http://www.lmctruck.com/icatalog/fr/full.aspx?Page=118