I plan to take my truck to a spring shop this summer to fix the leaning problem and I have what is probably a stupid question. Should I remove the receiver hitch before taking the truck in, since I put it on with the truck leaning, then re-install it after the spring work is done and the truck is level?

 

Unless you did some shimming when you installed it leave it alone.

 

25 gallons of gas and the driver.

 

Exactly!!! I used to notice that my truck appeared to lean to the left side. When I did my torsion bar lift, I measured all 4 corners it was 0.5" lower on the left rear. Mysteriously enough, hehe, I rechecked the heights two weeks later and they were all the same. Hmmm, it baffled me for awhile until I caught the fuel tank at a glance. I turned on the truck and sure enough the fuel gauge was on "E", lol (it was almost full the first time I checked the heights).

In all, you would be amazed how much that fuel weights, that is the reason why it is leaning!

Oh and anyways, the leaf springs sometimes are installed a tiny bit different resulting in different heights on the tail end. your trailor hitch is installed on the frame. The frame isn't the thing that is leaning, it is the suspension. So no the trailor hitch doesn't have anything to do with your problem. But I still would put my money on the fuel tank being the problem.

kev

 

Don't forget about the steering column and steering components. Some years back I was thinking about lowering my ranger and the guy at the shop say almost all cars/trucks lean it is just not many people notice. If your tank is on the passanger side it might help to level it out a little more, like most toyota trucks.

 

Black truck.

Did you get your lean fixed? What did it? Was it a warrenty fix?

Tom

 

25 gallons of gas weighs in at approximately 155lbs...

 

The reciever is bolted to the frame so fixing the springs shouldn't effect it at all.

 

I took it to a local spring shop. Had them add a leaf to each side for another 500 lbs capacity but it was still too low on the driver's side for me so I had them add a 3/8 inch spacer to the driver's side. Now with a full tank of gas the measurement from the ground to the fender at the center of each rear wheel is only 1/8 inch lower on the driver's side than on the passenger's. If I was to do it again, I might have asked the shop about something like 750 lbs on the driver side and 500 lbs on the passenger's side. Only cost me just over $100.

 

Don't forget that the actual load copacity of the truck is not limited by the leaf springs, its the drive train. So it will look like its not sagging, but you would be hurting the drive train. correct me if I am wrong.

 

Soft/sagging springs are just that; no matter what engine, transmission, or rear end a truck has. I don't think going from 3 leaves to 4 leaves and gaining just an extra 500 lbs capacity will hurt given the only extra weight constantly on the truck is two leaves and a block. Maybe if I hauled overly heavy loads all the time and really abused the truck it would be different.