Ronco

Hit a minor bump yesterday and all of a sudden my truck felt like the brakes had been applied. I pulled over to check but a quick check didn't show me anything. I decided to get the vehicle home where I could check it more thoroughly and felt a "drag" all the way home. There was also a slight burning rubber smell. Once home, I noticed "rubber flakes" all over the back bumper / tailgate and canopy window, then looked under to see that the center leaf spring (which appears to be 2 piece on both sides) had "popped out" on the left rear and the end was grinding away on the inside of the tire! I could easily slide the spring back into place! I checked the clamp at the forward side and it was tight but decided to remove and replace the bolt and lock nut any way but still didn't get it any tighter. I then cut and added a metal shim but still didn't tighten the forward section of this spring enough to keep it in place between the upper and lower springs. I've temporarily put metal coat hangar wire wrapped around the spring toward the rear axle mount to retain the center piece that wants to slip side to side for some reason.

There is a metal "shim" at the forward clamp with retainers keeping the spring piece from falling out completely but not enough to keep it from moving out so that it interferes with the rear tire.

I'm thinking that either this center spring is broken (but then so is the other side and in the exact same place and with the same "break") or there is a shim missing or something that would keep enough pressure on it at the forward end (where the only clamp is).

Has anyone else experienced this problem and has made a correction to the problem? I thought about making a "clamp" out of metal that I could "wrap" around the whole spring pack toward the axle but don't want to cause more problems. HELP!!!!!!

Thanks!

NGM

Sounds like the spring pack warped.. Unusual, but not unheard of. Get a new leafspring from Ford. They are not that expensive.

Ronco

Warped? I guess I haven't heard of that. What actually happens? I guess I'll check the wrecking yards for a used one rather than buy a new one as it would seem necessary to replace both sides.

transmaster

Don't go for a used leaf spring pack you have no idea what it's history is. either get the OEM part or get an after market set.
http://store.summitracing.com/egnsea...=KeywordSearch

The OEM part is available directly from Ford Autoparts see below

Leaf spring, f150, standard payload, w/o super crew, w/o lightning - f150 1997-03, heritage 2004 - F150 1997-03, HERITAGE 200497-04 $159.00 $118.06
http://www.forddirectonline.com/part...97&catalogid=1

Be sure to use new bushes, and U bolts.
It is up to you but this is another area where I would replace the other leaf spring as well what ever caused the leaf spring to fail might have also damaged the other so it is a safety thing. Having said this if you get the OEM spring it should be the same as the original on the otherside
so you could just replace the failed part.