Good news... I don't need new front end parts (ball joints Etc.). My leafs along with the all the bushings are shot . Looking at my truck from the front it sits lower by an inch on the drivers side. And no wise cracks about my weight. Looking at it from either side it sits lower in the rear. That said, are the front leafs supposed to be straight with no arc what so ever?
The rear has a four inch lift block between the axle and spring pack and no lift that I can tell in the front. The front springs are comprised of six leafs and the GAWR is 4060#. I would like a slightly higher in the rear stance on the truck. Should I have the rears re-arced and new bushings all around or just get new springs with new bushings all around? The rear GAWR is 6084#. What do you guys think? I haul and tow some weight several times a month 4to 10k lbs. I have seen the threads on airbags and I am not sure that is the way to go. (Don't Know) My truck is very smooth riding on the road. I just put some Firestone TransForce 265/75/16 E's on today and they are very smooth over the old Pirelli's. Any input is always appreciated.
You guys rock!

Joseph

P.S. Hey Dave is there a Georgia Chapter of DTR?

 

Re-arching does not last long.

Local chapter info here: https://www.dieseltruckresource.com/...ad.php?t=21919

 

In my personal opinoin (depending on the amount of $ you want to spend) I would have the fronts re arched and put a air bag system on all 4 corners. I know it will be expencive but you will probably be happy you did it in the end. But like I said thats just my oipion. Ryan

 

The front spring will have a slight negative arch. I did brand new in the front and they are over backwards a little. If the truck sits level than the back springs are tired. New rears will lift it up a little but I'm not sure how much. Somebody correct me if I'm wrong but I don't think the OE springs had bushing in between in the first place. That fact helps explain the "spirited" ride these trucks are known for.

 

Sorry for not making it clearer. The bushings I referred to were the leaf spring shackle bushings that connect between the leaf-shackle-frame. They are round and the connecting bolts slip through them on both the leaf and the frame.

 

I was talking to a local spring shop round' here about properly re-arching. I have a 2.5" front lift that will be put on at some time, and I explained to him that I wanted to keep the original stance--->rear high. He told me that the only way to properly re-arch a spring pack is to re-arch + another leaf. He did not hesitate to state that rearched springs do not last, making the additional leaf necessary. I got a $350 quote to do so....doesnt seem bad compared to new rears.

 

I would buy a 1 or 2 inch lift spring for the front and have the rears rearched. A good shop will insert a couple of new leafs in between the old tis will net you about 3 inch lift in the rear and about 3 in the front since your old OEM springs are sagging now. Front and rear will eventually settle about an inch.
You should post this on Pirate4x4.com Dodge section. There's probably a handfull guys that have figured this one out already.

 

According to the Spring Research Institute the front springs on a diesel powered truck is positive 3/4 inch. Energy Suspension has a front urethane bushing kit for these trucks but no rears. You can make rears out of chevy rear bushing kit with a steel bushing sourced from DOM tubing of the correct size. It seems as though all Dodges sag in the LF partially because of the extra weight of the battery, steering components and of course the driver seated in the drivers seat.

I have lifted many a truck by re-arching the springs and yes they do seem to drop over time. New springs are just that, but they are made of the same material as the old ones. The best luck I have had is to take the springs apart and have them heated in a furnace, set to new specs on a buck and the quenced in an oil bath. After that fit them individually on an anvil with a very heavy sledge hammer and re-install. Always slightly over-arch to compensate for settling.

Hope this helps, if not sorry for butting in.

 

Just another note, my tuck has the large 6" blocks in the rear. It may be that you had the 4" version to have it site more level unloaded. you may be able to find the 6" blocks from someone that went to the skyjacker replacement leafs in the rear. I added a long add a leaf to the rear and it raised it about 1.5".

Jim

 

about rearching my front end leafs were bent all the way to the rubber stopper a had them rearched 2 years ago they are not positive or negative there are still level no added leafs either and i do have a snowplow and ran it in the woods for a while including mud runs etc so for 300$ i say im pretty satisfied with the results however i did not go over board i only had them arched so it would give me 3inches higher then what it was when sitting on rubber stopper

good no good you be the judge im satisfied for now

 

https://www.dodgeparts.com/oe_parts_...69243fc452aefd

if your looking for OEM springs, try that. Thats hwere I plan to buy mine, unless anyone knows of an OEM dealer that sells them for less....