Truck lean and harmonic damper

Discussion in 'Trucks [ Eighteen Wheelers ]' started by kitCat, Oct 14, 2013.

  1. kitCat

    kitCat Light Load Member

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    Oct 13, 2013
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    I just got a 2007 freightliner columbia I was looking at it and it has a nice lean to the passenger side. I checked the suspension out and found that the block that goes under the leaf spring is about inch shorter on the passenger side compared to the driver side. Are all columbias made like that? It has C15 acert engine in it with 600k on it, when should you replace the harmonic damper on it? Thank you all in advance
     
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  3. JohnP3

    JohnP3 Road Train Member

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    To repair the lean you put a flat ruler on the axle just outside of the spring and measure it to the ground, then jack up directly under the spring and measure the frame at the front untill it is level. the difference between the two measurement is the amount of spacers needed to get the truck level.
    To test a dampner you remove it, and bounce it from about 4 inches, on the edge, on the tire if it does not rattle it is good. If it is not visibly bent or bulging it is good.
    Just a thought!
     
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  4. DL550CAT

    DL550CAT Road Train Member

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    I could agree with the leveling of the truck the damper not so much. The elastomere can get hard and not do it's job. Your test will not confirm that. It's an age or mileage thing. If I remember correctly according to mfg specs it should have been replaced by now.
     
  5. SHO-TYME

    SHO-TYME Road Train Member

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    Replace the damper with an aftermarket unit, call Pittsburg Power, they can help you out. Mr. Haney might be able to, I can't remember.
     
  6. Ezrider_48501

    Ezrider_48501 Road Train Member

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    wouldn't it be easier to just measure from the bump stop to the frame on both sides? or is there some other reason for doing it the way you described?
     
  7. rollin coal

    rollin coal Road Train Member

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    Before you go adding spacers you might want to check the bushings in the spring hangers. If one is shot you'll get a lean. It'll make popping noises in turns.
     
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  8. Ezrider_48501

    Ezrider_48501 Road Train Member

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    i think i thought of my own answer to my own question, i suppose the bump stops are mounted to the top of the springs with the spacers to the bottom so that measurement wouldn't include the height of the original spacers.
     
  9. kitCat

    kitCat Light Load Member

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    Oct 13, 2013
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    Thank you all for the advice, I took it to a local shop they checked everything and everything was good. The dealer said my truck comes with two different size Z blocks for the springs, driver side is suppose to be bigger. The local shop said to get another driver side Z block and put it on the passenger side. So we did that and the lean is gone. On the damper I contacted vibratech tvd and ordered damper from them direct.
     
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