How to Prevent Leaf Spring Shifting?

Here are some other pictures of the leaf spring on the passenger side.

 

By looking at those pictures- I cant see anything too bad

 

Before I changed my leaf springs about 2 months ago, my steer tires were not wearing evenly. I tried all sorts of things. It looks like the flattened leaf spring on the passenger side was to blame. My truck is no longer leaning to one side even though now my leaf spring has shifted. To be honest, the leaf spring shifted in only a few days after they installed the new leaf springs.

 

Im assuming they reused those U-bolts- Those have to be changed also cause they stretch

 

I do not remember well. I am going to say they probably did change them. The leaf spring mechanic shop I use doesn’t use original Freightliner parts. That may explain why the u-bolts oxidized very quickly. I will check my receipts to see if they changed them.

Right now I am keeping a close eye and measuring my steer tires for any signs of excessive uneven wear. If I see it, I will have to take my truck to a different leaf spring shop. I wish I could do this work, but I am not sure if I can pull it off. I do have two 12 ton bottle jacks, but I am probably missing other tools like a high torque wrench.

 

Well,Depending how deep you are wanting ti stay in the game- Just another investment with tools- Wont break the bank- You can get a good starting setup for under $2k- Couple Guns-compressor- Sockets-Wrenches-Hammers-Pry Bars- Axle Nut sockets etc etc.......

Tools will pay for themselves in a year in savings on labor. Just depends on the individual, Some drivers just wont do it.Or don't have the space

 

Now your concern has changed from shifted leaves to irregular tire wear.
As for the shifted leaves that seams pretty normal to me. Not saying I like it.
There was a post on here about tire wear caused by the rubber spring end bushings. If I recall correctly it was posted by GrapeApe about Freightliners. The problem was corrected with a different style bushing.
You maybe able to find that in the top right search block.

 

I'm no spring expert but your post brings me to a few questions.

You said the mechanic told you the passenger side spring had flattened. That seems odd to me. Why would one spring flatten to the point that your truck would be leaning and the other spring still has good arch in it? That would suggest that the right front spring is carrying an excessive load.

You said that just a few days after they installed the spring it began shifting. Is that possible because again it is still carrying an excessive load?

I would check to make sure that you do not have a bent front axle or a bent frame. That would put excessive load to one side and can cause you uneven tire wear. Replacing the spring will help to make everything look like it's riding correctly, but the only way to really know is to put it on a flat concrete floor and measure. And if the same spring sags again, you're having some kind of problem.

I had a truck one time with a bent front axle. The truck held the road nicely but something just seemed off and I could not put my finger on it. One day I backed down into a steep hole to unload. I got out and went for a little walk and looked back at the truck and it was plain as day. I even had it at the spring shop and they took all kinds of measurements and never realized what it was.

Good luck.

 

Engine torque when pulling hard twists the frame. Loads up the passenger side and lifts the drivers side. The video is an extreme example but you get the idea:

 

I have seen trucks that the frames are actually Twisted from years of pulling heavy loads.