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wandering rear end

8K views 13 replies 8 participants last post by  LEXDAWG 
#1 ·
The rear end on my truck feels like it is wandering or twisting while I drive. It feels like it lags behind my initial input to the steering, such as changing lanes, and I have to counter steer to get it back in shape. Also, on the freeway, if anyone passes me, even a small car, it feels like I am being passed by a semi while I am towing. I can feel the rear end push out when they first start passing me and I have to counter steer to stay in the lane.

This problem didn't happen overnight since the truck drove just fine for the first few years. I started to feel it about 2 years ago and it has just gotten worse and worse. Now its getting ridiculously hard to drive without weaving back and forth in the lane.

I have traction bars, E rated tires, the bearings are relatively new (installed in October), PRG shackles, and air bags so the rear should be pretty rigid. I have also had multiple alignments, the last one was Monday since I put new tires on.

The only thing I think it could be is worn leaf packs. I noticed that my rear axle is off center by about 1/2". Looking from the rear of the truck toward the front, the leaf springs look like they bow out causing this offset. Would this cause the rear end to wander back and forth? Any other thoughts on what it could be? I don't want to spend a bunch of money on leaf springs if that isn't the problem.
 
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#3 ·
I think your rear end maybe loose and its drifting to one side. You should probably have that checked. It could become dangerous.
 
#5 ·
When I got new tires last year, my rear end was coming out from under me as well... wait til your tread wears down some... drive it hard or do a couple burn outs to wear the tread a little (if its absolutely unbearable) and the problem should go away.. its basically all the new thick tread that's making you to sway back and forth.
 
#7 ·
I'm pretty sure its not the tires as I've only had them a week and I've had the problem for a while. However, it seems that the heavier tires do make it more apparent when changing directions but they also help keep things straight when I want to go straight.

Is the wheelbase on passenger and driver side equal?
Good question. What would be the best way to measure this? Just a simple tape measure from center hub to center hub?
 
#9 ·
Alright, well the wheelbases are pretty much equal, if not the same. Driver side was about 139.5" and passenger side was 139.75". But that 1/4" difference could easily be measurement error considering the official specs say 139.8".

I also did a little more measuring. The distance from the outside tread of the tire to the frame was 1/2" different on each side. The driver side measured 15" while the passenger side measured 15.5".

However, I also measured the distance from the brake shield to the leaf spring perch on the axle, and those were both the same at 6.5". So my offset is not from the perches on the axle, but from something in the suspension.
 
#10 ·
Broken leaf spring? Loose U-bolts? Is the axle shaft still firmly attached to the axle? Don't laugh, this happened to my father on an International Harvester Travel-All. The axle shaft just started coming out of the axle while he was driving down the road.
 
#11 ·
I think I would call PRG and ask for advice, since you bought a bunch of his stuff, and he is pretty likely to be able to help you. And yeah, it would suck if the axle shaft came out, but as long as the bearing is pressed on all the way and the bearing cage bolts are tight, it shouldn't be going anywhere. You can easily jack it up and push-pull on the tire to check for excess axial play. It does seem that if the rear axle and perches are correct that it has to be something with the springs, U-bolts, spring eye, shackle, bushings or the mounts for the shackle and spring eye on the frame. I don't have traction bars, but I guess it would be pretty hard to get them on crooked enough to shift the rear axle housing by 1/2" ?
 
#13 ·
I don't think it would be the traction bars mainly because the truck was already like this before all of the suspension modifications were done. Also, they are put on relative to the axle. The mounting brackets are connected to the axle, then the traction bars are bolted on to those brackets and pushed up to the frame to locate the mounting points on the frame. As for lose stuff, I have checked every bolt and they are all torqued down to spec.

Thanks for all your input guys. I might just look for a set of used leaf packs for cheap and see if that helps. I mean, it can't make it any worse, right? Otherwise, I guess I will have to take it in and have someone check it out to see if something on the frame is bent.

On a side note, I got my 22" Magnaflow on today (sounds awesome), so that makes me happier about my truck!
 
#14 ·
Did you ever figure this out?! I am having the same issue with my truck... Off a half inch my leaf packs look like they are twisting or something on one side and are no longer lined up... I took my wheels off, shocks off, loosened leafs, tried to move it... adjusted u bolts... retorqued everything... its driving me craaaazy!!!!
 
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