2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission Strange discovery

[wlowe]

I was crawling around under my truck today inspecting for any problems. Found my drivers side front coil spring was no longer in the bottom perch. It had shifted about an inch forward and was resting on the perch rim. I took a hammer and a block of wood and beat it back into place. When it slipped back in it sounded like a gun going off. I'm stumped on how this couild have happened. I don't recall hitting any large bumps in the recent past. Haven't done any front end work recently, only some shocks a couple of years ago.



Very strange! Anybody else ever have this happen?

 

[SRath]

Have you been in any severe off-camber situations? Like on a sidehill or something? Done any severe wheel-hopping in 4wd? That would be an alarming thing to find.

 

[Bob V]

Most likely it is from when they changed the shocks.

 

[Seane1987]

Didn't have to mess with my springs when I did my shocks, they came out the top. We've had some Oshkosh Firetrucks actually shoot the coil spring out of the side of the truck in extreme off camber situations, this doesn't sound like the case though, It might have been that way since it was new, you may have just never noticed?? I agree though-strange

 

[wlowe]

Didn't have to mess with my springs when I did my shocks, they came out the top. We've had some Oshkosh Firetrucks actually shoot the coil spring out of the side of the truck in extreme off camber situations, this doesn't sound like the case though, It might have been that way since it was new, you may have just never noticed?? I agree though-strange

You may be right, maybe it has been that way since it was new and I just never noticed it. Removing shocks doesn't require loosening the coils so I don't think that is it. No extreme off camber situations, no off road, my truck is basically a pavement princess that tows once or twice a year.

 

[ewcmr2]

Jack up the front end by the frame and see if the shocks are long enough to allow the spring to unseat.

 

[DieselDoghouse]

What ewcmr2 says. Jacking the truck up off the front axle and springs is how many of us have (finally) learned to change front shocks without having to fight them in place... they may have done this, badly!

 

[Bob V]

If they changed shocks and used a frame lift to get get under the truck the axle will drop enough to dislodge the spring when the shock is out or unbolted. I remember back when I worked at Sears Auto Center (long time ago) when ever we had a newbie changing shocks the rear coil springs on most of the GM products would fall out and roll down the bay when they lifted up the car(shock unbolted)

 

[wlowe]

If they changed shocks and used a frame lift to get get under the truck the axle will drop enough to dislodge the spring when the shock is out or unbolted. I remember back when I worked at Sears Auto Center (long time ago) when ever we had a newbie changing shocks the rear coil springs on most of the GM products would fall out and roll down the bay when they lifted up the car(shock unbolted)

Yea, I never thought about it before but I guess the shock is the only thing holding the spring in when the suspension is fully extended. Unfortuneatly I was the one who changed the shocks and I didn't extend the suspension.

The shocks I used were Bilstein 5100's, part number BE5-6681-H5. They were listed for a 2001 dodge Ram 4X4 with a 0-2 inch lift. Maybe the travel in these shocks is longer than stock which caused the spring to slip. But I sure don't remember any situation where I extended my suspension that much.

I'll keep an eye on it and if it happens again I will either change the shocks or put a leveling kit in it. Oo.