+2 long travel preload/taco lean issue

My preload setting is a full 1” different side to side and I’m still a full 1/2”-5/8” different on ride height. Driver side lower. I’m beginning to suspect a bad/weak spring. I know some of this is normal but this seems really excessive at this point. I’ve been driving it for three days waiting for some settling but it hasn’t happened. If anything it’s worse. Should I contact king for a replacement?

edit: it’s more like 3/4” out see photos




passenger 8 1/2” to fender


Driver 9 1/4” to fender

 

What’s the length of your springs now?

 

have you checked your radiator core wall body mount bushings ? They are known to crush / wear out on the driver’s side due to the weight of the battery. That can cause the drivers side fender to “ lean “

 

Under preload with weight on them? What will that tell you?

 

16,000 miles on the truck and the frame to ground measurements tell the same story

 

Did you check markings on the coils to make sure they are the same rating?

 

Yes , both 600lbs

 

can you take a pic of each lower control arm looking head on from the front

 

the lower spring mounts are even if that’s what your thinking, passenger side looks even more extended in this pic but that’s from just letting it off the jack and not being settled, all parts moved freely during install, no noises, no binding and it drives great

 

Since it was asked if the the spring rate was the same for both springs. I wonder what the tolerances are for the spring. Just think if it was +/- 25lbs you could have a 625 and a 575. But I would not jump to this. Take measurements from the frame and make sure springs and spring seats are seated correctly and that both shocks have the same length ends.

 

To determine if it’s a spring defect you could try swapping the coil overs to the other side after setting preload to zero and measuring first. Obviously the resi won’t be in the right spot and I don’t know if it would clear the UCA, but the mounting points should be symmetrical and would keep you from having to swap the coils to test it out. Need to roll around a bit to settle the suspension after jacking from the front though.

 

I just disconnected the limit straps and checked shock length at full droop, the left is 1/16” shorter, so their basically the same. Lower mounts and lower end link are the same also, nothing to indicate mechanically what’s wrong so far

 

yea.. sounds like fun tearing into it again.. just did two full days on the build plus alignment.. and I have a Moab trip coming up. Sigh....

 

Wouldn’t take an hour to swap them if you’re familiar with doing it and you don’t have to lose alignment. I never touch the LCA bolts, only disconnect the UCA from the spindle, ABS or brake brackets, and pull the shock

 

Just being lazy today, Waited a long time for this setup and paid accutune to tune and assemble the shocks and now I got to tear into it again. I’ll report back with my findings in a bit .

 

I was curious to see the lbj / uniball area as any mistakes or defects at that location would lower that corner bit i don’t see anything. Might want to double check everything at the lbj adapt.


It would be highly unusual to have a defective spring and if you did have a weaker spring you would think that you would see an obvious difference in the coil gaps.

Swapping sides is the next logical trouble shooting step

 

Got the shocks off and measured everything and topped out the adjusters. The left one was wayy looser as I threaded out the adjuster. It even has about an 1/8” of play on the perches. I think it’s clear at this point that it’s a bad spring.

Right, no play, still a little bit of preload topped out


left, shorter by 1/8”, zero preload topped out

Shock length is the same, I double checked

 

Glad you got it figured out, sorry for the bad luck especially having to wait for such a long lead time. I don’t think bad coils are very common, but it looks like you have one or maybe a mislabeled one? Don’t know which is more likely.

 

Yea maybe mislabeled, it’s definitely a way different rate between them. Calling accutune first thing tomorrow to sort it out.

 

Will they be open tomorrow? I would ask them on there forum page and maybe even message them on Facebook.