Forum Discussion

chefdc1's avatar
chefdc1
Explorer
Aug 02, 2017

Right Rear is drooping.

THe back right wheel well is almost touching the tires; the left side has a 3"-4" gap. What's wrong? Leaf Spring?
It is a 1997 Damon Hornet 2754B, Class C, Ford E350 Super Duty.
  • I don't think there is an airbag. How can I check the leaf spring.
  • chefdc1 wrote:
    I don't think there is an airbag. How can I check the leaf spring.


    Look at it.....
  • check the mounting areas where the springs attach to the body. check for corrosion or bent areas as well as loose fasteners. is the unit empty when you saw this? could be unevenly loaded, although if it's that much, there might be an issue.
  • j-d's avatar
    j-d
    Explorer II
    By all means, look at the attaching points, but also inspect the springs themselves.

    Look carefully at the "good" spring on one side, then carefully compare it with the other spring, in detail. I think you'll find that a leaf or leaves is bent, broken, or missing. May be broken and the broken end missing.

    Do you have an E-350, or an E-Super Duty (which became known as E-450 a few years later)? Now, they're called E-350 Super Duty and E-450 Super Duty. If your Ford door jamb sticker says the GVWR is 14,050 pounds, then it's E-Super Duty.

    Anyhow, Leaf Springs are simple and look massive, but they still don't last forever. Spring shops can repair or replace your leaf spring packs. We had an older Class C on Ford E-350 and added a "repair leaf" to each side. A shop can confirm this, but I don't think I'd put a repair leaf or leaves in one side without doing the same to the other. To put it another way, if the third leaf down from the top is broken on the right, I'd pull the corresponding third leaf down on the left spring (even if apparently OK) and put the same repair leaves in both packs.
  • X2

    Metal fatigues. The older the coach the more metal fatigue on the leaf springs.

    On my first used MH I added a leaf to each side. WHAT a difference. No more tail dragging into gas station driveways. And it improved my handling tremendously.

    If you have one side sitting that low, sounds like one of the leaf springs broke. BTW you can look at the leaf assembly and see all of them in place where they are strapped in and STILL have one of them cracked in the middle and it just did not fall out. But it now does not have the correct support.

    I took mine to a frame shop that specializes in stuff like that. They had a whole mathematical equation computer system on what to correctly install. It was 'not' that expensive either. Stay AWAY from taking it to any RV dealership and/or RV repair shop.
  • Our new to us 2002 Minnie is low in back. My guess is that the rear is down 1-1/2 to 2 inches below stock height. Just old age / metal fatigue.

    We are having both spring packs replaced at the end of the month. I am getting heavier/thicker than stock springs. With any luck, I will see a 3" rise and much improved handling.
  • j-d's avatar
    j-d
    Explorer II
    We bought a 1984 Class C on a 1983 E350. It sagged and it swayed. None of the leaves was broken, but we heard that "re-arching" them doesn't last. So we added a "repair leaf" to each side. It made a huge difference. On the downside, the added lift in the rear, meant it always sat nose low. That doesn't matter on a passenger vehicle or a cargo truck, but on our RV it meant that we always had to run the front wheels up on blocks to be level on a level site.

    Lift in back is nice, cuts down on dragging. Just don't get carried away.