The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Driveline Bed sitting low on one side

I haven't crawled under it yet but the bed of my 54 is leaning/sitting lower on one side. I don't think it is just the bed. Bumper seems low also so i think the whole frame is low. I am planning to lift the bed off to replace the bed boards. While I have easy access, what should I look at?

Hi Dave,
There will be some wooden spacers between the frame and the bed...usually they are simple pieces of oak about 3 inches square into which a hole has been drilled in the center. If one of those breaks, it usually cracks at the hole and then it can fall out...leaving one side of the bed (usually one corner, really) leaning downward. If the bed hasn't been hit nor damaged I'd look there to see what's happening. Good luck.

Dave ,

Just a slightly different suggestion than Jon G, more in line with the topic of this forum.

A lower level/lean on one side that includes your bumper may be a sign you have a rear spring and/or shackle problem.

Check the shackle to be sure it's still attached to both the frame mount and rear spring eye and has same stand-off as the opposite side of the truck. Check the spring for a loss of arch compared to the other side and for damage/breakage at the spring eyes on either end as well as possible cracked/broken spring plates. Also check the axle to spring mount at the spring and spring to frame mounts for cracks or signs of movement.

Oh yeah, might as well check the shocks and shock mounts for good measure.

Snap and post a few pictures of the truck rear suspension (both springs/sides) and that may lead to more info.

Dan

I would start by parking on a flat surface and checking things with a tape measure. I don't trust my eyes 100% anymore. Check frame to axle on both sides, bumper to ground, ...

@Jon: He has a 54, so no wood spacer blocks.

Well, it is not good news. I had the truck in this morning getting new exhaust. I was able to look under at the frame. Right at the rear shackle where the leaf spring connects to the frame it is rusted pretty thin and the frame buckled right there. The rest of the frame seems pretty solid. I am hoping when I pull the bed off and can straighten it at that shackle and weld in a piece of reinforcement. I just had a fairly heavy load of concrete on the truck over the weekend. The so called straw that broke the camels back.

Sorry to hear that news Dave.

Good luck on the frame and spring mount repairs.

I have a 49-3100 and one side was leaning.
One of my friends told me if you were that old you would be leaning to!!!
I put four new springs on and problem was solved.

I don't think I am going to have any problem straightening the frame. I just hope I can reinforce it enough to be serviceable. It must be pretty thin in a couple places. Just for the heck of it I grabbed the back corner of the bed and lifted it up. I was able to pull it back up to where it should be and it stayed. Clearly needs a little strengthening.