Passenger side front spring seat failure

[rwc265]

Not the greatest pictures I know but I think it speaks for itself. Just uh... yeah. Went over a sharp grade decrease only doing 30, and the spring seat snapped and is now being shoved into the LCA. Shock is definitely not shocking on that side, driver side spring seat is intact but the driver side looks low too, my guess is the shocks are original to the truck, so 134k/15 years.

I got the parts to fix this, but I'm not sure if the truck will make it 30 miles to the shop so I can swap them out. When you hit unavoidable bumps now, it gets this aggressive rumble strip noise and feeling that hasn't gone away until you come to almost a stop, then it doesn't happen again until you hit another bump. I'm not sure if it ever stops on its own, I've been too afraid to test it. Besides that there's some mild popping on some turns that are a bit tight. I'm not sure if this is just because of the very broken strut, or if there's something critically wrong with this CV axle angle since the spring is pushing that side down. There was no feeling of anything out of place on the suspension until this strut broke, so I'm hoping it didn't take anything else out like a ball joint. Any ideas what's making that noise, and if it'll make it 30 miles?

 

[GlennSullivan]

Classic northeast, liquid calcium chloride damage. destroys underside of vehicles.

Drive slowly and keep to side roads. Also while it is there, have the entire suspension and driveline thoroughly checked, I'm going to be that spring perch is not the only damage you have. Especially check brake and power steering hard lines.

 

[rwc265]

As far as I can tell without a lift, it's just that spring seat for the moment. Shock tower itself is still intact, and it made it the rest of the way home when it happened so for the moment the brake lines seem fine. As long as that noise isn't the axle being damaged, today I'm gonna slowly get it to the shop and inspect.

 

[GlennSullivan]

As far as I can tell without a lift, it's just that spring seat for the moment. Shock tower itself is still intact, and it made it the rest of the way home when it happened so for the moment the brake lines seem fine. As long as that noise isn't the axle being damaged, today I'm gonna slowly get it to the shop and inspect.

Is the spring touching the axle? Is so have it towed / flatbed

 

[rwc265]

No, turns out the spring is doing that noise all by itself, no axle binding and it made it to the shop

 

[GlennSullivan]

No, turns out the spring is doing that noise all by itself, no axle binding and it made it to the shop

Great. Do make sure you and / or the tech look over the entire underside of the vehicle while it is up in the air. Having a lift, has been a great benefit for me to see many under vehicle issues that are not easily visible otherwise.

 

[rwc265]

In this case, I am the tech lol.

 

[rwc265]

Suspension feels alright, got no movement shaking up and down on the tire, ball joints seem fine. I confirmed, at the right travel height with this shock broken, that's what it is. Axle shaft rubs the spring. Didn't become apparent until the suspension was decompressed on the lift but it didn't grind that much. It's in 2A as well, my understanding is that the axle shouldn't even be spinning but that's why I'm also putting on those Dorman vacuum delete IWEs

 

[GlennSullivan]

In this case, I am the tech lol.

Most times that works to your advantage LOL

 

[rwc265]

I've been doing my own work for a while now, just now it's on an expedition. Used to be my 01 CVLX which is condemned from rust and a blown 4R70W. Haven't found any local shops I trust to work on my stuff, always having to bring it back, getting overcharged, etc