Shop screwed up spring install

[chas0218]

So i had a local shop install thuren front leveling springs, shock extenders and adjustable track bar along with an alignment. I got the truck back and it had a rattle noise when hitting larger bumps shopsaid it was because of the taller springs. I didn't think too much of it as i figured the springs were taller and likely making more noise than stock. Well I started to get a little annoyed by the sound and started investigating. Come to find out the shop that installed the springs and did the alignment didn't center the front end. My axle was easily 2" to the passenger side causing the drivers side spring to rub on a bolt head.

The spring isn't in horrible shape but chewed up a bit and the bolt the same. Would it be in my best interest to get the spring replaced? I got the front end somewhat straightened out but I'm pissed that they didn't do their job. Any suggestions on how to handle this?

 

[AH64ID]

So they installed the adjustable track bar and didn’t adjust it? I’d have them buy you a new spring and bolt.

How much of a level kit?

 

[H3LZSN1P3R]

How could they do an alignment without centering the axle… it would throw the alignment machine way off

 

[AH64ID]

How could they do an alignment without centering the axle… it would throw the alignment machine way off

Not really, the alignment machine doesn’t know, or care, how the axle is centered in the truck. All it’s looking at it caster, camber, and toe.

That’s probably what the monkeys running it thought thou, so they didn’t adjust it.

 

[H3LZSN1P3R]

Not really, the alignment machine doesn’t know, or care, how the axle is centered in the truck. All it’s looking at it caster, camber, and toe.

That’s probably what the monkeys running it thought thou, so they didn’t adjust it.

Any of the ones i have ever ran would never work with the axle out like that. Same reason there is special brackets for aligning duallys to get the heads in mine with each other

 

[G Mcpherson]

Doesn't the Track Bar keep the Axle Centered. I don't see how it could be 2" out to the side. Thuren sends out their track Bar adjusted. I've done 4 Truck installs and never had that issue. Get them to replace the Parts that were damaged.

 

[H3LZSN1P3R]

Doesn't the Track Bar keep the Axle Centered. I don't see how it could be 2" out to the side. Thuren sends out their track Bar adjusted. I've done 4 Truck installs and never had that issue. Get them to replace the Parts that were damaged.

They could have adjusted it and did it wrong the people who installed it could be clueless you never know…

 

[G Mcpherson]

Clueless.

 

[jadmt]

let's see photos.

 

[ClawSS]

I didn't touch the trackbar adj. on my install. Thuren said it was good out of the box so I went with it.
Haven't aligned the truck yet either...been a few thousand miles. Probably ought to do that.

 

[jetrinka]

That sucks OP. I'd be bringing it to the shops attention and having them buy you a new spring and bolt to be installed at another shop after giving you your money back... I wouldn't trust them. Anyone who doesn't know the axle of a solid front axle truck moves to the side after lifting and needs to be re-centered shouldn't be touching anything in the front end IMO...

 

[hookedup2407]

Man, i went through something very similar.. nightmare of install.. trackbar wasn’t set right.. spring rubbed on the perch. Springs weren’t clocked correctly. Can you post pics of the bolt and spring?

 

[chas0218]

So they installed the adjustable track bar and didn’t adjust it? I’d have them buy you a new spring and bolt.

How much of a level kit?

Yup, that seems to be exactly what they did.

How could they do an alignment without centering the axle… it would throw the alignment machine way off

That's what my neighbor said. He said the truck must've been dog walking something bad.

That sucks OP. I'd be bringing it to the shops attention and having them buy you a new spring and bolt to be installed at another shop after giving you your money back... I wouldn't trust them. Anyone who doesn't know the axle of a solid front axle truck moves to the side after lifting and needs to be re-centered shouldn't be touching anything in the front end IMO...

I agree, I'm fully capable of doing the install of all this myself but I don't have a lift and it has been cold outside. I have a gravel driveway and the truck won't fit in in my garage so I figured just have it done seeing as I wanted an alignment afterwards anyway. I'm thinking they adjusted the front axle with it up in the air instead of on the ground. I mean that would require getting on the ground to adjust it. I'm not sure if it was pure laziness or just clueless.

I didn't think this was that hard of a job, I'm taking it back to them and having them do the Thuren alignment specs and asking for a printout when they are done. I only have a picture of the spring and bolt where it was rubbing. Once I figured out what was going on I wanted to get it adjusted keep any further damage from happening. I forgot to add it is a 3" "level". The front and rear of the truck are within 3/16" of each other

 

[chas0218]

Here are the pictures, i had the stock wheels and tires on at the time i noticed the offset. On the side that rubbed I couldn't get my hand behind the spring on the passenger side I could get my wrist through the opening. On the tape measure from the bump stop edge out to the spring it was 3&1/2" on the passenger side and less than 1" on the driver side.

 

[chas0218]

I didn't touch the trackbar adj. on my install. Thuren said it was good out of the box so I went with it.
Haven't aligned the truck yet either...been a few thousand miles. Probably ought to do that.

I didn't use the Thuren track bar, it's the Rough Country adjustable trackbar. I wish I had at this point.

 

[Riddick]

Here are the pictures, i had the stock wheels and tires on at the time i noticed the offset. On the side that rubbed I couldn't get my hand behind the spring on the passenger side I could get my wrist through the opening. On the tape measure from the bump stop edge out to the spring it was 3&1/2" on the passenger side and less than 1" on the driver side.

The question you need to ask yourself is do you want this shop touching your truck anymore? Clearly they are at fault for the spring rubbing on the bolt, the track bar was not set to the correct length. The damage is clearly cosmetic, I would leave the spring and bolt alone and focus on centering the axle yourself. If the scratches bother you that much hit it with a can of spray paint can or some type of rust converter to prevent it from rusting. My fears of taking the truck back to the shop is they will mess something else up.

For centering the axle make sure the truck is parked on a level surface. Either use some type of straight edge or plumb bob off the fender area and measure from the straight edge to the rim. This will let you know how much you need to adjust the track bar. You should be able to get it centered after a few adjustments, shouldn't take any longer than 15 minutes.

 

[Bigdodge]

Also the springs should be installed so that you can read the Thuren logo and part number from the outside. They are on upside down and maybe on the wrong side.
Sent from my Pixel 6 Pro using Tapatalk

 

[G Mcpherson]

I believe Thuren gives a measurement for the setting of the track bar center to center. Look at their instructions.

 

[chas0218]

I believe Thuren gives a measurement for the setting of the track bar center to center. Look at their instructions.

I'll have to look and see, that would be very helpful.

The question you need to ask yourself is do you want this shop touching your truck anymore? Clearly they are at fault for the spring rubbing on the bolt, the track bar was not set to the correct length. The damage is clearly cosmetic, I would leave the spring and bolt alone and focus on centering the axle yourself. If the scratches bother you that much hit it with a can of spray paint can or some type of rust converter to prevent it from rusting. My fears of taking the truck back to the shop is they will mess something else up.

For centering the axle make sure the truck is parked on a level surface. Either use some type of straight edge or plumb bob off the fender area and measure from the straight edge to the rim. This will let you know how much you need to adjust the track bar. You should be able to get it centered after a few adjustments, shouldn't take any longer than 15 minutes.

Yeah I don't really want to have them do the work but the truck isn't pulling to the left or right and the steering wheel was perfectly centered. That leads me to think they did an alignment. I already had a Krown treatment done to the truck (i live in the NE with salt and brine) so paint at this point won't stick unless I strip all the rust prevention oil off.

 

[Rockcrawlindude]

Nothing in this thread surprises me.

If you want something done right, you have to do it yourself.

Most shops are barely capable of changing your oil without causing damage. Very few shops are good at mechanic-ing and even even fewer are capable of installing a lift kit. Fewer still are capable of installing that lift kit properly.