Rear end sagging on one side

[1994SEV6]

Hey guys, I know this is a Pathfinder forum, but I feel like this is the only place for 4x4 HBs to fit in. A lot of the other Hardbody forums are for those silly lowriders. Anyways, I figure Pathfinders and HBs are almost identical, so it's not that big of a deal. I do know that the Pathfinders had coil springs in the rear and HBs had leaf springs. I know a lot of Pathfinder owners also have/had at least one Hardbody, so maybe you know what I'm talking about.

 

So, I noticed that one side of my bed is lower than the other. This has been irritating me for a few months now (it's just another problem I have to deal with and I have to spend money on), and I'm not even sure I know what's going on. My leaf springs aren't the greatest, but I know they still have plenty of life lift in them. The more I look at it, the more confused I am. I don't think one side is sagging, I think one side is higher than the other. Like, one side is higher than it is supposed to be.

Maybe someone can enlighten me? Is it my torsion bars cranked up too high on one side? I think my bed might be bent/warped?

 

Here's me behind it in traffic

 

I know it's been in at least one accident/collision. The king cab panel on the drivers side consists almost solely of bondo. I found that out the hard way. And there is a weird shape to the bad of the cab. I assume someone hit the rear of the truck and the bed smashed into the cab and concaved it a little bit.

[ahardb0dy]

I know the hardbody's had a problem with the rear cab mounts sagging (check the body line between the cab and the bed and you will see) I put a washer between the body mount and the cab floor to make it even again.

 

As to your leaning problem, it may just be the leaf springs on one side are more wore out than the other, does it appear to sit level looking from the front? if so probably a leaf spring problem. If you don't want to get new springs I would get a pair from a donor junk yard truck. if you were to add a add a leaf to each side it may just lift it and still be uneven.

[adamzan]

make sure the frame isn't broken on that side

 

also measure the ride height, the fsm tells you how to do it.

[ahardb0dy]

can you post side view pics from each side?

[1994SEV6]

I'll get some more pictures later on. Currently, my truck doesn't have the torsion bars in. From a distance (about 100ft) in the dusk, it almost looked like the bed was level without the torsion bars. This just led me to be even more curious and confused about what could be causing this.

 

I haven't had my bed off to inspect every inch of the frame, but I've been under my truck on a creeper for the last few weeks and everything looks good. My frame is surprisingly rust free, in good shape, and doesn't look bent, warped, or cracked. It is very possible that I missed something though.

 

The truck looks perfect from the front. It is very level from the front. I will get pictures of the truck from the side, both looking at the bed and the damage to the cab. A friend of mine actually went so far as convincing me that someone took the leaf springs out, and put the bottom two in up-side-down. I took my truck to reputable suspension place and they said everything looked to be correct, but some things might be worn out. Also, one of my U bolts is bent somehow.

Edited December 5, 2011 by 1994SEV6

[silverton]

It looks to me like the bed is tweaked pretty bad, and it's probably just causing an illusion making you think it's sagging on one side.

[Precise1]

I know it's been in at least one accident/collision. The king cab panel on the drivers side consists almost solely of bondo. I found that out the hard way. And there is a weird shape to the bad of the cab. I assume someone hit the rear of the truck and the bed smashed into the cab and concaved it a little bit.

 

I'd bet it is either this or do you live in a rust state? The bed should not look like that with out some sort of major damage or component failure (which should be easy to spot).

As long as it drives fine, you just have a cosmetic issue. Measure the 4 corner heights (after verifying no sagging along the bed) top and bottom and graph it out. It'll tell you what is going on...

 

B

[1994SEV6]

It looks to me like the bed is tweaked pretty bad, and it's probably just causing an illusion making you think it's sagging on one side.

 

Yeah. That's what I was thinking, but I can't even imagine how that would happen.

[1994SEV6]

I'd bet it is either this or do you live in a rust state? The bed should not look like that with out some sort of major damage or component failure (which should be easy to spot).

As long as it drives fine, you just have a cosmetic issue. Measure the 4 corner heights (after verifying no sagging along the bed) top and bottom and graph it out. It'll tell you what is going on...

 

B

 

I don't live in a rust state per se. I don't live in the rust belt or anything, but rust can definitely happen here. Maryland does have salt on the roads. I have taken the bed liner off and it is in surprisingly good shape. Things like this and plenty of other half-assed things have made me a bit of a pessimist with this truck. There is only one small rust hole about the size of a dime in the bed. The only other rust on the truck is some bubbling paint on the rear fender flare

[Slartibartfast]

My first thought was a busted leaf spring, though the front would be off too if this was the case. Given the Bondo'd cab and the bent U bolt, I wouldn't be surprised if the collision it was in was enough to torque the frame or the body mounts. The damage probably wouldn't show up just looking at it unless it all happened in one spot (slow curve rather than kinked). Try measuring diagonally across the frame and comparing the sides or something?

 

Did the PO/dealer say anything about collision damage?

[1994SEV6]

My first thought was a busted leaf spring, though the front would be off too if this was the case. Given the Bondo'd cab and the bent U bolt, I wouldn't be surprised if the collision it was in was enough to torque the frame or the body mounts. The damage probably wouldn't show up just looking at it unless it all happened in one spot (slow curve rather than kinked). Try measuring diagonally across the frame and comparing the sides or something?

 

Did the PO/dealer say anything about collision damage?

 

If the frame is out of shape, could it be restored back to what it's supposed to be? I have a feeling it might require me cutting out a big chunk of the frame rail from a donor and welding it in.

 

No, the PO was very sneaky. I didn't realize any of it until after the sale. It was just a lot of things put together that were... eh, I can't even make excuses. It just seemed like the perfect one at the time. They are a little hard to come by around here.

[ahardb0dy]

If you have a FSM than this is in the body section if not check this out, you may be able to use this to tell if the frame is tweaked:

 

Couldn't tell from your pics if the truck is a regular or king cab so I'm including both diagrams, measurements are in mm:

 

4WD regular cab:

 

4wd King cab:

Edited December 5, 2011 by ahardb0dy

[Slartibartfast]

My understanding is that a frame shop could bend it back, but I don't know what they'd charge or what this would involve.

[silverton]

My understanding is that a frame shop could bend it back, but I don't know what they'd charge or what this would involve.

 

My guess is going to be very very deep pockets.

[1994SEV6]

I would post in the garage section, but I'm a little guilty of posting my D21 stuff in a Pathfinder forum so I'll just post it here. A while ago I posted pictures of how my rear was not level. It would seem that one side is sagging, but that's not the case. One side is HIGHER than it should be.

 

When I first got the truck, I noticed this and took a look under. It looks like two of my leafs on one leaf spring are upsidedown. A few of my friends agreed that's what it looks like. I took it to a very reputable suspension shop (a family friend personally knows the owner. This shop does all the suspension for the county vehicles. He specializes on trucks with leaf springs that have 20 or so leafs).

 

The owner of the suspension shop took a look under it and it said nothing was out of place or put in wrong, it just looked worn out. Now..when you look at it, it OBVIOUSLY seems like something is up-side-down, but this guy is an expert. Since it wasn't hurting anything, I just left it alone. I made my dad take another look and he is 100% certain that it is the leaf springs up-side-down.

 

I don't know what to do. I have an expert telling me one thing, but common sense and 10 other people saying something else.

Take a look and tell me what you think

 

Here's my problem if you didn't see it earlier

 

Here is a picture of the leafs that look up-side-down. Sorry it's a little blurry, I had to zoom in. Yes, they DO bend downwards, that's not a shadow

Here it is again.

Driver's side leaf

UGH..this is a bunch of bondo..isn't it?

Notice how the cab curves inward. This is probably from a pretty solid rear-end collision

The bed touching the cab

Looks like some more bondo?

The bed is NOT touching the cab on this side

 

Bent U-bolt...what is this I don't even..

 

I know a lot of people on here own/have owned Hardbodys, so maybe you can answer some of my questions and help me out. No need to comment on why I bought it..I don't even remember. I just want to get it fixed and keep it for a long time.

 

Also...

Edited December 16, 2011 by 1994SEV6

[ahardb0dy]

That truck must have taken quite a whack to bend the U-bolt!! Not to mention how the bed is tweaked. Also noticed in your pics that the one overload leaf spring looks like it is missing the tapered end. The U-bolt holds the leaf spring to the rear axle.

[1994SEV6]

That truck must have taken quite a whack to bend the U-bolt!! Not to mention how the bed is tweaked. Also noticed in your pics that the one overload leaf spring looks like it is missing the tapered end. The U-bolt holds the leaf spring to the rear axle.

 

Yes, despite its subtlety, I am, in fact, aware that the bed is "Tweaked". That's why I'm posting this thread..to figure out why.

Is it the suspension or something more minister, such as the frame?

[silverton]

Yeah, those two really thick "leafs" are overload springs. It's so the actually spring can't bend too far the wrong direction. in the one super fuzzy picture, it looks like it's actually broken? Personally, I'd take the bed off and junk it, cause that's what it is. You need to find a clean bed, and replace the leafs (including the overloads) and u-bolts.

[1994SEV6]

Yeah, those two really thick "leafs" are overload springs. It's so the actually spring can't bend too far the wrong direction. in the one super fuzzy picture, it looks like it's actually broken? Personally, I'd take the bed off and junk it, cause that's what it is. You need to find a clean bed, and replace the leafs (including the overloads) and u-bolts.

I don't think it's the bed though. The bed is secured down by the frame and suspension, right? So if the bed was twisted, it would just be forced down by the frame. The bed can't pull the frame out of place.

 

Would the ultimate test be to take the bed off, and put it on flat ground? It would be balanced on the two diagonal corners, and the twisted corners of the bed would be up in the air?

 

Kinda like when your chair doesn't have a cap on it, and it wobbles from one diagonal leg to the other.

[Tungsten]

Like you said, take the bed off and lay it down. Then do some measuring on the frame to make sure the frame was not bent out of shape.

[1994SEV6]

Like you said, take the bed off and lay it down. Then do some measuring on the frame to make sure the frame was not bent out of shape.

OK. I'll do that when I have some spare time. I guess I want to hope for the bed to be the problem? If not then it's the frame? and nobody thinks the suspension is a little suspect? I expected this thread to be filled with people telling me it was for sure the suspension causing the problem

 

Those leafs look ok? except for missing some tapered ends or something?

[BowTied]

I tend to agree with Silverton. I would take it to a reputable bodyshop for a frame check. If tweaked they can likely pull it.

 

I also agree with the spring expert and what was noted above about the spring support.

 

Sux, but should be very fixable with new spring packs and u-bolts. The body shop should be able to give you an idea if the box is worth saving. If that is bondo, you are only seeing a portion of whats there in all likelihood.

[Slartibartfast]

Here's why I don't think it's the suspension. From the front, it looks level. From the rear, it doesn't. If one of the rear springs was wonky, making one side higher, that side would be higher on the front as well. You can't have a flat rectangle where three corners are at one height, and the fourth is higher. Assuming the frame is in one piece, and is flat, this is impossible. Between that, the patched-over body damage, and the bent-up U bolt, there's no way you're rolling on a straight frame.

 

Or your bed mounts could be buggered. Given the bent U-bolt, though, I'm still betting on the frame.

[nunya]

I've merged the 2 topics as you have already started 1 thread on this problem, there is no need for 2. Remember you can just post in a topic to bring it back to the top of results, not necessary to make a new one because you don't see it anymore and miss it.

 

 

As for your issue, as has been already said (and ahardb0dy even gave you dimensions) start measuring. The fact the bumper sits level with the bed removes the fact it's a tweaked bed illusion (which that bed is a giant puddle anyway and who knows how bad it is underneath the bodywork that's falling out, let alone bodywork that AIN'T falling out yet), it's bolted to the frame-not the bed. The way the leafs are sitting though I would suspect a bend in the frame that is between the leaf mounting points, thus making both ends of the leaf on the left side 'closer' to each other, which will arch that side more, raising that side higher.

[1994SEV6]

I've merged the 2 topics as you have already started 1 thread on this problem, there is no need for 2. Remember you can just post in a topic to bring it back to the top of results, not necessary to make a new one because you don't see it anymore and miss it.

 

 

As for your issue, as has been already said (and ahardb0dy even gave you dimensions) start measuring. The fact the bumper sits level with the bed removes the fact it's a tweaked bed illusion (which that bed is a giant puddle anyway and who knows how bad it is underneath the bodywork that's falling out, let alone bodywork that AIN'T falling out yet), it's bolted to the frame-not the bed. The way the leafs are sitting though I would suspect a bend in the frame that is between the leaf mounting points, thus making both ends of the leaf on the left side 'closer' to each other, which will arch that side more, raising that side higher.

thanks for merging it.

 

That's actually a really good point. Yeah. I'll look into it. I'm FINALLY finishing up with my transmission swap, so I'll probably take the bed off over winter break. I hope the bed isn't too heavy. A bent frame though? That sounds kinda hard to do..wouldn't my bumper be destroyed?