Leaf Spring Noise

Jacoby · August 7, 2019

38 minutes ago, flyingfool said:

you guys are better off spending $1000 for tuned rear leaf spring packs from a suspension shop. all the time you waste fighting with GM and dealerships makes no sense, shit you just spent $38,000 on the truck , what's another $1,000 in improvements.. the springs are not designed correctly but they are what they are . fix it yourself or live with it. GM cant legally admit guilt!

Hey daddy warbucks loan me $1000 so I can fix a design flaw with my truck.

Baytrucker · August 7, 2019

46 minutes ago, flyingfool said:

you guys are better off spending $1000 for tuned rear leaf spring packs from a suspension shop. all the time you waste fighting with GM and dealerships makes no sense, shit you just spent $38,000 on the truck , what's another $1,000 in improvements.. the springs are not designed correctly but they are what they are . fix it yourself or live with it. GM cant legally admit guilt!

This is exactly the type of complacent consumer attitude that allows GM to think they can get away with putting garbage quality stock parts into their trucks.

When you're bending over, don't forget to squeal.

royalkangaroo · August 7, 2019

Mine rear end noise was getting really bad. Driving across a field it sounded like the rear end was going to fall off.

Scrubbed and cleaned the leaf ends with brake clean to remove all grease from the dealer, inserted bike tube strips, quiet as a mouse.

Been 3 weeks now and they haven't moved a fraction of an inch. Seems promising.

flyingfool · August 7, 2019

58 minutes ago, Baytrucker said:

This is exactly the type of complacent consumer attitude that allows GM to think they can get away with putting garbage quality stock parts into their trucks.

When you're bending over, don't forget to squeal.

it's called globalism buddy, Made in Mexico, thankyou Bill Clinton for NAFTA

reardiff · August 7, 2019

2 hours ago, royalkangaroo said:

Mine rear end noise was getting really bad. Driving across a field it sounded like the rear end was going to fall off.

Scrubbed and cleaned the leaf ends with brake clean to remove all grease from the dealer, inserted bike tube strips, quiet as a mouse.

Been 3 weeks now and they haven't moved a fraction of an inch. Seems promising.

I tried all kinds of various lube and sprays nothing works and like you, it's getting pretty bad. How did you get the rubber pieces to stay in place, or did you pry the leaf's apart and then they rest on top of it when the weight is distributed? Any pictures of what you did or how it looks today? I really want to get this done but just not sure how and where exactly to insert the rubber.

Baytrucker · August 7, 2019

1 hour ago, reardiff said:

I tried all kinds of various lube and sprays nothing works and like you, it's getting pretty bad. How did you get the rubber pieces to stay in place, or did you pry the leaf's apart and then they rest on top of it when the weight is distributed? Any pictures of what you did or how it looks today? I really want to get this done but just not sure how and where exactly to insert the rubber.

The rubber basically needs to cover anywhere there is tension between the leafs. This requires taking weight off them; so you will need a jack. You will need to gently pry them apart with something. Some have said they used a flat-head screwdriver wrapped in cloth.

As for lube, be careful what you use. A lot of lubes will attract dirt. I think the recommended lube to use is a silicone based.

You may want to power wash the leafs before you do this, just to get any existing lube residue, grime, or dirt off.

Chad2815 · August 7, 2019

5 hours ago, flyingfool said:

you guys are better off spending $1000 for tuned rear leaf spring packs from a suspension shop. all the time you waste fighting with GM and dealerships makes no sense, shit you just spent $38,000 on the truck , what's another $1,000 in improvements.. the springs are not designed correctly but they are what they are . fix it yourself or live with it. GM cant legally admit guilt!

Try 65,000....hence why I shouldn't spend anymore money for something that could fix it and at the same time void the rest of the warranty on the piece of shit rear end. They dont have a choice but to fix it or buy it back.

Jacoby · August 7, 2019

3 hours ago, reardiff said:

I tried all kinds of various lube and sprays nothing works and like you, it's getting pretty bad. How did you get the rubber pieces to stay in place, or did you pry the leaf's apart and then they rest on top of it when the weight is distributed? Any pictures of what you did or how it looks today? I really want to get this done but just not sure how and where exactly to insert the rubber.

I tried the rubber pieces and it didn’t do anything. I didn’t have to jack my truck up at all. I could slide them right in. I even tried doubling and tripling the pieces to make them thicker and they wouldn’t stay in place

yojo · August 7, 2019

6 hours ago, Baytrucker said:

This is exactly the type of complacent consumer attitude that allows GM to think they can get away with putting garbage quality stock parts into their trucks.

When you're bending over, don't forget to squeal.

You are 100% correct! Too many people have that attitude and GM loves it.

royalkangaroo · August 8, 2019

I tried all kinds of various lube and sprays nothing works and like you, it's getting pretty bad. How did you get the rubber pieces to stay in place, or did you pry the leaf's apart and then they rest on top of it when the weight is distributed? Any pictures of what you did or how it looks today? I really want to get this done but just not sure how and where exactly to insert the rubber.

I jacked the truck up from the frame letting the rear axle hang. Used a pry bar wrapped in a towel to prevent any scratching and a wood block wedge to separate the leafs. Cleaned them spotless, cut the bike tube to appropriate size, slid them in, took out the block, removed the jacks.

There are insulator pads between the two leafs, I put the rubber on those. The front side of the spring pack has a collar that helps keep the rubber from moving laterally. The back doesn’t but they haven’t seemed to slide anywhere yet so we’ll see. Biggest thing is cleaning any grease or lube out so they’re dry.

Even if I have to redo them twice a year, easy and quick fix.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Jacoby · August 8, 2019

10 hours ago, royalkangaroo said:

I jacked the truck up from the frame letting the rear axle hang. Used a pry bar wrapped in a towel to prevent any scratching and a wood block wedge to separate the leafs. Cleaned them spotless, cut the bike tube to appropriate size, slid them in, took out the block, removed the jacks.

There are insulator pads between the two leafs, I put the rubber on those. The front side of the spring pack has a collar that helps keep the rubber from moving laterally. The back doesn’t but they haven’t seemed to slide anywhere yet so we’ll see. Biggest thing is cleaning any grease or lube out so they’re dry.

Even if I have to redo them twice a year, easy and quick fix.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

You guys with the 14-15 trucks have spring clips. Us 16-18 guys don’t or atleast I don’t on my 17. I would need a piece of rubber a half inch thick to fill the gap where you have yours placed.

royalkangaroo · August 8, 2019

3 hours ago, Jacoby said:

You guys with the 14-15 trucks have spring clips. Us 16-18 guys don’t or atleast I don’t on my 17. I would need a piece of rubber a half inch thick to fill the gap where you have yours placed.

I was unaware that they were different. I'd have to see a picture of the 16-18s.

reardiff · August 8, 2019

royalkangaroo, thanks for taking the time for the pictures, very helpful. I'll give this a try this weekend and see how it works.

Regarding the clips, my 2017 has just one on each side in the front, non in the rear. I'll try to get a decent pic later this evening.

Baytrucker · August 8, 2019

royalkangaroo,

Thanks for the pics. I recall the gaps being larger on my '17 as well. Maybe they changed them. When I get back to my truck I'll look.

bhales · August 8, 2019

about to do this to mine, my truck has 22,000 miles and has been to the shop twice for this. Only the right side is making the noise. the dealership said GM warrantied the clean lube and tighten the 1st time but wouldnt the 2nd time. they tried to get GM to replace but they said no so my dealer warrantied the second cleaning.

my truck also got the transmission shudder/fluid swap this week and the shudder is gone but the 1st gear downshift kick is still there....

im going to pay this truck down and trade it on before the powertrain is up, i will probably stay with GMC and either go diesel this time or 10spd/6.2L. i really miss my old 6.2 denali