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Anyway to fix Chevy Lean?

EspoMan

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Sean Neilan Enthusiast

Sean Neilan

Posted
Posted

Seriously, jack your truck up to take the load off the suspension. I'll almost guarantee when you put it back down it will be sitting level. Saw that many times between raising a car on the lift and putting it back down.

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EspoMan Enthusiast

EspoMan

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Seriously, jack your truck up to take the load off the suspension. I'll almost guarantee when you put it back down it will be sitting level. Saw that many times between raising a car on the lift and putting it back down.

Thanks. I will try it.
mafd2 Senior Enthusiast

mafd2

Posted
Posted

Very easy fix. I had a 2011 Sierra that had a 1/2" lean on the drivers side brand new.

 

Jack up the truck on the frame where you would place the factory jack and use a jack stand to support the truck. Don't jack up under the control arm. Remove wheel, loosen anti-swat bar nut to the end of the bolt, remove both strut/shock bolts from the bottom of the lower control. Go to a machine shop and have 2 spacers 3/8" tall (aluminum, stainless or steel) with the same diameter as the bolt. Push down on the brake rotor until there's enough space to place the spacers between the shock mount and the lower control arm (easier with one person pushing down on the rotor while the other places the spacers). Get 2 new longer grade 8 bolts from hardware store and replace the stock bolts. Retighten all bolts. 3/8" tall spacers will raise the leaning side a tad over 1/2". Check alignment after. I did this and had no problems and it worked perfect.

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mafd2 Senior Enthusiast

mafd2

Posted
Posted

Seriously, jack your truck up to take the load off the suspension. I'll almost guarantee when you put it back down it will be sitting level. Saw that many times between raising a car on the lift and putting it back down.

 

It will only be higher until you start rolling then it will lower again to it's original position. The reason it's higher after you let it down is the way the tire comes back down and is sitting on the outside of the tire which gives you positive camber. That's not a fix.

EspoMan Enthusiast

EspoMan

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Very easy fix. I had a 2011 Sierra that had a 1/2" lean on the drivers side brand new.

 

Jack up the truck on the frame where you would place the factory jack and use a jack stand to support the truck. Don't jack up under the control arm. Remove wheel, loosen anti-swat bar nut to the end of the bolt, remove both strut/shock bolts from the bottom of the lower control. Go to a machine shop and have 2 spacers 3/8" tall (aluminum, stainless or steel) with the same diameter as the bolt. Push down on the brake rotor until there's enough space to place the spacers between the shock mount and the lower control arm (easier with one person pushing down on the rotor while the other places the spacers). Get 2 new longer grade 8 bolts from hardware store and replace the stock bolts. Retighten all bolts. 3/8" tall spacers will raise the leaning side a tad over 1/2". Check alignment after. I did this and had no problems and it worked perfect.

Thanks for the info.
mafd2 Senior Enthusiast

mafd2

Posted
Posted

No problem bud. I don't know how tech savvy you are but tried to explain it in the easiest way. Let me know if you have any questions and how it comes out.

amxguy1970 Senior Enthusiast

amxguy1970

Posted
Posted

:banghead: Every truck does this, google it and you will see threads of paranoid people from Toyota, Dodge, Ford and so forth asking about a small lean. There is more stuff on the drivers side (gauges, steering, pedals, links, ect), plus the driver and gas always a little more slowly wearing it down. The springs/shocks are the same on both sides, if they wanted to address it they would have a different part for that side with a different rate/stiffness. Nothing new, this isn't a "chevy lean" thing it is a common sense all trucks lean thing (Sierra's too). What you fix now will be off again down the road after the greater weight takes its toll on the suspension on that side again.

 

https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&rlz=1C1EODB_enUS565US574&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=f150%20leaning%20to%20one%20side

 

https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&rlz=1C1EODB_enUS565US574&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=dodge+ram+leaning+to+one+side

 

https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&rlz=1C1EODB_enUS565US574&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=Tundra+leaning+to+one+side

 

https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&rlz=1C1EODB_enUS565US574&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=Tacoma+leaning+to+one+side

 

 

 

Tyler

mafd2 Senior Enthusiast

mafd2

Posted
Posted

But not all trucks lean. I had a '08 Silverado, '14 Sierra, and a '16 Sierra with no lean. The only lean on my recent trucks was the '11 Sierra.

mafd2 Senior Enthusiast

mafd2

Posted
Posted

Think he meant all brands of trucks...

I understand that but a lean on any truck brand is hit and miss.

 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I727 using Tapatalk

Donstar Senior Enthusiast

Donstar

Posted
Posted

There are comments on other threads where it has been suggested to use different sized spacers for the left and right side. When you have only a 1/2 inch difference when you measure I doubt there is anything wrong with your truck. Before you start to modify you front suspension, I strongly recommend taking your truck for a professional assessment. I did and it didn't cost me and it gave me peace of mind.

last truck Enthusiast

last truck

Posted
Posted

add a 1/4 inch upper spacer at left front and replace left rear block with a 2 inch block, problem solved.

mafd2 Senior Enthusiast

mafd2

Posted
Posted

add a 1/4 inch upper spacer at left front and replace left rear block with a 2 inch block, problem solved.

No need to mess with the rear or the upper part of the front strut putting the spacer there. It can be easily done from the bottom in much less time and hassle with the same results.

 

Sent from my LG-V495 tablet using Tapatalk

Donstar Senior Enthusiast

Donstar

Posted
Posted

add a 1/4 inch upper spacer at left front and replace left rear block with a 2 inch block, problem solved.

This will hide the problem once he confirms he has a problem. At one time I was sure I had a 3/4 - 1" lean. I'm glad I didn't follow the spacer suggestion as mentioned on earlier threads. I do not believe these trucks are designed to permanently lean, so if mine actually had a lean, I would get the problem fixed, not masked. If my truck was older and repair costs were prohibitive, then shims or spacers would be an option.

last truck Enthusiast

last truck

Posted
Posted

No need to mess with the rear or the upper part of the front strut putting the spacer there. It can be easily done from the bottom in much less time and hassle with the same results.

 

Sent from my LG-V495 tablet using Tapatalk

 

I have the stamped welded control arms, not a believer of adding a spacer on them, would rather do it upstairs and no one will now any better. Either way will work just a matter of preference for the OP.

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