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Rear leaf spring clunk gone with TSB 21-na-138 fix

Pryme
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Pryme Senior Enthusiast

Pryme

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12 hours ago, TeamSaris said:

yup, same here. i mainly hear it backing out of my drive way because i never hit the bump perfectly straight on. hitting it quartering makes it worse. i never hear it cruising down the road

Absolutely correct same for me. 

  • 9 months later...
Pryme Senior Enthusiast

Pryme

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So this repair failed for me and they agreed to do the new leaf springs. 
 

I guess they first wanted to do the same shim repair and I said it’s just going to fail and my 3yr 36 warranty will be over. So they agreed to do the new springs. Quiet as a church mouse now although I just picked it up.  
 

Also they did a new tailgate dampener. 
 

These things are the only issues I’ve had in 3 years so that’s good in my book. 

IMG_3871.jpeg

Chuck FB Enthusiast

Chuck FB

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On 8/7/2025 at 5:29 PM, Pryme said:

So this repair failed for me and they agreed to do the new leaf springs. 
 

I guess they first wanted to do the same shim repair and I said it’s just going to fail and my 3yr 36 warranty will be over. So they agreed to do the new springs. Quiet as a church mouse now although I just picked it up.  
 

Also they did a new tailgate dampener. 
 

These things are the only issues I’ve had in 3 years so that’s good in my book. 

IMG_3871.jpeg

Has anything been said or could you see any difference between the old pack and the new pack. It just seems insane that it takes replacing the spring pack to repair the noise issue and yet I assume there is nothing mechanically wrong with the old springs ? What blows me away is that leaf springs have been around for a very long time and until more recent years they would stack the leaves up and bolt them together without any fancy spacers in between and for that matter no fancy slipper pieces snapped into drilled holes at the ends of the leaves. 

Pryme Senior Enthusiast

Pryme

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26 minutes ago, Chuck FB said:

Has anything been said or could you see any difference between the old pack and the new pack. It just seems insane that it takes replacing the spring pack to repair the noise issue and yet I assume there is nothing mechanically wrong with the old springs ? What blows me away is that leaf springs have been around for a very long time and until more recent years they would stack the leaves up and bolt them together without any fancy spacers in between and for that matter no fancy slipper pieces snapped into drilled holes at the ends of the leaves. 

It’s perfectly silent now. All the places or situations that would cause creaking is now gone. Dead silent. Before, just stepping down onto the running boards would cause a creaking sound in the rear. Now that’s gone. 
 

I don’t think it’s the actual leaf springs I think it’s at a bushing location. The work order said they replicated the noise on both sides with the right being worse so they got the okay to replace the springs. They got them in the next day and did them. 

Edited by Pryme
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Chuck FB Enthusiast

Chuck FB

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The good part is its stopped the noise and would not surprise me if lets say it was a bushing issue and was more cost effective to toss the old springs vs having the bushings pressed out and new ones pressed in !. By the way can you tell if they used new ubolts and associated bolts for the ends of the springs as well ? 

 

This noise issue reminded me of a one ton dually owner from Ontario, I believe its a 2022 Chev with the gas engine and he hauls a full size camper. He recorded the noises it was making in a rough section of a camp ground/road as the camper was swaying from side to side and it just creaked and groaned something awful. Then months after that he had a spring shop add some leafs because he was towing a trailer behind and wanted to boost up the rear some as it was sagging excessively. Now his noise is gone or or greatly so and I don't know if they pulled his packs to perform the job or what but something changed and he doesn't know either, just that he doesn't have to listen to that awful noise. Oh the mystery .... 

Pryme Senior Enthusiast

Pryme

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29 minutes ago, Chuck FB said:

The good part is its stopped the noise and would not surprise me if lets say it was a bushing issue and was more cost effective to toss the old springs vs having the bushings pressed out and new ones pressed in !. By the way can you tell if they used new ubolts and associated bolts for the ends of the springs as well ? 

 

This noise issue reminded me of a one ton dually owner from Ontario, I believe its a 2022 Chev with the gas engine and he hauls a full size camper. He recorded the noises it was making in a rough section of a camp ground/road as the camper was swaying from side to side and it just creaked and groaned something awful. Then months after that he had a spring shop add some leafs because he was towing a trailer behind and wanted to boost up the rear some as it was sagging excessively. Now his noise is gone or or greatly so and I don't know if they pulled his packs to perform the job or what but something changed and he doesn't know either, just that he doesn't have to listen to that awful noise. Oh the mystery .... 

the ubolts and the four large nuts holding them down are the same. The small ones out on the ends are new. The ones holding the ends of the leaves together with that bracket. 

Chuck FB Enthusiast

Chuck FB

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I've forgotten what year your truck is but there must not be much rust on the ubolts or rock damage on the exposed threads for them to be reused. I thought perhaps GM would just replace them as a matter of course and call them one time use hardware but I guess that is not the case, yours were more than likely in good shape then. I believe they do call the spring eye bolts one time use though and makes sense why they tossed them.

Pryme Senior Enthusiast

Pryme

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3 hours ago, Chuck FB said:

I've forgotten what year your truck is but there must not be much rust on the ubolts or rock damage on the exposed threads for them to be reused. I thought perhaps GM would just replace them as a matter of course and call them one time use hardware but I guess that is not the case, yours were more than likely in good shape then. I believe they do call the spring eye bolts one time use though and makes sense why they tossed them.

2022. Only 15,900 miles. Very clean underneath. 

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Chuck FB Enthusiast

Chuck FB

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Hopefully it should last a long time if your able to keep it in that condition and adds up as to why they chose to reuse your ubolts. Had that truck been around where I am and used a lot as per an oilfield truck for example pounding up and down our wonderful salt/calcium winter roads as well as gravel roads all summer, your underside would look very different. I just hated to buy a new truck to put on our winter roads but the alternative was someone elses over priced pile of rust that was not take care of with any proper maintenance and no warranty. I've drowned most of the underside of the truck and inside the frame and rocker panels and the double wall of the box in fluid film and will see how that goes, that will be a yearly repeat process and a very expensive one as I blew through a lot of product and its a lot more expensive up here to buy.  

  • 1 month later...
Faffy Enthusiast

Faffy

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On 10/30/2024 at 9:12 PM, TeamSaris said:

yup, same here. i mainly hear it backing out of my drive way because i never hit the bump perfectly straight on. hitting it quartering makes it worse. i never hear it cruising down the road

Same exact thing happens to me.  Should I have the dealer replace the springs?

Pryme Senior Enthusiast

Pryme

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On 9/17/2025 at 1:27 PM, Faffy said:

Same exact thing happens to me.  Should I have the dealer replace the springs?

Yes. Mine needed both leaf packs replaced. No it’s been good. The shims didn’t last but a couple months. 

  • 5 months later...
reb0957 Enthusiast

reb0957

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I have a 23 and this started at 42000miles. Finally got an appointment and the service bulletin didn't fix it.  $175 diagnostic fee for today. If I want to replace the springs it is $1922 + tax + credit card fee. I am just wondering if the new springs will do it too!

PS I do have extended warranty and they don't fix squeaks and rattles!

  • Haha 1
Pryme Senior Enthusiast

Pryme

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On 3/19/2026 at 6:26 PM, reb0957 said:

I have a 23 and this started at 42000miles. Finally got an appointment and the service bulletin didn't fix it.  $175 diagnostic fee for today. If I want to replace the springs it is $1922 + tax + credit card fee. I am just wondering if the new springs will do it too!

PS I do have extended warranty and they don't fix squeaks and rattles!

Mine is still silent. No squeaks or clunks so to me the new leaf springs fixed it. 

Chuck FB Enthusiast

Chuck FB

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I haven't looked back in this thread to see if that was mentioned as per a TSB for the half ton diesel pickups where they replaced the springs and then install a foam shield behind the filler neck under the box to help redirect any fuel spillage believe but the issue they claimed the squeak was caused from was diesel fuel spilled inside the filler door area and running down the fuel filler neck and getting diesel onto that front spring bushing. I've just wondered if the HD diesel trucks as well as the gas trucks with gas going onto the rubber bushing could cause an issue as well. It would be nice to know what it is, if it is that bushing degrading or two separate problems that each can cause the squeak and clunk to occur as it does seem drastic to change out springs if it was always just a bushing that needed to be pressed out and another installed. 

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