broken leaf?

[digglesworth]

Adding a main leaf from a Tahoe like Bebe did?

What does that do?

 

[06 H3]

it gives more support lol That can be taken in some many directions

 

[alrock]

Adding a main leaf from a Tahoe like Bebe did?

I had a spring shop cut a full length leaf for me when they re-arched my springs and pressed in the new bushings for me. With the re-arch I gained about 2.5" in height. 1"-1.5" would be a return to stock from where I was, and the balance was an increase in height. After I put on the reworked springs my truck was taller than Reloader's and he has a body lift, but his rear springs are starting to sag a bit even though he's got an added leaf as well. Springs do wear out.

 

[Bigunit]

That's a sad but true fact Alrock...as we get older our rear ends will sag more and more.

 

[digglesworth]

Ok. So the add a leaf is something done to combat sagging springs? I'm running 6" warrior shackles to give the rear a little boost with the t-bars around 23.5 (24.5 w/ my body lift)... With all my trail gear and supplies in the back, it would sag the rear slightly less than level to the front. With the shackles, all my gear keeps the truck level or a slight forward rake still. I guess you could look at it 2 ways. Either add lift to combat sagging springs or add spring rate. I ordered new leaf springs, u-bolts/nuts and the frame bushings for the shackles. I trimmed 1" off the hunner skids as a precaution. Hopefully I'll get it all reassembled here in a few days.

 

[alrock]

Adding lift doesn't address overloaded springs. The OEM springs are designed for OEM weight with some people in it, not for the extra weight we throw on and leave on with roof racks, UCP, slider protection, larger spare tires, etc. They sag and the don't work properly. With just a little extra weight you'll get a reverse bend in the top leaf as well. Adding longer shackles just to address overworked springs is like using your parking brake to slow down when your OEM pads are worn out. It'll help, but it's not something you want to keep doing.

 

[4speedfunk]

I concur. Shackles are a band-aid. The real problem is the main leaf.

 

[digglesworth]

ill look into adding a leaf or any of those other solutions later... for now, i just gotta get the new leafs in and get my daily driver back.
anyone have links to good threads on adding leafs or anything, please post em...

 

[atvspeed4]

I know its an old post but following up we just had another main leaf break in the same spot on our alpha. This is the 4th h3 we have had this happen to since my post in this thread. All in the same spot all stock suspension height. The year doesn't seem to matter. We have had this happen on (2) 2006, (1) 2007 and (1) 2008 alpha. Please do yourself a favor and check your main leafs regularly where they wrap around the bushing.

 

[JPaul]

I put a pair of Old Man Emu packs in to replace mine. Springs wear out and should not be expected to last the life of the car, especially if it gets used heavily.

Sent from my SM-N975U using Tapatalk

 

[alrock]

I know its an old post but following up we just had another main leaf break in the same spot on our alpha. This is the 4th h3 we have had this happen to since my post in this thread. All in the same spot all stock suspension height. The year doesn't seem to matter. We have had this happen on (2) 2006, (1) 2007 and (1) 2008 alpha. Please do yourself a favor and check your main leafs regularly where they wrap around the bushing.

Do you think this issue is related to corrosion? Haven't seen issues like that here in the desert Southwest. I did have my springs re arched and added a leaf when they were worn out but they never broke

Sent from my SM-N976V using Tapatalk

 

[atvspeed4]

Do you think this issue is related to corrosion? Haven't seen issues like that here in the desert Southwest. I did have my springs re arched and added a leaf when they were worn out but they never broke

Sent from my SM-N976V using Tapatalk

I originally thought back in 2014 that it must be rust but after looking at each of the breaks there is no sign of rust at that spot other than usual light surface corrosion on whole leaf pack . This is really strange. It seems to also be independent of offroading as the latest break was on my wife's alpha that has only gone off-road once two years ago. The GM dealer I bought last packs from said they have sold alot of the h3 leaf packs. Only thought I have is that the rubber in the front eye bushing does not twist (rotate) enough for the travel of the pack so the spring is bending back and forth until it snaps.

 

[06 H3]

The breaks I have seen are all east coast/Midwest and I believe it’s the metal bushing sleeve on the front hanger rust welding itself to the hanger. Anti seize the hell out of the bushing sleeves

 

[atvspeed4]

The breaks I have seen are all east coast/Midwest and I believe it’s the metal bushing sleeve on the front hanger rust welding itself to the hanger. Anti seize the hell out of the bushing sleeves

The sleeve is not supposed to rotate within the hanger most even have small teeth that bite into hanger to stop them from rotating. All rotation is supposed to be in the rubber just like the IFS control arms

 

[06 H3]

Interesting, I wonder what causes the break then. They all seem to be east coast and a rusted hanger.

 

[Bigunit]

It's that Roush Creek and other East coast mud crap and salt that causes it that doesn't ever get washed out once it get in there - rust and corrosion eat steel as we all know.

Sent from my moto z4 using Tapatalk

 

[prestonbakerz71]

I broke a leaf spring in the exact same place where it just sat on the frame. No lift Regular dirt road use. A good spot to break but defiantly a weak point. I got springs from Rocky Mountain spring and suspension they seem to hold up fine just fine.