Hey everyone!

Im looking to get some advice on what to do about my saggy rear leaf springs.
None of the leafs are broken, but are showing their age (98 Jimmy)
it seems that i have a few options....

1- Replace the springs,, about $200 per side just for parts.
2- Coil over shocks , about $180 a pair (on sale right now)
3- a local spring shop says he can had an extra leaf into the my current springs for about $400 installed ( im leary of this cause my stock springs are bent down at the very ends...)
4- air bags, (about $400)

Anyone else have saggy rear springs?? if so what did you do to remedy it??

Thanks everyone!
Dave

 

Well, I can tell you about my saggy spring. The Oldsmo-Blazer is approaching 200K miles. The rear springs are nearly flat when it's sitting unloaded on level ground. I'm pretty sure that's "saggy".

I was at a pull-it-yourself parts yard this week, looking for parts for two other projects. But I couldn't help but notice this white Blazer/Jimmy S/T series SUV, that was planted nose first near the back of the Chevy/GM section. All the cars/trucks in this yard are set on "hack stands" made from two steel wheels welded into a "T" shape. So, except for that one bright white Blazer/Jimmy, everything is sitting pretty level.

After gathering my needed Jeep and Dodge parts, I walked over to look at the nose-planted white SUV in the Chevy section. It was a 2002 Blazer. I couldn't read the ODO, no battery, but the driver's seat was cloth with no wear or rips showing. The SPIDS sticker in the glove box showed "Z82" and "Z85". That's the trailering package and the heavy duty springs. It was nose planted because someone had removed the entire rear axle assembly. I think it had disc brakes and someone wanted those, along with the diff and housing. So there were two complete leaf spring assemblies laying on the ground under the thing, No tools required, I just picked them up and put them in my wheel barrow. $56 later, I have two complete, gently used, fairly low mileage high capacity leaf spring assemblies.

I plan to clean off the surface scale/rust and paint them with Rustoleum black. I'll "thin" the final coat with 30 weight, non-detergent motor oil to make it less "sticky", and I'll put new (aftermarket, probably Dorman) pads between the springs. I might include one leaf from my current set to so slightly stiffen the final setup.

 

Thanks Racer_X I wasnt aware of the Z85 code, i will have to look into that, used springs could be a good option!!!

 

You might check Car-Part.com--Used Auto Parts Market for used options. They have a lot of Canadian used parts yards as well as US ones.

For your 1998 model year, there were several choices based on the RPO you have on your SPID sticker in the glove box.

• increased capacity suspension (opt Z85), 4x2
• increased capacity suspension (opt Z85), 4x4
• off road suspension (opt ZM6)
• smooth ride suspension (opt Z83)
• smooth ride suspension (opt ZQ1)
• smooth ride suspension (opt ZW7)
• high and wider suspension (opt ZR2)

The Z85's are the stiffest, and least likely to sag in most cases.


Of course, My 1996 model Olds Bravada had saggy Z85 springs, along with the Z82 tow package stuff, so that's not an absolute. Mine also had a thoroughly used and worn trailer hitch, with a very worn 2" ball on it. I'm guessing mine pulled more trailer than it was really designed to.