My Dad has a 2000 F-350 that he uses primarily for work. He tows a bobcat and trailer with it. The other day he heard some clanking noise from the rear and looked into it. Apparently, the rear passenger leaf spring had broken in half!!! It is the leaf spring that is two up from the bottom.

Has this happened to anyone else? His warranty goes to 75,000 miles and the truck is at 77,000. Engineered to break after warranty? Before this truck, he hauled the bobcat with an F-250 with no suspension problems at all.

This sounds like a manufacturer defect. What should he do?

I would suggest buying a new spring and installing it. Out of warranty is tough luck I guess. Just be glad it wasn't a blown engine or something expensive.

Without tearing the spring pack apart, I would look to see if the break is fresh, or if it has been like that for awhile. Sometimes breaks like that could have happened miles ago, and the pack has just now loosened up enough to let that spring start talking.

Regardless, towing a trailer with a bobcat on it is not enough of a load to have them say it was abuse. I would go to the dealer and at least raise a little hell and get them to cover at least some of his loss. A broken spring in the middle of the pack? 77,000 miles? That's not even long enough to call it worn!

What kind of record for buying trucks does your dad have with the dealer? Maybe they would do something if they were afriad of not getting his business.


EDIT: If the dealer won't cover it, I know of a certain moderator on here that has a PSD F-350 that is getting a lift. If he is using new springs in the rear, instead of blocks, he may be willing to let them go cheap.

Sorry to hear that you're having problems with your new truck. But, just another typical piece of Ford, in my experience!

I replaced rear leaf springs on a weekly basis at work(Ford truck shop)all newer SuperDutys.even the econoline's have the same problem

Why are the super duty's leaf springs breaking? He bought the 350 because it has the heavy duty suspension knowing he would be towing.

He ended up taking it to a spring shop. They put a new leaf in the spring pack and reamed him for $90.

Looks like I won't be buying a Ford super duty to tow my Jeeps with!!!!! Ford would not cover the spring because they said he was 36,000 miles out of warranty. :flipoff2: the new Fords. They need to make their trucks like they used to.