EXTREMELY DANGEROUS! Replacing Rear Leaf Springs on 2009 Ford F150

This is EXTREMELY Dangerous as Ford installs the front leaf spring bolts from the inside out.
In order to complete this job safely you need to remove the gas tank and the exhaust system which is really unfortunate as you'll see that the bolts fit in perfectly the other way and is much more safe to replace the leaf springs!!!
Both of my Rear Leaf Springs on my 2009 Ford F150 broke and I needed to replace them. I bought used leaf springs that came off of a 2014 F150. This is the video from the driver side. It is sped up but this is the process from start to finish. It took me an hour and this was my first time replacing leaf springs on any vehicle. I recorded installing the second leaf spring as I learned a lot from replacing the passenger side.
I had to use a grinder to take the bolt out. If Ford would have installed the bolt that way I installed it this would have been a much easier task. I tried a Sawzall but a brand new blade wouldn't cut the bolts.
Please give it a like if you found it helpful. You can do it and save yourself a lot of money.
It was heavy but I think it was one of the easiest repairs that I have had to do. Check you local auto wrecked for some used ones, they are way less expensive!
Please remember to Like and Subscribe to my channel if you found this video interesting.
Thank you and keep Living the Northern Life
We have a new Patreon account as well if you would be willing to support us this way as well.
/ livingthenorthernlife
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[@StormLaker]

I love how your dog was outta there when the cutoff wheel came out, haha. What a sweet puppy, lol. Thanks for sharing!

[@LivingtheNorthernLife]

I tried to get him to not go under the truck but he does what he wants. He did the exact same thing when i did the other side. 🤦‍♂️ Thanks for watching and commenting! Andrew

[@StormLaker]

@@LivingtheNorthernLife Typical dog, they just want to be where ever you are in case you need their help, haha.

[@michaelw9110]

Getting ready to do this on my 2014 F150. Thanks for the video! It definitely helped.

[@LivingtheNorthernLife]

You can drop the gas tank and the exhaust to remove the bolts but my truck was so rusty that it would have caused more work and issues at the time. We don’t use that truck anymore. Thanks for watching and commenting! Andrew

[@grahamrobb01]

Great video. My 2010 F150 has an almost identical rust pattern as yours, you gotta love that Ontario road salt.

[@LivingtheNorthernLife]

I've learned my lesson and have under sprayed all our other vehicles. It makes a huge difference but I am surprised we don't salt water lakes in Ontario with the amount of salt we use 😂😂😂

[@jackhodges2571]

Just replaced the 2 rear leaf springs on my '02 Ford F150 2WD over Christmas Holiday weekend. All bolts came loose & off easily except for the 18mm bolts at the front of the leaf springs. Had to cut them off with a cut-off wheel on a 4-1/2" grinder. Covered the gas tank & fuel filler tubes with a welding blanket to be safe. Found the reason I couldn't break the front spring bolts loose was due to the factory put "Red" Locktite on them. Only way to get them off would be heat from a cutting torch or cut-off wheel. Everything went back together rather easily after jossiling the rear axle a few times to line each spring center bolt into mounting pads on the rear end housing.

[@LivingtheNorthernLife]

Were your bolts pointed in towards the exhaust and gas tank as well?

[@MrNoodles419]

I did this today on a 2007 FX4. I cut the front bolt off using a cobalt 9" saws all blade. I cut it from the bottom up. It gives you all the room you need for the blade. Had it off in 2 minutes and still had teeth on the blade. I got 4 of them for around 15 bucks on Amazon. The brand was EZARC.

[@LivingtheNorthernLife]

It’s not a terrible job but sure wish the front bolts were installed the other way from factory. Thanks for watching and commenting! Andrew

[@bartholomewceremony6981]

That border collie is way cool.

[@LivingtheNorthernLife]

That is very true! 😊 Andrew

[@jbesse1]

I replaced my 2014 F150 leafs with 1 over 4, 2500lb leafs. Bought diamond saw blades "Brand Name" and it cut thru the bolts like butter. Ford is famous for putting bolts in so service charges you more at a dealership because they drop the tank, more time, more money. Couple questions, nice dog, why was it under the truck. Did you replace all fasteners, bolt stretch is common, so is rust and poor threads, Did you locktite all fasteners, high vibration area, bolts loosen after a while. Good video though.

[@LivingtheNorthernLife]

Rumi (the dog) does what he wants. I got him to get out a few times when doing the other side but he just kept coming right back under the truck 🤦‍♂️ I did replace the U bolts and nuts. I didn’t use loctite. I used the torque specs for it and checked them a few days later. This video is from a few years ago and the metal blades are much better now. The one i tried didn’t scratch it so i had to use the grinder. Thanks for watching and commenting! Andrew

[@SimoneAlana]

My son loves these types of trucks. You don't really seem them on this side. He would love the opportunity in the future to tinker with cars and trucks. His Grandad in Namibia fixes the big trucks that go to diamond mines and he has got to go in his workshop and see the machinery. He cant wait until he can have a go at fixing things when he is older.

[@LivingtheNorthernLife]

I have been trying to teach my son some auto mechanics. He's going to be 18 soon. There are some really large machines out there. Some of the mining equipment are the largest in the world. :) ... and Kids love tools

[@davidcharles4959]

Awesome thanks great way to show the progress. Doing mine this coming week last video I seen was like 8 hrs lol

[@LivingtheNorthernLife]

The “right way” is to drop the fuel and and exhaust but if your truck is like mine that would mean replacing 😉

[@ddbtdd]

Yep, that freakin' front bolt on the driver side! It would have been great if you had the torque specs but I don't have them either!!

[@LivingtheNorthernLife]

No not for the large bolts. The U Bolts were 98ftlbs for mine.

[@vinceyoung5912]

The specs are TAF tight as fuck

[@nickolasfilcaske5552]

So I installed the front bolt first, and couldn’t get the rear to line up, it was 1” away from the bolt hole. So I installed the rear bolt first and now the front bolt is 1” away. Working on it now, watching your video, I just need to Jack up the leaf spring and it will stretch out and fit? PIA trying to get the bolt holes to line up.

[@LivingtheNorthernLife]

If you have the back bracket on the leaf spring and it’s too short they must have sold you the wrong ones.

[@nickolasfilcaske5552]

@@LivingtheNorthernLife We finally got it! We centered it first, then got the front bolt in, then jacked it up underneath, with a bottle Jack from the top, and FINALLY got the hole to line up! Next week passenger side! Lol

[@martydedmon5279]

Do i have to remove all those lines on the rear axel.when raising the frame

[@LivingtheNorthernLife]

Not sure what you’re doing but if you are only lifting the truck and not taking the axle off you should be ok. What are you doing with it?

[@martydedmon5279]

I have a 2016 f250. I have had it to 3 mechanics in the last year 2 put new shocks on it and one re did the entire front end tie rod drag links all the above. My truck dips or rocks around curves sways on staright highway. Cant tow over 55mph only thing i can think of is to replace leaf springs and shackles. Mayb front coil springs.

[@leroylira8460]

When your tightening the the bolts , does the wight of the truck have to be done on the truck ? Or just put them on doesn’t matter ?

[@LivingtheNorthernLife]

They are self locking nuts and I tightened them down with the breaker bar. They should be 98lb-ft when you're done. tighten in a cross pattern until you hit it. Hope that helps!

[@leroylira8460]

Oh okay thanks dude 🙌🏾

[@zoot21suit]

Cut dat bolt! Dang it lol

[@LivingtheNorthernLife]

was a lot of fun that's for sure!

[@jerrypocha3707]

Drop the gas tank, much easier than cutting the front bolt.

[@LivingtheNorthernLife]

and drop the exhaust as well because it's in the way on the other side.

[@jerrypocha3707]

@@LivingtheNorthernLife I was about to say the same thing.

[@bkranz-1283]

Did you torque the bolts down to spec and if so, what are the torque specs?

[@LivingtheNorthernLife]

Thanks for watching the video! It was a while ago so I looked it up again and they should be 98lb-ft when you're done. tighten in a cross pattern until you hit it. Hope that helps!

[@jakehalbert6555]

Yep 5 out of 6 lugs should do😂

[@LivingtheNorthernLife]

I had taken it in to have new winter tires installed and Costco broke it. As soon as I touched it with a torque wrench it finished it off. I did replace it… eventually 🤦‍♂️

[@donniem6191]

How long did this end up taking you?

[@LivingtheNorthernLife]

Donnie Moore it took about an hour for each side. So about 2 hours total time.

[@davidcharles4959]

Cut lots of time using the impact tool if it's all hand remember it's going to take a lot longer lol

[@antc1375]

Sparks by the gas tank is a no no if you don't know what your doing

[@LivingtheNorthernLife]

I couldn’t agree more. I thoroughly checked the tank and lines for any leaks first. If you took this job to the dealer they would have to drop the gas tank in order to remove the driver side bolt. And you would have to remove the exhaust system on the passenger side to get that bolt out. Cutting it is the only way to do it. If i had a chunk of anything to have blocked the sparks it I definitely would have used it. Thanks for the comment!

[@ddbtdd]

@@LivingtheNorthernLife I laugh at danger and used a metabo and wafer wheel too! Sawzall would have taken about 2 hrs! Metabo- 2 minutes!

[@ronganchar2581]

Ref

[@LivingtheNorthernLife]

🙂

[@thatguyoverthere8355]

Commentary? What are the dangers? We're not all mechanics, silly video. Dumb music.

[@LivingtheNorthernLife]

gas and sparks. It was fun doing it. Thanks for watching and commenting.