Coil springs hold up the weight of your vehicle and keep it at the right ride height. They do not last forever. Road salt, heavy loads and age all wear them down, and in Canada salt and freeze-thaw cycles make that happen sooner. This guide covers the common signs of worn coils, how to check them yourself, and what to look for in a replacement. If your truck has leaf springs instead, see Signs Your Leaf Springs Need Replacing.
Common signs your coil springs are worn
- Sagging or uneven ride height. One corner or one end sits lower than the other when parked on level ground.
- Bottoming out. The suspension hits the bump stops over dips, speed bumps or with a light load.
- Clunks or rattles. A broken coil end can knock against its seat, especially over bumps or when turning.
- Nose dive or excessive body roll. The front drops hard under braking, or the vehicle leans more in corners than it used to.
- Uneven tire wear or alignment that won't hold. Sagging coils change suspension geometry.
- Visible damage. Cracks, heavy rust pitting, or a coil that has snapped (often the bottom coil near the seat).
How to check your coils
- Park on level ground with the tires at normal pressure and measure from the centre of each wheel hub to the edge of the fender. Left and right should be close to equal.
- Look at each spring with a flashlight. Check the ends where they sit in the upper and lower seats, since that is where they usually break.
- Push down hard on each corner. It should rebound once and settle. Repeated bouncing points to shocks or struts, which are often replaced along with the springs.
- Compare against the factory ride height if you know it, or the height before you added a plow, toolbox or other permanent weight.
Choosing a replacement coil
- Stock replacement brings the vehicle back to factory height and ride.
- Heavy duty coils suit vehicles that carry a steady extra load, such as a front plow, a winch bumper or a diesel swap.
- Lift or leveling coils raise the front to level the truck or make room for bigger tires. Lifting can affect alignment, steering and other parts, so plan for an alignment afterward.
Always recommended to replace in pairs, but single springs are available too.
Coils on the same axle should match in rate and height, which is why they are replaced in pairs. A new spring next to a worn one will leave the vehicle leaning.
Shop coil springs
Safety note
A coil spring stores a lot of energy. Use a proper spring compressor rated for the job, or have a shop do the install. Never remove a strut or coil assembly without the spring safely compressed or the suspension fully supported.
Not sure what fits? Call 604-855-9982 (Mon–Fri 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM Pacific; closed Saturday & Sunday) with your year, make, model and any part number stamped on the old part, and we will help you match it.