If you live in a metro area, there is probably a spring shop where you can
get your existing springs "re-arched".  That is about as cheap of a solution
as you will find.

Mike

First, get a second opinion. In my case, I'd suggest go out and crawl
under the vehicle. Over the axle is a rubber bumper, between the axle
and the frame. There should be an inch or more of air space between
the bumper and the axle. At least that's my memory of the matter.

More importantly, does the vehicle go thump when you go over a bump?
Does the hump thump when you go over a bump, lump lump? Does the hump
thump you in the rump, when you go over a bump, lump, lump? If so, you
may have a wump. A wump in your trunk could be very sad, and bad. You
brother may be a frump and you may have been had. This, I learned from
my Dad. My Dad's wump was neat the back bump, and it would thump when
he drove the trunk over a hump, lump, lump.

I got a set of helper springs one time at an auto parts place for $25
or so.

JC Whitney has this kind of thing advertised, but the couple times I
bought there, the customer service was terrible. They sent me the
wrong parts, I wrote to tell em what happened. They sent me a Toyota
adaptor for a battery separator, when I wanted a battery separator.
They refused to send me the part I wanted, even though I mailed em a
photo copy of their own catalog, with the part that was missing
slathered in yellow Hi-Liter. But, I'm rambling.

The helper springs went in, about an hour work. Is Dr. Seuss going to
reach out of the monitor and lump me for stealing his lines? I'll be
downstairs hiding in the sump.

If the only thing bothering you is your brother's advice, ignore it.
If the vehicle bottoms out on bumps, consider he very slightly might
be right.

I've got a 75 Dodge 1 Ton .RV. My brother who is always looking for
problems says the rear springs are collapsed or weakened and I need
helper springs. I of course don't want to spend any money and would
like to ignore this problem if possible.
But is there an easy or cheap solution. We have a machine shop so
making something would be my second choise after ignoring it. Buying
some fancy helper springs ain't gona happen to something that sits 365
days a year.
Rosco

Rosco queried:

Good leaf springs will have a definite arch to them.  If there's no arch (or
the spring has a negative arch), the springs are dead.  Then, it's time to
visit a spring shop that will rearch your springs or (better) make a new
set.  A good set of shocks will go a long way toward making a set of springs
last longer.
Bryan