I ordered some longer shackles for the rear. I should get about an inch or two out of them. Anyone done this and did you need to shim your axle to correct driveline angle, or was the difference too small to matter?

In my favor is the longer driveshaft of the 2WD. Just wondering.

After I get them in, I'll crank the t-bars a bit more. I won't go for level though, but a slight nose-down stance more like stock so I can carry stuff without being tail-down. Also, the departure angle is worse than the approach angle and this will help.

The shackles are "lowering shackles" for Chevy fullsize trucks. This is suggested over on TRS in their cheap lifts tech article.

Comments, experience? Appreciated!!! :)

 

I'm using them on my truck as we speak. Belltech 2" Lowering shackles.

They act as a lift for our truck, which is why I opted for them.

When I installed the Ex. axle, I got about a 5" drop, as it mounts over-leaf. That was way too low, as I calculated the RCG to be optimal and the truck to have the best handling if it was lowered only 3".

However, since the front of the leaf is connected in the factory points, the leafs are "sprung" rearward, if you will. In other words, the front side of the leafs have very little distance between each leaf in the pack. The rear side (near the new shackle) has a large gap between the leafs.

Also, it gave me a bad vibration in the driveline, and a set of four degree shims were required to make it run smoothly.

Yet again, pay to play. :)

They were a necessary evil in my application, but I have no clue how they would act in an O.R. situation. Get the shims and you should be fine.

 

Okay, I'll get some 4 degree shims (might as well start there) and see how it goes.

THANK YOU! :)

 

Drive it first without them. You may not even have to worry about it. :)

 

I know -- but I might have them around just in case. Isn't it a bit of pain to put the shackles on? I don't want to have to swap them back once I put them on, lol!

 

Well, I would have a friend over....

 

My next door neighbor is a mechanic with air tools and all kinds of crap. I'll bug him!

 

That's exactly the guy you'll need. When Josh and I swapped the rear in, we used EVERY socket and wrench he owned. Gotta love Ford for that...

My best advice is to put the rear part of the frame on jackstands, chock the front wheels, and jack the pumpkin up with a standard floor jack. This will get all pressure off the springs, in a safer manner than just jacking the diff up by itself.

Then you can simply raise/lower the bolt hole of the leafs to where you need it by manipulating jack pressure.

 

Excellent! I was wondering what the procedure would be. It's not TOO different from when I swapped the blocks out. I put 4x4 2" blocks in place of the 4x2 Edge 1.5" blocks.