4x4 drop spindles/leafs. *PIC*

[Mack]

Could you explain to me how you did the lowering? Just rear end? or front and rear? And how hard? Expensive? Any major changes?

 

[CorDog009]

The BellTech 3" leaf springs are a #5988 and Nitro Drop 2 Shocks for a 2-4" drop were #8504.

 

[CorDog009]

Could you explain to me how you did the lowering? Just rear end? or front and rear? And how hard? Expensive? Any major changes?

For the front, I was going to do lower ball joints and hub bearings at the same time. The hardest part was pressing the old ball joints out and installing the new ball joints. I figured I might as well do that while the front end is blown apart. Everyone says loosen the torsion bar keys, but I just disconnected the shocks and grabbed the scissor jack out of the truck and put it under the lower control arm to allow it to drop and remove all the tension. This is what it looks like completely torn apart. (Scissor jack was just moved out of the way, wasn't supporting anytihing in the pic, I had it centered when it had pressure on it.)



The spindles say they're for 2wd only but since lots of 4wd guys were notching them to clear the larger lower control arms, they started maching out a square from the factory.



After installing the spindles the front suspension looks like this:



The CV shafts came out easily, but going back in took some jacking the lower control arm up/down to find the sweet spot to allow the shaft to slide over the output shafts. On the pass. side, I had 1/4-3/8" of output shaft keeping the CV shaft from going on no matter what I did, so I pulled the shaft out of the hub bearing, backed the bearing bolts out to where just a couple threads were holding them in place, slid the CV shaft in, then tightened up the bolts again. No new shocks were needed or alignment because just moving the hub mounting position up doesn't affect either of those.

For the rear, I just removed the wheels, unbolted the lowering shackles I previously had on, removed the front leaf spring bolts, and removed the u-bolts and slid the factory leafs out. A jack under the rearend and another under the pinion flange to keep it from dropping, and it makes aligning the rear a lot easier after hanging the new leaf springs. With the factory bumpstops on the rear, I have about 2" of clearance between them and the axle, and have hit some decent bumps and never felt anything.

Air tools or a good cordless impact (I used a big 18v 1/2" Snap-On cordless and a smaller 18v DeWalt 3/8" drive for everything I could) but still had to resort to wrenches and a 1/2" ratchet/sockets at times.

I think the cost was around $800 to lower it, not too bad and took almost a day taking lots of breaks and with no help. The ride isn't noticeably and different, the front wouldn't have changed anyway just with spindles, but the rear seems the same, maybe a hair softer if anything.

 

[Gecko]

I think I slightly understand this better now. So if I were to do a 2/4 or 2/4.5 drop and I wanted to put together a parts list it could be as follows:

Front:
2" drop spindles

Rear:
4" flip kit
Possibly helper airbag springs

New bump stops and shocks all around?

Am I getting this right?

Also do you have the part # for the notched spindles? I can't seem to find them...

 

[CorDog009]

I think I slightly understand this better now. So if I were to do a 2/4 or 2/4.5 drop and I wanted to put together a parts list it could be as follows:

Front:
2" drop spindles

Rear:
4" flip kit
Possibly helper airbag springs

New bump stops and shocks all around?

Am I getting this right?

Also do you have the part # for the notched spindles? I can't seem to find them...

The spindles are going to be #44001. JC Whitney must not carry them anymore, they were like $370-380 with their 10% off discount. Looks like they're about $450 most places.

You can reuse the factory bumpstops on the front because the lower control arm isn't going to be any closer to the bumpstop, the hub bearing is just moved upwards 2" in the spindle. That's the reason the factory shocks still work fine as well. For the rear with 4" you'll need shorter bumpstops for sure, or trim your factory ones down some, along with lowered shocks..possibly a c-notch if you're flipping...it'd be close. I can take a pic of mine with 3" and you can see for yourself the gap if you'd like.

 

[Gecko]

Thanks.

Now is there any benefit to going with the drop spindles over torsion keys (I think that's what's in the GroundForce kit).

The reason I ask is GF is the only company that makes a lowering kit for the 4x4s. Not that it is ridiculously expensive, but if I can save money and it is better for my truck by doing the drop spindles than I'll just part a lowering kit together. If not, and I know this would be easier as well, I'll just get the GF kit and lower my truck with that.

Edit: Also is there any other way other than a flip kit to lower the rear 4"?

 

[CorDog009]

Thanks.

Now is there any benefit to going with the drop spindles over torsion keys (I think that's what's in the GroundForce kit).

The reason I ask is GF is the only company that makes a lowering kit for the 4x4s. Not that it is ridiculously expensive, but if I can save money and it is better for my truck by doing the drop spindles than I'll just part a lowering kit together. If not, and I know this would be easier as well, I'll just get the GF kit and lower my truck with that.

Edit: Also is there any other way other than a flip kit to lower the rear 4"?

I think it's more of a preference thing, I went with spindles because I was doing lower ball joints anyway. Plus I didn't have to have an alignment done and drop shocks.

There are 4" lowering leaf springs, I went with 3" and it turned out about where I wanted it, and I still have some clearance with the stock bumpstops. I couldn't track down any 2" drop leafs to use with a 2" shackle. I'd like to go lower and add the lowering torsion keys, but then I'd need expensive high angle CV shafts and notch the rear frame rails.

 

[Gecko]

Ok thanks. And with the 4" drop in the rear would I need to notch the frame or would I be ok without a notch?

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[CorDog009]

Ok thanks. And with the 4" drop in the rear would I need to notch the frame or would I be ok without a notch?

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I'll take a pic of mine this afternoon and you can judge for yourself whether you think you'll have room to just run shorter bump stops or have to notch.

 

[usaf2006]

You should be okay w/o a notch. Prob need shorter rear bump stops. I think you only.need a notch when you go 5"+ drop.

 

[Redtruck-VA]

This is a 4-1/2 inch drop. I used Timbren rubber spring rated at 660# for bump stops.

 

[Gecko]

Thanks guys.

So I found 4" lowering leaf springs from Belltech. If I combine that with the 2" drop spindles from McG's and then new bump stops for the rear That should be everything I need to lower my truck 2/4?

 

[CorDog009]

Thanks guys.

So I found 4" lowering leaf springs from Belltech. If I combine that with the 2" drop spindles from McG's and then new bump stops for the rear That should be everything I need to lower my truck 2/4?

New drop shocks for the rear also. The front stock ones will be fine with the spindles.

 

[Gecko]

New drop shocks for the rear also. The front stock ones will be fine with the spindles.

Ok thanks!

One last question. After looking at the leaf springs they are actually like 3-3.5" drop. If I did drop shackles in the rear with the springs to get the full 4-4.5" drop I'm wanting I can do that right?

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[CorDog009]

Ok thanks!

One last question. After looking at the leaf springs they are actually like 3-3.5" drop. If I did drop shackles in the rear with the springs to get the full 4-4.5" drop I'm wanting I can do that right?

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You could do that but you'd be close to almost having to do a c-notch. You might be able to trim the bumpstops down and leave a little on them and get by with it.

 

[Gecko]

You could do that but you'd be close to almost having to do a c-notch. You might be able to trim the bumpstops down and leave a little on them and get by with it.

That's what I was curious about. I was planning on getting new bump stops for when I do the lowering anyways.

I did see on a youtube video that the drop shackles some times offer multiple spots to bolt up to. So if I only want 1" instead of 2" I could do that.

I guess I should call Belltech and talk to them about it and see what they say.

Thanks for the help though! I now plan on going with the spindles in the front and drop leafs in the rear with new shocks all around (I'm probably due for that anyways).

Any recommendation on shocks?

 

[AKreed22]

great breakdown for the 4x4 guys. I have now found what I will be spending my deployment money on! So all together looking like 900$ in parts?

 

[CorDog009]

great breakdown for the 4x4 guys. I have now found what I will be spending my deployment money on! So all together looking like 900$ in parts?

Thanks. Yea I think mine was right at $900 or so all together. I went ahead and replaced the lower balljoints while I was in there. I think that added another $40 in to the total.