Ok I have a 3 inch block kit and I am goin to cut my springs 1.5 coils to get the ride height I want, but I hear about the middle leaf removal. What does the middle leaf removed does to the suspension?
Lowering Question?
Ok I have a 3 inch block kit and I am goin to cut my springs 1.5 coils to get the ride height I want, but I hear about the middle leaf removal. What does the middle leaf removed does to the suspension?
Taking out the middle leaf is gonna lower the rear some more. How much lower all depends upon the condition of the leaf springs . Taking out the middle leaf is gonna make the others work a little harder and they might end up sagging some over time. If you take them out and dont like it you can always put them back. Sometimes going too low in the rear changes the angle of the driveshaft and it can hit the bottom of the truck( i think that is more of a problem on extended cabs). You might end up needing angled drop blocks to correct the pinion angle. Also with drop blocks you tend to get more wheel hop and axle wind up because of the leverage on the real leaf springs has changed.
Agree with what crvtec90 said, and removing the middle leaf will give you approximately a 2" drop.
Last edited by DroppedMitsu; 04-09-2011 at 03:38 PM.
Well I lowered it and didnt removed any leafs cuz all I have is 2 leafs and helper spring. so I put on the 3 inch blocks and cut the extended u-bolts so I wont hit anything with them. It gave me a 2inch drop at least cuz it is sitting low and I like the stance. Thank you for all the information. now I know lol
have any pics??? just curious on the outcome..
glad to hear you got it lowered
yea basically i guess its just how my springs are they are smooth riding it stiffed the suspension a bit but its rides a whole lot better than bouncing with stock stuff and it matters on the saggness of the springs in ur type of vehicle btw but mine was only 3/4 of a cut to make a inch off the spring hieght but its how ever just measure with a measuring tape. ask any questions and thats what keeps us thats for sure. ty for the comments about my truck and u are welcome on the step by step I like easy instructions too. lol
The shocks take a beating with the lowered ride height. When shocks go out, then you'll notice the truck getting rougher and a lot more bouncy. It's one of thoughs "you get what you payed for" kinda deal. The so rings will sag, and ride height will be affected when they do, another alignment should be done at either that ride height, or a corrected ride height by suspension alteration.
To help reduce the wear and tear on a lowered front suspension, put a 1" spacer between the lower control arm and the shock. This help to lengthen the shock out and prevent it from bottoming out. It will actually improve the ride by restoring the travel close to where the shock was designed to work. As an alternative, Tokico shocks have a built in bump stop to prevent shock failure by bottoming out.
Pennyman1
The best Dodge that Dodge never made
Living the D-50 lifestyle since 1980
Im happy too and just doing the front now, but had to stop due to rain grrr lol Check out my profile. I just posted a album of Lowering My M3 Sport check it out. Thanks
So you'll be dropping aprox 3/3 or pulling leaf 3/5? On extended cabs I believe they have the 2 piece drive shaft and not the one piece like the reg cabs. I'm a little curious as to how far you'll go in lowering.
ext. cabs do have a 2 piece driveshaft and im pretty sure that keeps it from rubbing the cab
That's what I thought. So it Would be more of a problem with the reg cabs. Just the same issues with drive line angle.Originally Posted by LethalEthan
I have a 2 piece cuz my truck is a longbed reg cab but I will not be pulling a leaf and I want to cut the coils but I dont want the front sitting lower than the back I want it even. So a 1 3/4 cut or 1 1/2 or 1 coil cut??
One coil cut would be about 2 inches drop. 1.5 coils cut is 3. With the oem rake of the truck it's 2 inches higher inthe rear then the front. So with a 3/5 drop it'll be a flush drop or 3/4 drop with a 1 inch rake.
I left the all the leafs in place and added my 3inch blocks so even flush will be cutting the front coils 1 coil cut? I get confused easily with math sorry.
One coil cut with a 3 inch block would be a 2/3 drop with a one inch rake. Even drop with the 3 inch block would be cut half a coil dropping 1/3.
I dont mind a bit doing a half a coil cut to get it even. Thank you for your help. I will keep the pics coming so check out my profile and thanks again.:D
Not a problem with the questions. Aak away. It not only helps you but would help others with similar questions as well. Also keep us active.
two pc. drive shafts are great. I keep a couple on hand. I am thinking of running one on my reg. cab. short bed. mighty max. I am gonna experiment with it and see..
yeah what ever you do just remember what they said above. the rear sits around two inches higher.
if you are not happy you can always go lower.....
and its ok to run only one leaf with blocks, just run the helper on top for acle wrap reduction, and smoother ride....
My front springs are worn. I have coil spring spacers in there already on the left front and it still is uneven. So If yours are showing their age like mine then You really only have a good average of how much the drop will be. Did u make sure to cut the bump stops in the rear? After u cut the front coils make sure u get an alignment. A 2 inch drop in the front can be at least a 1/2 degree of camber which is a country mile in terms of tire wear.
+1 on the alignment. If I remember correctly last time I had my isuzu up on the rack it had -2degrees of front camber and It's dropped about 4-5in in the front.
Got it lowered and it looks great and handles a lot better than I would ever thought. I cut the front springs 3/4 of a coil each and it dropped 1 inch exactly made the truck handle and stance is even from front to back I love it!:D
I just posted pics of the finished product of the lowering so enjoy!:p
Yeah this thread helped me cause im getting ready to drop mine as well, but its my first lowering attempt so I have no clue what to do.... lol
My back end sits a bit higher then the front stock, i want to drop it, but not sure what i need to do to get it level.
Hey tek... Can u summarize exactly what you did, (to the front and back) and what the exact inches the truck was lowered as a result. You can shoot it to me in a PM or just post it here. Thanks.
**Also... Not sure if its cause your front is on concrete and back is in grass, but your back ends looks a little lower than the front.**
Told you this thread helps others.
Actually my bumper is like that too. The bumper itself hangs kinda low. If your confident in your surroundings then you can always remove the rear bumper for a cleaner look. and it makes one less thing hit the ground. lol
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