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-   -   Truck mods (http://forums.carmudgeons.com/showthread.php?t=137108)

John V 07-01-2017 08:57 AM

Truck mods
 
I guess I can't leave well enough alone. Nah... In truth I want to put the truck in the garage, or at least have the option of doing so. It fits in the shop, but I don't want to fill up that space with an enormous truck, and the attached garage has really low doors and the truck is about a half inch away from fitting under the fully opened door.

I got to looking around and saw that the rear leaf springs are mounted above the axle on an inch and a half of spacer blocks. I figured I could move those to the top of the spring pretty easily, lowering the rear of the truck with no side effects, given that I will never tow over 10,000lbs with this rig.

Spacers:

http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/o...psh03zbggg.jpg

Moved spacers:

http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/o...psbi7de9zj.jpg

Before :

http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/o...psrsf8fk1p.jpg

After:

http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/o...pssrrcufwc.jpg

Can't you see the huge difference? :D

OK. I can't either. But measuring at the hitch, it's 1 1/4 inches lower, which gives me some margin to the door, and means I can run less of a drop on my hitch to meet my trailer. Win/win.

bren 07-01-2017 09:05 AM

First time we went to use my father's vs. mine we realized the new truck was something like 2" higher at the hitch (his has the coil sprung rear tho.) Fortunately, I only had to drive to the complete other side of town at the last minute to buy a long enough drop hitch.

John V 07-01-2017 09:14 AM

It's ridiculously raked out stock.

Nick M3 07-01-2017 11:33 AM

Mine too. I threw in drop shackles to get the rear down a couple inches, and turned down the torsion keys an inch in the front of mine. Now i can drive it through nearly all of the office garage.

Biggins 07-03-2017 09:32 AM

It doesn't really look lower to me, but I believe you.

I assume those tires good for towing?

My wife's friend with a horse business swears by some Michelin tire for towing because he tows a 6k trailer everyday and said it holds up really well and still does well on unpaved roads even though it's not a real A/T tire. He had the same truck as your new one, but he just upgraded to a dually.

JST 07-03-2017 09:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nick M3 (Post 507418)
Now i can drive it through nearly all of the office garage.

This seems like an important qualifier.

blee 07-03-2017 10:19 AM

There were garages in DC where I didn't like taking my Grand Prix. In fact, I dinged my rear quarter panel while going down one of those impossibly narrow downramps. (I got a ticket for 87 in a 50 when I drove home the next morning. It was a great day...)

JST 07-03-2017 10:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blee (Post 507502)
There were garages in DC where I didn't like taking my Grand Prix. In fact, I dinged my rear quarter panel while going down one of those impossibly narrow downramps. (I got a ticket for 87 in a 50 when I drove home the next morning. It was a great day...)

Um, yes. I know how that is.

John V 07-03-2017 12:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nick M3 (Post 507418)
Mine too. I threw in drop shackles to get the rear down a couple inches, and turned down the torsion keys an inch in the front of mine. Now i can drive it through nearly all of the office garage.

No drop shackles for these trucks that I can find. The stock ones are really short already.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Biggins (Post 507496)
It doesn't really look lower to me, but I believe you.

I assume those tires good for towing?

My wife's friend with a horse business swears by some Michelin tire for towing because he tows a 6k trailer everyday and said it holds up really well and still does well on unpaved roads even though it's not a real A/T tire. He had the same truck as your new one, but he just upgraded to a dually.

They're what came on it stock so I'd assume so. I will probably replace them with the Michelins when these are done but I'm easily 30k away from needing new ones.

Nick M3 07-03-2017 12:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JST (Post 507499)
This seems like an important qualifier.

I can drive through the part where I usually park, which is what matters.


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