07-01-2017, 08:57 AM | #1 |
No more BMWs
Join Date: Apr 2005
Carmudgeonly Ride: Ram, MS3, CX-5, RX-8
Location: Glenwood, MD
Posts: 14,753
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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: Moved spacers: Before : After: Can't you see the huge difference? 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. |
07-01-2017, 09:05 AM | #2 |
lawn boy
Join Date: Oct 2003
Carmudgeonly Ride: e46m3, f25x3,C5 Z06, C4 Vette, 06 CTD Ram, and a trailer
Location: Maryland
Posts: 14,029
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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.
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07-01-2017, 09:14 AM | #3 |
No more BMWs
Join Date: Apr 2005
Carmudgeonly Ride: Ram, MS3, CX-5, RX-8
Location: Glenwood, MD
Posts: 14,753
|
It's ridiculously raked out stock.
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07-01-2017, 11:33 AM | #4 |
Relic
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Bethesda, MD
Posts: 12,453
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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.
__________________
2011 M3 2006 Sierra 2500HD 4WD LBZ/Allison 2004 X5 3.0i 6MT 1995 M3 S50B32 1990 325is 1989 M3 S54B32 Hers: 1989 325iX 1996 911 Turbo |
07-03-2017, 09:32 AM | #5 |
Crotchety
Join Date: Aug 2007
Carmudgeonly Ride: 22 Tiguan, 11 328i
Posts: 912
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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. |
07-03-2017, 09:53 AM | #6 |
195
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 24,607
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07-03-2017, 10:19 AM | #7 |
Doctor Mudgeon
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 6,433
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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...)
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07-03-2017, 10:55 AM | #8 |
195
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 24,607
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Um, yes. I know how that is.
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07-03-2017, 12:25 PM | #9 | ||
No more BMWs
Join Date: Apr 2005
Carmudgeonly Ride: Ram, MS3, CX-5, RX-8
Location: Glenwood, MD
Posts: 14,753
|
Quote:
Quote:
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07-03-2017, 12:58 PM | #10 |
Relic
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Bethesda, MD
Posts: 12,453
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I can drive through the part where I usually park, which is what matters.
__________________
2011 M3 2006 Sierra 2500HD 4WD LBZ/Allison 2004 X5 3.0i 6MT 1995 M3 S50B32 1990 325is 1989 M3 S54B32 Hers: 1989 325iX 1996 911 Turbo |
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