I have an 04 With coil rears that will be used to tow once in awhile, nothing big just some quads 3500# at the most. I'm thinking of lowering it using the belltech 1.3/3 kit. Now with a loaded trailer, I have about an inch of droop or sag in the rear. With the belltech 3" drop in the back, will the droop be the same, more or less and how much, than the stock springs. thkx
lowering and towing
- Thread starter leffty
- Start date
leffty said:
I sell belltech products and so you know if you have a high mileage truck DO NOT do the springs
Here is the kit you want
TBSSowners.com Store - Belltech Street Perf. Shocks/Springs Combo (Powered by CubeCart)
NORCAL SS said:
NORCAL SS Thanks for the link. Ive only had the TB a month and a half. I've been trying to learn as much as possible but have never saw anything about lowering a high mileage rig. please explain, I'm trying to figure out what one has to do with the other. only have 84k on it. Looking to learn something new today. Thanks
lowering sprnigs on stock struts dont ride the best at all. This is why I dont sell the drop springs. Your much better off doing the belltech drop struts because they are a new strut designed to be lowered on and adjustable up to 2 inches of drop. Also the ride is better than doing lowering springs in front on stock struts.
rear the shock/springs are a combined kit that gives great ride. Ive done well over 200 trucks since late 03 and NONE of my customers complained about the rear shock/spring belltech set up and prob sold a lot more online kits same thing.
The front no complaints either with the drop struts.
rear the shock/springs are a combined kit that gives great ride. Ive done well over 200 trucks since late 03 and NONE of my customers complained about the rear shock/spring belltech set up and prob sold a lot more online kits same thing.
The front no complaints either with the drop struts.
jrSS
Member
- Dec 4, 2011
- 3,950
leffty said:
This is my rig with the exact set up norcal is talking about. It rides awesome!! Mine had 86000 miles on it when I dropped it and had to replace 2 outer tie rods and 1 upper ball joint b4 the alignment shop would attempt to do it. So if those were worn out the struts(unless they were replaced) are toast.
silvernclean said:
This is my rig with the exact set up norcal is talking about. It rides awesome!! Mine had 86000 miles on it when I dropped it and had to replace 2 outer tie rods and 1 upper ball joint b4 the alignment shop would attempt to do it. So if those were worn out the struts(unless they were replaced) are toast.
Im surprised it aligned with the stock a arms but i already know what the upper balljoints look like and will go thru those again.
Here is the stock upper balljoint angle with above drop and NOT USING my modified upper djm a arms.
AND With djm upper a arms
also with these trucks ive seen numerous ones where the upper rubber bushings are shot on the stock control arms. The djms have poly bushings and make the truck handle better also..
here is the stock weak arm vs the much stronger djm one. Solid 1 inch steel bar.
silvernclean said:
i just like for everyone to get the entire story on lowering these trucks. Many do a 2 inch drop and doesnt align and the arms fix that besides if cracked rubber bushing is what you have on your truck might as well change it to a better designed a arm.
So keep the front springs, change front struts. The pic of the upper ball joint and upper A arm, that angle seemed rather severe to me. I would think that would be a little hard on the b/j wouldn't it.
Silvernclean, looks good, that's pretty close to the look I'm after.
How much did you lower the front?
How much rake is there, (difference in height front to back)?
Whats the height to the top of the wheel well both front and back.
How much did you lower the front?
How much rake is there, (difference in height front to back)?
Whats the height to the top of the wheel well both front and back.
leffty said:
Yes that is correct. By far the belltech rides the best and I used to sell the other brands of springs ie eibach/mcgauhys and ground force. Belltech rides the best on the drop struts and rear shock/spring combo.
The balljoint angle is severe and with the older trucks I always see the upper a arm bushings cracked when I replace them with the DJM arms plus it will align much better with the djm arms.
Thanks to both of you for the info. I have not seen anyone do much to theirs around here, so the learning curve has been a bit slow. Its a little hard to judge some of the clearances, and the way things really look by just a pic here and there. 
ok didnt want to start a new thread. I have been towing stuff for years. First in 18 wheelers then pick-ups and now my TB. As long as your tongue weight doesnt go up then lowering or raising should have no effect on towing because you did nothing to the engine or trans. If you dont get a spring at the same coil rate and the stock spring it could effect your payload because thats what the springs really carry is whats in the TB.
Your totally correct, million miler, being new to these tb's I was asking to confirm my thoughts that the lowering springs would stand up the same as stock. I might be corrected by someone but I have not seen any of the lowering kits mention spring rates at all. I do know that a shorter spring will be softer if it still allows the the same amount droop, I was just not sure if it would be enough to worry about. On the other hand the shorter springs could be stiffer and not give any droop at all.
