I know the rake on 04-06 trucks is more than 07-08 models and was wondering if the rear blocks are the culprit for this? The reason I ask is because the block on my 04 is 2" and the block on my friends stock 08 is close to 1 1/2".
I think this is the main reason my truck doesn't sit level. So I was planning to replace my 2" block with a 1".
On a flat surface the front is 39.5" and the rear is 40.5" so I'm thinking this is a great solution. Of course my truck won't look pretty when I tow, but I only tow once a year.

 

I haven't meassured the thickness of the individual springs (but I suppose one could from the photo below) .... but 04-06 has 1 extra leaf than the 07-08 trucks. My '07 FX4 lift block is 2" thick from bottom of leafe to top of perch. It has 3 leaves.

 

So is it safe to conclude that 06-08's sit lower in the back than 04-05's? I just went and looked at my leaf springs and as you said I have 1 extra leaf. So is this why the rake is more on an 04-05? I'm just trying to figure out why the rake is different so I know what to change to level out my truck

 

Well, I forget which way a '06 goes,
I lumped it with the '04-05s above because you did and I thought you knew? :o
But now I forget which way they went.
Yes, 04-05s have one extra leaf over 07-08s though.

Even with only 3 leaves, mine has plenty of rake. I'm wanting to get 2 wd rear ubolts and remove the blocks on mine, and even after that it'll still have slight rake. I suspect the extra leaf is the reason for greater rake in the earlier trucks, but I don't know how thick the leaves are individualy or as a "pack" on those earlier trucks.

I have another picture that you can compare to your truck. Like I said, this is '07 and it's a Scab FX4 and has maybe 50 lbs of stuff in the bed and a "Undercover" bed cover so call it 100 pounds total with a load center of mass likely 12-18 inches back from front wall of bed. Likely over 3/4 tank of gas, I tend to fill up before she get's much below that ... certainly never under 1/2.



Pretty close to 4 inches from top of "wing" on block to snubber bottum. If I remove the block,. I'll stil have pretty near the same travel as I loose the "wing".

 

Haha everytime you put a picture up I run out to my truck with a flashlight and compare measurements. And I don't know about the 06's either haha but its' alright we are talkin 04 and 07 so its all good.
The 4 leafs on my truck measure 2" exactly, yours probably only 1 1/2"?
But I measured from the bottom of the "bump stop" to the top of the "wing" and mine measured a little over 5". I have nothing in the bed and a little under 3/4 of a tank. So I'm guessing that the leaf springs are the problem. I'll probably end up buying a 2wd 1" block with U bolts and level it that way.

 

I'ld put it at more like 1-3/4 inches, certainly over 1-5/8" thick total. Yes, I think it's that extra leaf that raises the rear of the '04-'05 trucks. I could add that leaf back (get it out of leaf packs at pull apart) and remove my blocks .... and have stronger springs and still loose some rake!

I changed the pics above since your last post.

Haha on running out to look .... I've done it many times while something I saw here is fresh on my mind. It was late at night when I read my first post about Fuel Pump Driver Modules and went out in early January at 2 am and with flashlight in hand, took a look. Saw I needed to fix mine .... and did the next day .... and posted a thread about it. Saved me a bundle of $$$.

 

(I'm a curious person so bear with me please)
In some of your photos your truck looks leveled and in other it looks stock. Do you have a leveling kit of some sort of the front of your truck? I don't know if it's camera angles or what, but I can't figure it out haha.
Anyways, if you took out your rear 2" block and didn't add anything in, you would look like you have 100 cinderblocks in your bed
But yea I'll be dropping down to 1" blocks ASAP. Now I gotta look up a thread on how to change blocks. I'll probably be up all night on this subject...

 

Mine has stock suspension at present. I was hoping to lower both ends about 2 inches actually. I want a little less "space" above the tires in the wheel openings, but I don't want taller rubber with the 3.55 gears. I'ld also like to make it a little easier for the "wife unit" to get in. She sometimes has a tough time.

Here's a pic with some parallel level lines added and the pic leveled so the tires are level, it shows rake well. You can gage it by space between lines and body lines I think.



It is less rake than I was thinking though. I just did the drawing and it ain't as raked as I was thinking it was .... funny how some straight lines will tell you things.

Now .... since you got me to do this .... I also like my idea posted in my last post .... that is may leave front as is, remove blocks, and add a leaf so rear drops maybe only 1 inch but suspension can better handle my trailer or loads?

Lots to think about!

 

The more I think about it, the more I like it. You're dropping the suspension down like you wanted AND increasing your towing capabilities. That's a win-win situation. Just do it

OR you can put an add-a-leaf on, and switch to a 1" block to keep the height you have now. Just brainstorming haha

It kinda makes me sad how my truck, with a 3" leveling kit in the front has the same rake as your stock 07. Oh well

Looks like another weekend project for both of us

 

I also lowered my 07 scab at one time for the same reason you are thinking about. Here it is fresh off the lot in Jan 07



And a few hours later that same day with just the rear blocks removed. The truck measured only 1/2" higher in the back.



Eventually I lowered it even more, here it is with a 1" drop in the front and an additional 1.5" rear for a total of 1/3" drop.



If you want to get the same drop I had, just swap out your front shocks for 2wd ones and remove the rear blocks and add 2" drop shackles.

 

Wow .... That's pretty near exactly what I was hoping to get to. I had looked at 2" shackles as well. What I was holding off on was the front shocks .... I wasn't sure how the 2WD shocks would ride / handle compared to the 4WD shocks?

Did you use any particular 2WD shocks (ie: FX4 or std duty or aftermarket?) ...
... and did they change the ride any?

I have no intention of bouncing off road, "grabbing air", etc. I want it capable on the highway, and I love the tires up in the wheel wells.

 

Well I actually used belltech lowering shocks in the front, I don't recommend them. They're expensive, the ride sucks and the lower bushings blew out after only a year and about 8K miles. Just get a good stock height aftermarket 2wd shock such as a bilstein, they will give you a smooth comfortable ride. While your at it, you might consider some matching 2wd rear shocks to smooth out the back.

 

05RedFX4 .... looking at your signature .... did you later raise it back up to put the 35s on it after that super lowering job?

 

Yep, after the lower bushings blew out on the belltechs I put the truck back to stock height. Then when the stock perellis wore out I decided to put 35's on, so I added a 3" A/S spacer/block combo and some 1/4" wheel spacers in the front.

 

when you initially lowered the rear end by removing the factory fx4 rear blocks, did you re-use the stock u-bolts?