The fine folks at UPS delivered my BellTech 2" drop shackles yesterday, thanks to Summit. Hopefully going to install them this weekend.
Does anyone have any words of advice that can help make the installation of these as painless as possible? Any do's or do not's?
Thanks for sharing the knowledge

 

TonyJ, click on the below post and see my response to some vibration issues after the belltech shackles. You may have to rotate the 2 degree shim on the bottom of the spring pack. Good Luck!!!

https://www.f150online.com/forums/sh...ation+shackles

 

Oh man, I just knew it was gonna be harder than the direction says. I really appreciate the advice. To you switch the shims before/after or while the shackles are unattached? Thanks again

 

You can take a chance and see if it does not vibrates. In my case I didn't have any vibration . Other do, so it is a case by case item.

 

No vibration from mine either. The install was pretty easy for me, but then of course I went to my Dad's house. He's a retired Ford tech with all the right tools!!

 

ALways have a buddy help! because two heads are better than 1. Also you arent gonna have jack stands tall enough so jack up on the pumpkin(rear diff) and place the jackstands on cinder blocks AHEAD of the rear wheels. It is the lowest point of the frame and best place to put the jacks as your rear end must hang completely free as to take the load of the leaf springs. I would still keep the jack under the diff just make sure it is NOT supporting it. Air ratchet will make it quicker if you have one. Knowing htis would have cut my install time in half. GOOD LUCK!

 

yup, its a pretty easy job. took me about 10 minutes per side once i had the truck in the air. it went suprisingly easy for me.
i only did one side at a time cuz it says right in the manual and on the jack to not jack the truck up under the differential, so i just jacked up the truck on the frame infront of the wheel, when it was high enough, i put the jackstand next to the jack and let the jack down so the stand was supporting the weight, then i got my hydrolic jack and put it under that side of the axle and just pumped it up a little to support the weight of the axle and rim and all that while i took off the shackle and swapped them out. then tightened everything and lowered it and did the same for the other side.

don't be suprised if you only get like a 1" drop right away, it needs to be driven a few miles to settle into the full drop. most guys get around 1 1/2 to 1 3/4" of drop

 

Is it any harder than replaceing the leaf springs on a 87 Ranger by yourself? I have done that before. It sucked.

I have been thinking of doing a drop in the rear. It seems that my front end has droppped down a little. I can't get my hand in there with the sponge. So it looks bad with the rear up in the air.

I'll add that to the list of mods that I have going on right now, It will get done NEXT YEAR. LOL

 

next year? LoL you better have those before the next meet or you can't come
you've even got a lift by you don't ya? that should make it an easy 1/2 hour job max. LoL

if you keep an eye on the classifieds you could probably pick up a set of drop shackles for like 30 bucks

 

Yep, I have 3 lifts within 5 mile radius. LOL I can't find the time to order the parts, or put the parts on. I still have things that I'm working on for it now that aren't done. (speaker box)

 

you forgot about your purple calipers too

 

Don't laugh.......You'll see how cool purple calipers are........then you'll be outside late at night repainting yours.