Well it only took me 2 years to finally get around to getting drop shackles for the truck. LoL. Here's some before and after pics. I got a 1 1/2 inch drop total from the shackles, but it should settle a little more after a few miles on it. So now there is about a 3 1/2" gap in the front fender, and about a 4" gap in the rear fender. Sits nice and level with a slight rake. I'd like to drop the front another inch sometime for a sport raked look like outnumbered has. Thanks again for the shackles outnumbered!

Anyway, it took me about 1 1/2 hours to do the install! About an hour or more was trying to jack the truck up. My 2 ton hydrolic floor jack was a hair too short to get it up enough, so i had to use the stock bottle jack on the frame and do one side at a time. ANd my jackstands are too short also so i had to put them on cinder blocks. Took me 3 or 4 tries to get it right so i could jack it up enough. The install took about 10 minutes per side though. Went fast once i figured out a way to get the truck in the air high enough. Bolts came out nice and easy, and new ones slid right in. I was suprised it didn't take any brute force to get the bottom bolts in or anything. Guess i got lucky there.

Well now for pics...

Battered and soaking wet box. Damn mail people...




BEFORE:






Difference in shackle size:

 

AFTER:





Side by Side: Its hard to tell in the pic teh difference, and after a short drive they have settled a little more and the 2" shackles got me a 1 1/2 inch drop. They will settle a little more w/ time. But in person you can definatley see the difference in the wheel wells and the rake of the truck




I Didn't get a drop the front yet, but it didn't raise up any after the rear drop so that's good. 3 1/2 inch gap in fender

 

4" gap in rear fender after the 2" drop. Netted 1 1/2 inch from the shackles, and after a few miles it should settle a little more. Great mod for $40.

 

Looks Great!
I was looking to drop the rear a bit with out breaking my already broken bank account...

 

Harley you need to come on down to Daytona and wash and glass my truck. DAMN your trucks clean. If you only saw mine right now. It looks as though ive been off roading. ts rained everyday for the last 3 weeks

 

Harley#356,

You keep talking about the shackles "settling" some more. These are not springs, they are solid steel brackets. The only "settling" that might occur would be with new springs. What you have is what you have.

 

Thanks Db, last time i washed it was over a week ago. I just hit it with the cali duster once or twice a day. Now that i'm saying this it will probaby rain and ruin it all. LoL

2000regcab54, i beg to differ. After i put the shackles on, i measured the height, and was 1" lower. I drove it around the block and parked it in the same spot and was 1.5" lower. Like i said, a few miles. I drove it 1/2 mile and it seated teh shackles in place. Just needed to go over a few bumps to bump them at teh right angle than just lowering the truck off the jack. See what i mean. 1.5" is probably all i'm gonna get, but i like it. Its perfect. back wheel well 1/2" higher than front. Slight rake so i'm happy.


Hey Db... go wash that truck now

 

Harley 356, I like the results you got lowering your backend. I have a '00 HD and I'm interested in doing the same. Can you post where you bought the shackles? Does the rear shocks need replaced after lowering? Seems that when you lower the rearend, your shocks would be too long. Thanks

 

Looks good 356. What a coincidence I dropped mine yesterday too. Got my shackles from from this forum who was selling them. Sold them to me for $25.

I like the looks a lot better with the drop on the rear. I measured mine and it is the same as yours.

I guess I will have to update my signature pic now

 

yup, i'll have to update my sig pic at the next show. Speaking of that, my sig pic at FTW was this one but waaay smaller cuz you can only have a super tiny sig pic, could barely read it but here it is...

they deleted it cuz someone complained it was too much extreme profanity. They also deleted 1/2 my pics in my gallery over there of my truck, because other vehicles were in the backround that i didn't own. I did like their galleries before, not now. I say if you can say it on TV, you should be allowed to write it hear. People were arguing that their kids go on this website. Yeah, like they've never heard the word @$$ before. LoL, they even edited my edited version of that word from @$$ to just ***. Talk about taking the rules to the extreme.

Anyway, i got my shackles from outnumbered. He only put them on once, and was too low for him cuz he already has 2" hangers. So he sold them to me for $40. Not too bad for practically new unused shackles.

mvreinha, if you are gonna buy new ones, lightningforceperformance.com has belltech's for 50 bucks. Cheapest price around for brand new. And belltech is hte most popular ones. I've heard alot that AIM is crap. Also, you don't need to change the shocks. They aren't too long because if you had a huge load the truck would ride that low anyway, maybe lower. Truck still rides great, and it was an easy mod. And still plenty of space inbetween the bump stop

good luck

-#356

 

So do the drop shackles changed payload or towing weight at all?

/tg

 

not sure, i'd think so because its closer to the bump stops now which would mean more bottoming out. But i've asked guys that did the 2" drop and they said they haven't bottomed out with a bed full of luggage and a tonneau, so if you don't haul alot it should be fine. I think blwnhd#34 got helper airbags. Maybe it wasn't him, but somebody did.

 

I don't think the 1.5-2 inch dropwill make that big of a difference in your towing or payload unless you are really going to load down the vehicle.

 

aight, i got a better pic of what the truck looks like after it was dropped in the rear since i've driven it and put a couple miles on it, so the shackles are settled or whatever you want to say.

back is 1/4 to 1/2" higher than the front now. Just how i want it

 

BillP,

Where did you purchase the lower billet grille insert for your 02 harley. I have an 02 like yours and have had trouble finding the insert. It looks great in your pic. Nice truck! Hope I get mine looking as good down here in SC. Any help would be greatly appreciated.