Finished lowering my L
Thread Starter
|
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 1,173
Likes: 0
From: Allen, TX, USA
Finished lowering my L
Lowered my '99 L with Chassis Tech front springs and rear hangers.
The front dropped ~1.5" it appears, and the rear was 2". I think it looks great. I will get it aligned next week, and til then won't drive it again, but I did drive it about 3 miles so the front springs would settle a bit.
The rear hangers are a royal pain. They are riveted into the frame, and the rivets are very good quality...forged steel. I was prepared with several very good carbide bits, and I knew there would be shrapnel, but not _that_ much! I'm still pulling it out of my butt (and yes, I was fully clothed when taking on this task in 106^F heat in TX). After grinding the rivets down, I took an air hammer and drove them through. This was easier said than done, as well. Bolt in the new hangers, reattach leaf spring to hanger and done. Doing this in my garage with the truck on jackstands made it a little more time consuming.
Thanks to Matt (FSUFAN) for help with instructions on doing this!
For the fronts, I did what Chris Thomas has suggested in previous posts. After dropping the shock out, and getting the sway bar end-link disconnected, I proceeded to remove the two bolts that hold the upper A-arm to the frame. Yeah, this screws up the alignment, but I'm going to have to have it aligned anyway. What's cool about the way the truck suspension is compared to the Mustangs I am more familar with, is that the spring will decompress in a straight-downward fashion. A Mustang's suspension creates a lot of curvature in the spring and you really should always use a spring compressor, even though many times I've been able to just use 5000lb tie-straps to secure it and then slowly lower the jack down.
Anyway, the front springs on these things just drop out if you lower the jack down really slowly. Slide the new one in and reinstalled it all...no big deal. Total of one hour, taking my time, from the time I jacked up the truck til the time I had put all my tools away.
On my little jaunt out this AM, I did do some full throttle testing to see if 1st gear traction had been hurt. Initial findings are that it hasn't been adversely affected by lowering the rear 2". Seemed fine to me.
------------------
Wes Tarbox
90 LX 5.0 (10.69 @ 134.7)--597rwhp/590rwtq
96 Cobra (12.63 @ 114.5)--392rwhp/433rwtq
99 Lightning (13.20 @ 103.3)--364rwhp/444rwtq
00 Expedition XLT 5.4
http://members.aol.com/Wa2fst/index.html
The front dropped ~1.5" it appears, and the rear was 2". I think it looks great. I will get it aligned next week, and til then won't drive it again, but I did drive it about 3 miles so the front springs would settle a bit.
The rear hangers are a royal pain. They are riveted into the frame, and the rivets are very good quality...forged steel. I was prepared with several very good carbide bits, and I knew there would be shrapnel, but not _that_ much! I'm still pulling it out of my butt (and yes, I was fully clothed when taking on this task in 106^F heat in TX). After grinding the rivets down, I took an air hammer and drove them through. This was easier said than done, as well. Bolt in the new hangers, reattach leaf spring to hanger and done. Doing this in my garage with the truck on jackstands made it a little more time consuming.
Thanks to Matt (FSUFAN) for help with instructions on doing this!
For the fronts, I did what Chris Thomas has suggested in previous posts. After dropping the shock out, and getting the sway bar end-link disconnected, I proceeded to remove the two bolts that hold the upper A-arm to the frame. Yeah, this screws up the alignment, but I'm going to have to have it aligned anyway. What's cool about the way the truck suspension is compared to the Mustangs I am more familar with, is that the spring will decompress in a straight-downward fashion. A Mustang's suspension creates a lot of curvature in the spring and you really should always use a spring compressor, even though many times I've been able to just use 5000lb tie-straps to secure it and then slowly lower the jack down.
Anyway, the front springs on these things just drop out if you lower the jack down really slowly. Slide the new one in and reinstalled it all...no big deal. Total of one hour, taking my time, from the time I jacked up the truck til the time I had put all my tools away.
On my little jaunt out this AM, I did do some full throttle testing to see if 1st gear traction had been hurt. Initial findings are that it hasn't been adversely affected by lowering the rear 2". Seemed fine to me.
------------------
Wes Tarbox
90 LX 5.0 (10.69 @ 134.7)--597rwhp/590rwtq
96 Cobra (12.63 @ 114.5)--392rwhp/433rwtq
99 Lightning (13.20 @ 103.3)--364rwhp/444rwtq
00 Expedition XLT 5.4
http://members.aol.com/Wa2fst/index.html
Thread Starter
|
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 1,173
Likes: 0
From: Allen, TX, USA
Sorry, no digital camera in this household.
You wouldn't have wanted to see pics of the install, either...unless you like to see someone covered in fine metal all over their skin/clothes. Ugh. All I know is...I'm not doing it again.
Like anything else, though, it'd be easier the 2nd time around. I think what made doing the back such a pain was that I was limited due to working off the ground with the truck up on jackstands. Do this on a lift and the job would be significantly easier, IMO.
------------------
Wes Tarbox
90 LX 5.0 (10.69 @ 134.7)--597rwhp/590rwtq
96 Cobra (12.63 @ 114.5)--392rwhp/433rwtq
99 Lightning (13.20 @ 103.3)--364rwhp/444rwtq
00 Expedition XLT 5.4
http://members.aol.com/Wa2fst/index.html
You wouldn't have wanted to see pics of the install, either...unless you like to see someone covered in fine metal all over their skin/clothes. Ugh. All I know is...I'm not doing it again.
Like anything else, though, it'd be easier the 2nd time around. I think what made doing the back such a pain was that I was limited due to working off the ground with the truck up on jackstands. Do this on a lift and the job would be significantly easier, IMO.------------------
Wes Tarbox
90 LX 5.0 (10.69 @ 134.7)--597rwhp/590rwtq
96 Cobra (12.63 @ 114.5)--392rwhp/433rwtq
99 Lightning (13.20 @ 103.3)--364rwhp/444rwtq
00 Expedition XLT 5.4
http://members.aol.com/Wa2fst/index.html
