Here is my question:

I just got a 2002 blue ford lightning and one of the first few things i want to do is to lower it, i am looking at about a 3/5 " drop. but what i wanted to know is how is the ride quality on the lightnings that have been droped. i have never actually been in a lowered lightning and no other truck that could compare to that drop. my worry is that it would ride like some of my freinds little imports, and that is a really bad ride, you feel every bump and have to slow down for everything. also what would be a good lowering kit for this project ? and what would the price run ?

 

The ride quality of the 2/3 drop is very good. Almost like stock. Go any lower than that, and all bets are off. Stock shocks still work well for this configuration. Change them if you want to.

BellTech now makes a 2/4 kit (really a 3/4 F150 kit).
If you take the lowest hole on the rear shackles and use the full 4" drop, it's a little dicey. Leave the bolt in the upper hole at 3" and it's perfect, IMHO.

 

Use the Bell Tech 3/4 kit. Like Tampa said it will come out to a 2/3 kit if you use the 2nd notch on the rear shakel. Here is a good side pic of mine. If you go lower than that you will need a to C-NOTCH the rear frame. I may do it on mine for more clearance, but you dont have to...

 

Is it the same kit being sold here at the f150online store?

 

Yes you need the 2nd one shown. The first would only be a 1/4 on a L. The 2nd is a 2/4 on a L. Remember the fron of a L has a 1in drop spring from the factory....

https://www.f150online.com/cgi-bin/f....html&CODE=197

 

ICULOKN,

are the wheels you have on the same outside diameter as the 295 45 18 from stock, i just picked up the belltech kit from the online store and like the way yours sits..

jim

 

also there is some1 sitting on the tailgate, which might be pushing it down a little? I mean even if my tiny 9 year old sister stands on the tailgate of my dad's f150, the bed goes down a little

 

I got the same kit as them and it works good, my trucks little higher up with my 20" rims and tires, but I love the way it drives now!

 

My wheels and tires are very close to the OVERALL diameter of the stock setup. My truck sits about how it does in that picture. I have removed my hitch & spare. I have the 3/4 Bell Tech Kit setup for a 2/3 drop. It is very level!!

 

When you guys use the bell tech 2/3 lowering kit do you use any pinion angle shims with this set up? If so what degree do you use?
oscar,

 

Is the payload reduction a big deal? Or do you guys never put anything back there anyway? I want to do a conservative 2" drop, but maintain as much bed payload capacity as possible (moving soon). Any comments?

 

When I first installed just the Bell Tech 3/4 kit on my 2000 L. the rear was lower than the front so I added 2 inch Western Chassis A-arms, to have the front of the L. lower than the rear. I could not take the rear bottoming out so much on the frame when I went over speed bumps, dips in the road, pot holes etc. So I plasma cut my frame on both side in the rear and added a C-section kit. I expermented with different shocks till I got a smooth not bouncy ride I went with Edelbrock front shocks and Doesch Tech rear shocks to get a decent smooth ride. I did not think my stock ride was that great. The Bell tech kit came with the pinion angle shims so they were installed. With the 295-40-20 Goodyear tires I think the ride got a little more stiffer because of the series of tires I have mounted. Hope this is some help.

Swanson Chip
JL #3 pulley
JL Drive Shaft Loop
Air Raid With 10 inch S&B Big Mouth Filter
Bell Tech 3/4 Drop, C-Section Rear Frame
Western Chassis 2 inch A-arms
Doetsch Tech Nitro-Slammer rear Shocks, Front shocks Edelbrock
Tinted Windows 5% Smoke Tint
Windshield 50% tint
Clear Corners
2001 Head and tail lights
PIAA Super White Headlites
Carbon Fiber Dash Kit
Keyless Door Pad
Trenz Top and Bottom Polished Billet Grills
Trenz Billet Foot Pedals
Trenz Billet Antenna
250A Punch Amp
Sony XplodX Amp XM-604EQX
4 Polk dX7 3-way speakers
MTX-ThunderForm with 2-10 inch subwoofers 6000 series
Calf. Custom 1 piece monogramed plush carpet mat
Ford System 4 Alarm
2001 20 inch Chrome rims
295-40-20 Goodyear HPZR
MagnaFlow Muffler

Born 5/1/2000
#2577


djy

 

Hey DJY1, your truck is lookin sweeeeet, bro. I read through your sig and you have 50% windsheild tint? Dont you get harrassed for that?

 

if anyone has a pic out there or one is posted already in this post, i would like to see stock wheel tire setup with belltech 3/4 donr, or 2/3 for a L.....

thnks
jim

 

I would be interested in seeing that also. I can fathom spending the cash on the kit but to spend over 2 boxes of ziti for new rims and tires is hard for me to do at this moment!