Has anyone come up with a good solution to the suspension bottoming while towing a trailer? Does Ground Force make an over load shock that you can buy or would my best bet be a set of air bags etc.........

------------------
98 White 4.6 Triton STX, Flairside,Class III hitch, Blue Cobra Stripes, Euro Lid by Astro, Bed Rug, Fiero Wing, Air Dam, Ground Force 2-4 Drop, Super Chip, K&N, Jet coated JBA stainless headers, Magna Flow Muffler with Stainless Duals.

 

Hi MIF-150, Thanks for the response! I am thinking about possibly trying the old air shocks routine. Bummer about all the money you spent. I think the shocks that come with the Ground Force kit are wimpy to say the least. Our online store has shocks for 2x4 droped trucks. Has anyone tried them? Does anyone know of an air shock that will work in a dropped truck. The bottoning is really bad only when I am towing a small boat so the thought is to put air in the shocks to adjust ride height when towing. Thanks again for the info because I am sure you saved me some money and agrivation!

------------------
98 White 4.6 Triton STX, Flairside,Class III hitch, Blue Cobra Stripes, Euro Lid by Astro, Bed Rug, Fiero Wing, Air Dam, Ground Force 2-4 Drop, Super Chip, K&N, Jet coated JBA stainless headers, Magna Flow Muffler with Stainless Duals.

 

Flatsman, I went back to stock height yesterday. I had a set of Firestone Sport-Rite airbags in it when it was lowered. No help at all, got worse than no airbag. The inside of the bag kept clunking unless you filled it up to 45 psi, then which will put strains on the leaf springs. I been in constant contact with Firestone tech about this and could not solve any problems even holes had to be redrilled to reposition the airbags. I would suggest going back to stock height or buy other brand of airbag which is design especially for the lowered F-150(Airlift or Hellwig)? This lesson cost me over 1000.00 and I think we got screw on the Ground Force kit, did not hear any problems with the Belltech kit at all. I had to spent 270.00 wholesale price (Ford dealer)on the new stock hangers alone(old ones was grinded out completely when lowering). Now my airbags is working perfect in stock height again and no more bottoming out. Which ever you choose good luck to you! steve


------------------
1997 XLT Supercab emerald green,4.6 auto superchip, MSD 8.5 wires and Bosch plat4 plugs, rear dual exhaust, Atlas wheels w HP 275/60/17 tires, P/F Z pads, Lund steps and quarter window shades, Piaa 1000 in bumpers openings, Trenz billet grille, edlebrock ISA shocks, Powerslider, stainless steel fender trim, Fluidyne tranny cooler, Airaid kit, Gentex electronic compass dimming mirror,A.R.E. lid, Steeda sway bar(at least it doesn't make noises like the Hellwig), newly installed B&M cast aluminum xtra 3 qt tranny pan, Firestone Sport-Rite airbags system with remote pressure gauge mounted on Autometer dual pod with Autometer tranny temp gauge. Just installed Ground Force 2/4 kit. Aim fiberglass front spoiler with Piaa lights, Going back to stock height.



[This message has been edited by MIF-150 (edited 12-16-1999).]

 

Flatsman, I advise you not to go with airshocks unless there are no other alternative. I am a ASE certified mechanic and I seen people coming in with cracked chassis because of airshocks and lowered trucks will not benefit from it at all.
What I had done in the past for a few lowered trucks with your problem is to mount airbags to the very end of the tail of the truck. This involved welding and fabricating metal plates to the frame. It is a complicated process but it works and never bottoms out no matter what load you put on.
If you see a 18 wheeler and looked at their airbags on their front cab chassis, that is where I position the airbags to my customers lowered vehicle. Air shocks is not the way to go on my opinion. Take care.

 

GreenHornet, Thanks for the input! I will throw that idea out the window. Do you know of anyone trying 'Helper Springs' which load progressively as weight is put on the truck?

------------------
98 White 4.6 Triton STX, Flairside,Class III hitch, Blue Cobra Stripes, Euro Lid by Astro, Bed Rug, Fiero Wing, Air Dam, Ground Force 2-4 Drop, Super Chip, K&N, Jet coated JBA stainless headers, Magna Flow Muffler with Stainless Duals.

 

Flatsman, helper springs will not do it after you lowered your truck. Because you actually tucked your springs deeper into the body already. And if you really looked at your frame and the springs arch (after you removed the wheel), there is not much travel
space left in there for the helper springs and if you decided to put it it you will experience clunking noise from it. If you are really bottoming out often, your best bet is replace the spring completely with a new set. Lowering your truck nowaday is the trend, but you will have to sacrifice small annoying feature like bottoming out.
What our shop is doing lately in lowering is not to replace shackles and hangers at all.
The best is to replaced the stock springs with a new set of slightly arch springs instead to give that lowered looks without extensive modification and maintain the load without bottoming. I know it is too late now for your project, but Air-Ride Technologies company came out with a airbags system for your lowered truck. This system consist of only 2 leaf springs on each side and the airbags will fit perfectly beside the frame rail and the bags will support the heavy loads. I had not installed this system yet because the customers do not want to pay this system extra cost. Check out their website if you can. I see on your signature you have some awesome mods on it and seem you're pretty serious on hopping it up.
Let me know if I can help you out.

 

GreenHornet, You have been a BIG help and I will consider your last post as a possible solution to the problem or maybe I will just live with it. I do like a lowered truck! I am still working on my mods and the next one will be a shift kit. All of these mods are headed toward a blower this summer!

------------------
98 White 4.6 Triton STX, Flairside,Class III hitch, Blue Cobra Stripes, Euro Lid by Astro, Bed Rug, Fiero Wing, Air Dam, Ground Force 2-4 Drop, Super Chip, K&N, Jet coated JBA stainless headers, Magna Flow Muffler with Stainless Duals.

 

Have you considered doing a 1/2 or 2/2 drop? It doesn't give you the handling or the looks of a 2/4, but it keeps a lot more of the utility of the truck and still gives you some improvement in the other areas.

 

StrangeRanger- I am considerin the 2x2 drop by adding another leaf spring to the rear suspension. Do you or any of the other members know of any negatives with this idea?

------------------
98 White 4.6 Triton STX, Flairside,Class III hitch, Blue Cobra Stripes, Euro Lid by Astro, Bed Rug, Fiero Wing, Air Dam, Ground Force 2-4 Drop, Super Chip, K&N, Jet coated JBA stainless headers, Magna Flow Muffler with Stainless Duals.

 

GreenHornet,-Thanks for "stepping in" That is what makes this such a great sight! And once again you saved me from wasting money. Thanks!

------------------
98 White 4.6 Triton STX, Flairside,Class III hitch, Blue Cobra Stripes, Euro Lid by Astro, Bed Rug, Fiero Wing, Air Dam, Ground Force 2-4 Drop, Super Chip, K&N, Jet coated JBA stainless headers, Magna Flow Muffler with Stainless Duals.

 

Flatsman, again adding another leaf spring will just give you the impression of stuffing 10 pounds into a 5 pounds bag.
Don't forget you don't have much travel in the rear leaf spring anymore. If you add the extra leaf spring you are actually forcing the extra load into your lowered hangers and shackles.The best way to do the 2X2 is to put the original rear shackles(if you didn't throw it away)back in and you will gain about 2" more of travel and also give you less chance of bottoming out. Sorry if I step in again on your post, just don't want to steer any of our members into the wrong direction.