Hello Everyone,

I just added a set of 20s to my 2002 F150- SCrew and want to know the best kit for a 3/4 drop and how hard is it to install... I would like to order a kit in the next two days... Thanks

 

After experimenting with many suspension mods and researching all of them, I would recommend

BellTech for a complete 3/4 lowering kit (coils/hangers/shackles) with the nitro active shocks.

However, if you want the best steering possible with a dropped front end, save yourself some grief and get some

Western Chassis 3 inch lowered control arms.

They will allow you to keep more of your original steering geometry therefore reducing the effects of bumpsteer. The lowering control arms also have urethane bushings. As well as, the standard lowering kits include 2 inch lowering rear hangers and up to 2 inch lowering shackles. Unless you are a gifted mechanic or intend to pay to have the hangers installed, you will have a very difficult experience with removing the stock hanger rivets.

Therfore, another option is to buy lowering rear leaf spring packs and avoid having to remove the stock hanger rivets.

In other words, knowing what I know now and could do it over again, I would get some western Chassis 3 inch lowering control arms and some 3 or 4 inch lowering leaf spring packs.

 

Okay I ordered the Belltech 3/4 complete kit from Summit Racing. te price was right and I have the tools to remove the stock shackles in the rear. I am going to have to get motivated and then it is off into the garage... If anyone has any tips on removing the rear shackles please chime in....

 

Haha!

The rear shackles are very easy to remove. Key is getting the tension off the leafspring packs. IF you were only removing the rear shackles for a max. of 2 or 3 inch lowering (can go 3 with certain shackles if you notch the frame), you would only need to jack up the rear bump until the rear tires are barely off the ground. Standard shackles provide either a 1 or 2 inch lowering. Then you would take a 13/16 or 15/16 (can't remember which one) socket and remove the bolt from the shackle to shackle bracket (of course you would need to take safety precautions such as jack stands under the frame, etc.

HOWEVER, to get a standard 3 or 4 inch rear lowering, you must replace the rear shackles AND hangers (unless you get lowering leafsprings and avoid the whole mess). It is the rear hanger RIVETS that are insane! To replace these with the 2 inch lowering hangers, you will need to remove the entire leaf spring packs (if you try to leave the leaf packs bolted to the rearend axle you will have a difficult time trying to bolt the leafpack to the hanger) AND remove the hanger rivets. In a nut shell, you will want to follow this proceedure in the following order:

Try to have at least one other person helping you, then
Make sure that you have very little gas in the tank, then
pick a side and do one side at a time only, then
loosen wheel lug nuts, then
jack up rear bumper and remove the tire, then
remove the shackle, then
remove u-bolts from center of leafpack, then
unbolt the leafpack from the hanger, then
move the leaf pack out of the way, then
remove stock hanger rivets, then
use rivet holes as bolt holes to mount lowering hanger, then
clamp the leafpack and grind off the center pin bolt, then
install new bolt with longer head with a 4 or 6 degree pinion shim setting on the bottom of the leaf pack (wide part of shim points toward the front), then
mount shackle to leafspring (either 1 or 2 inch lowering holes), then
place leaf pack back into postion and starting with the Hanger end, mount the leafpack to hanger (and emergency bracket on drivers side, then
bolt leafpack center u-bolt/bracket (make sure leafpack centerbolt is in the axle bracket hole), then
mount shackle to frame bracket.

Make sure that the emergency bracket "ear" is setting in the hanger bracket properly (I bent mine to make sure).
Make sure that as you tighten the leafspring pack to axle u-bolt/bracket, that the new center pin bolt is setting in the hole in the bracket on the axle.

The hanger rivet remove is very difficult, however, after grinding the rivet head off, if you heat up the rivet, you can knock it out of the frame. However, on the drivers side, remember that you have a GAS TANK that could explode!!!!!!

See this thread for description of the rivet removal

https://www.f150online.com/forums/sh...ets#post953900

If you do a search on this site for "rivet" in the oem suspension forum, you will find other threads that will shed light on this topic.

NOTE: I am not an expert. My comments should be superceeded by the instructions with the kit and or the expertise of trained professionals.....and AT LEAST PUT a wet towel on the side of the gas tank that you are working on, put jack stands under the frame and wear eye safety googles or you could get "exploded", burned, smashed and or go blind!!!!!!!!!!

Have fun!!!!!

 

Call J's tire in SM and ask them how much to install!

 

Js wants $350.00 and Big Brand wants $300-$350....

 

If you have an air chissel the rivets can be cut right off. With a flat chisel in the unit cut all the heads off of the hanger get the flat chisel under the hanger and seperate from the frame, again cut the rivets flush with the fraim if you have a punch tool for the air gun or make one from an old chisel knock the rivets through the frame. I could have one hanger on the ground quicker than it took me to type this its very easy. if you have a compressor buy a cheap air chisel set It will make the job very easy.

 

I am going to get one to do the job!!! Plus you can do some neat things when taking cars apart....

 

I want to lower my 2004 lariat 4x4. I want only to improve the looks since it sits high. I was told by dealer that this might cause steering wobble and or drive shaft noises. What kit should I get to lower a max of 2" front and 3" rear? What should I expect in terms of future ride?

 

I can only speak with regards to my 2001 s/crew 2wd, I could not be any happier with my truck after the belltech install. Ride and handeling are superier to original no vibration I don't haul any heavy loads but if I needed to I would install air bag helpers to compinsate I like the lowerstance and the full wheel wells wouldent have it any other way!!!

 

My truck is in the process of being lowered with a belltech 3/4 drop. I cannot wait to pick her up at lunch on Friday... The front was complete today with alignment kit etc... Belltech makes a very nice complete kit...

 

Nice Ike Send pics.

 

I will get some shots up this afternoon when I get her home....

 

First Pic of my SC after getting her from the shop, more pics to come after work!!! Belltech 3/4

 

Here are pics of my supercrew: