i want to lower my 98 STX with a 2-3 or a 2-4 without looseing any of the factory ride? what is the best lowering kit that u can get? belltech? After i do lower it can i lift it up back to stock in case i decide to sell it? Any help would be awsome! thanks

 

anybody got any ideas?

 

for your info,
A hotchkis 2-4 drop is a nice piece as well as a ground force, belltech, eibach, western chassis kit. Buy a copy of Street Trucks, Truckin and Sport Truck to get all of the information that you need. I lowered my truck with a 3-5 Eibach kit and it rides better than stock and it looks a hell of alot better, to boot. Hope I helped.

 

Well any lowering kit will change the factory ride. I have a Belltech 3/4 kit on my truck and I like it. The handling is better than stock and the rides not too rough. If your looking for the best kit (handling wise) the Hotchkis kit would be it. Yes you will be able to lift the truck back to stock height. The Hotchkis kit consists of front coil springs and rear leafs springs so install and removal should be fairly simple. The kits by Belltech, Ground Force, and Western Chassis use coil springs in the front and shackles and hangers in the rear (which require removal of the rivets holding them to the frame!) I had my kit installed at a lowering shop, so there was no frustration on my part. One more thing, the Hotchkis will cost you more than the other kits.

 

do either of you have any before and after pics? and where can u get that hotchiks kit?

 

ddaytona

I dont know if these pictures will help. I used the western chassis 3/5 lowering kit with 2" lower control arms and 1" springs up front and hangers/shackles in the rear.

http://www.frontiernet.net/~overtaxd/beforeafter.jpg

 

overtaxed sweet truck! but hard to see cause the truck so shined up!!;-) did u do it yourself? how was it?

 

ddaytona, you can buy the Hotchkis parts at www.summitracing.com or pick up a Truckin', Street Trucks, or Sport Truck magazines for more places. Here are some pics

 

I just recently lowered my extended cab with an Eibach set-up. Front lowering springs (1.5" - 1.75") and rear shackles (about 2"), and I also swapped out the stock (or P.O.S.) shocks for a set of Bilsteins all around. HUGE improvement in handling and ride quality. It seems like the truck rides a lot tighter, but the ride is not as rough as I thought it would be. This may not be enough of a drop for you, but I wanted to be able to still use my truck as a truck when I needed it. I got everything for just over $400.00 (springs, shackles and 4 Bilstein shocks) from www.shox.com. If you go there, make sure you submit a request for a quote. The prices were about 10% lower than advertised on their site. Good luck.

 

ddaytona

The archived threads in this forum from over a year ago, had the information I needed to build my confidence on tackling this task. It was around 8-10 hours to install, I also installed jba headers while I had the front end apart and those were tough, spent many hours on my back with project. I have another pic that is had better lighting.

www.frontiernet.net/~overtaxd/side.jpg

 

Back about 20 years ago we all used Belltech spindles to lower our front ends 3 inches or more. That isn't an option on the new F150 front suspension. Here are your two options:
1. Install short springs, (which is the inexpensive way out)
2. Use your OEM springs and install new lower control arms with lowered spring pockets. There are also options to lowering the rear of your truck. Here again, there is the "cheap" way out, and then there is better way, that costs a little more, but might save you money and time in the long run.

Using shortened springs, you can achieve as much as a 2" drop, and with new Caster/Camber bolts in your upper control arms, you can bring the suspension back to factory specs fairly easily. The springs run about $120/pair. Shorter springs are OK, but it's like your suspension system is having to "squat-down" to give you a lower ride stance. It's not the best situation, especially if you are wearing wide wheels and tires. They can magnify the problem and tire wear will occur faster than normal. The drop shops won't tell you this but talk to any good alignment man.

The best way to lower the front end of the new F150 pickups is by installing the lower control arms with spring pockets that have been specially welded to the depth you want to lower your truck. Then you can go almost as low as you want, within reason. As I mentioned, you will use your OEM springs to maintain your original factory ride. You could compare it to "standing in a hole" instead of "squatting-down" to give a lower ride stance. The suspension doesn't know the truck is riding lower in deeper pockets. Does this make sense? It is the new alternative to the old dropped spindles method of lowering. Lower Control Arms run from $250/pair to $300/pair.

After any change in the suspension system height, you must install shortened shocks, and install a set of Caster/Camber Adjustment Bolts. The OEM shocks would bottom out and the Caster/Camber Bolts are used to bring the front end back into factory specs. (Believe it or not your new F150 truck comes from the factory without any way to adjust caster and camber.) The C/C Bolt kit is around $32 and every good alignment shop has them on hand.

After lowering any vehicle over and inch or two, you must install shorter shocks all around. Otherwise the shocks will bottom out and ruin themselves in short order. Shortened gas shocks run any where from $20 each to $90 each. Don't buy the least expensive .... but you don't need the most expensive either.

Most people use shackles and hangers to lower the rear end of their truck. This requires grinding off the OEM hanger rivits on your frame to install the new hangers. If you ever want to restore your suspension to the factory height, this complicates things, even though it's relatively inexpensive to do. Another way to lower the rear end is with Hotchkis or Truespeed 4" drop rear leaf springs. Using your OEM spring-bolts, it's a simple matter to drop your truck ... or return it to it's original height later on. Leaf springs run between $150 to $200/pair.

Another thing to consider are "Torque Arresters" to keep your rear leaf springs from "wrapping up" when starting and stopping. Ladder-type torque arresters prevent "wheel hop" to keep your tires firmly planted on the pavement ... even under tremendous amounts of torque during screaming starts and quick stops. Ladder-style torque arresters are designed to prevent the rear-end member from rotating radically, which puts undue stress on the driveline and rear universal joint.

I hope my comments have been helpful.

 

Hehehe dont just go and lower it, Bag it!

yeah its alot more, but it looks good. 2/4 drop? try 9/11 inch drop!

99 Flareside Lowered, its looks really good, just wanted to say that. but you need to tuck those front tires, i can still see the top of them

Once you lower your truck, you will relize that you have a transmission bracket.


Take it easy

 

99Flareside that truck looks awesome, great job! Great pics.

 

Thanks Norm and ChaoS150. I'll have to take some new pics soon. I don't think I'll bag my F-150 but I might change to a 4/5 drop in the future. But I might put some 18's and bag the Ranger. Theres nothing like going to a show and seeing people flip a switch and hearing psssst! Makes me want to get some bags. but we'll see! (Hmm, now where was that add for Master Image Customs! ) Oh, your truck sounds real sweet ChaoS150, you got to post some pics! F-150 + bags + body drop + 23" Bofa's =

 

I have always liked black and almost went for a black flareside this time too. But in a last second of weakness I went with bright red. It's a nice regular cab flareside too.

I like your ride height. But, I have comment. I think what is making you want to drop it down another inch or two is the lack of ground effects on the sides. How sweet it would look with the Lightning side ground effects!!! Having said that, I think it would be a mistake to lower it anymore, unless you enjoy bottoming out over speed bumps and other low obstacles. Just add the ground effects visually and you'll be back in love with your current ride height. (Oh, I could see lowering it another inch all the way around too.)

I am getting ready to lower mine and I am going to use the lower control arms on the front with as much as 3" deeper pockets. Then, on the back, I'm going to try for a 5" drop with shackles.

One thing is certain. If you use your OEM front springs, in lowered control arm pockets, you can be assured of the final ride height. But if you buy brand new "lowering" springs, you won't know what they're gonna do when you set it on the ground. Notice that they all tell you that the results are different for each vehicle. That's why I'm going to use my OEM springs. Besides, I will have the origianl factory spring rate and ride.