Want to drop an inch off my 2 in. level kit.....

[JAG1]

Is there a simple way to reduce the two inch lift in the front of my truck to one inch lift? Or should I do it again with one inch spacers? Thanks for any thoughts. I have the adjustable trac bar and saved the factory end links so it's easy that way anyhow.

[Dieselfuture]

Eat more chicken  

2 hours ago, JAG1 said:

Or should I do it again with one inch spacers?

I would, they don't cost that much, be quicker than modifying. 

[JAG1]

Yep do it over that's the best. I was hoping they have spring squeezers I can put on there or use Dieselfuture for a hood ornament. 

[Dieselfuture]

22 minutes ago, JAG1 said:

I was hoping they have spring squeezers

They do but they can be dangerous, I changed my springs to plow ones when I built my front bumper and they came out just fine by loosening the shocks and lifting up the body. 

Thinking of it, just put a heavy bumper on it and it will lower it an inch.

[JAG1]

Thanks 'Big D', I will just do it right. I got a price today to have it done and they want 6 hundred bucks.

 

I know I can do it....

remove wheels and wire shocks in shortened position, pull end links, lower front axle and raise truck frame,  pull shock towers, pull 2 inch spacers and replace with 1 inch spacers. Is that right?

[Dieselfuture]

9 hours ago, JAG1 said:

I got a price today to have it done and they want 6 hundred bucks

 you reminded all of us why we try to do everything by our selves. 

 

9 hours ago, JAG1 said:

I know I can do it....

After all them chicken jokes you better 

 

9 hours ago, JAG1 said:

remove wheels and wire shocks in shortened position, pull end links, lower front axle and raise truck frame,  pull shock towers, pull 2 inch spacers and replace with 1 inch spacers. Is that right?

Something like that, I never had to disconnect my sway bar links, but I was only swapping to a stiffer spring not extending any higher. I did take shocks completely out as I changed then at that time to bilstein's. 

[JAG1]

5 hours ago, Dieselfuture said:

 you reminded all of us why we try to do everything by our selves. 

 

After all them chicken jokes you better 

 

 

Complaint like that they must be gettin' pretty foul he he

 

I know I can do it just have to order the 1 inch spacers. 

 

OK just watched a video on it and it seems that it would be a whole lot easier if I used spring compressors. It would allow not having to disconnect the brake lines and track bar. Help me with advice if you've ever done it. I need to know about keeping the shocks compressed as well. Thank you anyone?

Edited February 15, 2020 by JAG1

[Dieselfuture]

5 hours ago, JAG1 said:

 

OK just watched a video on it and it seems that it would be a whole lot easier if I used spring compressors. It would allow not having to disconnect the brake lines and track bar. Help me with advice if you've ever done it. I need to know about keeping the shocks compressed as well. Thank you anyone?

Coat hanger for shocks, not sure if you can rent a spring compressor at parts store. 

[Threadzy]

I put a 2.5” level in mine a couple years back. The nose of the truck sat a little higher than the back. Of coarse was worse when pulling my trailer. Those were a pita putting them in. I used my air jack to lift the front of the truck. Barley lifted  it high enough. I took them out and replaced with a 1” spacer. The front sits slightly lower than the back now. With my Timbrens it sits level with the trailer.  Truck handles and drives much better now. I unbolted the sway bar links and unbolted one bolt on each of the upper trailing arms. Made it much easier to remove the 2.5” and reinstall the 1” spacers. 

[JAG1]

Thanks Threadzy, I knew someone had to have done one recently. I found one inch spacers sold are all the durable rubber, poly something or other, not like the steel ones that are two inch spacers. I guess thats okay to use. Hellwig has a set for 119 bucks.

[Mopar1973Man]

Like I told JAG1 on the phone yesterday return to stock. He did a 2" leveling kit then using airbags to regain the rake because of the camper in the bed. If he returns to stock the natural rake will be there and the weight of the camper will self-level the truck. 

 

With ihs 2" leveling kit and the weight of the camper his truck is squatting which is where the airbag are trying to lift the tail back up so the rake or level is back. 

 

I've hauled thousand of cords of wood in my truck and know absolutely that stock front axle height with a full load in the rear will make for near level truck. 

 

[98whitelightnin]

I have done 1” spacers and removed several 2” spacers and have also done several sets of Thuren 2” springs. I have thought about cutting a little out of the 2” coils but don’t want to mess them up. The coil spring compressor at auto parts stores are too small but the strut compressor works perfectly

https://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p/powerbuilt-tools-kit-1-strut-spring-compressor-kit-648627/9150007-P?searchTerm=9150007+OR+9150042

Life will be easier if you spread the lower shock mount a little, after you remove the shock so you can put it back in easier. 

[JAG1]

Thanks 98whitelightnin, Mike has to understand having air bags in the back are a big plus with handling carrying a slide in camper. Bringing the front back to stock would mean I would have an extreme raked look and would have to remove the air bags. 

[Mopar1973Man]

6 hours ago, JAG1 said:

Bringing the front back to stock would mean I would have an extreme raked look and would have to remove the air bags. 

 

Leveled in the front with spacers that you have to lift the rear because of the massive sag of the camper in the bed. Where the natural empty rake would be near level with just the weight of the camper. I would most likely keep the airbag because of the camper but drop the pressures way down to just help suppress the bounce of the heavy camper.

[JAG1]

1 hour ago, Mopar1973Man said:

 

Leveled in the front with spacers that you have to lift the rear because of the massive sag of the camper in the bed. Where the natural empty rake would be near level with just the weight of the camper. I would most likely keep the airbag because of the camper but drop the pressures way down to just help suppress the bounce of the heavy camper.

Mike, the one inch spacer will be perfect for when I'm loaded with the camper and without the camper as well. The airbags want minimum 10 psi to prevent any damage when unloaded and that lifts the back by about an inch.

[Bullet]

You will have to get the truck frame pretty high in order to swap them out.  Putting spring compressors on the coils while they are compressed by the truck's weight will make it easier...that's what I did.  Of course you'll need 4 of them.  

 

[JAG1]

15 hours ago, Bullet said:

You will have to get the truck frame pretty high in order to swap them out.  Putting spring compressors on the coils while they are compressed by the truck's weight will make it easier...that's what I did.  Of course you'll need 4 of them.  

 

Thanks bullet. Your saying I need 4 of them because I cannot do one side at a time by having only 2 spring compressors Is that right?

[98whitelightnin]

Unless your blocking the frame up and drooping the suspension, then just one set of 2 will work.

[Bullet]

15 minutes ago, 98whitelightnin said:

Unless your blocking the frame up and drooping the suspension, then just one set of 2 will work.

Yes you are right...one side at a time is possible.  I did both at the same time cuz I went much higher...installed 7" lift coils under 2.5" spacers.  Only one side at a time can be done at the OP's height and only one pair of spring compressors needed.  Thanks for correcting...

21 minutes ago, JAG1 said:

Thanks bullet. Your saying I need 4 of them because I cannot do one side at a time by having only 2 spring compressors Is that right?

No you should be ok doing one side at a time at that height with just one set of compressors... @98whitelightnincorrected me on that. 

Edited February 18, 2020 by Bullet

[Haggar]

Jag,

 

your truck is 2wd right?  If it is, take given notes with a grain of salt, most of who is suggesting stuff is 4wd.  The spring procedures are completely different.

 

On a 2wd with no leveling kit (my brother's), we have just blocked the frame and let the A arm down with a jack.  I am thinking yours will be that simple.  (that is how the factory manual says to do it.)

 

GL

Hag