jrock80 Posted March 12, 2004 Report Share Posted March 12, 2004 Anyways, the spindles are the reason I wanted the kit so I can lower the front while retaining the stock ride. I'm tempted to crank the torsion bars up this weekend and take it for a ride to see if the vibration is gone. Thats a good idea, I was sitting at work today thinking the same thing. I dont have the tools or really know how to mess with any of that stuff. So I will probably just wait and see if it works for you first and then go from there. I got my bump stops in today, I gotta make an appointment to have them installed yet. Let me know how it works, my front is about 1/2 inch lower than the rear, even if i took it up 1/2" to make it completely level thats cool with me, as long as it makes it better! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperSport Posted March 12, 2004 Report Share Posted March 12, 2004 i just installed my McGaughy lowering kit. Before my truck used to shift 1-2 really hard, but now it feels really weak. so i can tell there is something different not for the better. i will start experimenting with my rear first becasue the pinion angle is positve and buy a lot. hopefully a angle shim will do the trick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ssblackss Posted March 12, 2004 Report Share Posted March 12, 2004 Welcome to the Mcgaughys experiment, Are you too having vibrations on accelleration at around 70-80. How are you finding the rear does it bottom out? and how often and on what sort of surface? You might also want to check the front drive shaft angle see what that is on yours. How do these shims that you and others have been talking ofwork and where do they go and what do they do? Cheers ssblackss Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ctrow Posted March 12, 2004 Report Share Posted March 12, 2004 It'a pie shaped piece of metal(wedge) that goes between the axle mount and the spring and it rotates the differential depending upon the direction you place it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BenKey Posted March 12, 2004 Report Share Posted March 12, 2004 Never heard of something like this changing shift characteristics before . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rico750sxi Posted March 13, 2004 Report Share Posted March 13, 2004 What degree shim and which way are you putting it in? Is your pinion too low in front or too high in the front of the pumkin now? Are you experiencing a vibration? Also, have you talked to Mcgaughy's about this. I'm dying to find out what they are saying about all of this. Let us know how you make out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2005SSR6Speed Posted March 13, 2004 Report Share Posted March 13, 2004 I just received my McGaughys full kit (with spindles, hangers and shackles) today. I used to work at a suspension shop for 5 years before I joined the Marine Corps. I have a friend that has a suspension shop here in Southern California and will be doing the install next week. I will have the rear drive shaft angle checked and degree shims installed if needed. I will also check the front CV's for angle and or any potential problems. I will post on here and see if I cannt clear this problem up. I just want it as low as possible without having problems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrock80 Posted March 13, 2004 Report Share Posted March 13, 2004 Is it safe to keep driving my truck the way that it is? I have been taking it easy on it. Not driving it if i dont have to for now. I did notice another wierd noise at around 45-50 its like a grinding sound. It happens right when the truck goes into OD and is at a low RPM a continusous sound like something is being rubbed or ground. If i shift it into 3rd it goes away. I dunno what the deal with that is. Hopefully someone can get this straightened out, I dont wanna do any more damage if someone is wrong already. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scandore Posted March 13, 2004 Report Share Posted March 13, 2004 My buddy and I just installed my kit today and just as we finished Mike McGaughy showed up at my buddy's shop. I went with the lowest I could get in the back and I also have keys in the front and its cranked down. It sits bitchin, But Mike said it would have a vibration (due to the torsion bars being cranked down) at 65 and up and guess what, it does just like he said. Mike say's anything lower than 2" in the front is going to give you a vibration. He said they did some testing and they could not get it to stop when they went any lower than 2". But he did say one interesting thing, on his H2 he was driving (which by the way was lowered) they were working on a kit to go lower than just the 2" spindle. I could tell you how he said he was going to do it but I'am not sure he would want me telling people his ideas, but maybe he will see this post and explain it himself. Hopefully they will figure out the problems with the cv joint angle on his H2 and make something for us to fix our vibration also. Oh by the way mine bottoms out in the rear also but we only cut a little piece off the bump stop. I'am going to cut some more off this weekend and try that. One question did you guys remove the bump stop mounting plate? I did and just bolted the bump stop straight to the frame it already has holes and it just takes about 15 minutes to do and 15mm socket is all you need. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rico750sxi Posted March 13, 2004 Report Share Posted March 13, 2004 2004SS, I will be looking forward to your report and finding out what needs to be done to our trucks to drop it right. Scandore, You did keys and the spindles in front then? Did Mike mention any issues with the rear and having to shim it? And the kit for going lower than 2", does it include a way to change the position of the front differential much like an independent lift lit does?? I had been thinking about this before. The funny thing is I had a lifted truck with a serious CV angle and it didn't vibrate a bit. What's the difference if the angle is caused by lifting or lowering? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scandore Posted March 13, 2004 Report Share Posted March 13, 2004 rico750sxi, I already had the keys in and torsion bars cranked down and shackles for about 10 months or so. I just decided to go lower so I got the kit from McGaughy's and went for it. Mike did not say anything about the rear needing shims just the front being a problem. I dont want to give away his ideas about the kit they are working on but I'll tell you this Your on to something there. My buddy has lifted a lot of trucks way up there and he said he has had worse joint angles before and they had no vibration. the only difference is just the oposite angle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rico750sxi Posted March 13, 2004 Report Share Posted March 13, 2004 Oh, I'll be climbing under there tomorrow and looking for a way to raise that front diff. an inch or so. But then will the front driveshaft angle be screwed up?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrock80 Posted March 13, 2004 Report Share Posted March 13, 2004 So the vibration is comming from the front CV joint angles? Wierdly enough today, I drove to work and the vibration seems to be going away. I dont know if something is just wearing out so it is looser now or what but I was going about 75 and there was very little vibration. Acceleration at 4500RPM showed no more vibration either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrock80 Posted March 13, 2004 Report Share Posted March 13, 2004 After doing some more research the guys over at fullsizechevy think its probably a pinion angle problem. What degree shims do we get for the front and rear? I kept hearing about 2 degrees for the rear for a 4" drop, but not sure for the front? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rico750sxi Posted March 14, 2004 Report Share Posted March 14, 2004 That's funny, I drove my truck today and didn't really feel much either. MIne felt like any other truck does when 4WD is engaged. It's got me wondering whether I want to even do the hangers. See what Mike McGaughy says about shimming. You can't really shim the front and what you have done hasn't changed the front driveshaft angle anyways, just the half shaft/cv angle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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