Need Thoughts On Rear Suspension Setup

[BigCountry]

I've got Velvet ride shackles out back. They lowered the rear about .5" and ride great. But, I'm wanting to go another couple of inches and was thinking about going with a set of hangers, but don't know how bad that would through off the pinion angle without using "drop" shackles in conjunction. I'm sure it would be nothing that I couldn't cure with shims, but wondering if there may be something that I'm over looking.

[slammedbowtie]

i think thats the route you want to take. you will need shims if your only going with the hangers. i think you can get a 2 inch drop form using both hangers and shackles. which would prob save some of the shimming.

[BigCountry]

Yeah, deffinately want to keep the velvet rides, truck rides damn nice and really hate to mess with it, but it would look so much better a couple inches lower! I think I'm gonna try and see how it does.

[misterp]

Don't do front leaf spring hangers, you'll totally foul-up the pinion alignment; use Belltech 2" rear drop shackles. We've done this on a few different 2WD trucks and it's always a 2" drop and never an issue, no shimming required.

 

Mr. P.

Edited November 24, 2008 by Mr. P. (see edit history)

[BigCountry]

I'll stay stock height before I get rid of my velvet ride shackles.

[slammedbowtie]

i agree with steve. if go with a drop hanger/shackle kit, thats the best way to go. your gonna have a factory ride with that little of a drop and save your pinion angle. with or without your velvet rides. i dont think it matters if you keep them or get rid of them. your gonna have a nice factory ride with only a 2 inch drop. unless you get stiffer shocks

[BigCountry]

Thanks for the input guys, I guess this idea came about when reading the SS owners were having success with a McGaughys 3" kit using the botom hole in the shackles and the top hole in the hangers. The bottom hole in the shackles should only net about a 1" drop, my VR shackles net about .5" drop. The Vr's have greatly improved my ride and don't wish to go back stock. Maybe using the hangers on the bottom hole will be OK. I know it seems like a lot of effort for 1-2" of drop, but I'm anal that way, I managed to drop the read of a HD Quadrasteer 7.5" with a notch when everyone told me there was nothing for my application. I may just try this out and see. Thanks again.

[BLKPRL]

Don't do front leaf spring hangers, you'll totally foul-up the pinion alignment; use Belltech 2" rear drop shackles. We've done this on a few different 2WD trucks and it's always a 2" drop and never an issue, no shimming required.

 

Mr. P.

 

 

HAHA funny you metioned that, I had a wicked vibration, turns out my u-joint bolts where hitting the driveshaft because of how my truck was lowered and my crappy pinion angle. Yeah, its a headache. but i got it fixed, the hardest part was finding the center pin that goes in there.