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James86
New Member
- Joined
- May 6, 2009
- Messages
- 889
- Reaction score
- 10
- Points
- 0
- Location
- 55381, Minnesota
- Vehicle Year
-
1999,
2012,
- Make / Model
-
Ford,
Ford,
- Engine Size
- 3.0 Flex Fuel, 2.5L, 3.3 Flex Fuel
- Transmission
- Automatic
- My credo
- WHY DO I KEEP BUYING DODGES?!?!?
I've had my truck for 10 years and when I got it, the front was significantly lower than the rear. After a few years, decided to have a local shop do a t-bar crank just to level it a bit and do an alignment. Was happy for a year or so, then a leaf broke on one side at some point. I ended up getting new leaf packs (and hangers and brackets because mine were holding, but turned to swiss cheese here in Minnesota...) but went heavier since I do haul a fair bit with my truck. With the T-bars already cranked and new stiffer packs in back, it looked great for a few more years, but now the back seems a little lower than the front, presumably since the leaf packs have settled over time. Now, my conundrum is, if I want it to look "right" should I back off the front or somehow raise the rear a bit? When the t-bar crank was done back with the old springs, they purposely left the front about an inch or so lower so that it would still look right with a load in the bed or a trailer on it, and now over several years, it's as if the fronts haven't settled anymore, while the rear has.
When I got it, the front was over 4" lower than the rear:
After the t-bar crank:
How it sits now:
It looks fairly level with the bed empty, but with the topper on it you can tell the back has sagged an inch or more since the leaf packs were replaced (with empty bed). I'm guessing the easiest bet is just back the fronts off a bit, but I honestly like the stiffer ride I got taking all the sag out of the front. Should I just get the front lowered a bit? Interestingly, the back doesn't sag all that much with a load on it after the first inch (I have 4 leafs per side and XL tires on it) so to make it look "right" I'd probably have to lower the front maybe an inch and a half, but then I've heard the bolts are single use and have some sort of coating on them so they don't back out on their own. Would I need to replace the adjustment bolts, or will Loctite suffice? I see lots of people happy with modest t-bar cranks and I was happy too, just puzzled the factory T-bars haven't sagged any since the adjustment 4 years ago, but the rear springs have sagged noticeably in half that time.
When I got it, the front was over 4" lower than the rear:
After the t-bar crank:
How it sits now:
It looks fairly level with the bed empty, but with the topper on it you can tell the back has sagged an inch or more since the leaf packs were replaced (with empty bed). I'm guessing the easiest bet is just back the fronts off a bit, but I honestly like the stiffer ride I got taking all the sag out of the front. Should I just get the front lowered a bit? Interestingly, the back doesn't sag all that much with a load on it after the first inch (I have 4 leafs per side and XL tires on it) so to make it look "right" I'd probably have to lower the front maybe an inch and a half, but then I've heard the bolts are single use and have some sort of coating on them so they don't back out on their own. Would I need to replace the adjustment bolts, or will Loctite suffice? I see lots of people happy with modest t-bar cranks and I was happy too, just puzzled the factory T-bars haven't sagged any since the adjustment 4 years ago, but the rear springs have sagged noticeably in half that time.
