Well, I had been putting it off ..... and recently (Monday) decided it was time. My '07 FX4's OEM Pirelli Scorpion ATRs had 51,xxx miles now (3 did, one was replaced when truck was a few months old) and the three were down to 3/32nds in places, almost to wear bars. The 4th one is some better, it was on LR, I kept it as a "back up" for temp use should a need arise.

It was a mid 80s and very humid day .... I backed the '07 into the lower carport about 1:30 PM and got it set on 4 stands and wheels marked for location and off. Already I was sweating. I should have done this another day.

I loaded the 4 wheels into my '77 along with the other 4 very near new Pirelli Scorpion ATRs I purchased from a forum member a few years ago, he took them off his near new truck. $200 plus shipping. He had marked them for location, I checked by tread wear pattern to make sure of markings. I checked tread depth, the tires all 4 have 11/32nds, the two he had on front were wore maybe an extra half 32nd or less on the shoulders so I decided to put them to rear but to keep rights on right & lefts on left, etc. They only come with 12/32nds when new so I figure he had 3-4K on them at most .... and no spinning.

I then drove to a buddy's shop, found it was a slow day and he had an open bay and didn't mind the company. The tire machine is also near the two bay doors so some breeze. These 275/55R20 tires are heavy enough and take up more room than anything else I have, 8 were a crowd in the bay.

I swapped the tires on the rims, got them all 4 balanced, new valves installed. Damn ..... was my shirt ever wet from sweat! Loaded up all 8 again in the '77. Come home guzzling a large iced tea from Hardees, 14 miles, ran through rain shower (that felt good) , and got home to unload and put my new shoes on the '07 ..... but first I got out a soft brush and Simple Green and the hose and washed them all over. Install the "new" rubber, remove jack stands, get out my torque wrench and do the deed.

Look like new tires now! Got done in time for supper, took a shower first though ..... was thirsty all evening for some reason and awoke next day "thirsty".

The truck even looks "newer" with the extra rubber in view. My TPMSensors still work. Surprised how little weight there was on the wheels or how little I put back on to balance them. The "new" left front balanced with just 1.0 oz on outside and no weights on inside.

I had been putting this job off long enough as I knew it would not be fun. Maybe age and my picking a wrong day didn't help. But now it's "done".

Drove her to Lynchburg and back yesterday (Friday) across the mountain, surprised at how much better the truck drives.

Last year (2014) a slight wander or "hunt" had developed. .... and so I had rechecked alignment last November at 48,xxx miles. That check revealed purt near zero toe so I reset toe to 0.209 degrees (that's 7/64" at 30") and that did cure most all of it and what was left wasn't bad at all so I had attributed it to the tires wearing thin (in my judgment).

Well, I guess it was them tires 'cause that trace of "hunt" is GONE now.

(In all seriousness ..... I should really have drank a couple glasses of water while sweating like that. I'm usually very tolerant of heat but it was very humid and little moving air in that shop and at near 62 (not old, but a good time in life to start thinking smarter), I probably should have taken in some water. Had I realized before getting all the wheels off the truck how it was gonna be, I'ld have waited and done it in a late evening or early morning ..... not the heat of the day.)

 

so I take it you kept the 4WD Shocks, and even with the 2 inch reduction, you had no problem with the shocks bottoming out?

 

So sorry, I have spent the last couple years with spells in the hospital, treatments, stem cell transplant … missed your question post.

I now have closer to or over 30K miles on my lowering / alignment job, tires wearing GREAT...
… and as far as I know, have not had rear low enough to bottom rear shocks out. Those kind of loads go on my '77 generally. If I were gonna load mine heavy, I would either add a leaf or put the shorter 2wd shocks on.... maybe both?

This truck drives so good and rides well, I really enjoy driving it as much or more than any of my vehicles.

 

double posted.

 

So you lowered the ride height by essentially making a shorter strut and compressing the coil spring to install it? That's pretty radical. I'm impressed with your knowledge and abilities but sometimes its better to leave things alone.

 

No, I never took the spring off the shock. I shortened the lower stalk of the shock below the spring seat. I removed 1-5/16" from that stalk and rewelded in short spurts to not overheat the shock. They are welded better than they was before, then I just put them back in place and I even did my own alignment job (took longer to do that than lowering did). That all was like 7 years ago, lot of miles, no issues.. It was done in late 2011 more like 40,xxx miles ago now, still no issues.





NOTE! That long "stalk" on the front 4wd strut is thinner than the shock body, but it is solid steel and at first I thought was used to clear the axle shaft, but the axle shaft clears the shock body very well, as you can see. I would weld a little, chip, then cool it to preserve the rubber in the eye and before the shock body absorbed heat, I did not want a explosion or ruined shock seals due to heat!

Blocks gone, shorter U-bolts, double nutted then trimmed so I don't worry about long ragged threaded ends, and double nuts protect my threads too.

 

She's still driving swell, now near 67,xxx miles, I forget exact mileage. Tires wear well, pretty even. I'm gonna swap the plugs for SP546 here soon.

Thinking about pulling the trigger on some rear shocks in shorter RWD length, but she just rides so good. I am gonna need front rotors soon as easy on brakes as I am, still get some oscillation in steering wheel), so may go that way first.
The rear Hellwig bar is great, now have links in rear holes of three.

 

thanks for the update. Hope all is well

 

Wow, I did that lowering in 2011, 8 years ago. Truck has near 69,xxx miles now. Still drives great! Just put 4 new tires on it after last set started to show small cracks near bead area. Tread was still great, about 5-6 /32nds, they were some take offs I bought in 2010 so time caught up with them.

 

Here it is 2022, over 10 years and over 40,000 miles "post lowering", and still no issues, I added a Hellwig rear sway bar a few years ago though ...and just yesterday, a couple really went overboard at Walmart as I waited on my wife in the parking lot. The lady raved over the shine and color and even took up my offer to try getting in, the fellow then wanted to know if and then how I lowered it. After they walked away with their buggy of groceries and the baby, watched them as they unloaded and climbed (not just sit in) their stock looking F-150 on maybe taller looking tires. I noticed that she had on some really tight bright pink jammies I guess they was. Truck still drives super, is more competent on the crooked roads in Floyd County too. I still use Pirelli Scorpion ATRs too (they wear well IMHE). I have periodically checked toe a few times, and I have a lock kit for my lower control arm bolts to replace my DIY set.



below is my DIY ones:


I had cut 3/16" thick plates and welded in a 5/16" "pin" to fit the hole intended for the camber kit, so those OEM holes are still there, I just added one hole for a bolt off to the side to secure them against the bolt as you see. I photographed all 4 LCA bolts at both the nut and head ends (8) too. Unless and if needed to adjust, I'll leave my DIY pieces in place I guess.

 

So I was just putting some pics back in and thought I'd update it too ... and just noticed this too? I've wondered about doing that, or fabbing up some. An extra inch compression travel would not hurt, just lower the lower mount bolt an inch ... but I have never bottomed these OEM 4x4 FX4 shocks. I think Rancho maybe made them? I've considered new 2x4 rear shocks too.
In view of that info, that 1 inch I spoke of would change the numbers to:
if the inch is considered with the 4wd rear shocks. Mine have never yet run out of travel, but as I said ... I haven't loaded this truck heavy either.
Doubt that I will either.
Oh sure ... I'll pull a 4x8 utility trailer, haul groceries, haul our baggage to reunions, haul oversized stuff that doesn't fit in a car ... but no ton loads, etc. unless the load is on my trailer.
The '77 does that heavy or dirty stuff.