Suggestions on raising my rear end. Adjustable shocks?
 

Hi guys!

My truck is one inch from sitting level. I used to like the level look but my tastes have changed over the years.
The problem I have is that with my truck sitting nearly level when I'm hauling a load (all winter) the front end will sit higher than the rear. I hate this look and it really bugs me. I like the "power wagon" look of the old Dodges and that's what I went for with my truck. To complete the look I would like to be able to raise my rearend up.

I don't plan on doing anything in the near future unless the parts just fall into my lap but I really am not sure what to do.

Please provide inexpensive suggestions. Is there adjustable air shocks that may give me a little lift in the back?

If I had the money I'd like to install 3/4 ton leave springs. But aside from that, what do you fellers suggest?

Thanks for the time!

- Bill

I'd suggest lift blocks if you're not looking to increase load carrying capacity, or an add-a-leaf if you want to lift it and add a little load carrying oomph.

Hiya Bob!

How do lift blocks operate? I know nothing about them whatsoever. How about the price?

Lift blocks are just a large piece of steel that sits in between the leaf spring and the axle perch. I don't know much about flaresides, but I bet there is one in the back on each spring, and it probably has a little bar that sticks out to the inside to hit a bump-stop on the frame. To raise it, you just get some a little taller. These will do what you like, but an add-a-leaf spring or 3/4s would be wiser. They'll give you more capacity for hauling and better control of the trailer.

^^

What he said. :)

Also, never stack blocks. As far as price, you'll need the blocks and new u-bolts, so figure around $75 and an afternoon of your time.

Add-a-leafs are about $100 a pair, and you'll also need new u-bolts to install these. Figure about $125-150 to do it this way.

BTW, about air shocks, I wouldn't recommend them. When filled, they're going to make the rear ride harder, and also put stress on the shock mounts. (just my opinion!)

What kind of budget do you have? Load leveling/helper springs are nice, they just bolt on. You don't have to remove anything whatsoever. I got a set for about $200 or so...rated to add an additional 2500 lbs of capacity. They're adjustable too, so the truck doesn't have to ride like a dump truck all the time. I got somewhere between 1-2" of lift out of the back with them..but like I said it's adjustable. You don't have to get any lift out of them empty if you don't want, but they'll hold up better to added weight.

There's also load level springs that come in the form of replacement shocks. I think rockauto stocks them

Bob knows his stuff. But you could probably find a pair of old chevy springs in a yard anywhere. Pullin a coulpe of springs outta that bad boy and putting them in your packs would be cheap and effective. For the most part, chevy springs had more arch than ford, so these would add pretty good lift and support with 1 or 2 adds. In my expert dumb 19 year old opinion, leafs would be the way to go.

Add-A-Leaf is the best idea IMO......My 94' had 6 leaf springs in the rear....And it rode and cornered great.......The extra leaf seemed to stiffen the rear "Just" enough....

-Wes

P.S-Bill-If you do the add a leaf system, it'd be a great time to swap those worn out shackle bushings for some Polyurethane Bushings....

Bill, I'm sorry to have to tell you this, but a sagging rear end is just part of the natural aging process in life. Short of some plastic surgery you could try exercising some more.













Oh! You meant the truck! Yeah. Well, I saw some helper leaf springs on a site recently that were $85 for the pair. It looked like it wasn't too difficult to install them, and they promised a two inch lift.

First off, thanks guys, I appricate you all taking time for this.

Secondly, I'm broke but if I could do this without going over $100 I would. Still, I want to do it right so I'd rather just add a leave considering the difference in price isn't that much. Since that would cost a little more than my budget I'll just wait.

I would really like to gain two inches in the rear. Will adding one leave grant me this? Or do I need to buy a certain type of leave? I know leaves are all rated differently depending on what you buy.

I would sure be sore if I bought the leaves and installed them only to have the truck sit basically the same as it did before. :)

I'm repping you all for taking time for this. Thanks guys

If you pick up a new add a leaf kit, you'll probably get 2 inches of lift initially, then the new spring will settle somewhat to give you about 1 inch. That's how it worked out on my Jimmy. The truck sagged a little bit, then I installed the extra leaf, and it sat up a little higher, and now it sits level about 8 months later. I think the kit was about $90.

If you really want to save, you could do like the others say and get junkyard springs, and add a leaf or two from another spring pack, but that's more work.

That is interesting, thanks for sharing that. I was thinking I may be better off installing blocks. They wouldn't settle and give me the rake I desire. Later on I can add leaves if I want to. This is after all about cosmetics. I just don't want to do something I'll regret later on like my body lift.

What do you guys think about blocks? Are they frowned upon like body lifts?

Hey fellas, are these what I'm looking for?

Rough Country Suspension Rear Axle Lift Block Kit - JCWhitney

I went and bought a kit from the local wrench. They had 2 or 3 inch lift blocks. I bought the two inch. Much cheaper than JC W.

I was about to suggest using factory 2" blocks from a 4x4 F250. Or, if you wanted just an inch of lift, you could use the overload springs spacer blocks from an F350 as lift blocks - that's actually just what I have in my truck, I moved my factory spacer blocks under the spring packs to use as 1" lift blocks, then used factory F-Superduty spacer blocks where mine used to be. New U-bolts are needed regardless of what blocks you use, and make sure you get the fattest bolts possible, for a halfton truck those would be 9/16" maybe?