Enlightenment Sought
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Senior User
Joined: Aug 2012
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From: New Hampshire
Enlightenment Sought
Full disclosure alert - first time diesel and full size truck owner
Seeking some information and understanding on the following
- Leveling Kits - what specifically are they for
- Lift kits - why do most if not all come with only two springs
- Air Bags - what do they do
For the above three items - can they be installed in the driveway or would you need a lift?
Thanks
Seeking some information and understanding on the following
- Leveling Kits - what specifically are they for
- Lift kits - why do most if not all come with only two springs
- Air Bags - what do they do
For the above three items - can they be installed in the driveway or would you need a lift?
Thanks
Elder User
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 502
Likes: 3
From: North Georgia
Leveling kit usually raises the front slightly so you don't have a rake from back to front. On most trucks the back is slightly higher than the front. The kit levels this out.
On lift kits it raises the truck more than a leveling kit. For the back most use larger blocks than the factory blocks to raise it up. For the front it usually uses new taller springs.
Air bags help when your carrying a very heavy load or towing allot of weight to help bring the truck back to level in the rear.
For example on my truck when I hook my travel trailer up, the rear end sags from the weight and the air bags help bring the rear up so my headlights aren't blinding people.
I'm not the biggest expert but that's the best way for me to explain them.
On lift kits it raises the truck more than a leveling kit. For the back most use larger blocks than the factory blocks to raise it up. For the front it usually uses new taller springs.
Air bags help when your carrying a very heavy load or towing allot of weight to help bring the truck back to level in the rear.
For example on my truck when I hook my travel trailer up, the rear end sags from the weight and the air bags help bring the rear up so my headlights aren't blinding people.
I'm not the biggest expert but that's the best way for me to explain them.
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Senior User
Joined: Aug 2012
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From: New Hampshire
Thanks for the detailed information
So the springs are for the front because the rear is always higher
The reason I am saying that is becuase form some of the leveling kits i see advertised one could do that in their driveway without additoal equipment needed.
And blocks are? I would venture to guess they are the shackle where the rear leaf spring is connected to the frame?
You know how one answer always leads to three more questions
So the springs are for the front because the rear is always higher
The reason I am saying that is becuase form some of the leveling kits i see advertised one could do that in their driveway without additoal equipment needed.
And blocks are? I would venture to guess they are the shackle where the rear leaf spring is connected to the frame?
You know how one answer always leads to three more questions
Elder User
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 879
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From: at the truck pulls
The rear block actually go in between the axle housing and the leaf spring. If you look at your truck you'll see you have one about 2"-2 1/2" tall right now. Look at an F350 and you'll see one about 2 inches thicker.
You can do a spacer front leveling kit in your driveway. The spacer sits on top of your front spring and under the spring perch. Basically about a 2 hour job for most i'd say. You will need about a 3-4 ton floor jack and some tall and sturdy jack stands.
You can do a spacer front leveling kit in your driveway. The spacer sits on top of your front spring and under the spring perch. Basically about a 2 hour job for most i'd say. You will need about a 3-4 ton floor jack and some tall and sturdy jack stands.
Elder User
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 502
Likes: 3
From: North Georgia
Exactly, if you want a lift it's a little bit more of a job to do.
I went 4" lift in mine with aribags in the rear. Towed the travel trailer this week about 40 miles and the lift didn't bother it a bit.
I went 4" lift in mine with aribags in the rear. Towed the travel trailer this week about 40 miles and the lift didn't bother it a bit.
Lead Driver
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 5,326
Likes: 18
From: Gilbert
ADV'er, I did a 2.5" leveling kit a few weeks back. I went with that height because of the amount of rake in the 350's. You have a 250 so the block is smaller in the back, thus not requiring as much lift up front to level it. If I'm not mistaken, some 250's are very close to level stock so I'd get the tape out and start measuring if you're thinking about a leveling kit only. You don't want to go too high in the front, but if you did, you could just throw in a set of 350 blocks in the rear to raise it up some. If you do it yourself, just make sure you have the right tools. I went with the stage 2 ReadyLift kit which came with a track bar bracket, which needed a pretty massive socket. My neighbor ended up having one, but it wasn't something I had. Anyways, here's a few pics to give you an idea. I didn't do anything to the rear of the truck, it's completely stock. You can see the installed spacer and brake line bracket in the 3rd pic below.
Stock:
Leveling kit with stock tires:
Not much to the kit, some spacers, shock extenders, new bracket for the brake line, a track bar bracket, bump stop spacers, and new sway bar brackets (not everything pictured):
With the tires:
Stock:
Leveling kit with stock tires:
Not much to the kit, some spacers, shock extenders, new bracket for the brake line, a track bar bracket, bump stop spacers, and new sway bar brackets (not everything pictured):
With the tires:
Thread Starter
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Senior User
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From: New Hampshire
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Freshman User
Joined: Sep 2011
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From: New Orleans,La
I remember back in the day having to use a spring compressor to take out the coil springs back in the day to install new ones on a lift kit.
2000Silverbullet- did u in fact need one for your leveling kit? Or, Did you just jack up under the framerail taking the pressure off the coil springs? I'm also looking at a 2" leveling kit, but will be adding the 4" blocks to compensate on my F250.
2000Silverbullet- did u in fact need one for your leveling kit? Or, Did you just jack up under the framerail taking the pressure off the coil springs? I'm also looking at a 2" leveling kit, but will be adding the 4" blocks to compensate on my F250.
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Lead Driver
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 5,326
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From: Gilbert
Jack stands under the frame with a floor jack under the front diff. When you disconnect the shocks and sway bar, be prepared, that thing's comin' down.
No spring compressor needed, drop the axle down enough and it'll fall out of there.
No spring compressor needed, drop the axle down enough and it'll fall out of there.
Elder User
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 879
Likes: 0
From: at the truck pulls
Yep, they will drop down, but it will still be held in place by the arms that keep the axle straight (dang old timers disease and I can't remember the name of them).
That's why I say a pair of big and sturdy jack stands. You need to jack up the truck pretty much to to top of normal floor jacks reach and then support the truck. That way when you lower the front it has plenty of room for the springs to flop right out of the top perch.
I should add that I went with new Bilstein shocks that are perfect for the 2-4 inches of front lift, no extra shock brackets required. Go ahead and replace at least the front shocks now, before you call yourself stupid for not doing it when it was easy to reach. The factory "Rancho" shocks are useless as **** on a hog! The best thing they are good for is scrap metal, it's well discussed here many, many times.
That's why I say a pair of big and sturdy jack stands. You need to jack up the truck pretty much to to top of normal floor jacks reach and then support the truck. That way when you lower the front it has plenty of room for the springs to flop right out of the top perch.
I should add that I went with new Bilstein shocks that are perfect for the 2-4 inches of front lift, no extra shock brackets required. Go ahead and replace at least the front shocks now, before you call yourself stupid for not doing it when it was easy to reach. The factory "Rancho" shocks are useless as **** on a hog! The best thing they are good for is scrap metal, it's well discussed here many, many times.
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