Were these the shocks you had on before?

 

Well if the shocks are too short and the truck sat level before, I'd suggest to start removing leaves from the spring pack. Remember that your bed adds a few hundred pounds to help sink the rear. But also remember that your new engine weighs a lot more than the 5.4 so the front will be slightly lower.

 

Yeah they are the same shocks as before, i would remove a few leafs but there's only 4 as it is I'm kinda baffled because they fit when i had the 5" block but wont now with roughly 5" lift over stock.

I wonder if its the new shock towers! They might have pulled the socks up a few inches, as it is i would need to sit the truck about 3" lower to not have the shocks over extend when the truck is cycling the suspension the inch form the mount is it's max length.

OH! son of a B**** the shackle flip too that moves the axle forward some maybe the axle isn't far enough back yet i got the adjustable blocks so i can move the axle but its already almost all the way back on the adjuster.

Lift math:
Original (stock w/5" block)
stock + 5" block = 5" lift

New (springs and small block)
stock - stock block = -2.5
-2.5 + 1.5" PMF block = -1.0"
-1.0" + 3" lift springs = 2"
2" + 2.5" shackl flip = 4.5" Lift

This could be me not remembering but the truck did seem to sit very high without the bed on the frame was up to my hip and I'm 6'6" so that's damn high but i could just be not remembering correctly. However it does have some serious rake not and in theory nothing should have changed unless the front springs have been settling this while time which is very possible because for a while those tires were the only parts of the truck supporting the weight the rear was on stands for a long time.

 

I had the rake problem with my Ranger. I put in the add-a-leaf that came with the lift kit. It made the stock springs WAY stiffer and added quite a bit of arch. I wound up removing it because the 3" in the front and the new rear shackles leveled it out.

The fact of the matter is with all the changes you are making, you just won't know. You put brand new springs in replacing stock springs with years of abuse on them. Even though you had a 5" block, you springs may have developed an 1" of sag and these new springs don't have that issue. I would suggest bolting everything together so it rolls and leave the shocks alone for now. Once you get the Cummins in and see how everything sits, then decide if you want longer shocks, or you need to reduce or increase the lift.

 

I agree with Jeremy because I know when I had the bed off our 89 f250 I thought the truck was lifted but because of no bed it made it sit higher.


Once you get the bed and engine in you will know more.


Trav

 

Remember that you are putting bags on this too. You can skinny down the rear springs and put some of the load on the bags. Take off the over load leaf and maybe the one above that. I bet it would ride better.

Or you could make some ******* packs. Use the main leaf or the first 2 off the new springs and then add in some leafs from your old SD springs.

 

Valid points guys, my next step after this is to get the brakes back together and drill the holes for the Ex skid plate then i just need to buy some bolts and paint the bed. I talked the fiance to assisting me this weekend as long as i let her do her thing because I tend to just take over lol so hopefully she can help me get all those things done this weekend so we can get the bed back on maybe this weekend or next!

 

Great advice right there

 

One thing too is the Ex tank hanging over the rear axle when filled will drop the rear a solid 1/2-1" too i bet which is where the bags will help. I calculated it out and i think filled is about 320ish lbs of diesel.

 

I am just going to leave this here.....

 

Lol that's fairly accurate!

 

SUBBIE!
You left that in the wrong spot that should be in my driveway. LOL


But yes that is completely true!
Trav

 

Got everything tightened up and sitting the truck only has maybe an inch of rake now I think it was the way it was sitting with the ubolts loosened and partially supported by jack stands.

I didn't realize that the hawk pads did not come with hardware so I will have to get some as well as new slide pins and boots because two of mine are really tough to move and one is rusted in place.

 

What kind of brake grease are you using? I would suggest the stuff below. I purchased it at Napa but looks like Advance has it too.

 

I hadn't done anything to the brakes yet they are the original brakes it had when I bought the truck off my dad which is only the second set I believe. I'll use that though when I get the new components thanks!