Lowering rear end

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Sep 21, 2017 | 09:46 AM

#16

camping nut

Tuned

Joined: Apr 2006

Posts: 451

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From: Carstairs Alberta Canada

I have also lowered mine using the lower Ford blocks and everything is fine.

Sep 21, 2017 | 10:04 AM

#17

Fergs

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Joined: Sep 2015

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I'm thinking of doing this to give me a couple more inches of clearance between the bed rails and the gooseneck of my horse trailer. For those of you who had a shop do this for you, how much did it cost?

Sep 21, 2017 | 10:37 AM

#18

airpilikia

Mountain Pass

Joined: Apr 2003

Posts: 206

Likes: 1

Might have to do this to.

Sep 21, 2017 | 11:24 AM

#19

Pwrgeek

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Joined: Sep 2015

Posts: 320

Likes: 1

Quote:

Originally Posted by jergle

"Reusing the stock bolts is a no go. U bolts are one time use items."
Why would that be the case? They appear to have enough threads to handle the difference.

U bolts are torque to yield fasteners. When they are torqued to spec they stretch. After that if you remove and then reinstall them the threads that were above the nut before will no longer have the correct thread pitch. This means that even if you torque them properly the second time and they hold torque (which they usually don't) they still may not be applying the correct clamping force on the stuff they're holding together. For $20 it's not worth the risk to me.

Sep 21, 2017 | 05:07 PM

#20

cficare

Logistics Pro

Joined: Feb 2005

Posts: 3,529

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From: SEVA

Quote:

Originally Posted by shortride

I lowered mine by replacing the leaf spring spacers with those from a 2016 SuperDuty (6C3Z-5598-A) which will lower the back-end 1.5 inches. This is just enough for me to be able to use the tailgate steps when I need to get into the bed. It's not completely level but it a lot better than it was.

Thanks for the photo. Looks good and convinces me further to go that route.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Karl4Cat

The threads stretch when torqued the first time so Ford or any independent spring shop will say they are unsafe to reuse. That said, people do it all the time without issue.

May be without issue ... or may be we haven't heard of people confessing their issues. Either way, doing that is not done without risk ... risk that could result in an expensive repair, personal injury, or worse.

Sep 21, 2017 | 05:14 PM

#21

System

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Joined: Jan 2009

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From: Western MA

Quote:

Originally Posted by cficare

So I could die tonight? Oh the horror... LOL

Sep 21, 2017 | 05:54 PM

#22

Pwrgeek

Senior User

Joined: Sep 2015

Posts: 320

Likes: 1

Quote:

Originally Posted by Karl4Cat

So I could die tonight? Oh the horror... LOL

I guess the simplest way to nail this down is to ask a different question. Would you reuse the stock headbolts on a powerstroke during a rebuild?

Sep 21, 2017 | 06:11 PM

#23

cficare

Logistics Pro

Joined: Feb 2005

Posts: 3,529

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From: SEVA

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pwrgeek

I guess the simplest way to nail this down is to ask a different question. Would you reuse the stock headbolts on a powerstroke during a rebuild?

Or would you reuse U-bolts on your daughter's vehicle?

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Sep 21, 2017 | 06:19 PM

#24

System

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Joined: Jan 2009

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From: Western MA

Yes to both. I don't wear my seat belt either. Will it happen tonight? I'll eat extra red meat and drink more adult beverages to prepare for the end...

Sep 21, 2017 | 06:21 PM

#25

Pwrgeek

Senior User

Joined: Sep 2015

Posts: 320

Likes: 1

Quote:

Originally Posted by Karl4Cat

Yes to both. I don't wear my seat belt either. Will it happen tonight?

Alright then. Could you send me a PM every time you drive anywhere so I can get anyone I care about off the road.

Sep 21, 2017 | 06:25 PM

#26

System

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Joined: Jan 2009

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From: Western MA

Calm down brother. Your worry will cause high blood pressure and get you long before any of your irrational fear issues do. I could be driving by your house right now. Better get down in the basement! LOL

Sep 21, 2017 | 06:34 PM

#27

k7lvo

Posting Guru

Joined: Jun 2014

Posts: 959

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From: Medford, OR

Rodney, I told you someone was going to find out about that trail of death and destruction you leave in your wake. (Say, you haven't been to Houston and Miami in the past 2-3 weeks, have you???)

Sep 21, 2017 | 06:38 PM

#28

System

Prolocutor

Joined: Jan 2009

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From: Western MA

Yep Lewis, that was me. My reused u-bolts have been wreaking havoc of late.

Sep 21, 2017 | 06:59 PM

#29

RedRage

Tuned

Joined: Apr 2004

Posts: 391

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From: Calhan, CO

Pinion Angle

Any vibration from a change in the pinion angle or anything like that?

Sep 21, 2017 | 07:02 PM

#30

System

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Joined: Jan 2009

Posts: 13,618

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From: Western MA

Quote:

Originally Posted by RedRage

Any vibration from a change in the pinion angle or anything like that?

Not that I've read anywhere here. Seems everyone who has done it has been issue free.