Last year, I bought a 2017 F150 Supercrew... 5.0, 4x4, etc...

I had 'leveled' the truck by installing longer rear shackles. Now, I am doing some towing, and would like to re-install the factory shackles to keep the rear of the truck from sagging with the weight of the trailer.

My question is, which way do the shackles mount? They are formed as a c-channel, should the open side of the channel be to the front or back? I have looked on the internet and found pictures of (supposedly) factory suspensions with the 'c' pointing both directions...




In this picture, the 'c' is open to the front... in other pictures, it is open to the back...

Does it matter?

Thanks- Bear

 

Open in the front I believe is correct on my 2018 extended cab, and that is the way that the instructions told me to install the lowering shackles also. May I ask, do you feel like you have lost the ability to tow a trailer with the rear lowered? I am RWD with the 2.7 so I cant tow much anyway but was aboult to remove the cargo shackle to lower the rear another inch which will put the rear at 25-26 inchs from the ground to the fender. I have Belltech front struts that I will install to get the front down to 24.5. I sure hope I can still carry a bed full of bikes from time to time.

 

It hasn't really affected my ability to tow, but with a loaded trailer with a tonge jack, the jack rides too close to the ground for my comfort, so I decided to re-install the factory shackles.

I installed them with the open side to the front... I really can't see any reason why that would be wrong, but I've been wrong before....

-Bear

 

So have I but I know they mentioned to install the lowering shackles that way so you could get to the grease fitting. I am thinking about pulling the bottom shackle to get a inch lower in the rear myself. I rarely pull tow haulers, trailers anymore and it can be added back quickly unlike doing a flip kit.

 

Hello all. Always appreciative of the wisdom from the sages on this forum. I have a 2017 F-150 XLT 2.7 EB with the 302A package and the standard tow package. I had my hitch height perfect for towing my small camper but then had to raise my camper a little to solve rubbing on the wheel well issues, thus causing my hitch to now be too low. I guess one option would be raising my rear some or stiffening it so it doesn’t drop as much when I load the trailer. I used some sumo springs on my camper - has anybody used these on the F150. The other would be raising my hitch height. Any thoughts welcome. I had a question on this post. Wouldn't installing a longer shackle raise the rear instead of lowering it as mentioned above. Thanks. Raleigh.

 

If everything worked before, and you only raised your camper, I would simply raise the hitch height. It will basically be resetting your WDH. What type wdh do you have, and are you comfortable adjusting it? If not, a decent hitch shop could, I'd stay away from a RV shop though.
edit: depending on how much you raised your camper, the dynamics of the camper have changed as far as pulling. In general, a slight nose down camper is always preferred over a nose high camper.

 

No, the shackles on these trucks are inverted... the end of the leaf spring is above the shackle mount on the frame, so a longer shackle allows the frame to 'hang' lower below the end of the spring.

-Bear

 

You can use a ball mount with a different drop, change the rear blocks to taller ones, put in an add-a-leaf or get a Roadmaster Active Suspension. Don’t forget to change the soft rear shocks.

 

Thanks for the replies. The camper is 16 foot and has a dry weight of 2500 pounds so no WDH and it tows great with a simple ball mount. I was able to get a slightly extended hitch length that allows me to just barely open my tailgate with the camper attached. My concern is finding one that length with the rise I now need. It did seem to tow ok with the trailer only slightly nose down so maybe I can just go with that. One more question then. I plan to install a front receiver on my truck and have a small light rack to carry my 100 pound generator since there is no other good place for it. Will adding weight on the front like this change the amount of rear drop. It seems to me it may lower front relative to rear but the nose down aspect of the camper would remain more or less the same.

JK Brad of the options "change the rear blocks to taller ones, put in an add-a-leaf or get a Roadmaster Active Suspension. Don’t forget to change the soft rear shocks" what would be the easiest/cheapest diy option to diminish the rear sag a little.

 

Putting 100 lbs on the fron when you’re towing won’t hurt, or help much. My concern would be blocking airflow to the radiator.

 

+1. I would be concerned about that as well.

 

My '07's shackles have the open side facing rearwards, closed side faces to the front. I can't imagine that it affects the strength one way or the other, nor can I see it affecting travel. But with closed side to the front, less chance of acculating mud to then slide down into perch, it has a small drip hole. My '77's shackles are the same way.

My '07 had 2" blocks OEM with wings for bump stops, my '77 has 3" blocks, also OEM with wings for bump stops. Both trucks have 3" wide springs.

 

I am mindful of the blocking airflow issue. I will monitor temps with and without generator on front and act accordingly. Most use will be in cooler weather and on hot days I plan to put in truck bed instead. I think I will go with some new shocks and see if I can live with my existing hitch and if not get one with more lift. Thanks all.