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I have a 2001 2wd Crewcab. I'm hoping someone who's done the front suspension leveling can help. I've pulled knuckle (and replace both ball joints), ground down the knuckle and I-beam, and test fit the metal spacer under the spring. I went with some spacers from Amazon:
The problem is that the stud extender sits about 1/8" proud of the top of the metal spacer:
When I tighten down the washer onto the spring it hits the stud extender first and the spring just flops around:
Not running the extender, as the directions suggest, isn't an option:
I've tightened the extender down as much as it will go:
It seems like I have 2 options. I could look for a thicker spacer. This one is 1.5" thick, maybe the 2.5" leveling kits use 2" spacers? Has anyone who's done this mod know how thick the spacers they used were?
The other option is to cut about 1/4" off the stud on the I-beam so that the extender sits below the spacer. I don't want to do this until I know the 1.5" spacer is the right thickness.
If the extender is bottoming out on the stud then trimming it won't get you anywhere. Other than sending the parts back and hoping it's just a mix up, the only thing you can do with what you've got is to shave the factory stud 1/4" or so to let the extender screw down low enough. It looks like you've got plenty to work with so if you ever need to switch back you won't miss it. If you end up going that route I recommend threading a nut on the stud before grinding or cutting. Then after it's cut and deburred you can use the nut to chase the threads as you remove it.
Edit: One more thing, if you aren't already planning to do so I suggest using some thread locker to keep things where they belong.
Thanks. I realize that I would need to cut the bolt not the extender. I took a closer look at the bolt last night. The thing is huge! Sourcing a new, shorter bolt would be no simply task I think and I'm not interested in trying to cut it down. I ordered some 2.5" spacers last night, hoping they'll be 2" thick. I'll post what I find.
I also tried to move the shock down as much as possible with fender washers:
I think I moved it down about 3/4". Hopefully that keeps the shock within its range of travel.
Interestingly, the passenger-side knuckle looked like it had already been ground down. The casting flash was clearly absent. I assume it was ground off at the factory. I wonder if this is why some people have trouble with rubbing and others don't.
As is often the case with these kinds of projects, the first side took me days to finish. The second side, passenger, took me hours. Now off to the alignment shop later this week.
Thanks. Forgot to mention I added those. I hope the alignment shop I normally go to can work with them. Any idea what I should set them at to get close now? I set them at zero per the instructions.
No clue on adjustment, like you I take my vehicles to get align. Just be ready for some shops to say no on alignment. I had to take my 95 for an alignment after installing a 2.5" spacer as well, and the only shop that knew how to adjust that new adjustable camber/caster bushing rapped me when it came to price compared to other shops, but they knew what they were doing.
my Excursion is less than half that, and steers okay, it returns to center just fine when backing up, and doing a 180 to get out of the yard.
it is a 4x4 so has a Solid front axle...
Been over 2 years, IIRC they told me it was at the limits for caster, without special stuff to make it better.... being in a tiny town in Utah, nothing available in the auto stores for them.
my Excursion is less than half that, and steers okay, it returns to center just fine when backing up, and doing a 180 to get out of the yard.
it is a 4x4 so has a Solid front axle...
Been over 2 years, IIRC they told me it was at the limits for caster, without special stuff to make it better.... being in a tiny town in Utah, nothing available in the auto stores for them.
Something like the bushings a few a posts up is the special stuff you'd need to adjust the caster angle. A little surprising the alignment shop didn't have any. That's an easy way for them to squeeze another $40 out of an alignment job.
Finally got the alignment done. I discovered the lower transmission dipstick tube was leaking and replaced it with the John Wood unit from RiffRaff. Then I could finally drive the truck to the shop. They ended up not using the dual-axis bushings I had installed. The way they described it to me those bushings have to be removed to be adjusted, which would have made the labor very pricey. He had some used standard bushings he put in at no charge. Total was $270 (plus the $90 I spent on dual axis bushings). Here's the final alignment:
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