He everybody.....

I have read 100's of FTE posts about installing Daystar, etc. 1.5", 2.5", 3.5" LIFT Kits to RAISE the FRONT height of your trucks.....but NOTHING about LOWERING the REAR of your trucks.

I have an '04 F-150 Supercrew Lariat 4 x 2.....and the rear wheel well opening is 36.5" High....which is 2" HIGHER than the 34.5" high front wheel well opening.....resulting in that characteristic "*** in the air" pick up truck look.

I REALLY like the "LEVEL" Look.... !! I think it makes the truck look more agressive and better balanced. If the rear of the truck body was lower, it would lower the trucks longitudinal center of gravity, and allow better rear-to-front weight transfer in hard braking, resulting in better braking performance, and finally, better handling in turns.

In my opinion, the front height of my truck is PERFECT, so instead of RAISING the front height of my truck by 2" to match the rear height.....I am going to LOWER the rear height of my truck by 2".....by instaling a pair of BELLTECH 2" DROP Rear Spring Shackles.

I ordered the BELLTECH 2" DROP Rear Shackles, Part # 6425BLT from www.stylinconcepts.com for $89.95/Pair + Shipping. The shackles come with all NEW Grade 8 Hardware, a limited "transferable" lifetime warranty, and complete installation instructions. They should be here tomorrow, and I will install them on Thursday. I will take and post some pictures of my new "lowered" look this coming weekend.

Happy motoring!!!

Fred

 

Sounds great to me except if you tow or haul loads in the bed often, which I do.

I actually need to stiffen my rear (add-a-leaf) which should raise the @ss end up about 1 1/2" from past experience. So I'm still stuck on what to do with the front end to level it out. Probably DayStar here as well.

Man I wish the Powerstroke was already offered in these new body styles. Hope it happens one day.

 

I concur with you thoughts, and am looking forward to seeing the pictures.

BTW, I have a white truck, and am planning on painting the inside of the rear wheelwell.

--------------------------------------------------
2004 F150 Scab Lariat 4x2 5.4L LSD Trailer Tow Pkg
cured my nibble with four Kumho Ecsta STX 265/60-18

 

F150Texan and others....

I have not and do not plan to pull a trailer, and almost never "heavily" load the bed.....so this will not be a problem for me.

I'll keep you all posted.....

Fred

 

I also have the *** in the air look, but the Supercrews will squat very quick, so quick I put a set of Timbren's (spring helpers) on. It doesn't effect the ride unless you have
a load. I am going to have Line-X sprayed in the wheel wells, it's pricey, but I think it will look better. I tow alot, and will have the back end stuffed, so it won't have it's *** in the air that much.

 

I think I'm going to get the Daystar for the front because I want to keep my 4X4 look and for more ground clearance.

 

fanman2

Look at http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...rd=1#mainImage

 

Looks good I guess, but I have just never understood why someone would buy a pick up truck, and then lower it. Must be my Texas thinking. Just not my cup of beer

I actually saw a 4x4 lowered once. No that really doesn't compute

 

NewtoF150 and F150 Texan.....

That is a nice looking truck on EBay....but I personally do NOT care for the TOTALLY LOWERED "look".....it's a bit too "south of the border" for my taste...

I am ONLY lowering the REAR of my truck by 2", so it will MATCH the FRONT height of the truck, which will remain at it's 34.5" (to the bottom of the front wheel well flare) height.

This REAR end LOWERING modification will give me the "Level Look" I am trying to achieve, and help fill in the huge rear wheel well opening, but still keep the overall truck up "high" as it came from the factory....

Fred

 

Me neither, but I thought you'd appreciate the pictures.

BTW, what do you think of the aftermarket grill?

 

I am totally with you on the level look myself. It makes the truck look stouter IMHO. As I mentioned up above, I haul things all the time so I will most likely end up spending more $$ than you will for that level look. Just trying to find those add-a-leafs first, and then I'll tend to the front end.

Talk about looking south of the border...imagine my back end up an additional 1 1/2 - 2" and the front end stock. Have to take care of that within a matter of days

Good luck with your mods though, sure they will look sweet

 

Thanks guys......I'll keep you updated.....

Fred

 

fanman2,

How is your leveling project coming along? I had seen the 2" lowering shacles on the web somewhere but I am not as limber and patient as I once was when working with tools so I decided against ordering them. I was most interested in any issues with the leaf springs when dropping the shackles. I like you would like to have my truck ride level, particularly I would like to have it lowered about 2" on the front and possibly 4-5" on the rear for an agressive look. I do a little towing, 6' X10' trailer hauling my 4 wheeler and riding lawn mower. That would not be an issue with the truck lowered as they never dropped the rear more than an inch when hooked up before. I am sitting in Iraq right now wishing I was at home driving my F-150 with my wife beside me, oh-well in 3 months I should be back. Here is my ride in Iraq
[IMG]c:\documents and settings\iraq\ridgeway\my hummer[/IMG]

 

Good luck Fred - hope you all are home soon.

I'm waiting for my 4x2 Lariat and also hoping to level it out (and maybe lower it a bit) as I plan to do some towing but mostly use as an SUV with greater "U". Looking forward to pics... There is one already in the gallery, by the way. I can't remember the name it is under.

Greg

 

Here is the gallery pic mentioned above:
https://www.ford-trucks.com/user_gal...=39638&width=2