I started another thread about My 4wd conversion but this is more specific to the way I will mount the axle to My truck. I have almost all the parts from a donor 95 f350 psd 4wd DRW and I intend to put all this on a 93 f350 DRW along with a np205. Now someone told Me I should get a sky reverse shackle kit and it sure look very nice and I was about to order one when I came to think it will lift My truck 3.5" and I rather not do this bc I use the truck to haul trailers most of the time and this will change too many things for Me, I just want the 4x4 to get Me out of a hole when it is raining and I need to get a trailer up a wet/muddy hill. Is there anything wrong with the stock setup?
If not, what is the best way to get the front spring bracket and shackle?
If yes, then is there a way to get a reverse shackle kit that wont lift My truck? Also will this eliminate having to deal with the death wobble some people talk about?

Thank You in advance.

 

I don't have first hand experience, but I am planing the same 4wd conversion for my 2wd 89 F350 DRW; and I also don't want to end up with a lifted truck either. Because 4x4 trucks are already much taller than 2wd trucks (maybe 2-3"), now add to this the 3.5" that the shackle reversal kit adds, that makes the truck 5-6" taller than it currently is; that's just too much for me (2-3" would be OK, but not 5-6"). This is assuming, of coarse, that stock springs are used.

The problem with the stock set up is that it uses front shackles, which produce a harsher and less stable ride that rear shackle systems, according to the experts (this is why these trucks use a panhard rod to compensate). But does it work? The answer is yes, it does, otherwise Ford would not have used it for so many years. Who knows why the Ford engineers went with this design, but they must of had a good reason, probably an economic reason. By moving the shackles to the rear, a shackle reversal kit is supposed to improve the ride and handling, so much so that some say the panhard rod can probably be eliminated. The issue is that these shackle reversal kits use custom front hangers and tube cross-member that, by design, adds 3.5" of lift. If you're a handy fabricator, you could probably make shorter hangers, and eliminate some of this lift, but not by much.

On my truck, I am planning to use the stock front shackles, with maybe stock Super Duty springs and we'll see how much lift this gives me. If I really hate the ride, then I can always add the shackle reversal kit. Hope this helps.

 

I feel the same way about the reversal raising the front end to much. I was considering putting the upper shackle pivot mount through the frame, like the older trucks were, instead of having the complete shackle below the frame. This would reduce the lift quite a bit but would require some fabricating. Has anyone done this?

 

That is a good idea to keep it low. It would require some fabrication. If you used the older style that had the shackle mount going thru the frame at the rear of the spring. You could mount that only as low as needed for the shackle to work properly. For the front of the spring you could make a small bracket that mounted the spring just down far enough to clear the frame comfortably. I think the 250/350 front bracket from a 70's era truck could be used. That way would give the better handling of the shackle reversal and lift it minimally.

As far as why Ford went this route. The 350 seems to be "made" to work with the 250 setup. For no other reason that cost I would presume. It is cheaper to produce more parts the same, so they used as much of the 250 suspension as possible

 

So is it either the shackle reversal kit or the stock spring bracket ans shackle? Wow I was hoping there was an option to a lift but I'm not fabricator so I guess I'll have to stick the stock bracket and shackle. Anyone have one pair near MD?