Please Help! Extended Shackels or Add A Leaf?

[toytruck]

I have a 2002 Sport Trac which I need to lift about 1.5" to 2" to fit a new set of Bridgestone 265/75/16 (31.7" tall).

I plan to raise the front by adjusting the torsion bars, but what can I do to raise the rear??? Can anyone tell me of a manufacturer that makes extended shackles for the Sport Trac, or is there another Ford product (like the F150) that I can buy extended shackles for to fit my Sport Trac.

My Sport Trac has a leaf-under design in the rear, would an add-a-leaf system work? If so, can anyone tell me what type of add-a-leaf kit I should buy.

Any help would be most appreciated. I am new to this site, but I already love it.

Thanks

-Shon (toytruck)

 

[Alec]

Welcome!

an aal will work, or you could get Warrior Products 153 shackles. They're a common mod on this site, it may help to search around.

 

[Ak LTD Xplorer]

i really don't like shaskel's cause you can see them hang down..go with AAL's

 

[prerunnersvo]

I'd stay away from shackles, if you only lift the rear of the leaf spring, it'll change your pinion angle & you might have axle wrap problems & worn u-joints, etc.... Try the add-a-leaf & remove the overload leaf. I've always had good luck with that set-up

 

[KEbert]

The amount of degree that longer shackles would cause the pinion to change is small enough that it would actually compensate for the lift and correct the pinion angle. If the shackle was adding a higher amount of lift, then I could see a problem.

However, longer shackles are visible from the side and rear, and they also make for an easy place to get hung up on objects while you're offroading. I would reccomend getting longer shackles before the aal for the sake of the ride quality. Aal's are somewhat notorious for causing a very uneven spring rate in the rear, making the ride uncomfortable.

If you're willing to spend a little more money, I would reccomend having an aal made for your leaves at a spring shop. They can make one that will reach the entire lenght of the spring pack, and give you a much better ride than a standard aftermarket aal.