Suspension Questions

[Fraier]

I have a stock 2000 Mountaineer. I am going to have a couple shackles made to the dimensions of the warrior 153's and do a TT. So here are my questions.

Current ride heights from ground to fender lip:
LR- 32 1/4
LF- 33
RF- 34
RR- 33

Since I am having the shackles made could I make the rear end sit level side to side by making the left rear shackle longer or is that a bad idea. If so I was reading another thread that said if you want 2 inches of lift then you need to make the shackle 4 inches longer than the stock shackle from bolt to bolt. By that I would need to make the right rear just like the warrior 153 then make the left rear 1.5 inches longer than the warrior 153. After that I am going to do a TT to take care of the front which shouldn't take to much. Think I am going to put 31/10.50/R15 on it to if there wont be any clearance issues. Am i thinking along the right lines?

Thanks in advance

 

[Fraier]

Anyone ever tried making shackles two different lengths or is this a dumb idea.

 

[techboj]

The rear is usually lower than the fronts because they tend to sag. I would not recommend getting shackles custom made to compensate for the sag since in a few months the ride height would probably be off again anyway.

Correct the sag using any of the methods suggested on these forums. You can do an add-a-leaf, a new spring pack, have the originals re-arched or get new ones from a wrecking yard (some people get two passenger side rear ones since the driver's side already had the tendency for sag)

Once you've got the new springs installed, check the fronts again to compensate. Make sure all the tires have 32-35 psi (my preference) of air in them (try and use a digital tire gauge for better accuracy). In my case, I adjusted the front Torsion bars to compensate for my weight. (3/4 tank of gas + about 150 or so pounds on the driver's seat). This way, since there is always going to be some form of "preload" on the driver's side - the normal weights could be compensated by your Torsion bar adjustment.

When all is said and done, do not forget to get an alignment

 

[Fraier]

Thanks,
I am thinking the shackles right now just because I already have to replace them do to rust maybe I will just do the 153's and TT and maybe do the rest later when the funds are appropriate.

 

[Delta Dog]

I have a stock 2000 Mountaineer. I am going to have a couple shackles made to the dimensions of the warrior 153's and do a TT. So here are my questions.

Current ride heights from ground to fender lip:
LR- 32 1/4
LF- 33
RF- 34
RR- 33

Since I am having the shackles made could I make the rear end sit level side to side by making the left rear shackle longer or is that a bad idea. If so I was reading another thread that said if you want 2 inches of lift then you need to make the shackle 4 inches longer than the stock shackle from bolt to bolt. By that I would need to make the right rear just like the warrior 153 then make the left rear 1.5 inches longer than the warrior 153. After that I am going to do a TT to take care of the front which shouldn't take to much. Think I am going to put 31/10.50/R15 on it to if there wont be any clearance issues. Am i thinking along the right lines?

Thanks in advance

My 2000 Eddie Bauer was almost identical to that. I used AutoZone shackles and a TT with great success. Now I am 34 in the rear and 33.25 in the front. The shackles will pick up the rear but not level it out.......that is what the TT does. I think I did 7 up on the DS and 2 down on the PS........leveled up the whole truck, front and rear.

I have read that adjusting one side of the rear either with leaf helper or different size shackles makes the rear end squirrely. But who knows, if your shackles have multiple holes try it and drive it for a few days. You can always change it back.

PS.......when changing shackles remember to put your stock bottle jack between the leaf spring and frame after you jack the truck up (by the frame). This will allow you to take the tension off the shackles to remove the bolts AND to spread the leaf to accept the longer shackles.

 

[gmanpaint]

The rear is usually lower than the fronts because they tend to sag. I would not recommend getting shackles custom made to compensate for the sag since in a few months the ride height would probably be off again anyway.

Correct the sag using any of the methods suggested on these forums. You can do an add-a-leaf, a new spring pack, have the originals re-arched or get new ones from a wrecking yard (some people get two passenger side rear ones since the driver's side already had the tendency for sag)


When all is said and done, do not forget to get an alignment

This is sound advice. Trying to Mickey Mouse a fix is not a good idea. Do it right, the first time, and all the time. If money is an issue, wait till you have saved enough to do it the right way.

No offense, but for the safety of others on the road, please do not try to become a weekend engineer with quick cheap fix that has to do with a 2 ton vehicle that children will be sharing the same road as you.