Jakit leveling kit questions

[drwish62]

dump bed

Ramthis1, Yes I do likewhen I seen it I figured you were a landscaper. Don't get me wrong I really like I never say anything bad about anybody's truck. Q: You said you have 305's on your truck are they on stock wheels, and if they are when you turn to the lock do your tire's rub on your lower track bar?

 

[EShaw]

Bigsaint.........

Scott,

I used to work for Odyssey (automotive aftermarket) when they were in Mt. Lakes, NJ I set up the M. I. C. U. suspensions also lifted 4x4's... ... My 84 Bronco had 4" lift and 33" tires and handled way better than stock... ... . Just ask the guys at Parsippany P. D. lol

If you'd like I'm hooked up with some good guys in Morristown. I stand a very good chance of getting the best price on the parts from them, and you and I can put it together. I am checking into this as well and you have a fair idea how I think about things... ... . The SkyJacker kit has my vote... ... . Then it's off to Carradinni's Front end shop in Rockaway for the final alignment(This guy is the best)... ... Did my Bronco and I could let go of the wheel @ 80 MPH... ..... I mean 55 Mph.....

Eric

 

[Rob Thomas]

ccahill, were talkin' 2" not 8".



drwish62,I'm not a landscraper, I'm a custom woodworker! I have 315's on my truck and yes their on the stock rims,I put stops on the spindle, so they don't rub, anywhere.



Rob

 

[drwish62]

Woodworker/Carpenter

Ramthis1, do you have any picture of these stop that you installed, R: I know your are not a landscaper, when I saw the picture that's the first thing I thought of. Q: what kind of woodworker are you furniture,cabinets,finish ?.

 

[Rob Thomas]

: what kind of woodworker are you furniture,cabinets,finish ?.

Yep,... ... ... ... ... ... ... . all of the above,and then some.



Nope, no pics, but I can tell you how to do it. Check your PM's in a couple of min.



Rob

 

[drwish62]

Ramthis1

Thank You, Drwish62

 

[Bigsaint]

Thanks again for all of the replies, gentlemen ( I use that term loosely ). I'm going to attempt to find a set of the coils, if not I'll give the Jakit kit a try.



Eric, LOL@ the 55 MPH !!! I might take you up on an assist, I have never attempted this before, but what the heck, never tried to install a lift pump before Baby Huey either, managed to get that down pat.



Thanks again for the input, I learned alot .



Scott W.

 

[JIM S.]

Raising the front 2-2. 5 will offset the axle about 1/2-5/8" to the passenger side... not much but if you look at it closely you can see it. my friend has the 2" leveling kit and his stock length shocks "bump" the end of travel quite often but its not a big issue.

Jim

 

[Rob Thomas]

JIM S and Ccahill,





I know what your tying to say, except that you guys are saying the axle moves to the passenger side,but think about it,the track bar is bolted to the axle on the passenger side on one end,and bolted to the frame on the other end,( which is not going to move) therefore when the truck is lifted,the track bar will pull the axle towards the DRIVERS side. Although this is true,the movement is minimal with the small amount of hieght were increasing it. If you were to go up higher, yea you would need a adj. track bar,which I'm sure comes with the lift kits.



Rob

 

[JIM S.]

RAMTHIS1





your right. . I didnt stop to think about it Duh!. the axle moves to the drivers side. but it is about 1/2 " or so. With a lift system I am sure they include something to remedy this. BUT when you buy just springs or the spacers(spacers is all you get with the JACKIT 2" leveling kit) thats all you get and your axle will not be centered. so then you have to buy a $300+ aftermarket track bar(if your a perfectionist) and of course the list never really ends! :{

Jim

 

[Ted Constantine]

but Jim my question now is- is the track bar on a cummins or v-10 differnt than that on a 360? If not then the 2 inch differnce in ride height from the factory must not be a big deal. My truck right now sits about 2 inches lower in the front than my 98 gasser did. I don;t think a 2" lift spring that settles out at an 1. 5" will be an issue for the track bar. The 2"-2. 5" kits do come with new lower control arms. That makes me wonder

 

[Rob Thomas]

Ted,



Thats what I've been trying to tell them, if you measure a 3/4 ton gasser,theres a 2" differance, same trackbar,I don't see the problem.





Rob

 

[JIM S.]

Thats what I've been trying to tell them, if you measure a 3/4 ton gasser,theres a 2" differance, same trackbar,I don't see the problem.

I know nothing about the silly gassers ..... BUT I DO KNOW that there are two CTDs in my town that have the 2" spacers and one right as I type this is offset 1/2" and the other has a DT trackbar on it cause the owner did not want to have his axle offset, (cumminspower98) and I have read on the TDR about the offset. so for a CTD there IS an issue... . not a big one, but one none the less! maybe they weld the mounts differently on the gassers... I dont know.

Jim

 

[EShaw]

Air shock mentality

Remember last week when we were 17 and had to lift the rear end up on our cars to fit the big sneakers on?... ..... Gabriel Hi-Jackers to the rescue right? Everything is cool until one of those hoses lets go right... ..... A bandaid on a gash that needs stitches so to speak... ..... I got some sage advice from a now deceased parts man (Brilliant Engine Builder) I had a set of leaf springs made up to do what I needed the right way the first time.

I think (only my opinion) that the spacers are the wrong tool for the job... ... ... ... We spent our hard earned cash on these trucks and to throw spacers in there just rubs me the wrong way.

Axel offset?... ... . It's either right or wrong. The guy that came up with that idea must have invented the BODY LIFT as well.

Back in 1986, When I worked for a Automotive Aftermarket Company. We put suspensions in Mobile Intensive Care Units and 4 x 4's as well, we put 44" tires on a 3/4 ton Dodge without a body lift or cut out fenders... ... . and it was a daily driver.

In closing, if you want to level your truck out without dropping the rear, you need a kit engineered for your specific vehicle... ... including Springs, track bar or bracket, adjustable links, Pitman arm(if lifting a significant amount), Proper length shocks, steering stabilizer(single or dual depending on tire size) and parts for the rear to maintain proper driveshaft angle.

I can give a disertation on this but it's already too long.

I want to have performance ENHANCEMENTS not COMPROMISES in safety.

This show is over go in peace... . LOL

Eric

 

[Rob Thomas]

I'M BORED.





You guys do what you want to,this set up has been on my truck for 48,000 miles, on road 117 mph,off road all over northern michigan,towing this that and the otherthing,and NEVER had any problems with any suspension parts,or tires,or anything related to these springs and stock height shocks,you can gripe about the 1/2" all you want. It doesn't hurt a thing!



ROTFLMAO,



Rob

 

[JIM S.]

ROTFLMAO

you can gripe about the 1/2" all you want. It doesn't hurt a thing!

roll on your a$$ laughing all you want. . I never said it was a BIG deal ... was just saying it happens. I am well aware that it hurts nothing to be 1/2 " off center. good grief

 

[EShaw]

I'm bored too... ... ... I'm also tired after that rant and all that typing... .

Sometimes things are black and white for me with no gray.

I also make knives for guys whose lives depend on them... ... I'm a very picky guy and I guess my opinions are severe from time to time... ..... If nothing else I'm entertaining.

Eric

 

[Rob Thomas]

Sometimes things are black and white for me with no gray.

Yea,



I agree, no grey,either it matters or it don't. Thats my point!



Good Ridance to this thread,



:-laf ,









Rob

 

[rono]

Bigsaint, I put the leveling kit from Jackit on mine and ordered the pro-comp shocks with it. They said I didn't have to replace the shocks but I had 47k on the truck and thought since the coils had to be removed to lowered and the shock loosened why not replace them now.

Ron

 

[Bigsaint]

Thanks for the reply Ron and I agree with your reasoning. I'm still riding the fence on what is the best approach. For now, I will be replacing the two front tires as they are worn (my fault, didn't rotate, 50 HP penalty) with the same P23585R16's. The larger tires will go on this fall. By then I will have lifted the front in some manner and added some sort of aftermarket shocks.



Scott W.