Here I am

Lowering my W250

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DTT upgrade questions

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Now, wait... put down the rope.

Yeah, the tar, and the feathers, too. :p



My new-to-me W250 was lifted a reported 10 inches by the previous owner. Some parts of the lift are nicely done:

* The crossover steering is particularly nice.

* The one-piece rear driveshaft is VERY nice!

There are some other details which are less impressive:

* Keeping the stock 3. 5" shackles up front is NUTS. With this much arch in the springs, these shorty shackles just can't allow enough eye-to-eye elongation -- to prove it, there's a polished spot on the frame where the spring eye has been bottoming out.

* The rear springs are sharply arched -- and they rub up against the tension shackle hangars with just about any compression.

* This much arch ... well physics guarantees that less force ggoes into spring movement, and instead gets carried straight up into the frame.

* Floppy brake hard lines are a recipe for eventual fatigue failure.



The result is that this truck rides like a dump-truck on solid rubber tires with worn-out shocks -- all motoring across a scalloped drive-through movie theater at about 90 miles an hour. :p



I'd like to cut this lift down to a more reasonable height -- something that clears the shiny-new 35x12. 50 16. 5R tires but offers a smoother ride. Yeah, I know it is a truck, and I fully expect it to ride like one... . but I'd like to be able to roll over a gumwrapper at speed without shaking my fillings outta my head.



Randii
 
Let me quantify how much lift I actually have -- it doesn't LOOK like 10 inches of lift, but that's what the Previous Owner (PO) reported...



I measured the vertical distance between the bottom of the frame rail and the top of the front spring (not the U-bolt/swaybar pad -- the actual topside of the main leaf). On my truck, that dimension is 13 inches.



Can you fellas take a ruler to your front suspension and give me that dimension on your truck, as well as the specifics of your suspension (i. e. 250K miles on stock springs, extended shackles measuring 4. 5" between the bolts, fresh Superlift 2. 5" lift, etc. )



Oh yeah -- and lemme know what tires you are running so that I can understand what'll fit under this Dodge... .



Randii (full of questions)
 
Randii-



I have a 3/4" thick add-a-leaf on the front. Top of spring to the frame is approx 6". With the add-a-leaf the sring assembly is dead flat. This gave me a 1" total lift on the front to make the truck sit level instead of nose down. 33x12. 5x16 SportKings. They slightly rub the fenderwell when turning and compressing the suspension.
 
I think this is right. To run 35's you'll need 4in of lift over stock, without a body lift. check out skyjacker.com Just curious what size tires you are running now? alonzo
 
PICS

randii, any pics of your truck?



I might be interested in the lift and stuff, if you decide to go a different route?



Sounds big and bad, that is what I need for my truck!





cut from nascar marks previous post:



315/75/16 if you have enough lift in truck too clear. 4" lift would be just right



Those are about a 34. ???? something inches.



I also looking for tire fitment stuff, but I think I want to go taller to like 36, 37 inch.

does anyone run 36 or bigger on their 1st gen?



jlast
 
Re: PICS

randii, any pics of your truck?

#ad


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Here are the pics the PO mailed me... . I took some more pictures yesterday but don't yet have them online.



I might be interested in the lift and stuff, if you decide to go a different route?

Drop me a line at -- email address removed -- and we'll chat... . the PO reports that he cleared 38s on the truck with this lift.



I have five inches of blocks in the rear at this time --- I'm really curious to get leaf-to-frame specs from someone who is running Superlift 2. 5" front springs and also someone who is running Superlift 4" front springs. Perhaps I can just install some SL springs, ditch the blocks, and set about fine-tuning the rest of it all...



Randii
 
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E-Bay

Hey Randii,



That truck wouldn't have been purchased over E-Bay would it? I could have swore I saw it on there a couple of weeks ago. Nice looking rig!



Jeremy
 
Re: E-Bay

It was for sale on Ebay, but I bought it locally.



It is a nice rig -- just gotta bring it down outta nosebleed mode! :p
 
36" tires w/ SJ 4" lift

Hey Randii!



The Girl runs 36" tires on her W250 w/ a Skyjacker 4" lift and sometimes touches the inner fenderwell in the twisty stuff. These are 'skinny' 9" wide tires though.



Girls Ride: Girls Truck



I run 315/75R/16 BFG AT KO's (35") w/ only 2" SJ front springs & Bushwacker "cut-out" Fender Flares for an improved ride over the 4" springs. I think the Flares give the truck a more updated look.



KEENO's Ride: KEENO's Truck



Just another option... ...



KEENO:D
 
Last edited by a moderator:
PICS

randii, any pics of your truck?



I might be interested in the lift and stuff, if you decide to go a different route?



Sounds big and bad, that is what I need for my truck!





cut from nascar marks previous post:



315/75/16 if you have enough lift in truck too clear. 4" lift would be just right



Those are about a 34. ???? something inches.



I also looking for tire fitment stuff, but I think I want to go taller to like 36, 37 inch.

does anyone run 36 or bigger on their 1st gen?



jlast
 
Jlast I run 39. 5 super swamper boggers 11" lift on 14" wide weld roadhawks you can see more pic in the readers rigs under Darrin's 4x4
 
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