question re: lowering rear of truck

[phoekema]

I have replaced the stock 4 inch spacers between the springs and the axle with 2 inch spacers so I can get enough clearance between the top of the truck box and the lower surface of the 5th wheel ('98 3500 4x4). I know others have done this also in some form or another. Have any of you noticed that there seems to be a slight increase in drive shaft type viabration with the change in the angle? I am considering changing the angle of the differential so that the front doesn't point up quite as much, but before doing anything I thought I would check to see if anyone else is having this problem and what, if anything, they did about it. For me, I wish you could order 4-wheel drive without adding all the height.

 

[Southbound]

truck height

Hello-

Have you considered raising your camper instead of your truck? I had the same problem with my truck and 5th... . so I reversed my axles on my trailer and also changed my wheels and tires on the trailer to help increase the height as well. I now have 6 inches of clearance between my truck bed-rail and the bottom of my 5th wheel. Note: Dexter axles has a kit that you can install on your trailer to reverse the leaf springs to the top of your axle. Just my 2cents... . good luck.



Southbound

 

[Ethdee]

I'm curious whether you used the factory spacers to lower your truck. I've heard there's a factory kit but that it's pricey. If the factory blocks exhibit this behaviour I know I'm not going to go that route. I would have thought, though, that they'd be machined to the proper angle.



The angles of the transmission or transfer case output shaft and the pinion input shaft must be the same, or you get the dreaded vibration. The last vehicle I had this problem with, I used a protractor to measure the angles, and found a suitable wedge to make the shafts parallel. Problem solved.



I'll never forget the wife during the test drive after the fix. She parodied an old Beach Boys song, and sang, "Good, good, good! No vibrations!... "



We have to relish those moments when our wives appreciate our genius.



Jim

 

[phoekema]

lowering truck

To Southbound - I know flipping the axles on the trailer is an option, but I didn't go that route for two reasons. First, at 12 feet 6 inches to the top of tha AC, that trailer is high enough already. I would think the added height would catch a bit more wind and possibly affect the handling somewhat. Most importantly, my storage bldg isn't hign enough to add even an inch or two! A friend of mine says "if you get up enough speed you can get it in there" but that's not the way I care to do it. That is why I decided to change the truck height instead.



To Ethdee - No, I did not use the factory parts. Even though these parts are part of a TSB, if you are past the warranty period, they charge (around $700!) for the parts. A local suspension shop got the spacers out of a catalogue and installed them for me.



The viabration is really not all that bad, I guess. But you do feel it when you "get on it".

 

[Ethdee]

You mean I could get this done under warranty? My dealer just kind of blows me off when I ask about it.



Jim

 

[phoekema]

tsb and warranty

Yes, since there is a TSB that addresses the lowering problem, it is my understanding that it should be covered under warranty. In the conversations I had with the service department, they left that impression. In my case even though the truck has only 28,000 miles, the time portion of the warranty has expired, so 'too bad - so sad - have a good day' was what I got from the dealer. Hope you have better luck.

 

[Cowman]

I inquired about the kit with my dealer service mgr and he didn't even know what it was or what parts were in it and indicated that I would have to pay for it although I'm still under warranty. The parts department could only locate it as a "kit", i. e. didn't have any idea what individual parts were involved.



So the other day I called DC customer service and they stated that it was a "dealer option" if they wanted to do it for free. It's apparently not a "warranty" type TRB. They did give me a complete listing of all the individual part numbers but I haven't had a chance to see if the dealer could locate and just order the replacement blocks for example. The kit does include replacement shock absorbers which is interesting considering that none of the after market shock mfgs seem to specify a different shock for the two situations.