Rear end lowering questions...am i missing something??

[svtjerrod]

ok i got some shackles for my lightning, its an 01, and the other day went to put them on. i also wanted to take out a leaf the load helper leaf wich i will never use.... i get under there and looked for those shims, the pinion angle shims, and there are none. unless those things are so small and thin they cant be seen while the u bolts are on there then someone has taken them off... why i dont know... was thinking maybe some goof wad took the bottom leaf out or one of them anyway and took out those shims at the same time.. there are five leaves all the same thickness. i thought that the bottom leaf was thicker than the others, maybe not but there are only 5 leaves there. is that the stock amount.. also any suggestions on where to get the stock shims... ford place... jlp????

thanks so much i enjoy this forum so much...

 

[flashlight]

As far as I know they dont come stock with any shims. Somebody correct me if I'm wrong. But I dont think so. What year is you L? Only the 03 04's had the over load spring.

 

[bluepacecar]

99-01 doesnt have shims due to the pinion angle. the 03-04 has a more extreme rake in the back so the pinion angle needs to be corrected. if you use up to a 4'' shackle you should be ok. if you decide to go with hangers then you will need shims to correct the pinion angle... sum it up for you?

 

[INFAMOU$]

yea shims are used once you do a dramatic drop... stock i never heard of having shims... nor have i seen any.

 

[svtjerrod]

ok i thought for sure i read that when installed rear shackles that you should flip the shims around to correct pinion angle. i dont understand how you can lower the rear half of the leaf spring with out rotating the chunk downward, maybe it doesnt move it much but it does change the angle.

also on your L's is the drive shaft and chunk in line perfectly?? like on mine the chunk pretty much aims in a line that would be level with the ground under it. like if you could imagine a line coming out of the rear end aiming the direction the yoke is aiming, the line would be level with the ground on mine.. and the drive shaft actually aims a little upwards goin towards the trans. seems like the chunk should be aimed at the trans mission... maybe i am wrong i just really dont want to mess anything up..

and what would be a good way to gauge the angle like if i measured from the ground to the yoke now and then measured it again after the shackle install. if the angle changes the distance between the yoke and the ground should change?? right? and then i could just shim it back to the original measurement.. as long as i know the original angle is good.. but it has worked up until now so then yeah should be good... lol

any thoughts??

 

[bluepacecar]

when you look under the truck look at the plane that the drive shaft and rear diff have. rule of thumb is the diff end should be angled slight ly downward in compareson to the drive shaft that way when during hard launches the diff and axle are level thus no vibration occures..

 

[KG21]

My stock 03 leaf pack has 5 leaves and shims.

 

[bluepacecar]

the 03-04 has a higher payload thus higher rear end hight. that is why the 03-04 has shims due to its extreme angle..

 

[1sweetSVT]

its been a long time since i put in a 6* shim for my hanger/shackle but i dont think i had any shims in there stock...after the flip kit i flipped the shim...

 

[flashlight]

ok i thought for sure i read that when installed rear shackles that you should flip the shims around to correct pinion angle. i dont understand how you can lower the rear half of the leaf spring with out rotating the chunk downward, maybe it doesnt move it much but it does change the angle.

also on your L's is the drive shaft and chunk in line perfectly?? like on mine the chunk pretty much aims in a line that would be level with the ground under it. like if you could imagine a line coming out of the rear end aiming the direction the yoke is aiming, the line would be level with the ground on mine.. and the drive shaft actually aims a little upwards goin towards the trans. seems like the chunk should be aimed at the trans mission... maybe i am wrong i just really dont want to mess anything up..

and what would be a good way to gauge the angle like if i measured from the ground to the yoke now and then measured it again after the shackle install. if the angle changes the distance between the yoke and the ground should change?? right? and then i could just shim it back to the original measurement.. as long as i know the original angle is good.. but it has worked up until now so then yeah should be good... lol

any thoughts??

You can go to the hardware store and get a cheap angle meter. Carpenters use them to check there stuff. You deff do not want the pinon straight with the drive shaft. Like was said before. If its straight just sitting there. It will be pointing up when you lauch the truck. Thats bad. A good way to break u-joints. You want 3 to 4 degrees of down ward pinon angle if I remember corectly. You can allways check what it is stock and make sure it is the same. Or at least close. when you drop it.

 

[DSG04Lightning]

mine is a 2004 the factory had shims as far as i can remember they were kinda U shaped at the smaller end. when i did hangers and shackels i replaced them with 6* shims that came with the kit.

but everyone is correct the 03-04 had a higher payload therefor the extra leaf spring and higher rear end height. the 99-02 did not have this and no use for a shim.

 

[svtjerrod]

thanks guys for all of the input, i love this website so much my knowledge of vehicles have increased so much...

i will be lowering my truck soon and will get that angle meter and see if its the same after,,

 

[ACSVT]

My 02 had no shims. I swapped in Hotchkis leafs and a 2" Belltech shackle. Never had any vibrations, or anything of that nature from the drive shaft.

I don't think I'd run a 4" shackle, though.