My First Mod -- Lower the Rear
 

Well, I just got the truck and I have a list of things that it needs already but I think the first thing I am going to attempt is to level it. From all the reading and searching I see two ways to go about it; raise the front or lower the back. My wife and kids already have a hard time getting into it and since I just bought it buying a kit to raise the front would cost more money so I decided to lower the rear end (plus I think it will help make the stock tires appear to fit better).

It looks like I can place a jack under the leaf springs to remove the load, then unbolt and move the spacers. Is it really that simple or am I missing something that is going to bit me in the a$$?

If anyone has done this I would love to hear about it; pictures would be fantastic too.

I haven't done this but if you do, you may consider getting new u-bolts for the rear.

and possibly new spring bolts---there are two bolts that go thru the spring packs and may strip when you get them off.

It is quite simple. I lowered my 06 just after I purchased it, because I thought once I put a canopy on it would not fit in the garage. Move the spacers to the top of the spring pack so if you ever want to go back to stock all of the hardware is available. Take a look at the following will help you. This site is from one of the TDR guys.

http://www.klenger.net/dodge/lowerin...d/slide01.html

He shouldn't have to remove those bolts, if I remember correctly. Loosen u-bolts, place jack under leaf springs and lift. The spacer isn't connected to the leaf pack. If that's what he's gonna remove....[duhhh]

I stand corrected...

I removed my 2" leveling kit a month or so ago and then did the spacer swap in the rear from under the springs to on top of springs. Same as pictured here:

http://www.klenger.net/dodge/lowerin...d/slide01.html

Almost exactly 2" lower at tail gate. It helped the truck look proportional again with the 285s instead of the 315s I took off.

http://dodgetruckworld.tenmagazines....ude/320573.jpg

I also did this last weekend. It's really easy, but you do need new spring pack bolts, not u bolts. I used 1/2"x4.5" grade 8 bolts and nuts. if you have a bottle jack I would use that to jack up the spring pack because it lifts straight up not on an arc like a floor jack.

Thanks All
 

Thanks to all the encouragement on these forums and especailly for the links above (AlK and RamWheelsBy4)!

fl_diesel and I did both our trucks this morning. My truck went pretty well, 1 3/4 hours, fl_diesel's took a little longer because he had additional wheel well guards. We would have been done faster but we reused all the parts; one of the bolts on the spring packs gave us a real hard time. [duhhh] Anybody considering doing the same thing might want to send the couple bucks to have 4 new ones just in case. Dropped one inch at the wheel wells, two at the open tailgate. Looks just right!

Already thinking about what comes next! [laugh]