Hotchkins Leafs and Belltech guys
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Did you remove the bottom bolt of the shackle/hanger, then raise the axle high enough to clear the frame?
Please elaborate on what you're having a problem with.
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Brad...
I have Hotchkis TVS leafs and I had to ditch the 2" shackles and go back to stock shackles to get some clearance between the axle and frame. But I had to also cut the OEM snubber so in half to make it work. Originally I had tried stock shocks with shock extenders, that didn't work at all. Got rid of them, used the Strange Adjustables.
I'm of the belief that Hotchkis made two generations of TVS leafs for our trucks. Mine are the early ones and with no other lowering mod they dropped my back end 3.5" if not 4". Stan and I both have 2001 trucks, he put TVS leafs on it and it was much higher than mine, so he added 2" drop shackles and now we're close.
Go figure. Of course I have a 3" drop up front and a 4x4 Trans pan so I have to be careful driving over speed bumps and going up and down steep driveways (like mine). But I'm managing okay.
My suggestion is to try a set of stock shackles.
Mike
I have Hotchkis TVS leafs and I had to ditch the 2" shackles and go back to stock shackles to get some clearance between the axle and frame. But I had to also cut the OEM snubber so in half to make it work. Originally I had tried stock shocks with shock extenders, that didn't work at all. Got rid of them, used the Strange Adjustables.
I'm of the belief that Hotchkis made two generations of TVS leafs for our trucks. Mine are the early ones and with no other lowering mod they dropped my back end 3.5" if not 4". Stan and I both have 2001 trucks, he put TVS leafs on it and it was much higher than mine, so he added 2" drop shackles and now we're close.
Go figure. Of course I have a 3" drop up front and a 4x4 Trans pan so I have to be careful driving over speed bumps and going up and down steep driveways (like mine). But I'm managing okay.
My suggestion is to try a set of stock shackles.
Mike
Yes I removed the shackle completely, tried to place the shackles onto the leaf on the second hole above the highest setting and no go. Seems that the end of the leaf is so thick that the shackle would need to be either grounded down or maybe a JLP shackle of some sort.
I have 2.5 inches of clearance from the rear tube to the bump stop which are trimmed flat. Wanted to raise truck up an inch or so in the rear and throw in ISO up front. Ill attach a pic with my current ride height in a minute.
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Ok, I gottcha...I have the newest version of the Hotchkis leaf springs with JLP shackles.
I bought my leafs back in November of 2014. Guess I need the jlp shackles. You have your leafs on highest setting? Have you ever tried the second holes?
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The Belltechs will only fit the top hole, the other one isn't usable. Going to a JLP shackle would make it lower. You need to swap in a stock shackle and see how it sits or have you Belltechs modified.
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Those 2 fit fine for me. Shackles aren't too costly either.
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Yes, a good bit longer. When I had my 02..6# truck..I had the jlp shackles in lowest setting and I hit the bed with them shackles leaving the line. That was the only imperfection on the truck! Going back to a stock shackle is about the best option I'd think...then would be to modify the beltech
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Brad... No matter what aftermarket shackle you buy/use, it will _LOWER_ the back of your truck, not raise it. You need to throw in a set of _STOCK_ shackles to raise the back end.
Hell, I'm lower than you, but I'm not racing. I'm guessing that you'd like the truck to be able to "squat" more on launch?
Mike
Hell, I'm lower than you, but I'm not racing. I'm guessing that you'd like the truck to be able to "squat" more on launch?
Mike
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I have belltech leafs / stock shackles on mine.
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Bedcover makes a big difference. I dropped mine with hotchkis leafs and couldnt run a drop shackle when i had a bedcover, tow package and spare tire.
Ditched the spare and tow package, added 1" shackle, dtiched the bedcover moved to 2" setting
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Of course we can't see the suspension spacing, but if you're trucks still sitting like this... it looks higher than Caleb's truck. Stock shackles are the way to go unless you want to dick around with ride height for street and strip. Moving leafs is a PITA LOL but I did my Hotchkis swap twice, once with the drop shackles and then again when I put the stockers in. Did it by myself, jack and jackstands, probably a couple hours if you're alone. Alternative is to bag the rear LOL.
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Looking to go with Hotchkis leafs. I currently have the JLP shackles and since I have a 2004 I believe they were 2" higher in the rear?? Here is a picture of my truck which still sits high in the rear. If I put the Hotchkis leaf springs on I will not have any clearance issues I hope... what do you guys think.
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