BF Goodrich Velvet-ride shackles

[Huck]

Well, I installed the velvet-rides on my '02 Sierra Crew Cab 2500 HD.  It's a straight forward job but it required every inch of my 33" high lift floor jack!  

 

I jacked up the body and put my heavy duty stands under the frame rails at the flat spot in front of the rear arches.  I was pretty amazed at how far the frame flexed when I set it down.  I had to pull the trailer hitch to get the bottom shackle bolts off.  I turned these around when I put them back so that I don't have to pull the hitch if I ever pull the shackle bolts again.  I then jacked the axle up until I could pull the top shackle bolts.  I installed the velvet-rides.  

 

The velvet-rides did two things:

1. My truck is almost level now.  The new shackles lowered the rear almost an inch.  The truck looks MUCH better and my lights aren't shining on the ground!

 

2. The ride is considerably better.  You know you're in a truck but the "bite" and "hit" is gone on bumps.  I rate them 8 out of ten.