I leveled my truck for $9.00 - lowered the back end of my truck b

[Ridersfan]

I wanted to level my truck and had no reason to raise the front end, not planning on oversized tires. So, I removed the 1&1/2" blocks from between the rear differential and the leaf springs. Used $9 worth of flat washers to make sure there was still some threads left on the U-bolts. The only reason it was $9 is because I stuck with metric flat washers at 14mm. It would have been negligible if I'd have used SAE washers probably at 9/16", but was just being fussy.

 

Worked like a top! Factory running boards are perfectly level and happy with how it looks.

 

Went on a road trip, put on 250 kms or so and it handles quite well nothing negative to speak of.

 

Very easy process, just undo the U-bolt nuts, remove the blocks, and put it all back together again. The alignment pins dropped right in. What a cheap and easy modification. Took less than half an hour.

 

If I'd have bought drop shackles, it would have taken longer & cost more... so I call that a win.

 

There is still 1&1/2" of height difference/rake in the top of the wheel well to the ground from back to front, but a 4 foot level shows running boards as spot on, so I call that level.

[SMiller]

Pics!

[Ridersfan]

Pics!

I suppose I can... won't be much to see without another side by side to compare, so it will probably be next weekend before I clean it all up (part of my road trip test drive got it filthy muddy and now it's snowing out, so when I clean it up again next weekend, I'll try to do some pics)

[TJay74]

Nice to see, I will have my new truck next week and that is the first on my list of mods after I put the stuff from my 2014 onto the new truck. How many washers per bolt did it roughly take?

[Ridersfan]

I used 2 per nut... though I don't know for sure if I needed them at all... I just wanted to make darn sure that it was tight and not bottomed out on threads. I used a total of 16 washers. Maybe you can get away with 8... or with none... I just wanted to know I'm safe

[f8l vnm]

Thanks for write up. Pics when you can please

[Sooperdave]

I removed mine as well. That gap was horrendous and it looks much better now.

[Ridersfan]

A couple pics now that truck got cleaned. I brought in a truck with identical RPO codes for comparison (except exterior color, otherwise identical trucks)

Edited March 5, 2016 by ridersfan

[Ridersfan]

These are the blocks removed

Edited March 5, 2016 by ridersfan

[Ridersfan]

I re-torqued the nuts when I put it up on the hoist for photos just to be safe.

 

So, to re-cap, it's fairly simple. A 21MM deep impact socket is needed, remove nuts, remove blocks, reinstall nuts, torque. I put 2 flatwashers under each nut just to be darn sure that I was torqued and not out of threads on the U-bolts. This may not be necessary, but cheap insurance. Would have been a completely free mod if I hadn't used the 14MM metric flatwashers (16 total)

[SMiller]

Looks much better!

[Jtom]

Forgive my ignorance, but what is the purpose of the spacers?

 

I was thinking of using lowering shackles, but I like this idea.

 

Thanks for any info.

[1500fp]

I believe the reason they raise the bed slightly compared to the front so when you have a heavy load in the bed it evens out.

[Garybee1508]

Just wondering do you feel any difference in the ride

[twoheeldrive]

Just an FYI, U-Bolts are designed to be used only once. It's something about the way the threads are cut. Shorter U-Bolts are available.

 

Before I knew this, I did the same thing and removed the spacers from a 2009 1500. I put the spacers back in when I traded it. I hope they didn't loosen up and cause any problems.

 

https://www.eatondetroitspring.com/reinstalling-ubolts/