Can Someone give me the 411 on Lowering the Rear of my 2500hd?

[Cowpie]

The drive line angles are inconsequential. There is still some rake even with the shackles installed, and i have put some pretty heavy loads in the back and the pickup still was pretty close to level. If being level is an issue with driveline angles, then we all better not haul or tow anything.

[Lakeside518]

This is first on my to do list. I sometimes put my ATV in the back. This will be a lot harder to do with the 2500 vs my 1500 that I had.

[XSKIER]

Ok,

 

So I picked up my new truck at about 7 today, and had it leveled with McGaughy's by about 9. I thought the process went a little easier than adding the spacer to the strut on the front of my Avy.

A couple points:

The pinch seam is a bitch to get folded. I cut it in front of the shackle, then started the fold with pliers. Next I took an air hammer and continued it over, didn't work worth a damn. Probably needed to have some support above with a dolly block or something. Ultimately I ended up forcing the spring into the new shackle and then bending the seam over by forcing a pry bar in that area.

 

The McGaughy's shackles are extremely tight tolerance. The original shackles literally fell out, and the new drop shackles were a M Fer to get lined up to get the bolts in. I think the new ones are about. 080" wider at the lower mount and should probably be sanded down a little to match the originals before attempting to wrestle them in.

 

Over all I'm happy with result for time and money spent, and would do it again. The center of the wheel opening went from 43 1/4 down to 41 3/8 when set to the lowest setting on the shackle. Truck has 70 miles on it.

 

 

 

[wrc7732]

I bought the shackles but haven't installed them yet. I wanted to tow my 9000lbs travel trailer with it first to see what it did to the ride height.

 

With the TT tongue weight applied using my WD Hitch, and a few bits and pieces in the bed plus kids, wife and car seats, etc in the cab, the truck sits about level, so I'm glad I didn't sacrifice my rear ride height an extra 2".

 

I may still do it and then supplement with Air bags like I did on my 1500. This way I'd have the best of both worlds.

 

I'll second the notion that with each passing year it get harder and harder to wrangle my unfit ass in the beds of these things. My 2500 feels a foot higher than my '15 1500 was. I know it's not that extreme, but man. Ive even considered lowering the whole thing, but I'm can only imagine the crap I'd get from my buddies for doing that on a 4x4 z71 2500. [emoji1]

 

 

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[ickyoldman]

It is a biotch to get rid of that pinch weld.......Folding over is not the answer because you need every bit of clearance to get the new shackles installed. I used a pneumatic cut off wheel and a die grinder to finish it off. Had lots of hot molton metal raining down on me. Had to throw my shirt away because of burns. The end result was worth it

[grnmtnboy]

I had no trouble at all with bending the pinch weld over. It was painless. I started the bend with a short 2x2 and 2 lb. hammer, then I placed a vertical 4x4 on my floor jack and jacked it up on to the pinch weld while watching the top of the bed. Wait for the floor of the bed to start flexing up, then grab a short 2x4 laid flat on top of the pinch weld in the bed and hit it a few times with a 2 lb. hammer, jack it up a bit more a repeat until your happy. No need for any cutting.

[shreff86]

I had no trouble at all with bending the pinch weld over. It was painless. I started the bend with a short 2x2 and 2 lb. hammer, then I placed a vertical 4x4 on my floor jack and jacked it up on to the pinch weld while watching the top of the bed. Wait for the floor of the bed to start flexing up, then grab a short 2x4 laid flat on top of the pinch weld in the bed and hit it a few times with a 2 lb. hammer, jack it up a bit more a repeat until your happy. No need for any cutting.

Is it possible to see how yours turned out in a picture

[XSKIER]

I had no trouble at all with bending the pinch weld over. It was painless. I started the bend with a short 2x2 and 2 lb. hammer, then I placed a vertical 4x4 on my floor jack and jacked it up on to the pinch weld while watching the top of the bed. Wait for the floor of the bed to start flexing up, then grab a short 2x4 laid flat on top of the pinch weld in the bed and hit it a few times with a 2 lb. hammer, jack it up a bit more a repeat until your happy. No need for any cutting.

I think now that mine is back on the ground, I'm going to wedge something on top of the leaf. Then I'll go inside the bed and smash the floor down with something. The reason I just didn't cut the seam out is that I thought it might weaken that connection too much. I'd rather leave the seam intact, but folded.

[grnmtnboy]

I will take some pic's when it warms up, doesn't look like it's going to get much above 0*F today, ha ha.

[DaBomb6988]

Any one have pics of their drop shackles installed?   Thinking of going this route with mine.

[kf9yr]

Post #5 is before and after pics of mine


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[DaBomb6988]

5 hours ago, kf9yr said:

Post #5 is before and after pics of mine


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Which shackle did you use? Never mind I see you used McGaughys.

  Also is that @2" hole or the 1"?

Edited April 8, 2018 by DaBomb6988

[kf9yr]

Which shackle did you use? Never mind I see you used McGaughys.
  Also is that @2" hole or the 1"?

2” hole.


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[Landkrshr17]

I used 2" on right and 1" on left to get rid of the inherent lean these trucks have. Looks much better.

[ugeesta]

Has anyone put the shackles on a 3500HD?  I just picked up the 3500HD Denali and looking to lower the back 3" and the front 2: with the McGaughy torsion keys.