How can I get my truck to sit like this one?

[Denee007]

Hi! I think my back is finally getting somewhat better and I'm ready to get started doing something again!
Anyway, I"ve been surfing the net trying to find the stance I want for my Apache, and this Blue truck below is ideal for me, not too high and not too low! in other words, just right!

Is it as simple as just pulling a few leaf springs from the front? I been researching mono leaf springs, but I read that the ride is rough, but heck, they all kind of ride rough with the leaf springs right? I do plan to put the gas tank in the rear, and right now the wood for the bed is not in the truck.
Any suggestions definitely welcome! ; )
dne'


My truck as it is right now: It has the rear stock leaf springs with a 2" lift.
Front is plain stock;

[55metalmonkey]

I think if you take the lift blocks out and install drop shackles on the rear you may be close to what you want, the front of the blue one is likely a 3" drop axle and possibly a leaf or two removed, be careful which ones you remove though.

depending on your budget there are kits out there for drop leafs and axle, they can get up there in the $$ department but from what I hear they do improve the ride quaality

[MrTucker]

maybe it's just me, but your truck looks to be pretty darn close to the blue one in ride height...the bottom of the fenders look like they line up with the center of the wheels. The oversized wheels of the blue ones simply fill the fender wells up better than the 15" steelies.

I'd say get the wheels you want to run first, then spend money on lowering springs to get the desired right height.


as far as removing leafs, I woudn't do that. You sacrifice payload and hauling (if that matters), not to mention ride quality. Some will say it rides the same, but they're wrong, IMHO. I've ridden in many vehicles with leaf springs, and many with leafs removed and to me it was day and night. If you're just going to show the truck then it probably doesn't matter. If you're going to drive it a lot, then I'd spend the money on drop leafs, mono leafs (I've heard a lot of good things about 'em), drop axels...whatever

[Denee007]

Well, maybe I should just leave well enough alone. If anything, just looks like the front sits a little higher than it should. My husband and my brother say they like the way it stance is right now. eh, probably just me~ ; ) Mr. Tucker, I will rarely have anything on that new wood in the bed~ maybe I could get a bedliner. It will not be a show truck but I think it will make a nice daily driver and I hope to do just that, drive it! ; ) going back n forth to that blue truck, I guess you're right about the size tires~ kind of an illusion~!

[MrTucker]

I was watching an episode of Rides and Chip Foose was talking about how choosing the correct size/backspacing of a wheel/tire combo can completely alter the look of a car. he showed a Dodge Challenger that had the stock steel wheels, and the same car with some 20" Foose wheels with an offset lip and I'll tell you - it was a totally different car...it can really mess with you

[MrTucker]

another thing to keep in mind is that once you get all of your interior in, and bumpers and things like that, it will weight the front end down some. None of that stuff weighs very much, but all together it could be a couple hundred pounds...and besides, swapping out new springs is pretty easy to do at the end to get that ride height dialed in...

[mr48chev]

I like what MrTucker is saying especially the part about waiting until you have it all together and all the weight on it.

Drive it a bit and see how it settles out and then think about making the changes to get the stance right on the money the way you want it. He is also pretty accurate when he says that suspension wise both trucks are sitting the same. If you printed both photos out an laid a straight edge across the center of the front and back hubs on each My guess is that the trucks are within a half inch of each other as far as body to center line of the hubs goes.

[Denee007]

I really appreciate the input ya'll!
When I change out the I6(230) and larger than life 4 speed tranny, will there be much weight difference between the setup I have now vs. the 350(with AC,PS,etc) and automatic tranny, or will it be about the same in weight?
dne'

[mr48chev]

There is an engine weight sheet somewhere on the net but I don't think that there is enough difference in weight between the six and stick setup and the V8 and automatic to write home about.
This is the chart I was thinking about http://www.fatmanfab.com/mustang2.php It shows the V8 at 575 lbs I'm not sure what the six weighs but it should be close to that

[MrTucker]

Dont under estimate the size of that I6 - once you get it out of that frame it's a big ol' heavy sumuna*****!