[meetthespeakers]

Need help, got to drive this thing on tuesday. Spent all day installing Belltech drop kit, spindles up front and flip kit in rear. It was always my understanding that the kit would be a level drop. Rear is lower than front. I can fit 2 fingers in between tire and fender on front, and maybe my pinky on the rear. I called belltech and came up with no answers. Another problem is the supplied bumpstop while shorter I am 1" from the frame. Belltech kit does not have an adjustable shackle like the Djm kit. Also the wheel being further forward makes no sense. The Axle perch is located on the pin top and bottom. I also used the shim provided. Any help would be greatly appreciated. I used the joggle up front to drop the front leaf mount. The van rode great before, now it's bouncy as hell in the rear. I installed new belltech sports shocks. Van only has 60k original miles. My only guess is the axle on top gives it a softer ride? Thanks guys.

 

[97cargocrawler]

Did u try reversing the spring hangers? That's pretty much what I did to solve this problem on my van. You could also drill some offset holes in the block and spring saddle plates. I know for sure you can pull the yoke out of the tranny at least 5" without any issues. Yours might pull out 1 or 2".

 

[meetthespeakers]

I was hoping I installed something wrong. The front mounts are marked front. I am tempted to drill a hole lower and back on the front perch. That may give me an inch and move things back. But honestly they gave me the wrong instructions, for the belltech 6300 kit w fiberglass leafs. Luckily the parts itself were the correct 6302 stuff even though I got 2 wrong bolts and spacers for the leaf mount. I know others cant ride this low, and I am almost more concerned about the bounciness.

 

[crusader1xxx]

I have not done one but was reading up on them and came across this..

viewtopic.php?f=39&t=8211

not sure if it applies in your situation but maybe....if you had to flip the leafs or move the shackles

 

[97cargocrawler]

Reversing the spring hangers is no big deal...except you may need to drop the tank a bit to get the bolts out on the drivers side...but you would need to do that anyway to drill holes. Lifted guys sometimes swap the hangers around to move the axle back an inch or so. Flipping them around is perfectly safe.

 

[Ben_R]

Have you managed to sort it out?

 

[meetthespeakers]

Unfortunately I have had no time with the baby, and family in town all weekend. I may have time tomorrow to at least reverse the axle saddles and see if that will locate the axle further back, apparently there was a left and right. There was no markings on either, now I am not even certain if the locating pin is centered, or actually offset (I hope it is because that would make sense). Hopefully that will pull the axle back, I am not sure if it will raise it at all, or give it that illusion since the wheel would be centered.

 

[meetthespeakers]

Well I went to home depot last night and bought a nice drill set since my other 2 I have worn out, and bought a seperate 9/16" bit to drill the front shackle mounts. I flipped from left to right the axle saddles and that helped alot with pulling the axle back. It still is not perfectly centered, but atleast it the tire does rub on dips anymore. It's still lower than I like so I drilled the hole and tested the one side and it looks like it will move me back a hair and up a hair. Currently I measure 26.5" from ground to top of wheel arch.

Don't like how close bump stops are, was really hoping not to have to do a c-notch with such a small drop. IE 3.5" supposedly.

Drilled hole to raise and move back.

Here it is with axle saddles flipped.

 

[97cargocrawler]

That looks good! I like the wheels. I found that a perfectly centered wheel is not ideal because it swings back when the suspension compresses. In other words you're more likely to end up with it rubbing the rear part of the fender. So a bit forward is good. Mine is about an inch forward but looks centered because I added a mudflap that hangs closer to the tire. Worse case scenario, I rub the flap under extreme compression.

 

[meetthespeakers]

That above picture is before leaf is moved back. So I am a little nervous that it will either be centered, or slightly offset to rear. I did not measure the rear shackle. I was looking at those 2" lift shackles, but I have a feeling, these are probably just as long. I was also thinking of adding a leaf as well. I will start with the new drilled hole on Friday and see where it sits. I bottomed out twice to work, which I am not happy about because in 2 months I will have 5 passengers and that is not gonna fly. Will probably have to do a c-notch.

 

[meetthespeakers]

Well here is how it sits as of this morning. Last night I picked up add a leaf assist rated at 1500lbs. Raised the rear 1.25" . So now I have a slight rake, yea! And I didn't bottom out this morning. Before measured 26.5 to center of fender, now I am measuring 27 3/4" roughly.

 

[scr8pnyota]

Look good, glad you got it sorted out. Seems like a lot of extra work for a suppose to be a bolt on kit though.
Van looks sick nice work.

 

[meetthespeakers]

Yes and no, one if they didn't have crap directions, sent me the wrong directions, none of the parts were labeled which was left or right, then it would have went smoother. As far as raising it, I like 2 finger gap in front, 3 finger in the rear. Maybe my leaf springs are shot due to age and not mileage. Anyway, glad it's done, just got to trim one bolt is just barely touching exhaust tip so it rattled going to work this morning. Always something.

 

[Ben_R]

Looking miles better, glad it all worked out ok in the end.

Did you use a fender roller in the end or need to pull the arches at all?

 

[meetthespeakers]

I have not used it yet, and under "normal" driving conditions it doesn't need it. I have only had it slightly rub going in and out steep driveways. So I will roll it at some point just so it never happens, but it is a rare occurrence. I do have the fancy eastwood one I used on another customers car.

 

[luisastro]

Hi, I had the same problem with mine, Belltech told me to swap the Saddles. My mechanic installed them the wrong way, after that problem solved.

 

[rjfalski]

Well here is how it sits as of this morning. Last night I picked up add a leaf assist rated at 1500lbs. Raised the rear 1.25" . So now I have a slight rake, yea! And I didn't bottom out this morning. Before measured 26.5 to center of fender, now I am measuring 27 3/4" roughly.

I see this post is almost 9 years old... but the way yours looks is perfect.. what wheels and tire combo do you have in this pic? looks awesome.