Rear leaf spring shackels

[Inspector]

I am considering a new Dmax. I have measured the bed hieght as compared to my 93 1 ton dually and the New truck will be higher at the top of the bed by almost 1 1/2 inches approximatly. My trailer does not have the option of mounting the axels under the leafs for increased trailer hight. Mowser if you read this post, I noticed and I think you said at the rendevous that you had changed the rear shackles on your one ton and lowered the bed hight somewhat. Did you use the Velvet ride shackels? If you did, did it solve your problem of to high a bed hight? Any other folks with info please pipe in.
Thanks, Denny------please disregard the lousy spelling.

[Kennedy]

Keep in mind that you will want to move the frame pads for the overloads upwards a bit to regain seperation or empty ride will suffer.

Velvet Rides are said to lower it, BUT I think I would be more inclined to get some lowering shackles fro Bell Tech or similar.

[dmaxstu]

With the moryde RL system you would have at least an inch in either up or down direction adjustment and get a better ride in the bargain.www.morryde.com
Velvet rides are not meant to lower the truck in fact they are suposed to leave the truck the same as before you put them on if there is any lowering it is purely some sag but not any given measurement.I had them on my truck before I replaced them with the Morydes.
In any case as John Kennedy says you would still have to address the overload spring pads issue.Stu

[ 05-28-2002: Message edited by: dmaxstu ]

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[Kennedy]

I'd be more interested in the Mor Ryde if I could actually SEE the setup.

I guess they are in Elkhart, and I get trailers from Elkhart, so I guess I will just have to make a road trip...

Maybe the weekend of the 7th...

[Lone Eagle]

I installed the Bel-6400 kit on my 2500HD. I got one inch measured at the centerline of the wheel. It looks like more when the 5th wheel is on but I didn't measure it before the change. The larger trailers with the bigger tires should not be as much of a problem as my 29' Coachman with 205/75/15s. The part of the hitch bolted to the trailer (5th wheel)is also good for a couple inches in some cases. Later! Lone Eagle

[mowser]

Inspector,
Sorry no, I don't have velvet rides on my truck.
I complained about a clunking sound when going over a sharp bump coming from the overloads on my 3500, so I asked about the slip on rubber pads that 56nomad had installed between the leafs of his overloads. My dealership suggested the rubber O Ring type of isolater instead, mainly because they were about 10 times cheaper....& since they were (GM) going to put them on for free....(no charge), I said okey-dokey. So maybe that was what I was pointing out to you.....and yes, they got rid of the clunking for me.
mdrag, is one person that I know who has the Velvet Rides on his 3500 truck, you can ask his opinion if you like.
mowser

[dmaxstu]

mowser
Where's Beaumont AB.? I'm originally from the Lacombe/Red Deer area. I'll be vacationing in Ardrossan AB in August. Stu

[More Power]

mowser & inspector,

Bogdan has the Velvet-Ride shackles on his 2500HD Dmax. He told me during the Rendezvous that it did lower the rear of his truck a bit. Maybe he can enlighten us further.

I was glad to hear Bogdan & Daniel made it back to Texas OK after the wind episode in WY.

MP

[mdrag]

Inspector,

The Velvet Rides lowered the rear of my 3500 CC an estimated 1.5 - 2 inches. I had every intention of measuring before and after, but never took the before measurements...Being vertically challenged - it is noticably easier climbing on/off the tailgate after the VRs.

Here is a previous post, read the comments by Ironhead. He reported an initial 5/8" drop aftr VR installation, and two weeks later that increased to a 1.75" drop:

http://forum.62-65-dieselpage.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic&f=7&t=001913

Others have reported little or no change in height after installing the VRs.

One of the problems with the VRs was pointed out by Kennedy - after the VRs are installed, the OL springs are very close to the frame mounted contact pads and this limits the effectiveness of the VRs. I removed the rear frame contact pads for about 1 month and there was a big improvement in the ride with less jarring, but the rear then seems to bounce more - good shocks would likely help with that problem. There does not seem to be an easy way to relocate the frame mounted pads... The biggest improvement in ride quality with the 3500s is to have some weight in the bed...

The VRs are were difficult to install - partially drop or remove the receiver hitch, removed the front and rear frame contact pads, removed bottom bolt from rear shocks, jacked up rear diff every whicha way - and the top shackle bolt would not clear a frame mounted rivet on the top of the frame. Ended up cutting off that bolt on both sides.

I'd take Kennedy's advice and look into shackles to lower the rear. I recently heard if you remove the bottom overload spring, it will drop the rear 1.5".

[Kennedy]

Dropping the lower (solid bar) OL spring, (assuming this is what Mdrag referred to) will ruin the load carrying capability IMHO as the springs will never hit the second stage.

Another member flipped his lower bar over and while the increased seperation (something I have increased on mine) resulted in a saggt rear with the fifth hooked up...

[Inspector]

Some great post on this subject. I will keep all this in mind when it comes time to hook up to the new truck. I will have to address it when it happens. I surely don't want to have contact between the truck and the fiver. I see so many fivers and bumper pulls set up wrong and hope to heaven that they don't have a situation arise that would be agrevated by a poor set up. It is so important to have a total package when towing. Ride hight of both the tow the towed vehicles, tire pressures, stabalizing systems for the bumper pulls. So many variables.
Denny

[mowser]

dmaxstu,

Beaumont is 3KM's south of the Edmonton city limits on 50th street and 8KM's east of the International Airport.
http://www.town.beaumont.ab.ca/about/where/
www.town.beaumont.ab.ca
mowser :D