??? For You With The Slee 4-inch Lift? (1 Viewer)

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Joined
Apr 2, 2003
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Tucson, AZ
Could one of you 4-inch Slee lift (Slee springs and caster plates, front CV shaft, etc) owners please give me 2 measurements?

1. Distance from the center of the wheel/hub straight up to the wheel well? Front and rear ends please.
2. Is your truck loaded with a F a R or both aftemarket bumper(s).

THANKS!
 
You give posers a bad name .. :flipoff2:


ChatTech - You still working out the bad vibes man?



TY
 
Since it's just spacers, then he could subtract 30mm from the height and it be as if you didn't have them, correct?

Shottz, does this have to do with that vibration that you have tried so hard to keep?
 
Ok so here is the measurements that I have

rear 23.5"

front 24.25"

this is measuring straight out from the hub, not bending the tape around the tire to the hub.

I can only imagine what is going through that skull of yours.
 
Every 80 drives differently, and Shotts seems to find the really 'different' 80's. ;)



TY
 
landtank said:
Ok so here is the measurements that I have

rear 23.5"

front 24.25"

this is measuring straight out from the hub, not bending the tape around the tire to the hub.

I can only imagine what is going through that skull of yours.

Interesting. Thanks Rick. I have:

Front 23 5/8
Rear 24.00
This is on the driver's low side

The passanger side is 0.5" higher.

SO.....MY THOUGHTS:

We have the same components except the springs. Yes, you "dialed in your caster correction rather than using the Slee pre-set plate.

I have 20mm spacers on the front and you have 30mm. If we used my "high side" measurements it appears that your 10mm spacer makes the difference.

Conclusion...our springs are about the same hieght on the pass side but not the drivers side. IF the J's and Slee's are the same height then either spring should work with matching Slee caster plates and CV shaft, etc. Right?

So what am I lacking to hit the smooth and non vibrating 4" inch Slee lift? The hald inch I'm down on the driver's side? Fixingthat put's me in the Slee Kit Ballpark?
 
T Y L E R said:
Every 80 drives differently, and Shotts seems to find the really 'different' 80's. ;)



TY

Ain't that my luck? By friend just slapped on the same initial stuff:

J-springs
L shocks
Slee 4" caster plates

Drives smooth as can be. :mad: Doesn't even havea D/C front D-shaft.

Me? A month of trouble and still not done.
 
From earlier posts I found this:

2. Installed J-s and L's with stabilizer, AND Slee caster plates (lift turned out about 4-inches). Corrected pan hards and got an alignment.

WHat did the alignment say about your caster?

And this:


EYEBALLED the front shaft angle...It LOOKS as the though the pinion angle is just a TAD lower than the T-case.


Technically, for a DC shaft, there should be no angle in the single joint at the axle. For this to happen, the shaft would have to be pointed slightly higher than the T-case output, you state (and the pic confirms) that it's slightly lower than the output. I don't know if that's explains your vibration problem, it's just an observation.

I could not find what I was looking for, which was whether or not you had replaced the U-joints in BOTH driveshafts or not. Nor if you had managed to ACCURATELY align the rear driveshaft, confirming it with a measuring device. I'm not sure how a protractor would work, unless you had a level to use it with. I used an angle finder.

Also, there are other causes of vibration which you may or may not have eliminated as your problem. I think you mentioned that your tires were new or otherwise not suspect, but that's the first place I would choose to look. Balance and out-of-round. Also, an out-of-round or improperly mounted wheel. Wheel bearings could possibly cause a vibration, hell, even an engine problem could be the culprit. The friggin' WIND could be a cause, if you have a funky setup somewhere.

If I were you, I'd replace all U-joints, and check your tires. Jack up the truck and spin each tire. You can see out-of-round by looking across the tread as it rotates, looking for it to rise and fall. Alternately, place an object close to the tire tread, spin the tire, and see if the gap closes and opens as the tire rotates. Perform a tire rotation, and see if that changes the vibration. If you haven't done it already, replace your U-joints.

If someone lives close to you with the same lift (without vibration), and they are accomodating, try switching some parts out, including tires and driveshafts. Check out their angles, and any other mods or parts they may have or you may have. Replace your U-joints.

Did I mention to replace your U-joints? They don't like to change angles after they get used to running at a certain angle. That's sort of important, I'm not sure if I mentioned it before.

-Spike
 
P.S. Not to be a nag, but it's getting hard to follow this saga. I would suggest keeping it all in one thread. I understand your reasons for asking for measurements in a seperate thread, but we should keep the diagnostics in one place.

-S.
 
-Spike- said:
From earlier posts I found this:

2. Installed J-s and L's with stabilizer, AND Slee caster plates (lift turned out about 4-inches). Corrected pan hards and got an alignment.

WHat did the alignment say about your caster?

I don't have the sheet handy but it was prefect...right in the middle of the spec.

And this:


EYEBALLED the front shaft angle...It LOOKS as the though the pinion angle is just a TAD lower than the T-case.


Right....then we added 20mm lift and the angle looks pretty straight...though I'd concerned I'm still a tad low and wonder if that lower driver's side is hurting me?

Technically, for a DC shaft, there should be no angle in the single joint at the axle. For this to happen, the shaft would have to be pointed slightly higher than the T-case output, you state (and the pic confirms) that it's slightly lower than the output. I don't know if that's explains your vibration problem, it's just an observation.

Right...I've learned that. I'm going to get in inclinometer froma buddy on Saturday.

I could not find what I was looking for, which was whether or not you had replaced the U-joints in BOTH driveshafts or not. Nor if you had managed to ACCURATELY align the rear driveshaft, confirming it with a measuring device. I'm not sure how a protractor would work, unless you had a level to use it with. I used an angle finder.

Slee had me put on a DC shaft for the front...then I waited a month for the rear arm adjusts. We dialed in a smooth rear-only ride with the adjusts though found a bad u-joint....get's finished today then we'll adjust it all....though my D/C front is out going back to Slee for testing.

Also, there are other causes of vibration which you may or may not have eliminated as your problem. I think you mentioned that your tires were new or otherwise not suspect, but that's the first place I would choose to look. Balance and out-of-round. Also, an out-of-round or improperly mounted wheel. Wheel bearings could possibly cause a vibration, hell, even an engine problem could be the culprit. The friggin' WIND could be a cause, if you have a funky setup somewhere.

The vibration began RIGHT after the lift. Still had the old tires on. We got the new ones...the problem is no worse...the same so we discounted the tires. It's not wind or anything like that. Every driveline change we make changes the vibration amaount and where it hits. I'm sure it's there somewhere.

If I were you, I'd replace all U-joints, and check your tires. Jack up the truck and spin each tire. You can see out-of-round by looking across the tread as it rotates, looking for it to rise and fall. Alternately, place an object close to the tire tread, spin the tire, and see if the gap closes and opens as the tire rotates. Perform a tire rotation, and see if that changes the vibration. If you haven't done it already, replace your U-joints.

If someone lives close to you with the same lift (without vibration), and they are accomodating, try switching some parts out, including tires and driveshafts. Check out their angles, and any other mods or parts they may have or you may have. Replace your U-joints.

Did I mention to replace your U-joints? They don't like to change angles after they get used to running at a certain angle. That's sort of important, I'm not sure if I mentioned it before.

-Spike

Thanks for the thoughts. We'll see what happens when that rear shaft goes back in there and when Slee tests the D/C shaft. For now, I want to make sure I'm at the same lift height as the Slee 4" kit. I have every component in it and it should work for me too.
 
-Spike- said:
P.S. Not to be a nag, but it's getting hard to follow this saga. I would suggest keeping it all in one thread. I understand your reasons for asking for measurements in a seperate thread, but we should keep the diagnostics in one place.

-S.

You're right. Even I'm losing it!
 
ShottsUZJ100 said:
Thanks for the thoughts. We'll see what happens when that rear shaft goes back in there and when Slee tests the D/C shaft. For now, I want to make sure I'm at the same lift height as the Slee 4" kit. I have every component in it and it should work for me too.

Here's an idea:

Instead of trying to create the Slee 4" lift with OME stuff, why don't you buy the actual Slee 4" kit? :flipoff2:

Nay
 
Nay said:
Here's an idea:

Instead of trying to create the Slee 4" lift with OME stuff, why don't you buy the actual Slee 4" kit? :flipoff2:

Nay

I have the same exact kit now, though with lower spring-rate springs. It'd be stupid to put 25% stiffer springs (Slee springs) on a non-loaded truck. It'd ride like xxxx. :flipoff2: :D
 
The issue here Shotts is that while we have trucks that sit at a similar height we don't have similar caster correction.

With Slee's plates you get 4* of caster correction

With my plate I put in 7* of caster correction.

When talking pinion alignment for a DC Shaft that difference is too much. As posted earlier it's supposed to be 0* +1*.

I'm not saying that it is your problem or that 3* more correction will solve your problem, just that by comparing the 2 trucks you have to take that into consideration.
 
landtank said:
The issue here Shotts is that while we have trucks that sit at a similar height we don't have similar caster correction.

With Slee's plates you get 4* of caster correction

With my plate I put in 7* of caster correction.

When talking pinion alignment for a DC Shaft that difference is too much. As posted earlier it's supposed to be 0* +1*.

I'm not saying that it is your problem or that 3* more correction will solve your problem, just that by comparing the 2 trucks you have to take that into consideration.

Yes....I was aware of that difference.....BUT.....follow my thought.....

Slee says his 4" kit goes on and works with his D/C shaft. The only change I made was springs. I have the rest of the kit installed. IF I get my height identical to his 4" spring height, ALL shoudl line up and work. Yes?

It looks like I'm really close by using your measurements except for that lower driver's side. You think that low side is getting me?
 
You really are coming at this from the wrong angle, no pun intended. None of this stuff matters until you rule out an angle problem. You cannot compare to another vehicle hoping it applies to yours. What that assumes is that the transfer case ends are identical - you could have differences in bearing wear and differences in transmission mount wear that are affecting the position of the driveshaft on the t-case end. Lift is not the only variable.

A gravity protector costs $10 at Home Depot. Slap it on the driveshaft and record the angle. Then use a socket on the u-joint to extend the surface for accurate measurement, and record that angle (make sure the u-joint is pointed straight up and down). They should be exact. You're never going to get anywhere speculating here...you have to do the measurements...no eyeballing...no assumptions.

Nay
 
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