Lift the front or lower the rear?

[rc51kid]

Ok guys I am trying to not over think this but I cant help it. Without going over my entire build I am running a 80 with full armor on 35s. Had 861/862 and 40mm spacers. Sat at 21.75" at all four corners. 4 degree caster with Landtank plates. Installed Radflos and new 850/863 springs looking to get to around 22.5". Wanted just a little higher without spacer but not much higher.

Both Cruiser Outfiter and Slee both recomended 850/863. Truck is full of armor and aux tank. I also told them 2X a year I load up about 500+ pounds of everything I own and drive cross country. Based on this info I think 850/863 are dead on. But what I failed to think about is that when fully loaded I am ussually just rolling down the highway. When I am out playing which is almost every week we travel light using backpacking gear and no back seats to camp in the truck. The truck is still heavy but it maybe gains only 150 pounds in gear for a "play" trip.

After 850/863 my front is about 21.75 driver and 22.5 pass. Rear is about 23 driver and 23.5. Kind of crooked and stink bug. Springs are installed right but I will tripple check.

I really want to keep godd caster and a reasonbly low CG.

I dont really want the truck any taller than is need. Tipping the truck always worries me. My first thought is to go 860 in the back even if I need a small spacer. They should be about 3/4 lower I thnk. Putting this around 22.75" or 22.25. I could add a small 10mm spacer to gelp get it straight.

I think I the rear sprung wellbut 23.5 is getting high for my taste.

Other option would be to add spacer to the front. Down side is the truck just grows taller and taller.

My plan at this time is maybe add some spacers to the front driver and level out the front some. Then get allignment checked. Maybe it will be close enough and maybe raising the front driver will drop the pass rear a little. But what I think I really need to do is go 860 in the rear.

What do you guys think?

 

[jpoole]

I'd consider 860s and air bags. My 80 has air bags out back and they allow an unloaded ride height that I like and then the ability to manage heavier loads when needed.

 

[Heckraiser]

@jpoole my thoughts exactly

 

[rc51kid]

good advice but i wast not real crazy about airbags when I last had them. Maybe I didnt utilize them right or use proper pressure but I felt like they made the ride really harsh more than they helped with sagging. Maybe that was operator error.

 

[jpoole]

@rc51kid Not sure about the harsh ride you experienced. Perhaps the springs were already stiff and you were just adding to that or maybe you were over-relying on the air bags with too high pressures?

On the few rigs I've had bags on the rear springs were pretty soft on their own and quick to sag under any weight. My 80 has stock/og springs which are pretty soft but I like the unloaded ride (plush, if a big soggy) but as soon as I add weight the rear starts to droop. I don't try to maintain the same ride height while loaded but will add 5-15 lbs to the bags typically which firms things up a little and keeps the rear droop to a minimum. When I tow and have a load I may run up into the 20 psi range but my bags don't support much more than that and the truck doesn't feel like it does either.

 

[landtank]

I’m thinking Dobbinson 3” flexi springs. Talk to a shop that handles them.

 

[rc51kid]

I’m thinking Dobbinson 3” flexi springs. Talk to a shop that handles them.

I looked at a thread for those and the user had about 23.25" all round with them. I have your 2.5" plates installed. At that hight do you think your 2.5" plates would give good caster?

I was at 21.75" and had 4 degree with your plates.

 

[landtank]

I looked at a thread for those and the user had about 23.25" all round with them. I have your 2.5" plates installed. At that hight do you think your 2.5" plates would give good caster?

I was at 21.75" and had 4 degree with your plates.

at 23.25" you would have a little more than 2* of caster. But if your truck was weighed down more than the one reference it would be higher. I'd say go with them.