well ive decided i want to drop my truck using a set of hotchkis 4'' drop leafs for the rear and either spindles, or lower LCAs for the 2'' drop in the front, well my question is, do i just need to buy the leafs for the back and thats it? a couple of places i asked at said i need 2'' drop leafs and 2 inch drop shackles, but shouldnt the 4'' drop leafs drop it....u know......4 total inches??? and also, how hard is it to change the leafs in the rear? would i be able to do this with basic tools? and last question, do ya'll think the 05 drop leafs will work on my 06 rcsb? i contacted someone from hotchkis (cant remember name) but he said they havent tried it but he thinks they are the same and nothing has changed, so should i just try it? thanks fellas

 

Charles man just do it.
You can let everyone else know if it works.

About the springs, Hotchkis springs do the 4" drop. Some other companies have some 2" springs that you need shackles or hangers with to accomplish the 4" drop.

Most of the guys with 4" drop or more need a pinion angle shim kit to avoid driveline vibration.

Do you have some drop shocks yet?

 

no, i thought that if u have a 2/4 drop u dont need drop shocks

 

some say yea some say no.


my 2 cents is, up front you probably don't need any. I would think you would need them for the back. it may be different for springs vs shackles/hangers. i guess it is less likely that drop springs would need them.
i think of it with the mounting points of the leaf springs relative to the top shock mount. i may be wrong, but when you lower with shackle and hangers shocks end up outside of their designed effective travel.


but if you are wanting the most performance, a shock with travel designed for a drop with valving to correspond will be a better perfoming combo than the stockers.

maybe some boys with more expcerience dropping trucks will chime in.


BTW 2/4" dops rule on the RCSB's. Your truck is gonna look sweet.

 

I have a 3" Belltech leaf drop. replaced the 2" shackle with the original shackle only wanted 3" but with my other 2" drop shackle I can go 4" and 5". Get a drop shock blew out my stock shocks quick. I have Nittro Actives I like them and the leaf spring is a tighter ride

 

The Hotchkis rear springs come with the shim installed, Easy swap. I used Edelbrock IAS drop shocks. Ask what Hotchkis recommends?

 

I ran stock shocks on mine for a year until I got better shocks... hauling stuff, pulling trailers.. etc etc... you'll be fine man. just drop it and let us know how the drop leafs are

 

do you have to lower the gas tank in order to remove the front leaf spring bolt on the drivers side

 

im not too sure, anybody know???

 

Either you drop the tank or you have to cut the bolt off.