I did a level on my 03 sierra a few years ago with a set of hangers. The ride quality was horrible to say the least. Felt like someone kicking the back of the seat on every bump so I went back stock.

But I've been thinking, I wonder if it might have something to do with the angle that the hangers put the springs in. Say you hit a bump and when it rebounds. The back of the truck rebounds up and forward rather than just up?

If that's the case. Wouldn't shackles be better for ride quality by angling the spring to recoil downward?

 

A rear shackle drop should make it ride exactly the same. You can even install shock extender on the rear axle to still give you stock shock travel. Cut the first bump off the bump stops too so you gain back the little bit of space you lost.

I'm at a 3in rear drop with the lift blocks removed, rides pretty much like it did before the drop.

 

That's the weird thing about my truck. It's always felt stiffer than other trucks that I've been in around the same model. 15yrs and 200k miles later and it still rides like it did when it was new. Smooth until you hit a bump, then your butt is hovering above the seat because you just got catapulted lol.. watch your head. There she is rocking the old grandpa wheels 255/70/16's

 

Can I see a picture of yours with the 3" drop in the rear?

 

I currently have a 2/4 drop on a 2000 4wd. I'm thinking on going with a 3/3 do get the front lower, and to give the truck a little more of a rake from front to rear. It's pretty level right now. By the way, sorry for the thread hi-jack.

 

This is an old picture from like 2 years ago. I have 2016 take off wheels on it now and the lovely minnesota rust starting in a few places on the bed. Someday I'd get a new bed for it or hope someone just totals the thing out lol.

It's 1.5in drop in the front and 3in out back.

 

Hangers are a dick to change.

You would think this rides like *** but it really doesn't. Front shocks are from an 80 Impala, rear shocks are air shocks from an 83 c10. Leafs are a 5pack from a 1500hd.

Front is a 2in McG spindle, BT springs with half a coil removed, BT sway bar and short end links.

Rear is a flip kit, notch and Helwig adjustable sway bar.

 

madmann that's a pretty good looking ol truck. I can't go that low and don't want to cut the frame. I haul a heavy trailer every once in a while and wouldn't trust it. So probably a 2/3 or 2/4 with a sway bar would be a nice improvement to looks and handling. Do the drop spindles make the wheels stick out any further?

To be honest at how mine rides, I've always thought somebody goofed up at the factory and put HD coils on the front. If it wasn't for the body roll it would handle like a sports car. That's why I originally upgraded to 285/55/18's from the stock 245/75/16 to get rid of that side to side squishy are we about to go off roading or not feeling. I'm looking at going back with 265/60/18's this time.