Truck Gets Some New Shoes II

Finally got around to finishing the truck's suspension work.  From my last post, I still needed to finish the add-a-leaf mod to the rear suspension.  With the front leveling kit, the F-150 rides level. The add-a-leaf raises the back up the truck up 2-3" to retain that stock rake (back higher than the front slant).

And here is the finished product:




The work wasn't nearly as hard as adding the new struts and leveling kit to the front.  After you raise the truck, support the back by jack stands on the frame rail, and remove the tires.  You can then unbolt the shock and U-bolt that hold the axle to the leaf springs and lower the axle.  Once the axle is lowered, you start taking apart the stock leaf springs with some C-clamps to hold them in place as you remove the retaining nut.

Two C-clamps hold the springs together as you take apart the springs.  The vice grip was pretty much worthless on the round bolt and I ended up just cutting the nut off with my cutting wheel.

Once you get the old spring disassembled, you add the new leaf in between the two lowest springs and re-assemble the whole thing again with some new hardware.

4 leafs are now 5....

It took about 3 hours to complete the project.  And in usual fashion it took twice as long for the first side as it did the second, but the good news is I didn't have to run to the parts store for anything which makes any project an instant success!