Front: Maxtrac 2” lowering struts (372403)
Maxtrac Upper Control Arms (352700)
Rear: Timber Grove 4” Drop Coil Replacement Mount Airbags
(SQ8419421)
Bilstein 5100 Shocks (24-185684)
IHC Suspension Cut-Kit Relocation Brackets
Spohn Panhard Bar (D09-1500-104)
Hellwig Adjustable Sway Bar End Links (7961)
I would have preferred to use the drop spindles, but oh well. Installation of the front struts was not very difficult and the UCA’s were simple since I was already in there to do the struts. The rear axle Cut Kit is a ton of work and would be much easier if the axle was removed from the truck. There is a lot of cutting and grinding to do and some of the spots are very tight. I had to use a Dremel with a cut-off wheel in these areas. This seems to take forever. It seems to do what it is supposed to. The lower control arm is horizontal to the ground like it is supposed to be. So, rear geometry should all be good. Oddly enough, after taking measurements with a plumb bob, the rear axle is still centered. I did not have to adjust the panhard bar at all. Maybe it will move after being driven a bit. It’s very important to read all direction and not tighten any of the bolts until the suspension is under a load. This way the tension bushings don’t get damaged and everything aligns properly. This can easily done with jack stands under the rear axle and a jack under the control arms in the front. The Timber Grove bags are pretty simple to install. It’s a bolt in kit and will support up to 6K lbs. I wanted these because I wanted to lower the truck but I did not want to lose my towing capabilities. The Hellwig adjustable sway bar links help to keep my Hellwig sway bar horizontal to the ground like it is supposed to be. For the rear shocks, the bushings from Maxtrac worked well. After removing the Bilstein lower bushings, they seem to be identical to the Maxtrac ones. I think the only thing you really need is the metal sleeve. I just went ahead and used the Maxtrac stuff. Job made fairly easy with a press and some sockets. The ride is not bad. I actually don’t mind a little stiffer ride. It’s definitely not the super soft drive of the factory suspension, but nothing to complain about. All-in-all, it’s a lot of work and was definitely made easier on this old body by having a BendPak two post lift. I meant to take pics before I put the wheels back on, but I forgot.
