HOW TO DIY -- level / lower rear suspension on Ford Lightning using Belltech 25001

[csukoh78]

So, using one ring would give a 2" drop? Would that require the camber kit?

Hard to tell with settling exactly but no rings is a 2" total drop (3" shortening of the strut) and two rings is 1" total drop which is perfect

Sponsored

 

[harry wilson]

Thanks for sharing the experience

192.168.100.1 192.168.1.1​

 

[Neverstrikestwice]

All, just did this project. Makes a HUGE difference. Pics don't do it justice. The truck just looks right now. I put together a how-to for others who might be interested. Cheers!

##################################################################################################################

###UPDATE### 22Sep - After driving for about 1500 miles, I can no longer recommend doing the full 3" suspension shortening/2" rear drop level, but instead you guys should do a 1.5" suspension shortening ( 1" drop. ) You can do this by adding two of the 5/8" steel rings to each strut tower, included with the shocks. I did this change today, and glad I did.

1) With 3" shortening (2" drop) described in the original post, the ride does take a significant hit and is not longer very comfortable. That 3" of suspension travel you take out is ALL the comfort, beyond that compression is for heavy loads only. Feels like my old ICE truck with stiff rear leaf springs. Bouncy and hits hard.

2) The negative camber is unacceptable. Mine was 2.5-3 degrees after leveling. There's no way to adjust it on Lightnings without frame modification. You have to remember that this suspension travels on an arc. The more the suspension is shortened, the more the control arm rotates around its axis and forward in the wheel well, and creates negative camber. It rode worse, was louder, and my efficiency took a hit by not riding on the tires square.

3) The good news! By doing a 1.5" shortening (1" drop), compromise is best! You do this by adding two (2) of the 5/8" steel rings to the shock body. This functions as a spacer. There is virtually no camber difference in a 1" drop, its still within spec, it does look significantly better with reduced (but not eliminated) rake, and rides *much* better. I'm very satisfied now.

Bottom line, ride and negative camber get exponentially worse with 3" shortening (2" drop) and you can keep the ride and improve the looks by only doing a 1.5" shortening (1" drop).

##################################################################################################################

Off topic but where did you get those caliper covers from??

 

[csukoh78]

Off topic but where did you get those caliper covers from??

RC truck parts. They are awesome and high quality but the red clashed so I took them off. May powdercoat them black one day.

 

[sr3jan]

@csukoh78 moving our conversation to this thread. Following up on the camber kit. Have you installed it yet? And, as others have mentioned, thanks for putting this together.

 

[csukoh78]

@csukoh78 moving our conversation to this thread. Following up on the camber kit. Have you installed it yet? And, as others have mentioned, thanks for putting this together.

You're welcome. Yea it's installed as part of the icon kit

 

[sr3jan]

You're welcome. Yea it's installed as part of the icon kit

Oh, I didn't realize you obtained the full Icon kit? Do you still recommend the Belltech option? I noticed a few reviews on Amazon claiming that the Belltech units do not hold up long term, that perhaps they are not designed to handle the weight of this truck.

 

[csukoh78]

Oh, I didn't realize you obtained the full Icon kit? Do you still recommend the Belltech option? I noticed a few reviews on Amazon claiming that the Belltech units do not hold up long term, that perhaps they are not designed to handle the weight of this truck.

yeah I wouldn't necessarily trust an Amazon review. The strut does not bear any weight… The weight of the truck is suspended by the truck springs. the Belltech kit is just a dampener and it worked very well on my truck, no issues for 20,000 miles before I switched it out for the icon kit.

 

[O.L.]

@csukoh78 If I understand correctly you ordered the front shocks for a 2004-2012 F-150 to lower the rear of the Lightning with the Belltech shocks #25001?

EDIT: These ones?
https://www.belltech.com/belltech-street-performance-strut-lowered-leveled-25001.html

 

[csukoh78]

@csukoh78 If I understand correctly you ordered the front shocks for a 2004-2012 F-150 to lower the rear of the Lightning with the Belltech shocks #25001?

EDIT: These ones?
https://www.belltech.com/belltech-street-performance-strut-lowered-leveled-25001.html

That's correct. Perfect fit. It's a well known mod, I just did a write up for it.

 

[O.L.]

Better late than never. I've just ordered them. Going to install them end of October at the same time as installing my winter tires.

 

[Iroc34a]

Better late than never. I've just ordered them. Going to install them end of October at the same time as installing my winter tires.

So how did it turn out ?Just read in October. NM.

 

[O.L.]

@csukoh78 I just installed them. I used only 1 sleeve to try the 2 inch drop. You said none was too much and the photos that you showed with two sleeves wasn't enough for me. Going for an alignement in the next days. I'll take pictures tomorrow.

 

[csukoh78]

@csukoh78 I just installed them. I used only 1 sleeve to try the 2 inch drop. You said none was too much and the photos that you showed with two sleeves wasn't enough for me. Going for an alignement in the next days. I'll take pictures tomorrow.

Good luck, let us know how you like it. You're probably not gonna like the amount of camber that you have, you need to get the camber adjustment kit from Icon.

Sponsored