Not just looking good on the internet, but riding good in person. :waytogo:
2002 @ 5/7 DROP
FRONT
1) BALL JOINT FLIP
2) BELLTECH COILS WITH ONE RING CHOP
3) FRAME CLEARANCE (CUT AWAY) WHERE DROP COILS WILL CONTACT
REAR
1) 4" BLOCKS
2) 5 LUG LEAFS WITH LEAF REMOVED
Customer supplied 6 lug leafs, but I think they were from a DBL Cab, and for whatever reason, they didn't give the expected drop 6 lug leafs normally give with leaf removed. With the 4" blocks and the 6 lug leafs installed with one leaf removed, the truck appeared to be sitting 4-1/2" to 5". Normally they sit a healthy 7" with this combo. 4" from the blocks and 3" from the leaf setup. Not the case with these leafs. I took the rear of this truck apart 4 times! I compared the 1999 6 lug leafs to the ones on my truck. Mine are 01-04 and a little different. Mine are flatter and the leaf with clamps is slightly longer. So I chose to cut the 6 lug leaf with clamps down to the length mine are, about 3-1/2" or so off the ends, hoping it would help drop it more, but it didn't. So then I tried a 5 lug leaf with clamps in place of it, and it was still high. So finally *my 4th time taking it apart and putting it together*, I chose to just do a 5 lug mono leaf setup because this would net the low drop I was looking for. I'm not sure if the 99 six lug leafs for DBL Cab have a higher rating for the extra weight of the DBL Cab, or if these have possibly been re arched from a previous owner for a little lift.
3) DEEP WELD IN C-NOTCH
4) CROSS MEMBER NOTCH (the one above the diff)
5) CROSS MEMBER NOTCH (the one under the cab, extra cabs don't have to worry about notching this one they have a two piece driveshaft)
6) WIDE U-BOLT PLATE MODIFICATION (see posts below for pics)
Pretaco axles in the early 90's have wide spring perches (pads) on them, and everything on a 95 & earlier truck is reverse from a Taco. The shocks are on the opposite sides of the axle. This means if you have a early 90's axle, you need to also have the u-bolt plates because the holes in the Taco u-bolt plates are too narrow. But the shock mounts are on the wrong side of the pretaco u-bolt plates so a chop, flip and re weld was in order.
TRUCK BED
While the bed was off I did these mods...
1) FENDER LIP TRIM
2) FENDER BRACE REMOVAL (the brace above the tire)
3) PLASTIC LINER TRIM (above the tire)
4) BED BRACE NOTCH (the metal ridge on the bottom of the bed)
AXLE
SWAPPED OUT THE 02 AND SWAPPED IN A 93.
The 93 was as dirty and as worn out as they come. I was expecting a axle, what I got was a filthy picked clean chicken carcass. A complete rebuilt and parts swap was needed. I used the 02 backing plates with brake hardware, the hard lines for the brakes, the 3rd member, the lug nut studs, even the breather (just to be safe) and both the fill & drain plug (since the 93 fill plug was rounded off). It also got brand new bearings & seals.
WHEELS & TIRES
18" X 9-1/2" +21
225/40-18
2002 @ 5/7 DROP
FRONT
1) BALL JOINT FLIP
2) BELLTECH COILS WITH ONE RING CHOP
3) FRAME CLEARANCE (CUT AWAY) WHERE DROP COILS WILL CONTACT
REAR
1) 4" BLOCKS
2) 5 LUG LEAFS WITH LEAF REMOVED
Customer supplied 6 lug leafs, but I think they were from a DBL Cab, and for whatever reason, they didn't give the expected drop 6 lug leafs normally give with leaf removed. With the 4" blocks and the 6 lug leafs installed with one leaf removed, the truck appeared to be sitting 4-1/2" to 5". Normally they sit a healthy 7" with this combo. 4" from the blocks and 3" from the leaf setup. Not the case with these leafs. I took the rear of this truck apart 4 times! I compared the 1999 6 lug leafs to the ones on my truck. Mine are 01-04 and a little different. Mine are flatter and the leaf with clamps is slightly longer. So I chose to cut the 6 lug leaf with clamps down to the length mine are, about 3-1/2" or so off the ends, hoping it would help drop it more, but it didn't. So then I tried a 5 lug leaf with clamps in place of it, and it was still high. So finally *my 4th time taking it apart and putting it together*, I chose to just do a 5 lug mono leaf setup because this would net the low drop I was looking for. I'm not sure if the 99 six lug leafs for DBL Cab have a higher rating for the extra weight of the DBL Cab, or if these have possibly been re arched from a previous owner for a little lift.
3) DEEP WELD IN C-NOTCH
4) CROSS MEMBER NOTCH (the one above the diff)
5) CROSS MEMBER NOTCH (the one under the cab, extra cabs don't have to worry about notching this one they have a two piece driveshaft)
6) WIDE U-BOLT PLATE MODIFICATION (see posts below for pics)
Pretaco axles in the early 90's have wide spring perches (pads) on them, and everything on a 95 & earlier truck is reverse from a Taco. The shocks are on the opposite sides of the axle. This means if you have a early 90's axle, you need to also have the u-bolt plates because the holes in the Taco u-bolt plates are too narrow. But the shock mounts are on the wrong side of the pretaco u-bolt plates so a chop, flip and re weld was in order.
TRUCK BED
While the bed was off I did these mods...
1) FENDER LIP TRIM
2) FENDER BRACE REMOVAL (the brace above the tire)
3) PLASTIC LINER TRIM (above the tire)
4) BED BRACE NOTCH (the metal ridge on the bottom of the bed)
AXLE
SWAPPED OUT THE 02 AND SWAPPED IN A 93.
The 93 was as dirty and as worn out as they come. I was expecting a axle, what I got was a filthy picked clean chicken carcass. A complete rebuilt and parts swap was needed. I used the 02 backing plates with brake hardware, the hard lines for the brakes, the 3rd member, the lug nut studs, even the breather (just to be safe) and both the fill & drain plug (since the 93 fill plug was rounded off). It also got brand new bearings & seals.
WHEELS & TIRES
18" X 9-1/2" +21
225/40-18