Re-engineering my T-100 4" rear suspension lift
10-27-2012, 09:16 PM
#1
Re-engineering my T-100 4" rear suspension lift
A little less than two years ago I decided to get a new car and convert my T-100 to the awesome off-road oriented rig it always was meant to be.
I bought a Superlift brand suspension lift, which seemed to be the only one still being made for the T-100, and it was back-ordered and took a long time to come. But eventually it did, and I had the local shop, which includes a very talented mechanic and fabricator, install it.
I drove it only about 100 miles when the rear axle housing cracked, right where the U bolts held the axle to the spring pack. The rear life was accomplished by way of 4" blocks in the Superlift kit. (The front seems nicely engineered and fabricated, the rear seems like a bit of an after-thought.)
Fast forward to now, the truck is almost back together. After discussions with the mechanic and other smart guys I ended taking a different direction with the rear of the truck and doing the following:
* The stock axle housing, which cracked where it was attached to the leaf springs, has been replaced with the custom Diamond brand axle housing that is super beefy. The original axles, and upgraded 4.88 gears and air-lockers are all nicely encased in this super-beefy axle housing.
* The 4" blocks that were basis of the lift in the rear have been replaced with an add-a-leaf kit (2 additionaal leaves plus spacer) that increases travel, not just height and provides a lot stronger rear end. The u-bolts and plates that hold all this together are a bit beefier than the OEM fittings, as you can see.
* A round steel tube has been welded between the frame rails directly above the rear axle and shock mounts have been attached to this tube. This has the advantage of both shocks being mounted in the same plane, and is supposed to better control the movement of the axle, compared to the stock location in which one shock mounts forward and one rearward.
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-N...6/IMG_1485.JPG
* The shock mounts are new and beefy, too.
* A new driveshaft has been fabricated for the truck, that eliminates the extra u-joint in the middle, giving me a straight shot from the back of the tranny to the axle housing. This driveshaft is super-robust and Eric says I could probably balance the truck on it on top of a rock without damange.
* Here it is all together. I'm running 35"x13.5" tires now
I bought a Superlift brand suspension lift, which seemed to be the only one still being made for the T-100, and it was back-ordered and took a long time to come. But eventually it did, and I had the local shop, which includes a very talented mechanic and fabricator, install it.
I drove it only about 100 miles when the rear axle housing cracked, right where the U bolts held the axle to the spring pack. The rear life was accomplished by way of 4" blocks in the Superlift kit. (The front seems nicely engineered and fabricated, the rear seems like a bit of an after-thought.)
Fast forward to now, the truck is almost back together. After discussions with the mechanic and other smart guys I ended taking a different direction with the rear of the truck and doing the following:
* The stock axle housing, which cracked where it was attached to the leaf springs, has been replaced with the custom Diamond brand axle housing that is super beefy. The original axles, and upgraded 4.88 gears and air-lockers are all nicely encased in this super-beefy axle housing.
* The 4" blocks that were basis of the lift in the rear have been replaced with an add-a-leaf kit (2 additionaal leaves plus spacer) that increases travel, not just height and provides a lot stronger rear end. The u-bolts and plates that hold all this together are a bit beefier than the OEM fittings, as you can see.
* A round steel tube has been welded between the frame rails directly above the rear axle and shock mounts have been attached to this tube. This has the advantage of both shocks being mounted in the same plane, and is supposed to better control the movement of the axle, compared to the stock location in which one shock mounts forward and one rearward.
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-N...6/IMG_1485.JPG
* The shock mounts are new and beefy, too.
* A new driveshaft has been fabricated for the truck, that eliminates the extra u-joint in the middle, giving me a straight shot from the back of the tranny to the axle housing. This driveshaft is super-robust and Eric says I could probably balance the truck on it on top of a rock without damange.
* Here it is all together. I'm running 35"x13.5" tires now
Last edited by DrZero; 10-28-2012 at 10:29 AM.
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