Crusin', did you only use the AIM lower control arms?  That is what I am planning now.  I want to order ASAP.  I have been trying to find Chisholm and am not haveing any luck.  I talked with them last fall, but now it is the wrong phone number.  Does anyone have a number or address?

That's weird, I could have sworn I answered. Sorry about that! I chopped one coil off the front, and in the back I used modified 88-98 Chevy
shackles. I could not do the full rear drop unfortunately, as the drivers side shackle would have rubbed the fuel filler tube, and vent.I didn't want to deal with that later, so I just used the bottom hole. The bottom hole was 2 1/2" taller than the stock shackle. It lowered the back just enough, IMO. Now it has the nose down stance, but not like the 31's in back and 235/75 in front look, lol. That was a style here in TX, believe it or not. If you had a 2wd truck you put the biggest mud tire you could on the back, and left the front stock. It was pretty funny looking, like a mud dragster.,,,,Cruisin

Before!


After!!

And as of ten minutes ago, it has no fender emblems. Pried them off, sanded, welded up the holes and ground them down, and primed for future bodywork.,,,,Cruisin

A single pull Autoloc for the drivers side, and shaved door handles are next. I'll either do that or use the old kustomizer trick, leave the door locks and connect them to the door latch.

hey cruisin, thanks for the message...i forgot about the door lock trick. im going to hopefully get that done on my driver door this weekend. ill hook it up before i weld it up though to make sure it works....later.

and m2, thanks for the filler wrap tip, ill try to remember that when i get to workin on mine in the coming months. things have been slow, i just spent $700 to get the thing running again [computer burned out amongst other problems].

well, i got the lock hooked up to the latch. it pops it open really easy and the result is nice. hopefully this afternoon or sometime this week ill shave the handle off. im going to cut a 3x9" section out and then weld in a filler plate. ill also weld up that vent area on the door jamb [plastic vent broke] and the lock system is completely removed so ill fill the lock knob hole too. ill try get some pics when its all done.

And be careful about filling up door and cab vents. I remember my Dad got this new Ford work truck. The cab was so tight your ears popped when you shut the door, lol.,,,,Cruisin

While you're getting parts, get some energy suspension or similar bumpstops. I bought some, and ended up trimming them
down to about an inch thick. I was riding on the factory ones. I have not driven it since they were put in, but it's GOT to be better!....Cruisin

got it all welded up. warped the door a little bit, nothing major. not wavy, just curves in a bit. the only mods i had to do to the linkage was this:
1. take the stock power lock linkage out.
2. take the lock cylinder linkage out.
3. set the two next to each other, you'll see that the lock one is alot smaller. i just cut some of that off the end that connects to the lock and did the same to the other linkage.
4. the only thing was, i made it about 1/8" [maybe 1/4"] shorter, that way it wont bind up and/or be too tall.
5. i pulled out all the linkages except the inner door handle and the one i made. ill try to snap some pics today and have them up by thursday [maybe sooner].
the weld i made on the linkage was a nasty weld, but its strong as hell. i didnt bother grinding it down since itll be inside the door.

does anybody have the plastic cover that goes over the hole in the door jamb. i broke mine [fell out as i closed the door] and it looks like a bit of a bitch to shave it smooth.

and now for an actual suspension question: do you think i remove the coil, cut it and put it back without having to swap any parts [ball joints, bushings, ect.]? i have new shocks in [about 2 months old], really nice ones [10 stage valving, great ride].
and out back, do you think i could pull the overload leaf without having to get new u-bolts? i would like to change them but dont know where i'd get new ones. any help on that. i want about a 2/4 maybe 3/5" drop, but cant do that much up front [wheels wont go that far into the wheel wells.] the backs will tuck all the way until they rub the tops, but the fronts are kind of tight. thanks in advance for the help.

Installing the uppers is a bit of a pain, as they screw in and out. I went to my local auto parts and ordered the special socket and 1/2" to 3/4" adapter. You still need a cheater pipe, a 4 foot long piece of 1.5 inch water pipe worked fine for me. Believe me you do not want to do them with a pipe wrench welded to angle iron, which is what I did on one side. Took me about 4-5 hours incl. taking breaks, to keep a level head, lol. The lowers press in and out easily enough with a loaner tool from an auto parts store. Has a giant C clamp, and some fittings, etc. As for bumpstops, they already have them from the factory, you need shorter ones. Mine were snug against the lower control arms. HItting these wide speed bumps we have, felt like it would lift then drop, with no travel.,,,,Cruisin

I got one side done on the shaved handles also. I used the door handle rod, put a new bend in it, cut it down, and drilled out the lever piece on the door lock. You're right, opens WAY easy. One little turn to the left, and pop. Door's open.

AZ gave me a blank stare when I asked? With as many Dodges that are running the streets here, you'd think they would have been a little more knowledgeable.,,,,Cruisin

Well, I spent the day attempting to get the upper ball joint out on the drivers side (didn't get very far).  I got use of the tool (socket), but have to return it tomorrow.  Called around and no one has any to rent or loan out.  Looking to buy one but not having any luck.  But tomorrow is another day and more time to try again.

Well, I got the socket for the upper ball joint and a press for the bottom.  But I can't get the top out.  Tried my air gun at 120 even.  Those suckers are ON there!  Also tried a breaking bar with a pipe, no luck that way either.  Any ideas?  Those lowered coils look great in my dining room, but would rather have them on the truck.

well, im pretty far into this 3D model [using rhino 3.0] it was an F350 longbed dually club cab. i chopped the top, shortened the bed to the dually fenders [havent made them yet], shortened the cab to the doors, made it a unibody, just borrowing the steelies and whitewalls from a 49 merc project til i make the 19.5" dually rims. the pictures dont do it justice, i have bigger versions if anybody wants ill email them or something.

using a 3 feet pipe.  I have a Dakota that needs a carb sitting next to it, so, there isn't much room.  

My son and I tried again today to remove the upper ball joint.  We had the impact socket and impact reducer and used a 1/2" breaking bar. Well, we snapped the breaking bar.  So, guess now is the time to send the truck to a garage and pay a bundle.  This thing better get a total 2" drop with the new coils after all of this.

Just for the sake of asking. Did you break the spindle loose from the ball joint before you started removing it?

I did break the ball joint loose first with a pickle fork first.  Did the top and bottom joints.  I am having a friend at a garage try on Wednesday, but he is having doubts if he wil be able to get them off.  He suggested having a backup plan.  That would be to get another set of upper arms and installing the new ball joints in those.  I'm not sure about taking off the top arms and what will happen with the coils when I do.  All of this started to put 2" lower coils in.  

And do NOT, EVER, buy a spring compressor from a flea market, or discount tool dealer. I pulled a coil out of
my Falcon once. The scond I set the spring down on the ground, the hooks on one end broke off. I believe the only thing that saved me from injury, is that the spring didn't have a solid surface to launch itself from. It released in both directions at once, cancelling out any movement. I learned my lesson the hard way. It could have just as easily broke while it was still in the spring seat on the car. I try not to think about that, lol. ,,,,Cruisin

the coils will be coning out and replaced with 2" lower ones.  I do have compressors but am having a problem getting them between the coils.  just like that old saying -anything that can go wrong, will.  the bolts on the upper arm are rusted, shot some blaster on them, but didn't seem to help.  guess they will have to be cut off.  after this is done, i will be putting hangers on the back.  already put lower shackles on the back last summer.  you are right about those coils and the danger involved.  sure don't want to have my head taken off.

Well, the good news is that the front is lower with new lower coils, ball joints, tie rods, upper control arms, bushings and shocks.  The problem is that the shocks are to long.  Does anyone have somewhere to get 2" lower gas shocks?  I tried Summit and they didn't have anything for an '85.  Thanks.
Garry

Well, the front is lowered, but droped more that I wanted.  It is about 3" instead of 2".  Stock shocdks have only 1" travel and are hitting.  I'm going to lower the back and see what it does to the front.  After talking to Advance and the company that made the coils, both said that stock shocks should work.  Now I am droping the back.  I already have 2" lower AIM shackles on the rear and now are going to remove some leaves.  Question is which ones should I remove and how many?  Can I remove the overload and the next one up?  I want an additional 2" drop, totalling 4".  But as anything else, I just sheered of a stud on the lower shock mount.  Hope that the stud is replaceable and don't have to buy the entire bottom spring mount.  Guess I just wasn't meant to have the truck lower.  But, it WILL be.

On the bolt going through the middle of the leaf springs, is the nut separate from the top leaf?  To remove leaves, do you have to take out that center bolt or can I just remove a nut on the bottom?

Eaton Detroit Spring Inc
1555 Michigan Ave.
Detroit, Mi., 48216
313-963-6820

I got the front done, but it is just too low.  Droped more than 3".  The front shocks have about 1" travel.  I am lowering the back now hoping to bring up the front a little.  I got the axle down, shocks mounts off, and don't know whether to remove a leaf or two or thbuy the hangers from AIM.  Rear leafs are available fron Eaton but cost over $400.  How much will I get removing 1 or 2 leaves?  Can I remove the bottom leaf or bottom 2 with the springs still on the truck?  Not sure which way I want to go right now.

Just went out and measured. The front is 27 3/4 inches. The back is right at 30. Got it aligned and inspected today and it passed. Watch out, lol,,,,Cruisin