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Thread: curious discoveries with shocks & springs

  1. #1
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    Cool curious discoveries with shocks & springs

    Well, I installed my Edelbrock "lightning" spec shocks alittle over 2 weeks ago along with my bell tech 6400 "3 inch" drop shackles. A couple of interesting things I found on thrusday when I dropped the front:

    1.) the Lightning spec front shocks (should be the same as the HD front shocks (in theroy) are WAY shorter than the stock HD shocks.

    2.) after just 2 weeks of light, local driving the front shock upper moutn bushings were WAY deformed & "inverted" around the upper mount washer... basically saying there wasnt enough travel for the stock spring. no apparent damage to the shock though.

    3.) the Rear shocks were within 1/2" over all to the stock HD rears.

    4.) the new Bell tech "2 inch" lowering springs took my front from 31.75" to exactly 30" right off... so with a week or so of driving they will settle a little more. this is with the bell tech 6400 rear shackles & stock hangers. I went from 33.75" to now at 32" so a 1.75" drop. rake right now is 2" rear to front...

    5.) Bell tech 4" rear kit shackles & hangers go into tomorrow afternoon. I will start at the middle hole on the shackle wich should be a total of 2" at the hanger & 1" at the shackle for 3". Then look at her... likely end up 2" & 2" should get me to 30" front & roughly 30.75"-31" rear.

    Question: shouldn't the Lightning shocks be the exact same length as the HD? I would be scared to just swap in the Lightning Bilstiens after seeing the bushing as deformed as mine was...

    --My momma always said, opinions are just like Butt-holes everyone's entitled to one, but not always entitled to show it.

  2. #2
    Senior Member
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    Ayrton's Avatar
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    The shocks that come on the HD are the same model and length as the regular 2WD F-150, or so I am told, and I have had no reason to verify that answer, so reading that the Lightning shock is a bit shorter is no surprise.

    I have been meaning to start a drop list for reference, but I just have not had the time. However, I will start on this tonight and I will add to it as measurements are made. What I will need from everyone who has dropped their truck with any sort of method is measurements taken from the same two points, and the points are from the center of the wheel to the fender lip.

    I ill start a new thread, and please post your measurements there.

  3. #3
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    The lenght of the lightning shocks are shorter by basicly the same amount as they are lower than the HD trucks.which is 1 to 1.5 inches and 2 or 3 in the rear.If you use the lightning spec shock you will NEED to have the same ride height for it to work in the range it was designed for.Stan

  4. #4
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    i remember seeing a pic of a stock '00 or '01 front spring with a factory tag that said "lightning" on it. i have not looked under mine, so i don't know? if they are same spring shouldn't they be the same shock?

  5. #5
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    Stan,

    The HD truck, and the Lightning get the same suspension, but the HD gets the crap stock shock, not the Bilsteins.

  6. #6
    World's Fastest Street HD
    Name: Josh

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    Yup, the front coils even have little "SVT" stickers on them

    Just swapped my rear shocks out for bilsteins yesterday. Had to order 2 more insulator nuts for the front bilsteins though (10 bucks....ouch )
    They fit perfectly though and ride great

    M.HYDE: 2000 HD F-150 #0356 of 8197, Built 05/18/00, Bought 07/03/00, 700/784, 09.89@138.78
    *Worlds Fastest Street HD: '08/'09/'10/'11/'12/'13****Worlds Fastest Eaton Powered HD: 12.19@112.48 11/17/07*
    D.JEKL: 2000 HD F-150 #1552 of 8197, Built 06/20/00, Bought 06/25/09, 372/450, 13.75@099.46 (*SOLD* 10/15/11)
    REPTAR: 2012 SVTF-150 #2893 of ????, Built 01/19/12, Bought 08/26/11, ???/???, 14.93@091.30
    HASTIE: 2011 GT Mustang 5.0 6-Speed, Built 10/29/10, Bought 11/11/10, 392/352, 12.00@117.79 (*SOLD* 05/14/13)
    BADGER: 2013 Explorer Sport 3.5L TT, Built ??/??/??, Bought 05/14/13, ???/???, 14.53@096.25
    GEN.0L: 1985 XL F-150 w/'94 Lightning Donor Engine Swap, Holley Projection EFI, 03 HD Paint

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