Tuff Country 4" lift kit

[70K10Hunter]

OK I did check the search engine for my particular problem, but couldn't find a solution. I bought the 4" kit with shocks and drop pitman arm. After doing the install and setting the bed back on the frame, the rear tires are not centered in the wheel wells I took a pic of what it looks like, see if I can post it, so I double checked the installation instructions. The instructions have a special note for the rear springs to make sure the LONG side from the centering bolt to go to the rear. Man it just don't look right.....

[b454rat]

Maybe once more weight is on the springs, it will put the tire in the opening. If not reverse the spring....

[CUSTOM/10]

There's also what I believe they call a zero rate leaf / plate that has an off set hole for the leaf spring center bolt, this moves the axle closer to center of the wheel well.

[CUSTOM/10]

Here ya go ! Click on this link !

Gary

http://www.offroaddesign.com/catalog/Zero%20Rates.htm

[Bigdav160]

Common complaint. I don't think you can easily install the spring in the wrong direction.

Edit, removed my link. Gary got it.

[70K10Hunter]

Well it just don't look right so I guess I will hope that they settle in, I will load the bed with some good weight to push down the suspension see what transpires but I will definately be calling Tuff Country come Monday.

[Zoomad75]

I'd say it's not loaded. Look at your shackle. As the load is applied, the spring compresses and moves the shackle rearward. As the shackle goes to the rear so does the axle. You don't have a cab or much else on the chassis besides the bed so I don't expect the spring to be compressed much.

[chisler]

How does the driveshaft fit

[chisler]

My truck...looks the same

[86454k30]

I have a 98 K3500 with 5" tuff country rear springs. Mine sat too far back in the wheel well. I called tuff country numerous times. I pretty much got from them "it is what it is"...and "no one else has complained". Highly irritated so i just put a off road design zero rate in and moved the axle back forward. IMO this is unacceptable for as much as the springs are.

[jasonda]

I had the same problem with tuff country's 6 inch system and found that the axle location pin was over an inch offset when measuring from one eye to the pin verses the other. Not sure why tuff country chooses to do this but you can rotate the springs to achieve the look you want. When you load it I dont think you are going to find it fix your problem because the axle location is fixed by the front spring shackle which does not move. As you load the spring heavier and heavier it flattens the spring causing the spring eye to eye demension to lengthen which is compensated by the rear shackle moving in a rearward direction. the axle pin location does not move.

[1tuff71]

the problem is common with most lift kits in the 3"-6" range. what they do is try to move the axle forward a bit so you won't have to get a new driveshaft made with these lifts. go over 6" and will need to have a longer shaft made. ORD has the fix in the form of a 0 rate block as stated in another post

[70K10Hunter]

Sorry for the lag in response.. I've been relocating to another state. OK so if I go with the zero rate blocks, will I have to lengthen my drive shaft?

[Mike C]

Maybe. That's one of the reasons that the tire is too close to the front. That is standard for the lift springs and part of that is because of driveshaft length. On my Jimmy I trimmed a pie piece about 1" at the bottom and about 8" long which effectively makes the wheel well more round rather than hook nose like stock.

On my 3/4 ton axle swap, I re-drilled the spring mount on the axle in order to move the rear axle about 3/4" back to center it. But I had already had a custom CV driveshaft built and the 3/4 ton axle is longer from centerline to yoke and I needed the extra space so the driveshaft would have enough clearance.

[GU3]

I did a 6" Tuff Country lift and put in the ORD 0 rate offset block to center the axle in the wheel well. The factory driveline worked just fine with a little length left. I think if you go bigger than 6" then you would need a longer driveline.