My reverse level (lowering) experience using drop shackles

[Zengineer]

Were these platinum coated washers? $25!

Based on what I have gathered reading here, the Powerboost probably takes special washers.

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[Littlefield82]

Do you have to do anything special due to the change in angles of the driveshaft or anything? Like long term is this fine?

Anyone know if I could run 34s with this setup?

No shims for me but I haven't tested it at highway speeds yet.

 

[Littlefield82]

It’s a bit late now but did you consider the Ford Performance Parts lowering kit?

I didn't. I read reviews of other Gen 14 guys who used this exact part with success. The part was also more expensive through Ford.

 

[Littlefield82]

they did not replace the u bolts correct?
i have never re-used u bolts but the sliding out of the 1.25 block and adding a few shims to the u bolts to soak up the threads seems like an very easy do .
i like the leveled look.
i am still on fence to add a bushing up front or remove the rear blocks. my truck has quite the rake, in comparison to the 250 it replaced

Kept the stock u-bolts. Will likely cut the excess length off pretty soon. If I ever go back to putting the blocks back in I'll buy new u-bolts.

 

[Littlefield82]

Were these platinum coated washers? $25!

Yeah I wanted to call out the shop owner on that one, plus the high cost of shop supplies for such a simple job. The guy lives in my neighborhood and our kids go to the same school so I don't want to deal with it. Rather than argue over it I'll speak by not returning with my business for families vehicles. We have another shop in town that gets great reviews and I've used before.

 

[780]

Yeah I wanted to call out the shop owner on that one, plus the high cost of shop supplies for such a simple job. The guy lives in my neighborhood and our kids go to the same school so I don't want to deal with it. Rather than argue over it I'll speak by not returning with my business for families vehicles. We have another shop in town that gets great reviews and I've used before.

Totally get that.

Have you asked him to review the bill just to ensure it's correct?

Maybe something was entered in wrong? For example maybe the washers were supposed to be $2.50 but someone just misplaced a decimal and it wasn't caught? Or an hourly rate or something else... I don't know...

 

[Littlefield82]

Totally get that.

Have you asked him to review the bill just to ensure it's correct?

Maybe something was entered in wrong? For example maybe the washers were supposed to be $2.50 but someone just misplaced a decimal and it wasn't caught? Or an hourly rate or something else... I don't know...

I just emailed him to ask what the specifics were regarding the shop supplies and washers. Will report back for the entertainment of all who come upon this thread.

 

[powerboatr]

does your truck have the self leveling headlights?
i was curious how far of a drop the system can re aim the lights for best night driving?

 

[780]

I just emailed him to ask what the specifics were regarding the shop supplies and washers. Will report back for the entertainment of all who come upon this thread.

 

[adder1221]

Just got a reverse lowering treatment today on my 2021 FX4. I'm one of those guys that doesn't really need the full capabilities of a truck (hauling heavy loads, towing, off road use) but have one anyway. It's great for mountain bike trips, moving furniture, round the house stuff, family trips because there is a lot of room in the bed and it's weather proofed with the cover. If I needed a truck for towing or off road use I would not have gone this route. I also strive for the best mpg I can get. If I could go back in time I would have sold my stock 18" wheel/tire setup (and not upgraded my tires) and purchased 20" wheels with mild all terrains. My current set up works great but I like the way 20" wheels look and could have something that looks better to me.

MaxTrac 1" lowering shackles (drops 1.25"). No cutting required, bolts right up. Do not have to remove the gas tank or cut bed supports. Modification is required to install the 2" shackle.
Removed stock 4x4 blocks
Rear sits 3/8" higher than the front now.
Tires are General Grabber ATx 275/70/18 SL (33").
Cost was:
1" Drop Shackle - $92.41 shipped
$166.50 labor to install the shackle
$195.00 labor to remove the blocks
$25 for washers to go on the u-bolts
$26.21 shop supplies
$29.92 tax
Total = $534.04

I feel that I was overcharged a bit, but I trust the work of the mechanic at the shop as I know him from outside of that shop, and not necessarily the shop owner. Before paying the shop I tried to remove the stock blocks myself and wasn't able to do it unless I bought some additional tools and I really didn't feel like messing with it in my driveway. I was told 0.9 hours labor for the shackles and I just gave them the green light based on that info. I got a little sticker shock today when I saw the bill. Maybe it's fair and maybe it's not but I'm glad it's done and I like the way it looks. Its way easier to load things into the bed now. When these tires wear out I'll size up to 20" rims and I think it will look even better.

Truck looks great man!!!

 

[Zengineer]

I just emailed him to ask what the specifics were regarding the shop supplies and washers. Will report back for the entertainment of all who come upon this thread.

The shop supplies are just a percentage of the labor or total bill or some math wizardry in between. Somebody somewhere added up every dollar spent by their shop in a year for wd-40, towels, oil dry, gloves, soap, toilet paper, urinal cakes, coffee, brake cleaner, anti-seize, those nice paper floor protectors and who knows what else...divided by annual revenue a d that's the percentage.

It's actually one of the more honest line items on that bill. That stuff adds up but it doesn't discriminate. No shop is going to break it down by job. It's just a way of not shocking people even more by having it all rolled up in the posted labor rates. Some may hit certain types of jobs with higher or lower percentages since a brake job consumes more than an alignment (or block removal).

 

[Pedaldude]

For the washers, if they are paying a buck and change to their supplier, they are totally justified doubling their price for the job. With gas prices, even if you can get them for 50¢ a piece; just the trip to the hardware store could cost $5-$10 before you even get the washers and how many would you need? 8, 16, 24, 32? Even if you swapped the U-bolts for the shorter ones it would be $25-$10 depending where you get them. So the washers are a wash.

As far as the ‘shop supplies,’ that’s the one that requires more explanation, unless you had a really rusty undercarriage and they had to use a can or two of PB Blaster on the bolts. What shop supplies could they have needed that would even amount to $10 on a brand new truck that only needed some very basic work? Maybe a pair of disposable gloves, two pairs of gloves if the tech took his lunch break halfway through the job, one shop rag and a couple squirts of WD-40. Any other costs are the costs of owning a shop and are part of the hourly rate. If you need to add hidden charges to pay the rent or for equipment, you didn’t have the hourly rate high enough. If I owned a business, I would be embarrassed to charge $25 shop supplies for something that basically doesn’t require shop supplies.

If they just have a flat rate charge, they either don’t have that many customers, are doing full engine and transmission rebuilds, or a lot of boxes of gloves, soap and toilet paper is going out the back door with one of the employees. Even guessing and rounding up the shop supplies, they’re overcharging 10X for this job and if their tech is capable of servicing brakes, rotating tires or installing lowering shackles, they should be able to know how many cans of brake cleaner they went through.

 

[GABAR]

Well, despite the questionable cost and as long as you’re happy with the outcome, just chalk it up to a lesson learned and move on.

You now know where not to take your vehicle again and word of mouth can be very harmful to any small business.

With that being said……..always get an estimate for such work before any work is done.

 

[Zengineer]

I used to see this kind of thing as an "excuse" to buy tools. The first time you do your own brake pads and rotors will buy you jackstands and an impact wrench with the savings. The second time pays for a floor jack and torque wrench.

I won't claim I do stuff myself purely out of saving money. I enjoy working on my own stuff, especially taking on something I haven't done before. I also have the time and space and I recognize not everyone does. I probably have alot of tools that I've only used once or twice so far but all they cost me was a little of my spare time.

I said in the beginning that I used to see it that way. I still do but after a few decades of doing work myself there are fewer and fewer times I don’t already have what I need.

 

[nvabill]

I removed the blocks from my rear axle and have a photo of them still in as well as a photo of a stock 2WD XLT with no blocks. If anyone is interested I measured the U-bolts, mine are approximately 10 inches and the ones on the 2WD are approximately 8 1/2 inches and round at the top just like mine. Someone had said in one of these threads the pre '21 U-bolts were square on top so won't work.

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