FRPP Lowering Kit M-3000-L Installed Today

[Bimota Guy]

Front 1" springs (Ground Force brand) and 2" rear shackles. I paid $150 + tax from a local FRPP supplier. Took about 90 minutes total. My buddy who is a paid wrench was doing all the real work. He did the rear shackles with just a floor jack under the front attachment point of the leaf springs.

We didn't bother putting in the bump stops that came with the kit since they are the same size as stock and the truck has just 9k miles on it.

After a few miles of driving the front measured 1 1/8" lower and the rear just 1 1/4" lower. And we did use the higher bolt hole on the shackle (more drop.) That hole is 3.5" further from the leaf spring eye than stock. As I write this I am wondering if something is preventing the shackle from swinging back as far as it should(?)

Sorry no pics. (when the heck am I gonna get a digital camera???)

 

[FAT]

FRPP DROP

Well lets see if this works, its a befor and after deal.
The front of my truck just barely clears parking curbs,and i mean barely!

 

[Speedin Bob]

20 questions...

Bimota,

How was the spring install?

Any noticeable difference (good and bad) in the handling characteristics and in-town ride quality? If so, how so?


I'm to the point of trying to find an excuse NOT to do it...

Bob

 

[Bimota Guy]

Bob, Much easier than I thought. And I have to thank several people who responded with tips in another thread I started a week ago or so in this same forum. Having an experienced wrench handling it was a blessing as well. A 2nd pair of hands working a floor jack (that was me) makes it go faster.

No noticable ride change (only a few miles on the freeway and around town so far.) It turns in great, but that is becuase it has noticable negative camber. I will get it aligned back to factory with maybe a little more neg. camber, but this is my wife's truck and she just wanted it done for looks. And it does look good. I just wish the rear came down a bit more.

Just do it, Bob!

-Steve

 

[TXRickC]

Get two sets of Cam Bolts Kits if you havn't already for the alignment (Napa part #264-2953) I did same M3000L kit on my 2001, took some driving before it settled. It is just over an 1" lower up front and right at 2 in the rear. Now a local friend got a Bel-Tech 3" / 4" kit, damn it looks good!!!

 

[smokeshow]

nice red x's

 

[Ebbsnflows]

I know this is an old topic...

But I just did the FRPP last night as well and I got pretty much the exact same results as Bimota. My front dropped a whopping 1.75" and my rear barely dropped 1" (using the top holes in the shackles). Before I lowered it, the truck had a small forward rake, but now my truck looks ridiculously jacked up in the rear. Did anyone else experience this problem w/ the rear shackles? I installed them per the instructions....but for some reason the much longer shackle gave me almost no drop.
I'm very happy with the way the front looks...just wish the back would cooperate.
Any ideas? Comments?

BTW....it was a piece of cake to install. I'm so used to lowering cars, I expected the same level of difficulty. That wasn't the case at all. From start to clean up was around 1.5 hours, and I was taking my time.

 

[vinman]

Stupid Question?

Did you guys with the rear shackles put the bolt back in right? When I did mine it seemed that if the bolt did not go back just like it was it did not drop right.
I am talking about the little tab on the bolt.
Just my 2 cents

 

[Bimota Guy]

vinman, Hmm, so maybe we are not letting the shackle move backward as far as it should? Can you tell me what it is supposed to be like?

I was doing the jacking and my buddy was doing the wrenching, so I will have to take a look and see if I can figure out if rearward motion is limited.

Thanks,
-Steve

 

[Ebbsnflows]

Re: Stupid Question?

Did you guys with the rear shackles put the bolt back in right? When I did mine it seemed that if the bolt did not go back just like it was it did not drop right.
I am talking about the little tab on the bolt.
Just my 2 cents

Well....I thought you might be on to something, so last night I went out reset the bolt to how it was before the install (w/ the metal "L" tab underneath)...unfortunately it didn't help any. I'm still a mile high in the back