Help! 3/5 lowering kit installed and my front end is higher!

[rockable]

I installed new springs from  , new leafs and new coils.  I double checked the p/n's and they are right.

I installed a DJM lowering kit with 3" drop spindle and 5" flip kit. 

I worked my butt off this week and today.  This is a kit for blacksmiths, by blacksmiths IMO.  I had to disassemble, grind and reassemble more times than I'd like to count.  (I thought the rear would be easier.  Wrong.  You should not attempt this if you don't have a compressor, air tools and grinders.  It's a lot of work.) 

Here's my problem.  I finally dropped it off the jackstands at 6:00 and to my dismay, the front is higher than the rear and higher than it was before.  (Before it had original springs that had a coil or coil and a half chopped off.)  The rear looks right.  I'd bet my next paycheck that the springs are properly seated in their perches.  I'll double check that in the morning.

Will these springs settle down in a couple days?  I know I didn't do anything wrong.  What's up?  Thanks for all the help, so far. 

[VileZambonie]

Higher?! Did you put the spindles on upside down?  What exactly were you grinding?

[rockable]

I don't think I did, but anything is possible at this point.  The tie rod lever is supposed to be below the centerline of the spindple, isn't it?  If so, I didn't put them on wrong. 

I had to grind the spindle casting so that it would clear the wheels, 15 X 8 rallye wheels.

[HAULIN IT]

Did you tighten the control arm bolts with the suspension hanging, meaning the jack/stands were under the frame & the weight was not on the suspension when you tightened the bolts? Lorne

[rockable]

I didn't disconnect anyting on the LCA's except the ball joints. I did not loosen or disconnect the u-bolts.

[80stepsideguy]

Rock,
if you got a camera take some pics and post them here.We could tell you a bit more if the pics were in front of us.

thanks
pat

[rockable]

I'll take some in the morning.  I changed two things, the springs and the spindles.  The springs were about an inch or inch and a half longer in relaxed mode.  I don't think I did anything wrong but I'm open to learning. 

[Captkaos]

Drive it around the block, it should settle a little. 
If they were cut, you just guessed on the drop though you could have guessed wrong.

Do you have before/after pics?

[rockable]

Ok, Cap'n.  Second attempt at post.

I finished the final assembly and fabricated some new drop links for my rear sway bar today.  Then, I did a rough front end alignment (It's still got a crapload of negative camber in the front.) and took it for a drive. 

The ride is MUCH better and the handling is MUCH better.  dang, it's amazing what happens when a suspension is allowed to work!  Riding on the bump stops is not recommended!

After riding around a little, I checked it out.  The front end settled some.  If I put a torpedo level on the rocker seam below the driver's door, it measures level, for all intents and  purposes.  (The rear is definitely lower that where I started from.)  I get the following measurements at the fender wells. 
LF - 30"  LR - 27 5/8"  RF - 29 7/8"  RR - 27 1/4". 

I think the front will settle morre as I drive it.  The new springs really lifted it up and, as we all know, that doesn't last forever.  The question is, "How long does it last?"

No matter, I'm riding better now than I have since I bought this truck.  If the front doesn't lower, I could raise the rear.  I'll post some pics once I've got it "broken in".

Thanks for all the help from this forum!

[rockable]

I've driven it around and it's essentiall level with the ground but it "looks" like the front end is higher due to the way the wheel openings are cut.  I guess I'll drive it a while and see if it settles.  If it doesn't, I can always cut half a coil off the front or raise the rear.   

[Captkaos]

park it level and take a picture and post it.

[rockable]

Here are the pics.  Compare to the other pics in my original thread.  The rear is defnitiely lower now.  The front still seems too high to me.  This is after I got it back from the alignment shop.

[rockable]

I tried to modify my original message but couldn't get it to "take".

The rear is lower and the front is higher.  I'd really like the front to be down about an inch and I'd really like to not buy new springs.  What would y'all do?  Will it settle some?  Would you chop a wee bit off the front springs?

[Captkaos]

What you have is roughly a 3/6 drop.
Were the springs supposed to be stock or lowered?

[rockable]

Both front and rear springs are stock.  The DJM manufacturer labels this a 3/5 drop kit.  What to do?