How to Lower a Truck With Leaf Springs

by Nathaniel Miller

If you are a truck owner and want the look of a sleek, low-to-the-ground cruiser without shelling out a large amount of cash, you may wonder if there are do-it-yourself options for lowering your truck. Many trucks are outfitted with leaf spring suspension in the rear. Essentially, leaf springs are pieces of metal (or leaves) stacked on top of one another and bent to provide a cushion when hitting bumps. While this suspension setup may not lend itself to performance as much as other systems, it does provide easy access to a tried-and-true lowering technique for your truck, albeit only the back half.

Step 1

Jack the truck's rear axle up off the ground until the tires are no longer touching. Set up jack stands under the frame so that the frame and rear axle are supported separately.

Step 2

Use the socket set to loosen and remove the bolts holding the leaf springs of one side of the truck. Leaf springs are normally mounted on top of the rear axle; however, 3 to 4 inches lower can be achieved by flipping the mounts over so they rest on the bottom of the axle. Flip the mount to the lower side of the axle and then tighten the leaf springs back down into place.

Step 3

Repeat Step 2 for the other set of leaf springs on the opposite side of the truck. Pull the jack stands out from underneath the frame and then slowly lower the truck off the jack.