1997-2004 leaf springs on a 1986-1996 Dakota

I need to lower the rear on my 1995 Dakota 2wd Sport. I mounted the leaf springs under the frame to gain tire clearance. Mission accomplished but to no surprise it has raised the rear about 2". Stock for stock from what I have seen the lengths of springs for the two generations of truck are the same. It looks like the bushing eye holes for mounting the springs are larger on the second gen and the pack thickness is different. Is this the only difference? Belle Tech sells lowering leaf springs P# 5983 for the second gen Dakota but not the first gen. I'm in communication with a shop about de arching my current springs but if the Belle Tech lowering springs for the second gen will work they are a bargain at $290 per pair and would be convenient.

Is the Axle over or under the spring? If under put it over and you will lower the rear from the stock height

could reducer bushings be made for the belle tech springs, or could your mounting brackets be opened up to the larger bolt size without compromising the mount's strength ?

Axle is mounted on top of springs as it was from the factory. The front spring mounts could be drilled larger but on the rear I'm using a slider which could not be drilled out. See link below. I sent an email to Belle tech requesting dimensions. Hope they reply quickly.

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/...lT2MmBdH2vo33Ff5W1FMK477bA0aAhOVEALw_wcB

Spacer block between the spring and axle will lower it. https://www.bing.com/search?q=lower...44032e4cd998c814733505dcc7&mkt=en-us

If the rear springs on your truck are in good condition and can handle the weight involved, the most simple way of lowering the rear of the vehicle with the axle above the springs is to put a spacer block (called a lowering block) between the spring and the axle. You can add up to a 2" spacer without any issues with the spring function. More then 2" and you can run into a problem with the spring wrap up under acceleration. The spacer (or lowering blocks) are available in pretty much any inch increment, (1", 2", 3" & so on). You buy the lowering blocks that are the same width as the leaf springs you have. Adding the lower blocks may require longer U bolts holding the axle to the springs. The thickness of the lowering blocks is a direct amount of lowering, a 1" lowering block lowers the truck at the rear wheel 1" and a 2" lowering block lowers the truck at the wheel 2", you get to pick how much you want to lower the truck. The lowering blocks have been a hot rod go to thing for a very long time, they are simple, safe, and pretty cheap. My 48 Plymouth coupe that is on a Dakota chassis has had 2" lowering blocks for 12 years and nearly 100,000 miles.

The reason some have asked if the axle was above the springs or below the springs is because a 2 wheel drive Dakota has the axle above the springs but a 4x4 Dakota has the axle below the springs as the factory offering.

Thank you gentlemen. I am going to drop them off at a spring shop and get them de arched. I need a total drop of 4 inches. Ill see the max they can safely de arch the springs and then Ill have the option of a 1" or 2" block. If I would have mounted the OEM leaf spring mounts INSIDE the frame I would not have this issue. But inside the frame means relocating the gas tank and I simply didn't want to change something that works well. My truck will have some rake to it it- but currently its way too high.