cptmoney
Member
- Joined
- Jan 20, 2017
- Posts
- 40
- Reaction score
- 0
- Location
- Western Slope, Colorado
- First Name
- Tucker
- Truck Year
- 1985
- Truck Model
- k10
- Engine Size
- 305
The entire concept of how much and by what means to drop is almost overwhelming to me...help me make heads or tails of all of this mess!
I'm getting ready to make room for a '77 C10 that will be our shop truck/ol' dog - but in order to accept that role, she's gotta be COOL! Thus - the drop.
I'm looking for something in the 3/5 - 4/6 range....but holy smokes. The questions and options just keep bubbling up. I've already invested HOURS of screen time trying to figure this out, but I'm worse off than when I began, feels like.
Cut a coil or two? That will help the front - but what do you in the rear? Yank a leaf? Swap the spring hangers? Now the trucks can't haul a larger motorbike or a big block over to the machine shop. That, and the wheel hop will be terrible when I'm out "delivering" the goods - with the complimentary burnout! Haha! I don't want to have to add traction bars to the mix as well if I don't have to. They're another $150 bucks that I could have used to do the drop more adequately.
Drop the spindles? Sounds like the more appropriate (and much safer) way to handle the front - but now you can't use your OEM steelies without grinding away at control arms or brake mounts or sway bars. Head the rear, and now I need a flip kit, which means we'll be riding on the bumpstops, which makes the truck ride like complete crap. And I'll be honest - we're not going to be driving the ol' gal cross-country....but I don't want to regret having to take the shop truck - I want to find an excuse to take the shop truck! Do the flip kit, add some shackles, and now you've gone and monkeyed up the driveshaft geometry. Move the springs back, pray you get the pinion angle right, shim it/tack it, and cross your fingers? Sheesh. Crazy.
I'm sure not interested in cutting C-notches in my frame at this point. At some point, maybe - but for now I just want to bring her down a bit, pump gas, and get out there killing bugs. With the occasional burnout! Haha.
Can this be done? You guys all have it figured out, so I know it's too far from my grasp.....but I'm feeling a little underprepared to handle it all.
Maybe I shoud start with something a little smaller - say a 2/4 drop. Might be cheaper, easier, and take technical prowess to pull off.
So - I guess that's a long whine/complain/plea to lead up to this: what can I do to -
1) drop this truck down (I'm thinking that a 3/5 is pretty rocking and from what I've read a decent amount for a daily driver),
2) for a reasonable amount (I'd love to be under $350ish for this project - bc the poor truck needs some lovin' elsewhere as well!),
3) won't take a PhD in mechanical engineering to orchestrate from beginning to end. No welding would be a HUGE bonus for me, but I can deal with that if I need to (it's amazing what cold beer will buy you these days!),
4) would accommodate OEM 15" steelies. Whether rally or plain steel wheels, we'll be using those most likely, and finally,
5) be able to do in a short period of time. Don't want this to take a month. A long Saturday or even a weekend would be ideal. Once I start in on the drop, I don't want it to be stuck in the garage for a few weeks while I sort out the mess.
Phew. It evens takes a lot to explain it all. Haha.
Anyhow, thanks in advance for helping me clarify my options. My garage buddies say I get "paralysis by analysis" sometimes....and this is a perfect example! I may just need to jump in and get in motion. Doing SOMETHING is better than nothing. The good news is the truck won't be here for a another week or two, so I have a little time to make a plan and get some parts on order.
I'll wait patiently for your sage wisdom......bring it on!
I'm getting ready to make room for a '77 C10 that will be our shop truck/ol' dog - but in order to accept that role, she's gotta be COOL! Thus - the drop.
I'm looking for something in the 3/5 - 4/6 range....but holy smokes. The questions and options just keep bubbling up. I've already invested HOURS of screen time trying to figure this out, but I'm worse off than when I began, feels like.
Cut a coil or two? That will help the front - but what do you in the rear? Yank a leaf? Swap the spring hangers? Now the trucks can't haul a larger motorbike or a big block over to the machine shop. That, and the wheel hop will be terrible when I'm out "delivering" the goods - with the complimentary burnout! Haha! I don't want to have to add traction bars to the mix as well if I don't have to. They're another $150 bucks that I could have used to do the drop more adequately.
Drop the spindles? Sounds like the more appropriate (and much safer) way to handle the front - but now you can't use your OEM steelies without grinding away at control arms or brake mounts or sway bars. Head the rear, and now I need a flip kit, which means we'll be riding on the bumpstops, which makes the truck ride like complete crap. And I'll be honest - we're not going to be driving the ol' gal cross-country....but I don't want to regret having to take the shop truck - I want to find an excuse to take the shop truck! Do the flip kit, add some shackles, and now you've gone and monkeyed up the driveshaft geometry. Move the springs back, pray you get the pinion angle right, shim it/tack it, and cross your fingers? Sheesh. Crazy.
I'm sure not interested in cutting C-notches in my frame at this point. At some point, maybe - but for now I just want to bring her down a bit, pump gas, and get out there killing bugs. With the occasional burnout! Haha.
Can this be done? You guys all have it figured out, so I know it's too far from my grasp.....but I'm feeling a little underprepared to handle it all.
Maybe I shoud start with something a little smaller - say a 2/4 drop. Might be cheaper, easier, and take technical prowess to pull off.
So - I guess that's a long whine/complain/plea to lead up to this: what can I do to -
1) drop this truck down (I'm thinking that a 3/5 is pretty rocking and from what I've read a decent amount for a daily driver),
2) for a reasonable amount (I'd love to be under $350ish for this project - bc the poor truck needs some lovin' elsewhere as well!),
3) won't take a PhD in mechanical engineering to orchestrate from beginning to end. No welding would be a HUGE bonus for me, but I can deal with that if I need to (it's amazing what cold beer will buy you these days!),
4) would accommodate OEM 15" steelies. Whether rally or plain steel wheels, we'll be using those most likely, and finally,
5) be able to do in a short period of time. Don't want this to take a month. A long Saturday or even a weekend would be ideal. Once I start in on the drop, I don't want it to be stuck in the garage for a few weeks while I sort out the mess.
Phew. It evens takes a lot to explain it all. Haha.
Anyhow, thanks in advance for helping me clarify my options. My garage buddies say I get "paralysis by analysis" sometimes....and this is a perfect example! I may just need to jump in and get in motion. Doing SOMETHING is better than nothing. The good news is the truck won't be here for a another week or two, so I have a little time to make a plan and get some parts on order.
I'll wait patiently for your sage wisdom......bring it on!
