77 lowering advise

[dirtscoots]

My 77 stepside has a 5/7 lowering kit. Front is 3” spindle and cut spring. I’m in the process of getting this thing running and drivable. I can’t go more then 40mph and even look at a bump with out my lower control arms digging into the road. This is the first 2wd truck I’ve ever owned. To keep the front end from hitting so hard I’m thinking a stiffer spring maybe a 2” drop spring? Any advise would be great. My son is drooling over this truck and I just want it safe for him to drive as we dabble with fixing it up. Im also considering replacing lower and upper control arms and fighting up everything in the front end. All bushings are old.

 

[TotalyHucked]

It's too low, that's why you keep bashing the control arms. Either your tires are too small or that spring is cut too much and you're lower than 5" up front. Throw a picture of the whole truck up, I'm curious to see it. Do NOT buy lowering springs thinking they'll be stiffer, they won't. All aftermarket drop springs are softer than stock. I would either buy a set of replacement half ton OE drop springs and trim them a little at a time until you're happy or a set of big block replacement springs, Moog 6454 and do the same thing.

When I first bought my truck, I put the Moog big blocks in and trimmed 1 coil off (1 coil = 2" of drop) and it rode great with the small block. Once I LS swapped it, it was too stiff, so I put the original half ton springs back in and trimmed 1/4 coil at a time until I was happy. I have 2.5" spindles, the cut springs up front, flip kit and a 2" shackle in the rear for roughly 5-5.5" up front and 8" out back. With stock size 235/75/15s on rallies, it scrubbed like a **** up front and still did with the 255/40/20s. I now have SloshTubz Mild AC Tubz for extra clearance. The only time I hit my LCAs is if I go off the edge of the road taking a turn and the pavement drops off

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[89Suburban]

My 77 stepside has a 5/7 lowering kit. Front is 3” spindle and cut spring. I’m in the process of getting this thing running and drivable. I can’t go more then 40mph and even look at a bump with out my lower control arms digging into the road. This is the first 2wd truck I’ve ever owned. To keep the front end from hitting so hard I’m thinking a stiffer spring maybe a 2” drop spring? Any advise would be great. My son is drooling over this truck and I just want it safe for him to drive as we dabble with fixing it up. Im also considering replacing lower and upper control arms and fighting up everything in the front end. All bushings are old.

Holy mackerel

 

[mlsceo]

It's the 3" drop on the spindle that's causing a lot of your issue, won't work without a larger diameter wheel. I lowered my 77 with 2.5" spindles and aftermarket 2" drop springs. Like Huck said they were too soft, and the top of the tire was contacting my inner fender wells. Added an aluminum 5/8" spacer under the spring and problem solved.

 

[mlsceo]

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Here's a pic to go with my previous post.

 

[xm20k]

It's the 3" drop on the spindle that's causing a lot of your issue, won't work without a larger diameter wheel. I lowered my 77 with 2.5" spindles and aftermarket 2" drop springs. Like Huck said they were too soft, and the top of the tire was contacting my inner fender wells. Added an aluminum 5/8" spacer under the spring and problem solved.

Agree I think the 3" spindle is the main issue when it comes to wheel fitment. I'm on 2" spindle and 2" inch springs and didn't have any issues with the stock 15" wheels and stock a arms at the time. The wheel lip and weights were really close to the lower arm but did not hit.

 

[Grit dog]

Any other geometry issues with a 3” drop spindle? It’s on 20s and the rim/tire combo will not be an issue with a slightly narrower or wider stance depending on what spindles used.
Still haven’t pulled the trigger on parts to lower the ‘77 but I’m in the 3/5 drop range for my preferred setup. Don’t want a speed bump dragger and with the side pipes those will be low and give the appearance of a larger drop.
Most spindles are 2.5” but there’s a couple 3”.
Plan 3” spindles, keep OE (stout feeling) coils no cut.
3” or 4” drop leafs in the back which may be 4-5” or 5-6” total depending how it’s calculated since the big10 has at least an inch more of springs stacked up than a standard c10.
Any issues you guys see with this plan?

 

[xm20k]

Just looked it up and I guess my Wilwood spindles are 2.5" drop and I'm running CPP 2" springs and CPP tubular control arms. The rear is a 9" ordered with the flipped mounts welded on with stock 1/2-ton spring packs no notch and nothing drags the ground. This is a BIG TEN but after the drop the rear was too stiff and bounced way too much hence the swap to regular 1/2-ton spring packs. This is with it sitting on 20s with a 245/40/20 up front no rub and a 275/45/20 in the rear. It's going to be on a different wheel and tire package soon due to some recent mods. Fender well headers didn't allow for full turn with 8" wide wheels up front.

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[dirtscoots]

Thank you for all the replies. Here is a picture of the truck.

 

[mlsceo]

Any other geometry issues with a 3” drop spindle? It’s on 20s and the rim/tire combo will not be an issue with a slightly narrower or wider stance depending on what spindles used.
Still haven’t pulled the trigger on parts to lower the ‘77 but I’m in the 3/5 drop range for my preferred setup. Don’t want a speed bump dragger and with the side pipes those will be low and give the appearance of a larger drop.
Most spindles are 2.5” but there’s a couple 3”.
Plan 3” spindles, keep OE (stout feeling) coils no cut.
3” or 4” drop leafs in the back which may be 4-5” or 5-6” total depending how it’s calculated since the big10 has at least an inch more of springs stacked up than a standard c10.
Any issues you guys see with this plan?

A drop spindle doesn't affect suspension geometry. It simply raises the wheel in relation to everything else. Shorter springs will change camber.

 

[Ricko1966]

A drop spindle doesn't affect suspension geometry. It simply raises the wheel in relation to everything else. Shorter springs will change camber.

Shorter springs will also change tie rod,ball joint angles,and control arm angles. My choice would be spindles.

 

[Grit dog]

Shorter springs will also change tie rod,ball joint angles,and control arm angles. My choice would be spindles.

A drop spindle doesn't affect suspension geometry. It simply raises the wheel in relation to everything else. Shorter springs will change camber.

Thanks. You guys are confirming why I’m looking at spindles only.
My question was only because 2.5” is common and 3” is not. Other than small diameter rims having clearance issues with 3” spindles, I’m hearing there aren’t any other big considerations going 3”?

 

[xm20k]

Thanks. You guys are confirming why I’m looking at spindles only.
My question was only because 2.5” is common and 3” is not. Other than small diameter rims having clearance issues with 3” spindles, I’m hearing there aren’t any other big considerations going 3”?

If you're planning to run anything over a 15" wheel you should be fine when it comes to wheel/tire to suspension clearance. as, long as you aren't dummy like me and swap to fender well headers and have to switch wheel and tire package after a year. LOL

As a side note If you think you may want to swap to a big brake package up front take that into account and get spindles that support that, rather than buy a second set if not DM me I have a set of 2.5 CPP spindles I could make you a deal on if interested.

 

[Grit dog]

If you're planning to run anything over a 15" wheel you should be fine when it comes to wheel/tire to suspension clearance. as, long as you aren't dummy like me and swap to fender well headers and have to switch wheel and tire package after a year. LOL

As a side note If you think you may want to swap to a big brake package up front take that into account and get spindles that support that, rather than buy a second set if not DM me I have a set of 2.5 CPP spindles I could make you a deal on if interested.

Thanks for the advice.
Truck’s a F44/Big 10 so it has the “big brakes” already lol. Assuming you meant that and not aftermarket.
Appreciate the offer but I need the 1.25” rotor spindles and kinda honing in on 3” as it’s got 20s now and if I ever went back to steel wheels they probably wouldn’t be smaller than 18s. Not everyone’s cup of tea but I like the look of bigger rims in general.
No chance of fenderwell headers or anything else getting in the way there. I took that into account when mounting the side pipes already.
Took a bit to get the pipes where they “look” like they’re in the right place, didn’t intrude into the wheel well too much and could actually attach them to rockers without major changes in the bolt up locations.
I like the side pipe look enough that when/if I put something under the hood with more than 200 ponies I’d probably use exhaust manifolds or shorty headers so I could plumb them back up to the side pipes. Long tubes would work but the exhaust would have to do 2 u-turns before reaching the pipes with long tubes and standard collectors.
Pipes are another reason I’m stopping at 2.5-3” in front. Rear will end up in the 4-5” range with lowering leafs. But with them pipes I think it will have the illusion of being more slammed than it actually is.
Mostly though due to simplicity. Can bolt on spindles and leafs easy peasy. Anything more and there’s a lot more work involved.

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[xm20k]

Mine are for the BIG TEN stock brakes, when I said big brake kit I meant Willwood, Baer etc. Thats why I have them just sitting the Willwood's use a different spindle.