6/8 lowering kit

[bpace89]

Has anyone ever put on a 6/8 lowering kit on a c20? If so I was wondering what tire size you used. I was wanting to use my stock 16’s for the rims, and was wondering what the biggest tire was that would clear?

 

[Craig 85]

You may call this company. Switch Suspension.

https://switchsuspension.com/gmc-c-20-c-30-1973-1991-6-8-deluxe-drop-kit/

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[hibernatingbear]

I just picked up a 75 c20 and I've been doing research myself about a 5/7 or 6/8 setup.

They recommended 28" front tires with their kit.

Most likely I'll use their rear flip kit and pull a couple springs from the leaf pack. 1.5 coils cut off stock springs and 2.5-3" drop spindles as well. I "hear" a lot of guys just go to c10 axles but I want to keep my stock wheels/axles.

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[squarebodySteve]

Hello new to this forum just picked up this 1985 Chevy c20 can't wait to install this kit with Detroit wheels trying to decide 18 or 20's. anyone have any experience with wheels that work with this lowering kit ?

 

[squarebodySteve]

What size tires are you running ?

 

[Sarosi66]

i have a 1984 c20 that i lowered 3/4 using the DJM 3" lower control arms and the 4" hanger kit for the rear.
I have 20" Detroit Steel Delray's with 255/40/20 tires
From the ground up to the center of the fender measures at
Front= 29.5 inches
Rear= 30.5 inches
Wheels are 4.5" backspace up front and 5.5" back space for the rear.
My avatar picture is from the day i got the wheels and tires mounted on the truck.

In my opinion, installing this kit will lower the truck to what a stock height c10 would sit at.
This kit would work better with 22" wheels with a decent side wall tire thickness because as it sits with the above mentioned combination of lowering kit, wheels and tires. There is to much gap between the top of tire and fender. Long story short, it will leave you not satisfied with the stance. With that being said. My only other option is to remove the entire kit-front lower control arms, rear hangers and shackles. Install the stock front control arms and install the stock rear hangers and shackles.
Followed with the 6/8 kit from switch which requires stock control arms and stock hangers and shackles.

Yes it stings and damn i wish i had found the sticky located on the front page of the lowering section of this forum. He speaks truth and i am literally his example of what not to do verbatim.

 

[Ricko1966]

^^^^How would a 3/4 lowering kit make a c10 stock height?

 

[mlsceo]

^^^^How would a 3/4 lowering kit make a c10 stock height?

I think he's saying that a stock C20 is higher than a stock C10. I don't know about that but good luck finding 22" tires with a "decent side wall tire thickness".

 

[bluex]

i have a 1984 c20 that i lowered 3/4 using the DJM 3" lower control arms and the 4" hanger kit for the rear.
I have 20" Detroit Steel Delray's with 255/40/20 tires
From the ground up to the center of the fender measures at
Front= 29.5 inches
Rear= 30.5 inches
Wheels are 4.5" backspace up front and 5.5" back space for the rear.
My avatar picture is from the day i got the wheels and tires mounted on the truck.

In my opinion, installing this kit will lower the truck to what a stock height c10 would sit at.
This kit would work better with 22" wheels with a decent side wall tire thickness because as it sits with the above mentioned combination of lowering kit, wheels and tires. There is to much gap between the top of tire and fender. Long story short, it will leave you not satisfied with the stance. With that being said. My only other option is to remove the entire kit-front lower control arms, rear hangers and shackles. Install the stock front control arms and install the stock rear hangers and shackles.
Followed with the 6/8 kit from switch which requires stock control arms and stock hangers and shackles.

Yes it stings and damn i wish i had found the sticky located on the front page of the lowering section of this forum. He speaks truth and i am literally his example of what not to do verbatim.

Sorry to hear that, an its one of the reasons I made that thread. I have only run across a handful of people over the years that are truly happy with a 3/4 drop.

Good luck getting the truck where you want it to sit, I'm sure you're not looking forward to redoing all that work either.

 

[Sarosi66]

I think he's saying that a stock C20 is higher than a stock C10. I don't know about that but good luck finding 22" tires with a "decent side wall tire thickness".

That is correct. I can only assume that a stock factory c20 would sit 1 or 2" taller than a stock factory c10. Todays trucks do at least. All good though.
My only point was to share some truth and to help the next guy skip the 3/4" lowering kit as well as to take the Sticky OP's shared wisdom as the only direction a guy should take if lowering one of these trucks. Especially the c20.

I do have 1 more issue to over come though.
The DJM 3" lower control arms. Do you think they can be used in combination with a lowering spindle? Since the drop is accomplished by the lower pocket the springs sit in. Would it be possible to keep the 3" drop control arms and install a spacer into the pocket for the spring? basically fill in the pocket so the spring sits at factory height?

Then add 3" drop spindles and 3" drop springs?
Sure would be great to not have to replace these new lower control arms!

If not, then i will have a brand new 3/4" drop kit for a 1984 c20 up for sale in a week if anyone is looking.

 

[mlsceo]

That is correct. I can only assume that a stock factory c20 would sit 1 or 2" taller than a stock factory c10. Todays trucks do at least. All good though.
My only point was to share some truth and to help the next guy skip the 3/4" lowering kit as well as to take the Sticky OP's shared wisdom as the only direction a guy should take if lowering one of these trucks. Especially the c20.

I do have 1 more issue to over come though.
The DJM 3" lower control arms. Do you think they can be used in combination with a lowering spindle? Since the drop is accomplished by the lower pocket the springs sit in. Would it be possible to keep the 3" drop control arms and install a spacer into the pocket for the spring? basically fill in the pocket so the spring sits at factory height?

Then add 3" drop spindles and 3" drop springs?
Sure would be great to not have to replace these new lower control arms!

If not, then i will have a brand new 3/4" drop kit for a 1984 c20 up for sale in a week if anyone is looking.

McBay Performance offers a 1" aluminum spacer that is advertised to give 2.5 to 3" of lift. I used their 5/8" spacer to put my front end where I wanted it and am happy with their product YRMV.

 

[mlsceo]

If your lower control arms are already giving you a 3" drop with a stock spring you shouldn't need a drop spring. The 3" from the lower control arm added to 3" from a drop spindle adds up to 6". Just run the stock spring without a spacer. Aftermarket springs tend to be really weak and will sag, ask me how I know, So the question is will the DJM arms work with the drop spindle? I suspect it would, but I would call them to be sure.

 

[bluex]

The problem with combining the drop a-arm with a drop spindle is your scrub line. On 15 or 16" wheels/tires the "drop" portion of the a-arm will be on the ground if you have a flat/blow out.

Personally, I'd go back to stock arm with your drop spindle an spring but depending on how you plan to use the truck you might be ok with arm/spindle combo. I'm slightly confused on why you want the spacer though? The drop arms, stock spring an drop spindle will net you the same 6" drop.

 

[xm20k]

From my experience put your jack under the crossmember measure the gap with the jack collapsed to the crossmember than consider how low you can go if you have a flat before it will no longer slide under there. My drop spindles, drop springs, and tire size means I have to go back to stock springs as I'm too low to fit my jack under the front end with a flat tire.

 

[89Suburban]

From my experience put your jack under the crossmember measure the gap with the jack collapsed to the crossmember than consider how low you can go if you have a flat before it will no longer slide under there. My drop spindles, drop springs, and tire size means I have to go back to stock springs as I'm too low to fit my jack under the front end with a flat tire.

This just happened tome recently on my lowered '07 Tahoe. I never thought about a flat tire situation. I had a r/f go down. My jack would not fit under the running board or the front bumper, they were like an inch off the ground. I had to jack up on my push bar just enough to get under the front bumper. I tweaked it in the process.

I immediately purchased one of those compact scissor jacks to keep in the truck now.

I also could have turned the front wheel one way or the other to get the jack under there to the frame but I didn't think about it at the time.