Advice needed: Which components for dropping?

[colonel]

Folks, I did as some of you recommended an wound up buying that lil yello truck...

Now help me out lowering it

I will keep the 15" Ralleys for the time being and may eventually swap to the classic Torque Trust II, so no 20-24s for me. I am looking for a nice little drop, not too wild. Wheel well close to or still a little above the tire. How low should I go, I was thinking 4.5/6ish, that would be 2,5" spindles and 2" (maybe 3"?) coils front and a flip kit and maybe shakels rear. I do not want to C-notch.

Would the above work and turn out the way I want? Sorry, no exact measurements yet. The tires are 255/60s and 295/50s.

If the drop is ok, can I use and interchange parts from any brand i.e. JDM, Belltech, Western Chasis, Mc Gauthys? I read that with some spindles trimming is required and with others the wheels will stick out. I read that there are 1" and 1,25" rotores out there - why was that anyway? I tried to find answers in the existing threads but wound up having more questions than before...

Here´s a pic for reference, I know it aint a great help for answering my questions. Thanks for trying anyway.

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[83swb]

Folks, I did as some of you recommended an wound up buying that lil yello truck...

Now help me out lowering it

I will keep the 15" Ralleys for the time being and may eventually swap to the classic Torque Trust II, so no 20-24s for me. I am looking for a nice little drop, not too wild. Wheel well close to or still a little above the tire. How low should I go, I was thinking 4.5/6ish, that would be 2,5" spindles and 2" (maybe 3"?) coils front and a flip kit and maybe shakels rear. I do not want to C-notch.

Would the above work and turn out the way I want? Sorry, no exact measurements yet. The tires are 255/60s and 295/50s.

If the drop is ok, can I use and interchange parts from any brand i.e. JDM, Belltech, Western Chasis, Mc Gauthys? I read that with some spindles trimming is required and with others the wheels will stick out. I read that there are 1" and 1,25" rotores out there - why was that anyway? I tried to find answers in the existing threads but wound up having more questions than before...

Here´s a pic for reference, I know it aint a great help for answering my questions. Thanks for trying anyway.

Keep the rallies!

I don't have any personal experience with 4/6 drops but I do know that If your truck has headers, specifically headers that hang below the frame rails, you will have to watch out for speedbumps. And I think you can get away without doing a c-notch with a flip kit if you don't plan on hauling anything too heavy.

1" rotors were standard on 6 banger trucks, and I believe 1.25" rotors were either standard or optional on V8 models. My truck is an original 6 cyl. truck and it has 1" rotors.

 

[tanz45]

I dig it!

I am doing a 4" rear, 2" front on my stepside.

Rear= Drop front hangers and drop rear shackles. Each alone is 2'', together is 4''

Springs for the front, I bought the Summit Brand Springs and they came as Ground Force Springs....not bad for $85 when the GF springs retail for $135.

 

[bucket]

I dig it!

I am doing a 4" rear, 2" front on my stepside.

Rear= Drop front hangers and drop rear shackles. Each alone is 2'', together is 4''

Springs for the front, I bought the Summit Brand Springs and they came as Ground Force Springs....not bad for $85 when the GF springs retail for $135.

To clear the lowering shackles, how muck of the bed floor crossmember do you have to cut away?

 

[tanz45]

To clear the lowering shackles, how muck of the bed floor crossmember do you have to cut away?

Believe you just have to notch one of the support channels.

This was on other chevy page.

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And this one

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[Powder96ss]

Updates? Interested in the same, not sure if I want to go flip kit in the rear or hanger and shackles. I'm torn between 4 or 5 inches in the rear. I'm diggin your step side btw! SOOPER clean looking, especially with those rallies!!!

 

[J Knight]

Updates? Interested in the same, not sure if I want to go flip kit in the rear or hanger and shackles. I'm torn between 4 or 5 inches in the rear. I'm diggin your step side btw! SOOPER clean looking, especially with those rallies!!!

Do 3.5in in the front and the 5in flip in the back. Hangers are a big pain to remove and you will probably want to go lower after all the trouble any way.

 

[Powder96ss]

Do 3.5in in the front and the 5in flip in the back. Hangers are a big pain to remove and you will probably want to go lower after all the trouble any way.

Haha this is what I'm thinking. I like the look of the fender wells right above the fenders and was originally thinking of a 4/5 drop. I'm not sure if I want to notch my frame though, as all the things start to add up quick!

Sorry, don't mean to thread jack, although I REALLY would like to see the OP truck lowered!

 

[J Knight]

Haha this is what I'm thinking. I like the look of the fender wells right above the fenders and was originally thinking of a 4/5 drop. I'm not sure if I want to notch my frame though, as all the things start to add up quick!

Sorry, don't mean to thread jack, although I REALLY would like to see the OP truck lowered!

No need to cnotch with a simple 5in flip.

 

[Powder96ss]

No need to cnotch with a simple 5in flip.

Oh wow, from all the threads I've searched and maybe on other forums, the consensus was anything more than 4" required a mild notch. Very mixed opinions I guess. This is proof I can just remove the bump stop and call it good, with a 5" drop.

For the time being though, I plan on just lowering it the free way for now. Must........lower..........

Thanks for the info

 

[colonel]

Lowering accomplished

Ok, I know I shutta have updated this thread earlier on.

I orderd 3" spindles and 2" coils for the front and a flip kit and shackles for the back from DJM.

I had the spindles and flip kit installed and this is how the truck sits now:

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The front could drop about an additional half inch or maybe an inch - can´t use my coils, though, as they are too low. The rear could drop another inch or so, I might install the shackels, but that means additional mods: notching the bed support rails and maybe the rear shocks - again.


Concerning the parts: I was not too impressed with the spindles as they showed surface rust upon opening the boxes! Nothing serious, but it bothered me anyways, especially with brand new parts - call me picky. I removed the rust stains and spray painted the spindles satin black. As I did with the other parts, the original look was not at all to my liking.

My mechanic told me he had to do some grinding with the passenger side spindle to clear - I guess - the trailing arm. It astonished me that only one side needed to be modded plus - as by the shop that did the install - there didn´t appear to be any necessity for making the casting of the spindle that big. Anyways, apart from the grinding (which had been mentioned by DJM and seems to be common knowledge in various forums) there was no issue with clearance in the front.

I had to get the front aligned, though, because after installing the spindles one wheel pointed to the left and the other to the right.


As for the rear I had to go with new, shorter shocks, the extenders didn´t do the trick. This may have been due to the left leaf sping being worn out, but even after having it repaired and raise about half an inch (both sides level now) the left shock still bottomed out. With the shorter shocks in - problem solved.

There was no issue at all with having to notch the frame with the flip kit. After removing the stock bump stop and bracket I have about 4 or 5" of travel left. More than enough for me as I do not haul or carry with my truck. I also consider throwing in the shackels and lowering it another inch, but only if I also do the front. The remaining travel should be sufficient.

Hope the above helps.

 

[Powder96ss]

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.

WOW! That looks MUCH better!!!!! I think it looks perfect as is! So if I read your post correctly, you a have a 3/5 drop as it sits right now? You didn't use the coils, and the flip kit alone is 5" (3" tube and 2" leaf?)

 

[colonel]

Yes, it´s a 3/5 drop (matter of fact slightly more), spindles and flip kit alone, no coils. Not sure about the tube and leaf.

Glad you like my truck

 

[walleye101]

Love the truck and the stance, that is the drop I want to go when I get my c10. Can't wait to start on that project.