Lowering Shackles on a C10 Stepside

[86 Stepside]

I’m DJ and I recently purchased a 86 c10 Stepside. I plan on lowering the rear to level the truck using 2” lowering shackles I bought. I was just under the truck and it appears that the lower shackle bolts will only come out about 1.5 inches and hit the fenders before freeing the spring. My question is do I need to remove or loosen the fender bolts to change those shackles?

Thanks in advance for any suggestions!

 

[Finkaire]

Cut the bolts and replace from the inside? I am looking to lower the rear to level as well. Mine has HD springs and am looking at replacing the leafs as well to soften the ride.

 

[Keith Seymore]

I'd undo the 8 bolts holding the bed down and pop it up before doing any cutting or loosening the fenders from the bed.

K

 

[86 Stepside]

Thank you both for the suggestions. I’ll get on it this weekend and reply back with my experience.

 

[Turbo4whl]

Cut the bolts and replace from the inside? I am looking to lower the rear to level as well. Mine has HD springs and am looking at replacing the leafs as well to soften the ride.

You can try removing every other leaf and see how it sits. If no good, buy the springs.

 

[Ricko1966]

I'd tighten the bolts until the break, probably less than one turn, then they'll be short enough to come up out and you won't have to try to hold heads and nut while you try to fight rusty threads 97.5 turns.

 

[Radiohead]

I'd tighten the bolts until the break, probably less than one turn, then they'll be short enough to come up out and you won't have to try to hold heads and nut while you try to fight rusty threads 97.5 turns.

Judicious use of the gas axe works too, assuming one puts up some coffee can heat shielding to stifle any oh sh!ts.

I only suggest that because I don't know if I have it in me to do the strong arm thing any more.

 

[idahovette]

^^^^^^^^AMEN^^^^^^^^

 

[Bennyt]

Have you checked the clearance of the lowering shackles to the bottom of the bed floor? The bed floor being wood as opposed to metal sometimes interferes d/t the thickness of the wood as the bed crossmembers are shorter to keep the bed internal height the same as the steel floor. My son's truck is a fleetside with the wood bed and shackles don't fit.

 

[BadBowtie]

I installed 2" lowering/leveling shackles on a friend's all stock 1986 GMC C10 Stepside- No issue. No bed cutting, no bolt cutting.

It's just the fleetsides require notching of the bed cross-braces.

As far as taking the factory shackle/bolts out, we only need to raise (or lower) the frame some more, for clearance. No torches, no cutting.

Where is all of this craziness coming from guys/gals??