my 79 is lowered but not exactly sure how!

[Jarhead79]

I'll try and get pics but I'm thinking that I had heard back when I was younger that there was a way to lower these trucks by swapping the leaf mounts on each side or flipping them upside down or something, I'm used to newer trucks suspensions and I've usually seen the drop shackles etc but my truck doesn't seem to have them but is definitely lower than stock, and rides rather nicely, so in trying to figure out what they did. I'm pretty sure the coils in front are changed out or cut, not sure if it has spindles etc. just seems odd to me to have such a nice ride but being this low from stock! Maybe I'm completely wrong but it's kind of throwing me for a loop! Lol

 

[J Knight]

If you can get me pics of your suspension I can figure it out. I need shots of the leaf springs, the leaf spring hangers front and rear, the back side of the spindles, and a shot of the front suspension at ride height.

 

[Jarhead79]

I'll get some pics asap this afternoon!

 

[Jarhead79]

I've got pics, not sure if they'll give you much to go buy but did what I could, lol send me an email and I'll forward them, can't post them all for some reason.

 

[firebane]

I've got pics, not sure if they'll give you much to go buy but did what I could, lol send me an email and I'll forward them, can't post them all for some reason! [email protected]

upload them to imgur.com and then paste the bb code links here.

 

[Jarhead79]

http://imgur.com/a/sXhaW

 

[firebane]

Springs cut on the front and looks like leafs removed from the rear.

 

[Jarhead79]

I had a feeling on the front that they were cut and looking at the hangers they looked stock, I'll probably change it out in the near future but for now it'll work, am really surprised how nice it rides for a 36yr old truck even with what is done.

 

[J Knight]

OK, in the front you have the stock spindles, probably cut stock coils, and the bump stop brackets cut off the lower control arms. You also have those cheezy coil spring lift blocks.

In the rear you have 56in leaf springs that would normally have about 7 or 8 leafs total so it appears the PO removed a few. The rear bump stops have also been somewhat removed off the frame.

What changes do you want to make?

Do you want to lower it correctly?

Do you want it lower or higher?

 

[Jarhead79]

I like it where it is, but also don't want to leave it alone too long and cause problems, I'm not looking at throwing tons of money into this thing but the suspension needs to be done right. A 4/6 is about where I'd like to be, had a 5/7 drop on a newer 93 Silverado and loved it but wasn't the best ride quality. Feel free to suggest what you think I'll need to do. Eventually going to need to do balljoints etc so I'm thinking lower control arms and etc since those usually come with the balljoints already installed. When I saw the coil lift blocks that was my first clue to why the truck say a lil higher in front, planned on removing them because I love the rake of these when the are low to the ground.

 

[J Knight]

I like it where it is, but also don't want to leave it alone too long and cause problems, I'm not looking at throwing tons of money into this thing but the suspension needs to be done right. A 4/6 is about where I'd like to be, had a 5/7 drop on a newer 93 Silverado and loved it but wasn't the best ride quality. Feel free to suggest what you think I'll need to do. Eventually going to need to do balljoints etc so I'm thinking lower control arms and etc since those usually come with the balljoints already installed. When I saw the coil lift blocks that was my first clue to why the truck say a lil higher in front, planned on removing them because I love the rake of these when the are low to the ground.

Well, if you want to leave it as is it will be fine, its lasted this long all ready....hasn't it?

If you want a "cheap" fix and you like the ride, get a used set of front coil springs and cut one round off the bottom. That will give you a 2in drop from factory. That's assuming that the twist block in you front coil spring is in there to correct a lean or too much was cut off. If your rear shocks are bottoming out on occasion, you can add a pair of shock extenders.

If you want it done right on the cheap, you can buy lowering parts individually instead of a complete kit.

The very basics that you need for a 4.5/5in drop you need a 2.5in drop spindle, one round cut off the stock coil springs, a flip bracket, and shock extenders.

I lowered these two truck with only these parts.

 

[Jarhead79]

That's what I'd like to do basically, is there anything else you'd recommend that I need to get besides new balljoints etc? I'm definitely not rich but also not a cheap skate, I work at Oreillys part time for discounts on parts etc and have a full time $19.00 hr job full time. I originally had an 80 stepside when I turned 16, am now 40yo! Lol I fell asleep behind the wheel and totaled it, has taken me this long to find a truck I liked from that era, I want a stepside but this one will do for a fun toy, but eventually I want a stepside like what I had b4! See below pic, isn't my truck but identical to it!

 

[J Knight]

The pic of your step side looks like a 2/4in drop. That's just cut one coil in the front(2in) and 4in drop shackles and hangers for the rear but you would need unmolested leafs and coils springs to get it right.

 

[Jarhead79]

Ty for the info, I'm looking for basically a 4/6 drop total.

 

[J Knight]

Ty for the info, I'm looking for basically a 4/6 drop total.

Post #11 will get you there.