I have installed a complete new standard fronttrain on my truck. But i would like to lower the truck 3" (around 71/2 cm) in the front and the 3" in the back to get a better ride. Sid is selling 3 and 4 inches dropped axles and lowering blocks for rear end axles.http://www.droppedaxles.com/CHEVY_AXLES.html Has anyone done this solution and do i have to remove some of the rear leafs to get a softer ride or does that makes the truck more unstable? Martinius.
Be sure to check the drag link angle if you use the dropped axle. It should be horizontal and parrallel to the ground. Some with a severe angle will cause bump steer. Both the pitman arm and steering arm can be reworked to compensate.
Good advizes Thanks Russ and Evan for your good advizes . Does any of you guys have done this swap ? I have contacted Sid to ask him about the parts needed getting reworked ( the steering arm and the pitman arm ). Do i need new tie rod ball ends and clamps or can i use the stock onces i have installed ? Thanks Martinius.
I installed the 4" drop, have yet to put the drag link and pitman arm on, but it looks like it will be near perfect. Got it all from Sid, figured that would be the best bet. I suppose if your old ball joints are good, you wouldn't have to change them. It was inexpensive, so I went ahead and had Sid do that modification too. Cant want to get it going so I can see how the ride and the steering feels.
I know what i will do now! Thanks very much for sharing the photos and your explination on the Upgrade. Sounds like a good solution. Martinius.
Lowering & Ride Lowering make it look different but cannot possibly " improve the ride " because it reduced suspension travel , this is basic 7th grade physics guys . If you like it lowered that's fine but be realistic , you'll either be bottoming out all the time or driving it really slowly .
Ride Russ for one ~ . Seriously , he runs his on the Auto Cross and it's pretty neat . I was referring to daily driving in normal traffic ~ if you keep up with the flow , your lowered truck will bottom out constantly .
Lowering truck Nate Would`nt it be good to have the truck 3" (71/2 cm) lowered ? I`d thought it would give better stabillety when driving it a around street corners ? These trucks are stock very high and are tilting quite much because of that and the way the Stock suspension and axles are build! I am not planning to take out any of the suspension leafs in front neither in the back. And if i have to i adjust the shocks i will do that. I do like the look of a lowered truck thats fore shore , but not to much I would not like to bottem out or driving to slow either Thanks for Your comment Martinius.
No ; You'll be wanting to add a sway bar (you cannot imagine how much this helps until you install it) and get some good Bilstein HD shocks . Then it'll ride and handle pretty darn well , you'll see . If the ride is too stiff for you , take the spring pack apart and insert teflon strips between each leaf , this makes it ride like a Caddy but still works like the truck it is .
Lowering can loose the ride if you reduce suspension travel, but the dropped axle without lowering the springs should give the same ride. Mine rides great compared to stock ( 3/4 ton). Yes, conventionally lowering by pulling springs, lowered springs, lowering blocks will kill the ride, but it looks sooooo good.........and corners better. A good ,low ride comes with LOTS of work and engineering. And I drive the hell out of mine.......
teflon spring spacers... For every Teflon spring spacer you add, that raises the truck that much. 6, 1/8 inch Teflons , your truck will go up three quarters of an inch. That's in the front ONLY! If your springs are clean and non-rusted, the ride will be just the way its supposed to be. If you want to remove leaves, start at the bottom and remove every other one. Iv done it that way for myself and customers since 1971. with no problems.
lowering truck Russ What i technically dont understand Russ is how lowered blocks in rear will kill the ride , i`ll hope you can tell me ? Is `nt it an advantage that the truck is in Level when lowering 3" in front and rear ? I am planning to keep the suspension in front/rear stock or modify the ride with better shocks if i have to ? Hope you guys whom have done this swap can advise me ? Thanks Martinius.
The only thing lowering blocks will do is to shorten the distance from axle to frame, therefore bottoming out sooner. This is why c notches are popular.
C notches Russ. Thanks for Your explination. I am not familiar with the C notches. Could you show me how they look like and what there function is? Martinius.
It basically is half of a 4" steel pipe, cut into the frame over the axle to give the axle more room to travel up into the frame. http://www.brotherstrucks.com/prodinfo.asp?number=CNK7387
