Going The Other Way: UP?
 

Ok,
everybody is getting real good at dropping a 67-72, I'd like to go the other way, UP with a coil sprung C20?? I already have the rear bags that are similar to ECE heavy duty bags only they will allow me to go from the stock C-20 height to about 4" higher if I want to. Now I'd like to know if the front of a C-20 can be 'bagged' to achieve a lift rather than a drop??

Anybody have experience with this or know the answer? Anybody know how high a C-20 front suspension can go before you run into trouble with alignment and 'topping out'??

Thanks for your help with this,
72longbed

BTW, I'll have four (4) ECE, standard height, C-10 coils with very little miles on them for sale as soon as I get the front bag situation figured out.
:flag: :bowtie: :gmc:

the more you lift the front suspension from stock the more droop you lose. get it aligned at the high you want it to ride... if thats above stock.. the higher you lift the front the harder it will be to align it and the more stress will be put on the stock ball joints. unfortunately nobody currently makes a lift spindle for anything pre 88... i am slowly in the process of trying to modify 88+ spindles to fit my 82.... we will see what that entails...

jon,
what do you mean "droop"??

thanks,
72longbed

I know, put a block between you lower a-arm and your bag, and call it good! Not sure, but there might be better way. ;)

Spring lifts are pretty much useless past 2" i believe, after that your lookin at balljoint spacers, alignment problems and a very stiff ride. Using 73+ stuff like lift spindles would be the way to go

How about modifing the front crossmember so you could drop it a couple inches? Meaning if you mounted the crossmember lower then it gives more height.

72longbed.....

by droop i mean downward travel... example...

you hit a bump the suspension flexes up.... you hit a pot hole/dip the suspension should drop down.... the more you lift it, the less down travel it will have..some people are ok with this as they think its not a big part of the suspension.. but a properly set up suspension will have both up and down travel...

Jon,
now I understand, it's like when you put a jack under the front crossmember and jack it up, you can see the upper control arm "snubber rubber" getting closer to the crossmember until it makes contact, then you are out of downward travel, right?

I like the idea of moving the front crossmember lower, its sort of like giving the truck a body lift up front. Is there a safe way to do this? What other steering components would be affected?? Is it too involved to be worth it?

Thanks,
72longbed
:flag: :bowtie: :gmc:

72longbed, i have thought about dropping the crossmember as well... it would allow you to run longer coils adding lift, and yet keeping your ball joint angle closer to stock.. one thing with that though that would have to be addressed would be steering shaft alignment.. if i am not mistaken, your steering arms should be at about the same angle as the control arms to work smoothly and reduce wear... moving the crossmember down may restore control arm angle, but may cause odd steering effects as the steering arms wouldnt be at the same angle.

eventually... if and when i get the carreer i want i will be totally redesigning the front suspension to allow for atleast a foot and a half of travel..

I have seen a truck that had dropped the entire front suspension. They didn't run any different springs because the lift was between the crossmember and the frame rails. The suspension worked fine, the problem was with the steering. They took two idler and two pitman arms and cut each of them on the opposite ends and then welded in a plate between them to make the drop. The problem was when they put everything back together was a loss in his turning radius. somehow the throw of the arm was shortened, the last that I've heard, there was nothing to cure this problem.

here this shows some newer lifted trucks... notice they have dropped crossmembers.. but as of currently nothing along those lines are offered for anything older than 88...

http://www.fullsizechevy.com/forums/...d.php?t=131932

its all up to you, your skills, and your pocket book...

as far as the angled plat between pitman and idler arms... sounds like a truck for the scary suspension website...

I guess you could use a really tall cup on the bottom It might ride kinda crappy ;)

wouldnt need a really tall cup.. they make coil spacers.. a 3/4" spacer will give you about 1.5" of lift due to suspension geometery..