Early Classic and general lowering questions

[Peregrine]

I am wanting to lower my truck the right way and go the drop spindles/springs route. The springs were cut by the previous owner 4 inches and I thinks that's just stupid. Now my suspension is all wacked out, tires wear goofy, front end pops from time to time. If I went with ECE and got 2 in. spindles and 2 in springs would I still have the wear problem and such? It would at least be fixed by a large margin. And with the 4 inch kits they have relocation kits for the shocks. What does that involve? Is it just a straight bolt on or will I have to drill in a few places? And this will greatly improve my handling as I understand it. Thanks in advance.

[Tx Firefighter]

A proper kit like ECE sells will fix all that ails you right now. A 2.5 spindle coupled with a 2 inch spring in the front will ride great, handle better, and not wear tires once aligned.

In the rear, the shock relocator kit requires grinding out 4 rivets. After that, it's a bolt in deal. No drilling required.

There is no need to do any relocating of shocks in the front, just buy the proper shocks from ECE when ordering your parts.

I speak from experience here, I have ECE slammed several of my trucks. See the picture in my signature for my latest ECE special.

[Tx Firefighter]

Here's 3 pics of my ECE shock relocator kit.

The one picture shows the stock upper mount next to the ECE relocator mount. This is what was originally riveted to the frame. It requires grinding the heads off of 4 rivets to remove them. Then, the new ECE brackets come with bolts to use to install them in the original rivet holes.

The lower bracket simply replaces the original stock lower mount bracket.

[Peregrine]

Thank you. Looks like a PITA to get to though. The price you pay for a nice riding truck

[Tx Firefighter]

I actually documented it on here when I did the whole install with lots of pictures and a blow-by-blow account of all the details.

It took me a full day to lower it front and back. This also included changing the rear over to a 5 lug rearend, and swapping the front drum brakes out for disc brakes, along with new master cylinder, proportioning valve, and mounting tires on new 5 lug wheels.

It was a full day of work.

The lowering job alone could easily be done in 4 or 5 hours though. The 5 lug swap stuff took the rest of the time.

[Alexis]

TX firefighter is right

I've done 2 ECE 4/6 drops on my own trucks.I use to install suspensions for a living. Our trucks are cake. ECE is a Great Company with great customer service.

[mbtoomey]

I dropped mine 2.50" in the front with drop spindles and 4.00" in the rear with springs from "Classic Performance Products". Also new bushings, ball joints, and tie rod ends. Drives like a new truck.

[incoma]

I used the 2.5 / 4 drop from ECE. Great product and as Alexis says, great customer service. I had problems with a brake line on the master to prop valve, and was able to email pictures and actually had the tech at ECE call me back to discuss one Saturday morning. I'll buy from them again.

[Joe67]

I just did the ECE 4/6 drop and it went together just as TX posted
Their tech support staff is 2nd to none IMO.