How to drop the front end? How much?

[PRattenbury]

So, I have the engine out of the truck, the front clip is off, the front suspension and steering is out, all I have left is a couple frame rails sticking out from under the cab. Pretty distressing. So I was looking at my spindles and my springs, and decided I could use some new springs. My spindles look okay, other than being covered in sludge. I have new control arm bushings and ball joints to put in. I am running some 275/60R15s on the front. I don't feel compelled to run out and buy any 22s, so I guess I'll stay with what I have there. I don't feel the need to lay rocker, either. So I guess what I am hoping to get from the wealth of knowledge on the subject here is, what parts should I get to drop the truck enough so you can certainly tell it's lowered, but not so low I'm rubbing things and panicking at the sight of a speed bump? Can someone shed a little light on this for me? Any suggestions as to what vendor to use that would have what I need in stock and be able to get it to me quickly? Time is not my friend, even if the truck is not my DD. Thanks for any wisdom you might be good enough to share!

Paul

[muthstryker]

3" Drop spindles, up front as well as trimming your stock spring. Out back You could just use a flip kit, unless you dont want to do a 4/6 drop. You could always go spindles up front and a hanger/shackle kit out back. You could drop your truck for around $500-$700 depending on weather or not you buy new shocks. With the 275/60/15 I bet you could get away with a 4" drop up front and still have plenty of room, depending on the backspacing of the wheels.

Not sure what vendors would have this stuff, I always forget about them and order through summit or stylintrucks.com which both have extremely fast shipping. Im sure someone will chime in about the vendors.

[PRattenbury]

How much drop do you have on your truck? I like the look of it. Did you use drop spindles and coils up front?

[muthstryker]

Originally Posted by PRattenbury

How much drop do you have on your truck? I like the look of it. Did you use drop spindles and coils up front?

My truck is like a 5.5/8 Drop. I used 2.5" Drop spindles, 2" Drop Springs and I cut half a coil off of them. Out back I did a flip kit with lowering shackles. However, I had to removed my inner fenders because my 20s rubber really bad when turning or going around corners at any type of speed (Almost died one day due to it.) I wouldnt recommend that much drop if your worried about speed bumps though.

Its not my daily driver so im not worried about it, But I am going to be doing a full air bag set up because I like the trucks rolling around low on big wheels but I hate having to worry about weather or not I can pull into a parking lot. Its going to be nice to not have to worry any more and just beable to lift it up. If you just want a static drop stick to a 4/6 MAX.

[PRattenbury]

Originally Posted by muthstryker

My truck is like a 5.5/8 Drop. I used 2.5" Drop spindles, 2" Drop Springs and I cut half a coil off of them.

Isn't cutting half a coil off a set of 2" drop springs the same as buying 3" springs????

[N2TRUX]

Originally Posted by PRattenbury

Isn't cutting half a coil off a set of 2" drop springs the same as buying 3" springs????

If I were to choose between the two, I would go with cutting a 2" spring. The 2" spring will have a higher spring rate and won't be as soft as a stock 3" spring.

My "first" choice would be a 3" spindle and a stock spring with one coil cut off. Mod your lower A-arm if needed, and call it good.

[muthstryker]

Originally Posted by PRattenbury

Isn't cutting half a coil off a set of 2" drop springs the same as buying 3" springs????

Ha ya, My bad.. The main thing is I think 3" Springs have more coils then the 2" Springs do, The difference when I cut half a coil was maybe .5"s. More coils just mean a stiffer ride. Thats why people say cutting the stock springs gives you the best ride. Its also going to depend on the shocks you are running. I have used a few different ones before I finally found one I loved, My friends that have ridden in my truck have also switched to the same shocks.

Belltech street performance shock. They are about 50$s each on stylintrucks.com

[lilpoindexter]

I put a flip kit on the back of my ****, with 2.5" spindles and 2" springs on the front...I don't really want it any lower in the back, because I use it as a truck every now and then, but with my setup, I have a slight rake towards the front...If i would do it again, I'd only use 1" springs up front, for a more even ride height front to back. If you use 3" spindles...you're buying new wheels or cutting your control arms.

[muthstryker]

Originally Posted by lilpoindexter

If you use 3" spindles...you're buying new wheels or cutting your control arms.

Or running adapters if you have enough backspace on the wheels.

[PRattenbury]

Well, crap. Seems like one mod causes others, and before you know it you've spent a lotta ching. I think I put enough into this thing this week. Guess I'll clean what I have maybe replace the springs and call it good for now. I wish I could take this opportunity to go lower, but oh well. Gotta live within my means. Bummer. I need a big sandblasting bay to clean all this mess I got goin on. Ugh, the drudgery!

[muthstryker]

Originally Posted by PRattenbury

Well, crap. Seems like one mod causes others, and before you know it you've spent a lotta ching. I think I put enough into this thing this week. Guess I'll clean what I have maybe replace the springs and call it good for now. I wish I could take this opportunity to go lower, but oh well. Gotta live within my means. Bummer. I need a big sandblasting bay to clean all this mess I got goin on. Ugh, the drudgery!

You could still do a small drop with out running into problems. You could run 2" Spindles so your wheels dont contact the lower control arms, and you could buy 1" drop springs, Or you could cut your stock springs because everyone says the ride is better that way. You can drop your truck a 3/5 or 4/6 for relatively cheap with out running into problems just need to figure out the best set up to run.

If you give me all your tire sizes, the back spacing on the wheels, the look your going for, and what your looking to spend I could basically put together a list of part numbers for you to buy so you wouldnt run into any problems.

If you want to do something like this, Take a look around the 73-87 Shortbed picture thread and get an idea on how low you want to go. Alot of guys are dropped running 15s so I think you would be able to decide fairly quickly on something you like. Did you see the pictures of my truck with the 15" Centerline wheels?

[PRattenbury]

Wow. That's huge of you to offer. I do appreciate it. And I wish I had the time and the funds to make my truck ride like yours. It looks awesome. So I could do like 2" spindles and maybe 2" drop springs???

[JAG66]

Originally Posted by muthstryker

You could still do a small drop with out running into problems. You could run 2" Spindles so your wheels dont contact the lower control arms, and you could buy 1" drop springs, Or you could cut your stock springs because everyone says the ride is better that way. You can drop your truck a 3/5 or 4/6 for relatively cheap with out running into problems just need to figure out the best set up to run.

If you give me all your tire sizes, the back spacing on the wheels, the look your going for, and what your looking to spend I could basically put together a list of part numbers for you to buy so you wouldnt run into any problems.

If you want to do something like this, Take a look around the 73-87 Shortbed picture thread and get an idea on how low you want to go. Alot of guys are dropped running 15s so I think you would be able to decide fairly quickly on something you like. Did you see the pictures of my truck with the 15" Centerline wheels?

Didn't intend to highjack, but are you saying you can use 2" drop spindles with stock 8" rallys without caliper or LCA interference? What brand?

[muthstryker]

That looks really good! I try and tell people to cut their stock springs because everyone says they ride better.

[PRattenbury]

Yeah, that looks good. And the price is certainly right. :-)

[N2TRUX]

Nothing wrong with cutting stock springs. Just remember "cut" don't "heat" the springs and you are golden.

[PRattenbury]

Is the backspacing the distance between the outside bead of the wheel and the inboard surface of the bolting flange?

[Malo83]

Originally Posted by PRattenbury

Is the backspacing the distance between the outside bead of the wheel and the inboard surface of the bolting flange?

http://www.wheelvintiques.com/wordpr...el_fitment.jpg

[PRattenbury]

Looks like backspacing is the distance between the inboard (mating) side of the mounting flange and the inboard bead. Looks like 15 x 8 wheels with 4 inch backspacing.

[muthstryker]

Side note, Nice to know your going low the first time time around! Would suck to have to drop it, not be happy and drop it even more afterwards! Build it right the first time. (I should of followed my own rule but I got impatient not im rebuilding practically the whole truck! haha)

[Telecasterjoey]

Jag 66 you've gotta do a write up on how you lowered your truck! And also what size radial ta's are those??

[chevymotocross]

I went with belltech 2'' coils and Western Chassis 2.5'' spindles up front, flip kit and shackles in the rear. I love the stance, BUT it rides rough, but that's because of the rough roads around here in CT. Long winter means lots of plowing, which means lots of potholes in the spring and just F'd up roads.

Certainly drivable, has to be, since it's my transportation, but if I were to do it again, I'd go 2/4. I've been to two alignment shops, just to make sure the first wasn't joking, but when you put a 2'' drop coil, the amount of shims needed for camber is rediculous. I could only imagine 3'' springs, probably wouldn't have enough room on the camber studs for enough shims!

So I recommend the front drop I have for overall decent roads, and only a spindle drop for roads that are rough.