Alignment Difference Question

[rudey737]

I currently have a 4.5/6 McGaughy's drop with 2.5" drop spindles and 2" drop springs on the front. After rebuilding the front end - ball joints, control arm bushings, sway bar bushings, inner & outer tie rod ends, pitman arm, and idler arm - and installing new body mounts, I still have a bit of rubbing up front and a pretty noticeable rake. This is all with 15x7 stock rally wheels and 215/75/15 tires on the front and 15x8 stock rally wheels with 225/75/15 tires on the rear.

I ordered a set of 1.5" Western Chassis lowering springs from Summit on Wednesday night, and they just showed up this morning. I know, that's only a 0.5" difference in the springs, but I'm hoping it'll help with the rubbing. It'll also help level up the front and rear. Right now, my truck has a pretty noticeable rake. I've read that other people have had an issue with the front end being lower than it should be with the 4.5/6 drop from McGaughy's, and that changing out springs has helped.

I'm going to do a before and after measurement on the front fenders to see how much I actually go up between the two springs. My question is, if it's only 0.5" how much can that actually affect my alignment? I'll check the toe in before and after I change out the springs, but I don't think 0.5" will affect it that much. Does anyone have any thoughts on this?

[stroker87]

where is it rubbing? my truck is 2/4 right now and was thinking of going lower but not sure? i dropped my 04 4.5/6.5 an had a lot of problems with rubbing so i'm not sure any more about my 87.......

[rudey737]

It's rubbing mostly on the inside half of the fenders. It rubs hard on sharp turns and when I hit big bumps on the highway. I'm ok with the big bumps on the highway. That's going to happen on a lowered vehicle. I'm not ok with it rubbing when I make a right hand turn from a stop sign, from a dead stop of course.

The rubbing is much better after I installed the poly body mounts this past Monday night. I expected it to raise the body up about a half inch, but it only stiffened the body to the frame. That allowed for the body to not roll as much in the curves on the road.

I realize I may be reaching here with raising the vehicle 0.5", but any little bit has to help. Especially with how bad the roads are here in St. Louis.

[stroker87]

you think it has to do with wheel offset or just to low?

[rudey737]

I think it's a combination of being too low and tire height, which is 27.7" on the front. Although, I'm pretty sure there are guys running around the same height tire and are as low as me without rubbing issues like mine.