'86 3/4 ton Suburban Q's - newb....

[J1MMY]

Hi All, awesome 'site you have here and the pics on here are mouthwatering - I hope you are all aware of how lucky you are to have proper vehicles to play with over there.

I live across the pond in the UK and Suburbans aren't exactly common over here and the same can be said for knowledge and aftermarket parts.

What is the easiest way to get the front of an '86 3/4 ton, 454ci & 2wd model dropped significantly? Have searched all over the 'net for drop spindles, springs etc but to no use. Is there somewhere that I've missed or is this vehicle type just not catered for? I'm a newcomer to Chevy's being a former F truck owner (dare I say that here?!)

Also, is there a way around the 8 lug hubs (or somewhere that offers rims for this fitment?).

Thanks for any help - it's much needed!

[tvblazer78]

Welcome to the site! We see some of you on here from the UK time to time.

First thing on the lowering part, check with BellTech or DJM for all the right parts that you may need to lower it.

Now on your lugs, you could change over to a 5 lug but you will have to change rotors and your rear end too. If you can find some used stuff it should not be that bad.

Thanks,
Trav

[J1MMY]

Cheers for the welcome.

Have checked both, unfortunately nothing for the Suburban. Do these have the same components as the equilavent trucks and I THINK I have read somewhere that the 2500 and 3500 share the same suspension/brake components....or have I misread something? (Have been googling solidly for the past 4 evenings)

[Franks Fab Shop]

hey jimmy

most all this stuff is interchangable form years '73-'87 (for the most part)

some things like the rear end are interchangable but need to cut off and relocate spring perches and shock mounts if the rear end you get is out of a truck or blazer. pretty simple with proper tools.

you can get some nice wheels for the 8 lug. get rid of the 16.5"
' wheels if thats what you have ...16" and 17" on up are the way to go there.

myself i'm a 3/4 ton, 14 bolt, full floater, rear end lover... a little heavy but bullet proof and the stopping power to make a train conductors' eyes well up.

good luck

[J1MMY]

Many thanks for more pointers

Actually have the truck outside the house now and it sure is heavy duty! The sound of the 454 through a single cherry bomb is to die for (easily pleased huh) but I'm definitely NOT loving the 4" lift or the 33" tyres on the turbo - vec lookalike rims.

so will the 1/2 ton or other arms bolt straight onto the 3/4 frame? I'm not too worried about changing rotors, if I can find an appropriate truck being broken then I will rob what I can.

[JEM]

Originally Posted by J1MMY

I live across the pond in the UK and Suburbans aren't exactly common over here and the same can be said for knowledge and aftermarket parts.

Don't envy paying to run that thing at UK petrol prices...it's definitely an unusual piece over there.

Originally Posted by J1MMY

What is the easiest way to get the front of an '86 3/4 ton, 454ci & 2wd model dropped significantly? Have searched all over the 'net for drop spindles, springs etc but to no use.

Western Chassis catalogs a 2.5in drop spindle; I'll be ordering a set next week. That's really all the drop I want.

That's the only spindle setup I'm aware of for the 3/4-ton chassis; there's a wide array of bits for the 1/2-ton and 1-ton trucks but not the 3/4-tons. In my case I'm staying with the 8-lug wheels and fat rotors since mine is first and foremost a tow vehicle.

In back I'll probably pull 2-3 leaves out of the 7-leaf springs and add a set of air springs on the leafsprings to get the load capacity back and tune the ride height.

Originally Posted by J1MMY

Also, is there a way around the 8 lug hubs (or somewhere that offers rims for this fitment?).

They're common over here; I'm not into big shiny 20in+ wheels and I needed something that'd accommodate a reinforced (Load Range E) tire so I've got a set of 17x8.5 takeoffs from a Hummer H2 that cost me $100 for the set.

[Primer70]

Early Classic Enterprise ( here in the US ) sells a 3/4 ton to 1/2 ton 2.5" drop spindle kit that allows you to keep the 3/4 ton ball joints & use 1/2 ton rotors. Shipping charges might suck since your in the UK, but you wont have to look for front end parts. You can use 1/2 ton truck drop coils up front & get an axle flip kit for the rear to get the Suburban down for that dropped look. Out back any 73 - 87 Chevy / GMC 1/2 ton pickup truck 10 or 12 bolt rear end will work in the rear. You might have to cut off the spring perches & shock mounts off & weld new ones on though.

[von guido]

you can swap out your control arms and run 1/2 tonne parts and run a flip kit in the rear. u could get the arms from a scrapyard or ebay and perches are 20 quid from moroso.