Lowered 86 question

[konakustoms]

Hello guys... I have been looking for a site to ask a few questions on and get some feed back on a 86 shortbed c10 I am restoring.
I ordered a set of 3" lowering springs, 3" spindles, rear flip kit from summit racing & installed it all. Truck looks awsome now but front tires are hitting the inner fenders on big dips pretty bad. Had to trim the inner fender lip a little to keep the tire from rolling the lip out.
Any suggestions??? I do not want to remove my inner fenders. Do you guys think stiffer shocks or the 1" poly spring spacers will help?? Anyone use the 1" spacers??

Thanks......Brad

[J Knight]

Change your 3in drop springs to 2in drop springs.
Posted via Mobile Device

[konakustoms]

I kinda figured you guys would say change the springs. Hate to trash a new set of springs I just installed and drove less than 100 miles with.
Do the lowering shocks help alot? My headers & frame/crossmenber, and other is fine and never hit......just the tire rub in the fenderwell top. Seems like these new lowering springs are half as stiff as the stock springs also.....may be my stock shocks??

I would post a couple pics but not shure how to attach them to this site.....any help would be appericated.

[Slonaker]

Maybe reinstall your stock coil springs (if they are still good), and remove 1 coil from them? Even better, remove half a coil at at time until you get the look you want. Just don't cut too much off...

Slonaker

[konakustoms]

I cut the old springs out. I think someone had installed 3/4 or 1 ton springs & they were under ALOT of pressure when I disassembled it to install the new parts.
I have the tired old 305 out and sold it & am building a vortec for it now so I guess it will have to wait for the motor to be reinstalled.
Just thought I would try to make a correction while im painting all the suspension and replacing all the sheet metal on the truck body over the next few months.
I even pulled my boat with it once to see how it was going to handle before I disassembled the truck to paint and it actually did good......except for the front tires rub on bridge dips at highway speed which scares the heck out of me.
Guess I will try the poly spacers from summit and a set of the lowering shocks to see if that stiffens it up a little before I buy new springs again.
Thanks for the input guys and any other suggestions would be greatly appericated!

[konakustoms]

I think I will start a thread on my 86 restoration and post pics and get advise on the restoration thread instead of filling the board with question threads.

Can a moderator or someone please tell me the easiest & fastest way to post pics of things?

Thanks guys! This site is awsome with alot of good info! Keep up the good work guys!

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by konakustoms

Hello guys... I have been looking for a site to ask a few questions on and get some feed back on a 86 shortbed c10 I am restoring.
I ordered a set of 3" lowering springs, 3" spindles, rear flip kit from summit racing & installed it all. Truck looks awsome now but front tires are hitting the inner fenders on big dips pretty bad. Had to trim the inner fender lip a little to keep the tire from rolling the lip out.
Any suggestions??? I do not want to remove my inner fenders. Do you guys think stiffer shocks or the 1" poly spring spacers will help?? Anyone use the 1" spacers??

Thanks......Brad

Drive slower over big dips.

K

[konakustoms]

Knew that was coming sooner or later.....lol
I live in the outskirts of St Louis.....If ya slow down to 45mph on the hwy at every bridge with a dip then im gonna have a shorter shortbed with these brain dead drivers.....

[slugish]

have had spacers under my 3 in springs for 7-8 yrs with drop shocks& 2.5 spindles . Bump stops are still stock which prevents it from bottoming out .Very stiff ride ,but would rather be stiff than rubbing. Come to think of it I only have spacer on one side because one side used to set 1 in higher than the other. good luck !

[konakustoms]

Originally Posted by slugish

have had spacers under my 3 in springs for 7-8 yrs with drop shocks& 2.5 spindles . Bump stops are still stock which prevents it from bottoming out .Very stiff ride ,but would rather be stiff than rubbing. Come to think of it I only have spacer on one side because one side used to set 1 in higher than the other. good luck !

Kool.....I think im gonna try the spacers first and stiff shocks. If it doesn't rub then kool. Bumping is not a issue,,,,,Tire rubbing the inner fender is my big issue....Maybe when I get my new tires & wheels I can run a little more clearance and keep the look I like also. I was thinking the 1" poly spacers will give a better ride also!

[grs]

My 87 had 2 inch shorter springs, and 2 and 1/2 inch drop spindles. The rally 15 inch wheels hit the lower control arms. The previous owner cut the steering stops off. I put 1 inch shorter coils on the truck. I am now making steering stops to put on the truck. I will post later and let you know if it works. People should get information before they do anything.

[konakustoms]

Originally Posted by grs

My 87 had 2 inch shorter springs, and 2 and 1/2 inch drop spindles. The rally 15 inch wheels hit the lower control arms. The previous owner cut the steering stops off. I put 1 inch shorter coils on the truck. I am now making steering stops to put on the truck. I will post later and let you know if it works. People should get information before they do anything.

Yep...you are rite. I have lowered alot of old cars but never a c10. I did my homework but this was never mentioned unless the guys were using air bags. My wheels did hit the drop spindles that I got from DJM but in the instructions it said to grind them down so after taking a grinder and sander to them they looked unmodified and do not rub the wheel anymore.
I learned alot from this truck job! Still need to modify the flip kit on the rear but I am gonna do that when the bed comes off in a week or so.

[N2TRUX]

Welcome to the site KonaKustoms. It looks like you tried to do it the right way and it still bit ya. The biggest issue here are those 3" springs. On many applications they work just fine. For some reason, 3" is too much on our trucks.

You can got to a shorter tire, make a taller bump stop, or try spacers but those are all a patch. I would either sell the 3" and replace them with 2" or get another set of stockers and cut one coil off.

Good luck with it and keep us posted on your progress.

[konakustoms]

Originally Posted by N2TRUX

Welcome to the site KonaKustoms. It looks like you tried to do it the right way and it still bit ya. The biggest issue here are those 3" springs. On many applications they work just fine. For some reason, 3" is too much on our trucks.

You can got to a shorter tire, make a taller bump stop, or try spacers but those are all a patch. I would either sell the 3" and replace them with 2" or get another set of stockers and cut one coil off.

Good luck with it and keep us posted on your progress.

Thanks.....Kinda figure I will be changing springs again...I dont like a patch, I like things rite

[konakustoms]

http://i878.photobucket.com/albums/a...yresto1004.jpg
Before drop

[konakustoms]

http://i878.photobucket.com/albums/a...ringc10032.jpg

After if this works

[gGMC DOG]

opps

[konakustoms]

opps

[konakustoms]

Originally Posted by konakustoms

opps

I give up.....Maybe someone can tell me how to post a pic??

[konakustoms]

Amazing the things I can do but I cant for the life of me figure out a pic on this site.....this is funny stuff.

[konakustoms]

[stroker87]

if you open up a photobucket account upload the pics to it then you can use a link to post them here in the forum thats what i do

[konakustoms]

Originally Posted by stroker87

if you open up a photobucket account upload the pics to it then you can use a link to post them here in the forum thats what i do

thats what im doing or at least trying to do but they are small pics

[konakustoms]

I did it!!! But not shure how......LMFAO

[konakustoms]

testing.............