cheap lowering - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

.38 special · 11-18-2003, 05:17 AM

What is the best, cheapest way lower my 87' truck?
Probably 2"-4". I've been out of the truck seen for awhile now.

P.S., still working on posting a picture, but it is downright flooding here in Houston.

**N2TRUX** · 11-18-2003, 10:03 AM

The "best" and "cheapest" way would be replace the front coils and use a shackle and remove the lower overload spring from your leaf pack.

That will only give you about 2/3 though.

You could cut a coil on the stock spring, but whatever you do, DO NOT just heat the coil spring to lower it

Chevy67Tk · 11-18-2003, 02:02 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by .38 special

P.S., still working on posting a picture, but it is downright flooding here in Houston.

You might want to think about lifting it

.38 special · 11-18-2003, 03:07 PM

N2TRUX
Where can I find a shackle setup, and how much can I expect to pay? And How badly will ride quality suffer?

Chevy67Tk---Good point.

**Captkaos** · 11-18-2003, 04:52 PM

Shackles are usually around $40-$50. or.... Check this post for a flip kit...
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...0&pagenumber=2

bpmcgee · 11-18-2003, 05:21 PM

Cheapest way I can think of is what all the riceboys do around here -- small wheels and tires.

Brian

78' Silverado · 11-18-2003, 08:35 PM

I got my Filp-Kit/Lowering Springs as a package from Sport truck direct for 199.99. And then some Slammer Shcoks as well. For abotu 150 for 4 w/ shipping. So that IMO is a dam cheap lowering package haha. But...Try them..They real good

TwinTurbo · 11-18-2003, 08:39 PM

Why replace the coils? The cheapest way is to cut the coils. If you replace them the new shorter coils will sag and the car will likely sit too low. The old coils are already "settled" and cutting them is easy and cheap. Jsut cut off 1/2 a coil and heat the remaining half with oxy/acet tocrch, then quickly turn the spring upside down (don't touch the hot part) and sit on it to flatten the 1/2 coil so it bends flat and becomes inactive.

The spring rate will be raised a tad too since you''ll have less active coils. So, not only will the susp. be lower, it''ll be a tad stiuffer too.

.38 special · 11-19-2003, 02:04 AM

Is that what N2Trux was telling me not to do? Or was he telling me not to just heat them and kind of smash them down? This way, I would just be flattening the bottom coil, right?
Don't leave me hangin' N2Trux.

Prerunner1982 · 11-19-2003, 02:09 AM

ok so where is that pic?

.38 special · 11-19-2003, 02:18 AM

still too wet to wash it. I promise--this was a serious storm, didn't get the power back on until about 6 o'clock.

ocbaud · 11-19-2003, 02:21 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by TwinTurbo
Why replace the coils? The cheapest way is to cut the coils. If you replace them the new shorter coils will sag and the car will likely sit too low. The old coils are already "settled" and cutting them is easy and cheap. Jsut cut off 1/2 a coil and heat the remaining half with oxy/acet tocrch, then quickly turn the spring upside down (don't touch the hot part) and sit on it to flatten the 1/2 coil so it bends flat and becomes inactive.

The spring rate will be raised a tad too since you''ll have less active coils. So, not only will the susp. be lower, it''ll be a tad stiuffer too.

i wouldnt heat the coil

TIMSPEED · 11-19-2003, 03:27 AM

The ABSOLUTE cheapest way, would be to cut the coil (use a hacksaw, it'll just take a WHILE.) and then make a flip-kit bracket (not too hard) and voila. You can get a 3/5 drop for maybe $8
A friend of mine did this, and literally, his rides better than my $500 job (3" Drop Spindles, 5" DJM Flip-Kit, Doetsch Tech Shocks)

TwinTurbo · 11-19-2003, 04:41 AM

Okay...READ MY LIPS

I didn't say heat the entire coil spring, just cut it off and heat the remaining 1/2 coil. You can cut the coil WITH the oxy aceth torch, since you will render the remaining 1/2 useless when bending it (this is a critical part of the process, you must immobilize that coil, making it inactive) You can cut it with the hacksaw if you're not comfortable with the torch method but afterwards you must still heat up the remaining half of the coil you cut off to make it flat like the last coil is from the factory

Heating the coil with a torch to collapse it will ruin it, I know a guy with a mustang on which the previous owner (some mindless kid) did the exact same thing and the car had no suspension left

He was driving on the jounce bumpers all the time LOL

The only right way to shorten a spring with heat is to build some kind of compressor tool (2 thick plates, a threaded rod and 2 round blocks to center the spring) and drop it in an oven aft 400F for a couple of hours. Only problem, it's trial and error as far as the outcome of length will be, you may need to shim the springs afterwards. The spring rate won't change this way.

The people that say you can't cut springs are the people that are intending to sell you a new set of coils, it's BS. I've been cutting coils for years, never a problem.

**Captkaos** · 11-19-2003, 10:27 AM

TwinTurbo,
I feel your frustration.... No one wants to believe this is the way you used to do it before dropped coils existed, and it got a BAD rep because so many people don't understand the process. I finally gave up on describing/recommending it because of that....

BaggedC10 · 11-19-2003, 11:16 AM

I agree, don't cut a factory spring. Compare a stock spring to an Eibach spring and you'll see a big difference.

TwinTurbo · 11-19-2003, 12:43 PM

what's the difference between a stock and an eibach? compare apples to apples, the spring rate is dependant on the number of active coils, coil diameter and wire diameter (also metal sort, most are the same)

So, when you compare two 340# or so springs the eibach and the moog/gm will be the same. Springs are just springs, simple, nothing fancy.

Compare single rate springs, not variable rate.

Catkaos, I'm not giving up. I really don't understand why there's so much BS floating around when it comes to springs (and suspension stuff in general).

The topic says CHEAP lowering, and attacking what you already have with a torch is the cheapest thing I can come up with.

.38 special · 11-19-2003, 03:55 PM

I understood what you said Twin Turbo. I just wanted to see if the others where talking about not heating the entire spring.
I don't see any problem with heating the last coil.
And these are the kind of answers I am looking for.

**Captkaos** · 11-19-2003, 04:26 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by TwinTurbo
Catkaos, I'm not giving up. I really don't understand why there's so much BS floating around when it comes to springs (and suspension stuff in general).

Because people don't understand them. Most try to make a big deal out of a simple thing. I was going to basically put what you did and let those who want to decide on their own. I don't particularly care to argue about something not working when I have done it more times that I care to count. Continue on my friend!

BaggedC10 · 11-19-2003, 10:41 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by TwinTurbo
Springs are just springs, simple, nothing fancy.

LOL.....I'm not going to even start.

TwinTurbo · 11-19-2003, 10:46 PM

What do you mean?? Do you have something to add? Share your knowledge then.

Springs have only 2 factors, rate and load. Some have variable rate (progressive), most are linear.. so, what more is there?

The spring must be one of the most simnple mechanical components in a car...

**N2TRUX** · 11-19-2003, 11:05 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by .38 special
Is that what N2Trux was telling me not to do? Or was he telling me not to just heat them and kind of smash them down? This way, I would just be flattening the bottom coil, right?
Don't leave me hangin' N2Trux.

.38 Special, what I was saying is don't heat the spring to collapse it. I wasn't trying to get this mess going when I said it though.

I have cut quit a few coil springs myself, but I never take it past one coil. Anything more, and you start to get in a gray area of how much it will drop, and how rough it will ride.

You can use a hacksaw, but it is slow. You can use a torch too, but I suggest submerging 90% of the spring in water. It may be overkill, but I would rather be safe than have a spring go soft....

phantom dually · 11-19-2003, 11:25 PM

Use a angle grinder with a flat disc or a cutoff wheel. It goes quick and dont heat up. Hacksaw!! WHEEWW!! Im tired hearing that!!

**N2TRUX** · 11-19-2003, 11:28 PM

Phantom, I have done it before with a hacksaw, but it is slow. I am assuming since he is on a budget, he may not have access to air tools.

Another trick I have used is to put a tile blade in a circular saw. It works just like a cut-off wheel....

BaggedC10 · 11-19-2003, 11:33 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by TwinTurbo
What do you mean??

Either way, we both think we're right. No matter what is said.....

11-18-2003, 05:17 AM	#1
.38 special Registered User Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Houston area Posts: 65	cheap lowering What is the best, cheapest way lower my 87' truck? Probably 2"-4". I've been out of the truck seen for awhile now. P.S., still working on posting a picture, but it is downright flooding here in Houston. __________________ Turbo Joe 1987 GMC sierra 1987 Buick Turbo Regal

11-18-2003, 10:03 AM	#2
N2TRUX Happy to be here Join Date: Mar 2000 Location: Cypress, TX Posts: 39,021	The "best" and "cheapest" way would be replace the front coils and use a shackle and remove the lower overload spring from your leaf pack. That will only give you about 2/3 though. You could cut a coil on the stock spring, but whatever you do, DO NOT just heat the coil spring to lower it __________________ Follow me on Facebook and Instagram @N2trux.com Articles- "Jake" the 84 to 74 crewcab "Elwood" the77_Remix 85 GMC Sierra "Scarlett" "Refining Sierra"

11-18-2003, 03:07 PM	#4
.38 special Registered User Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Houston area Posts: 65	N2TRUX Where can I find a shackle setup, and how much can I expect to pay? And How badly will ride quality suffer? Chevy67Tk---Good point. __________________ Turbo Joe 1987 GMC sierra 1987 Buick Turbo Regal

11-18-2003, 04:52 PM	#5
Captkaos www.73-87chevytrucks.com Join Date: Dec 1999 Location: Birmingham, AL Posts: 6,935	Shackles are usually around $40-$50. or.... Check this post for a flip kit... http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...0&pagenumber=2 __________________ Chris Lucas 1973 Chevy C-10 1978 GMC Jimmy (2WD) - SOLD 1987 R10 twin turbo LS 1991 R3500 SRW CrewCab 1985 K5 diesel swapped project 1989 K5 2WD conversion w/ Vette susp Project Captkaos Customs 73-87chevytrucks.com

11-18-2003, 08:35 PM	#7
78' Silverado \/ My Loves \/ Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Midland,Texas Posts: 462	I got my Filp-Kit/Lowering Springs as a package from Sport truck direct for 199.99. And then some Slammer Shcoks as well. For abotu 150 for 4 w/ shipping. So that IMO is a dam cheap lowering package haha. But...Try them..They real good __________________ 78' Silverado - Blue - (In a Coma) 04' Silverado -Red- 383 Stroker in progress for the 78'!!!

11-18-2003, 05:21 PM	#6
bpmcgee Registered User Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Northern Illinois Posts: 2,181	Cheapest way I can think of is what all the riceboys do around here -- small wheels and tires. Brian

11-18-2003, 08:39 PM	#8
TwinTurbo Registered User Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 994	Why replace the coils? The cheapest way is to cut the coils. If you replace them the new shorter coils will sag and the car will likely sit too low. The old coils are already "settled" and cutting them is easy and cheap. Jsut cut off 1/2 a coil and heat the remaining half with oxy/acet tocrch, then quickly turn the spring upside down (don't touch the hot part) and sit on it to flatten the 1/2 coil so it bends flat and becomes inactive. The spring rate will be raised a tad too since you''ll have less active coils. So, not only will the susp. be lower, it''ll be a tad stiuffer too.

11-19-2003, 02:04 AM	#9
.38 special Registered User Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Houston area Posts: 65	Is that what N2Trux was telling me not to do? Or was he telling me not to just heat them and kind of smash them down? This way, I would just be flattening the bottom coil, right? Don't leave me hangin' N2Trux. __________________ Turbo Joe 1987 GMC sierra 1987 Buick Turbo Regal

11-19-2003, 02:09 AM	#10
Prerunner1982 Registered User Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Edmond, OK Posts: 5,904	ok so where is that pic? __________________ Jon 1982 Chevy Silverado 350/th350.... RETIRED 1993 Jeep XJ 2 door(Cherokee) 4wd 4.0ltr/AX-15 (5spd)/NP231 .... Oklahoma Roll Call

11-19-2003, 02:18 AM	#11
.38 special Registered User Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Houston area Posts: 65	still too wet to wash it. I promise--this was a serious storm, didn't get the power back on until about 6 o'clock. __________________ Turbo Joe 1987 GMC sierra 1987 Buick Turbo Regal

11-19-2003, 03:27 AM	#13
TIMSPEED Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Modesto, CA Posts: 1,321	The ABSOLUTE cheapest way, would be to cut the coil (use a hacksaw, it'll just take a WHILE.) and then make a flip-kit bracket (not too hard) and voila. You can get a 3/5 drop for maybe $8 A friend of mine did this, and literally, his rides better than my $500 job (3" Drop Spindles, 5" DJM Flip-Kit, Doetsch Tech Shocks) __________________ I have a few cars... See Them Here

11-19-2003, 04:41 AM	#14
TwinTurbo Registered User Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 994	Okay...READ MY LIPS I didn't say heat the entire coil spring, just cut it off and heat the remaining 1/2 coil. You can cut the coil WITH the oxy aceth torch, since you will render the remaining 1/2 useless when bending it (this is a critical part of the process, you must immobilize that coil, making it inactive) You can cut it with the hacksaw if you're not comfortable with the torch method but afterwards you must still heat up the remaining half of the coil you cut off to make it flat like the last coil is from the factory Heating the coil with a torch to collapse it will ruin it, I know a guy with a mustang on which the previous owner (some mindless kid) did the exact same thing and the car had no suspension left He was driving on the jounce bumpers all the time LOL The only right way to shorten a spring with heat is to build some kind of compressor tool (2 thick plates, a threaded rod and 2 round blocks to center the spring) and drop it in an oven aft 400F for a couple of hours. Only problem, it's trial and error as far as the outcome of length will be, you may need to shim the springs afterwards. The spring rate won't change this way. The people that say you can't cut springs are the people that are intending to sell you a new set of coils, it's BS. I've been cutting coils for years, never a problem. Last edited by TwinTurbo; 11-19-2003 at 07:48 AM.

11-19-2003, 10:27 AM	#15
Captkaos www.73-87chevytrucks.com Join Date: Dec 1999 Location: Birmingham, AL Posts: 6,935	TwinTurbo, I feel your frustration.... No one wants to believe this is the way you used to do it before dropped coils existed, and it got a BAD rep because so many people don't understand the process. I finally gave up on describing/recommending it because of that.... __________________ Chris Lucas 1973 Chevy C-10 1978 GMC Jimmy (2WD) - SOLD 1987 R10 twin turbo LS 1991 R3500 SRW CrewCab 1985 K5 diesel swapped project 1989 K5 2WD conversion w/ Vette susp Project Captkaos Customs 73-87chevytrucks.com

11-19-2003, 11:16 AM	#16
BaggedC10 Under construction! Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: NorCal Posts: 1,065	I agree, don't cut a factory spring. Compare a stock spring to an Eibach spring and you'll see a big difference. __________________ 2001 Silverado bagged on 22's. Sold

11-19-2003, 12:43 PM	#17
TwinTurbo Registered User Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 994	what's the difference between a stock and an eibach? compare apples to apples, the spring rate is dependant on the number of active coils, coil diameter and wire diameter (also metal sort, most are the same) So, when you compare two 340# or so springs the eibach and the moog/gm will be the same. Springs are just springs, simple, nothing fancy. Compare single rate springs, not variable rate. Catkaos, I'm not giving up. I really don't understand why there's so much BS floating around when it comes to springs (and suspension stuff in general). The topic says CHEAP lowering, and attacking what you already have with a torch is the cheapest thing I can come up with.



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11-19-2003, 03:55 PM	#18
.38 special Registered User Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Houston area Posts: 65	I understood what you said Twin Turbo. I just wanted to see if the others where talking about not heating the entire spring. I don't see any problem with heating the last coil. And these are the kind of answers I am looking for. __________________ Turbo Joe 1987 GMC sierra 1987 Buick Turbo Regal

11-19-2003, 10:46 PM	#21
TwinTurbo Registered User Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 994	What do you mean?? Do you have something to add? Share your knowledge then. Springs have only 2 factors, rate and load. Some have variable rate (progressive), most are linear.. so, what more is there? The spring must be one of the most simnple mechanical components in a car... Last edited by TwinTurbo; 11-19-2003 at 10:56 PM.

11-19-2003, 11:25 PM	#23
phantom dually Project92 SWB stepside Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Louisville KY Posts: 4,792	Use a angle grinder with a flat disc or a cutoff wheel. It goes quick and dont heat up. Hacksaw!! WHEEWW!! Im tired hearing that!! __________________ 92 C1500 stepside 496 Stroker Competiton Engineering Ladder bars/QA1 coilovers. Dana 60 rear with 4.10 gear and posi. Bonspeed Palisade 20x12 in rear w/335/30/20 and 20x8.5 front w/245/40/20. 5/8 drop with Belltech springs/DJM spindles/drop shocks. WWS Progress thread http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=140448

11-19-2003, 11:28 PM	#24
N2TRUX Happy to be here Join Date: Mar 2000 Location: Cypress, TX Posts: 39,021	Phantom, I have done it before with a hacksaw, but it is slow. I am assuming since he is on a budget, he may not have access to air tools. Another trick I have used is to put a tile blade in a circular saw. It works just like a cut-off wheel....

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