1970 C20 Lowering/leveling

[BiggSixx1970]

Hey everyone!

1970 c20 with HD coil springs, auxiliary leafs, and drums on all 4 corners, here

I have been wanting to level my truck and I am looking for a budget way to drop it a couple-few inches. I don't want to slam it (maybe in the future, after I convert it to discs in the front but that won't happen for quite some time) I have been searching through this site for threads about dropping 3/4 tons and found loads about converting it to 1/2 ton suspension and 5/6 lug conversions, but these also require disc brake swaps as well and I am honestly not interested in turning it into a half ton, I want to keep it 3/4 ton and keep it 8 lug at all costs, and for the mean time it needs to stay drum up front.

Now as it currently sits, I have 2 235/75r/15's on the front and on the back it's got 16'' split rims with some gnarly tall skinnies (you know, the ones with inner tubes an that zig-zag tread pattern) which are obviously taller than the fronts.. Winter is coming so I have no problem with those staying on for a while

I made sure when I bought the truck I got all the original rims with it, so I obviously know it all starts with like size rims and tires, but the HD springs also appear to give it some additional rake. When I pick up some new rubber this spring, I want to level the truck but level it on the lower side

RUNDOWN: I want to lower my truck, keep it 8 lug, keep it drum, and use the stock suspension keeping it 3/4 ton. Some of what I read pointed to simply replacing the coils to shorter coils? I looked into drop spindles but they all require you to convert the suspension.. I have also heard people say you can cut a coil or two out, one of my buddies even said you can just take a torch and heat up the springs and do it "Mexican lowrider style" But wouldn't removing coils and heating the springs compromise the structural integrity of the system?

Thoughts?

Thank you all! Your responses give this newb gearhead hope

[Longhorn 70]

The springs in my 70 C20 were quite worn. I had also taken the Chevy Small block and placed an Olds big block under the hood. That dropped it 2+ inches but made it handle like junk. I put new springs under the front end and it's back up to where I'd like it. Sorry I didn't save the old springs.

New springs with cut coil may work for the front. Lowering spindles and bags may be the way you want to go to maintain suspension in the front. The rear? Just put the springs UNDER the axle instead of on top. You'll have to put the blox on top and turn the U bolts upside down and get a different rear brake hose.

I'm sure there are other ways to do this but if easy budget is your plan this may work.

OH one more thing, finding cool wheels for the 8 lug is kind of a pain.

[OSM 70 C20]

I am subscribing, hopefully I can leech some info as well from this thread...

[BiggSixx1970]

Originally Posted by Longhorn 70

The springs in my 70 C20 were quite worn. I had also taken the Chevy Small block and placed an Olds big block under the hood. That dropped it 2+ inches but made it handle like junk. I put new springs under the front end and it's back up to where I'd like it. Sorry I didn't save the old springs.

New springs with cut coil may work for the front. Lowering spindles and bags may be the way you want to go to maintain suspension in the front. The rear? Just put the springs UNDER the axle instead of on top. You'll have to put the blox on top and turn the U bolts upside down and get a different rear brake hose.

I'm sure there are other ways to do this but if easy budget is your plan this may work.

OH one more thing, finding cool wheels for the 8 lug is kind of a pain.

lowering spindles and bags are great.. but as I mentioned that is far out of my price range right now, and in order for me to do that I would have to convert it to disc or c10 suspension. As far as the wheels go, I'm kind of a fan of dressed up steelies, and the h2 hummer wheels look pretty good as well. What's this about the rear end?

[crazy longhorn]

If you are only looking a couple inches of drop....a new set of springs, with 1 full ring cut off the bottom , should get you there up front..(do not heat them for the drop), as you will loose the temp in the spring At the rear, I would look for a longer (drop shackle), might give 1 1/2-2". If you need more, cut the rivets off the front spring hangers, & redrill the frame to move the hangers UP(1 1/2-2")This should help to level the truck a tad, & still keep your hauling capacity I flipped the diff in my longhorn(over the leaf), but it set the rear so low, that I opted to move both the front & rear spring hangers DOWN on the frame a couple inches to set her back up a tad. Be sure to use grade 8 hardware on the suspension parts for saftey. Have fun,crazyL