Suburban lowering question

[Hart_Rod]

Will the lowering kits for 84-87 fit on the 89? If so, what kit do you use? If not, what kit do you use? TIA

[Ziegelsteinfaust]

Kits for 73-88 or what ever the change over is will work.

Being a Burb you should 1.25 inch rotors.

I would do spindles before coils depending on how low you desire to go.

[lolife99]

89-81 suburbans are the same as the 73-87 burbs.
Also mentioned you should have the 1.25” rotors.

I had a 91 burb lowered with 4” drop leaf springs.
You will need to shim the carrier bearing mount to help with driveshaft length.
I had drop spindles and springs up front.

I see a lot of people using flip kits on the rear.
TinWorks Fabrication make a bolt in c-notch with the “suburban only” body mount built in.
This gets you axle clearance, but also gets the center section of the rearend close to the bed floor.
Good luck with your build.

[Hart_Rod]

Originally Posted by Ziegelsteinfaust

Kits for 73-88 or what ever the change over is will work.

Being a Burb you should 1.25 inch rotors.

I would do spindles before coils depending on how low you desire to go.

Thanks!

Originally Posted by lolife99

88-91 suburbans are the same as the 73-87 burbs.
Also mentioned you should have the 1.25” rotors.

I had a 91 burb lowered with 5” drop leaf springs.
You will need to shim the carrier bearing mount to help with driveshaft length.
I had drop spindles and springs up front.

I see a lot of people using flip kits on the rear.
TinWorks Fabrication make a bolt in c-notch with the “suburban only” body mount built in.
This gets you axle clearance, but also gets the center section of the rearend close to the bed floor.
Good luck with your build.

Thanks Keith. Not sure I'm lowering it yet. I kinda like the look as is with the ralleys. Here's a picture with the factory 7" wheels that were on it when I got it, ... The ralleys look so much better!

[GRADYS Performance]

Lower it just a couple of inches with spindles and shackles, it wide ride the same and look nice with your wheel and tire combination.

[lolife99]

I told you wrong.
These were 4” drop leaf springs.

[Hart_Rod]

Originally Posted by GRADYS Performance

Lower it just a couple of inches with spindles and shackles, it wide ride the same and look nice with your wheel and tire combination.

Originally Posted by lolife99

I told you wrong.
These were 4” drop leaf springs.

Whose kit did you use?

[lolife99]

Originally Posted by Hart_Rod

:metal
Whose kit did you use?

No kit.
They were Chisholm Leaf Springs, (out of business now)
I would use Western Chassis if you want drop leaf springs.
I thought a flip kit would be too low and no one made a bolt-in c-notch back then.
Belltech 3” drop spindles and 2” drop springs.
Belltech nitro drop shocks with rear shock extenders.
15x7 and 15x8 rally wheels.
215/70-15 and 275/60-15 tires.

[SCOTI]

Standard C10 lowering stuff up front.
Tinworks c-notch & flip kit out back. Swap a lift shackle in place if the flip is too much.

[lolife99]

Originally Posted by SCOTI

Standard C10 lowering stuff up front.
Tinworks c-notch & flip kit out back. Swap a lift shackle in place if the flip is too much.

Better plan,... ^^^

[72c20customcamper]

I purchased 4 inch drop leafs and 3 inch coils for my Burban from Western chassis. Sold the truck before I had a chance to install.

[Hart_Rod]

Originally Posted by lolife99

No kit.
They were Chisholm Leaf Springs, (out of business now)
I would use Western Chassis if you want drop leaf springs.
I thought a flip kit would be too low and no one made a bolt-in c-notch back then.
Belltech 3” drop spindles and 2” drop springs.
Belltech nitro drop shocks with rear shock extenders.
15x7 and 15x8 rally wheels.
215/70-15 and 275/60-15 tires.

Originally Posted by SCOTI

Standard C10 lowering stuff up front.
Tinworks c-notch & flip kit out back. Swap a lift shackle in place if the flip is too much.

Thanks Scoti, looks like a good way to go.

Originally Posted by lolife99

Better plan,... ^^^

Agreed!

Originally Posted by 72c20customcamper

I purchased 4 inch drop leafs and 3 inch coils for my Burban from Western chassis. Sold the truck before I had a chance to install.

I'm guessing the parts went with the Burb?

[BlueJeep]

Here's 4/6 drop, details are all in the build thread:



And the notch will get you axle clearance, but before the axle hits the frame or the diff hits the floor the tires will rub on the tops of the wheelhouses. That was NOT something I factored in...

[Ol' Drippy]

I used drop spindles and springs up front. In the back, I flipped the axle but then it was too low. In order to avoid notching the frame I lifted it back up a little with some short shackles from Rancho. That gave me enough clearance.

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by BlueJeep

Here's 4/6 drop, details are all in the build thread:



And the notch will get you axle clearance, but before the axle hits the frame or the diff hits the floor the tires will rub on the tops of the wheelhouses. That was NOT something I factored in...

I thought I mentioned that clearance caveat & why I suggested raising the floor directly above the differential?

[BlueJeep]

Originally Posted by SCOTI

I thought I mentioned that clearance caveat & why I suggested raising the floor directly above the differential?

You did mention that, but the floor is NOT the problem. The wheel tubs are the problem, tires rub on them before the diff ever gets close to the floor....

Effectively, the tires rubbing on the wheel tubs are the "bump stops". I assume the wheel tubs are lower than the equivalent pickup ones, which is why the axle flipped truck guys don't mention this.

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by BlueJeep

You did mention that, but the floor is NOT the problem. The wheel tubs are the problem, tires rub on them before the diff ever gets close to the floor....

Effectively, the tires rubbing on the wheel tubs are the "bump stops". I assume the wheel tubs are lower than the equivalent pickup ones, which is why the axle flipped truck guys don't mention this.

Interesting. I never thought about the tub location relative to the floor. My assumption was they bolted to the flooring just like the trucks which would yield similar height limitations. I was solely focusing on the differential to floor clearance.

Thanks for the insight.

[BlueJeep]

Originally Posted by SCOTI

Interesting. I never thought about the tub location relative to the floor. My assumption was they bolted to the flooring just like the trucks which would yield similar height limitations. I was solely focusing on the differential to floor clearance.

Thanks for the insight.

If you step back and think about it, it makes sense. The floor over the diff in a suburban is lower than the floor above the diff in a truck. If the same height wheel tub (unvalidated) is bolted to that floor, the top of that tub will also be lower than a truck.

Hopefully all of this is somewhat helpful to Hart Rod!

[72c20customcamper]

Originally Posted by Hart_Rod

I'm guessing the parts went with the Burb?

No I still have them . New owner was keeping it all original . I guess I can see his point truck had never been touched.

[lolife99]

Originally Posted by BlueJeep

You did mention that, but the floor is NOT the problem. The wheel tubs are the problem, tires rub on them before the diff ever gets close to the floor....

Effectively, the tires rubbing on the wheel tubs are the "bump stops". I assume the wheel tubs are lower than the equivalent pickup ones, which is why the axle flipped truck guys don't mention this.

Just so everyone can compare “apples to apples”,... what HEIGHT rear tire are your running?

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by lolife99

Just so everyone can compare “apples to apples”,... what HEIGHT rear tire are your running?

I recall he was using 295/45-20's @ ~30.4" tall in the rear.

[GRADYS Performance]

Originally Posted by lolife99

Just so everyone can compare “apples to apples”,... what HEIGHT rear tire are your running?

This is the piece of the puzzle that needs to be taken into consideration in the comparison.

[BlueJeep]

Originally Posted by SCOTI

I recall he was using 295/45-20's @ ~30.4" tall in the rear.

Yep, they are what seems to be a "normal" size rear tire for squarebodies. 235/75R15 was stock and that is @28.9", so 1.5" taller, and .75" closer to the wheel tub.

Originally Posted by GRADYS Performance

This is the piece of the puzzle that needs to be taken into consideration in the comparison.

Correct.

[Hart_Rod]

Originally Posted by 72c20customcamper

No I still have them . New owner was keeping it all original . I guess I can see his point truck had never been touched.

Are you interested in selling those parts? LMK.

[72c20customcamper]

Originally Posted by Hart_Rod

Are you interested in selling those parts? LMK.

I have been looking for a square to use them on . I did speak with St.Louis about the leaf spring and the guy told me they fit my 72 C20 I'm not so sure though


I think shipping would be way more than they are worth.