Front suspension rebuild

[Ziegelsteinfaust]

I picked up a C20 front suspension crossmember, and want to rebuild it. Along with pan-caking the crossmember, and doing the make it handle better mods. All of them, and then some.

So. Who makes the best kits? PST has a kit for $300 to which I will have to add a few steering components. Or go with Rock Auto, and piece togather a Moog kit for atleast $100 more.

Someone once told me C20 bushing really don't go bad most of the time due to how HD the are. Because they have a steel shell or something. The few C20's I had looked to be that way so I just replaced the ball joints. So how do you know those bushings are really bad. Or does the rubber just completely fall out more or less.

Also has anyone ever sectioned a crossmember say 2.5 to 3 inches, and used rod ends with spacers to correct bump steer in the truck?

[KQQL IT]

Originally Posted by Ziegelsteinfaust

I picked up a C20 front suspension....

Along with pan-caking the crossmember, and doing the make it handle better mods. All of them,
Also has anyone ever sectioned a crossmember say 2.5 to 3 inches, and used rod ends with spacers to correct bump steer in the truck?

That's an entire drum of worms
I'm at the point of it isn't worth it, nor can you go 3 inches without major mods 1.5 inches and stock steering is about it til the tie rods run into the u bolts holding the lowers.
Not to mention the wacked geometry of raising the lower pivot but not the upper. Then the bumpsteer is whole nother can of worms.

[Ziegelsteinfaust]

2.5 to 3" is the amount of front drop I want. The rear will be leveled to match with its new tires.

Along with full suspension bump travel, and more ground clearance. Which for what I want to do makes sense. I plan to rally cross the truck for fun. So I have a odd set of requirements I want to pull off.

My current plan is 1.5 for the section, 2.5 drop spindles, and 1" lift springs or spacer. This way I can hit my major points.

If I do the 3" section I can ditch the drop spindles, and spacer. Which to my current thoughts could be more beneficial at this point.

[KQQL IT]

For a 3 inch drop I would not section it.

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by Ziegelsteinfaust

I picked up a C20 front suspension crossmember, and want to rebuild it. Along with pan-caking the crossmember, and doing the make it handle better mods. All of them, and then some.

So. Who makes the best kits? PST has a kit for $300 to which I will have to add a few steering components. Or go with Rock Auto, and piece togather a Moog kit for atleast $100 more.

Someone once told me C20 bushing really don't go bad most of the time due to how HD the are. Because they have a steel shell or something. The few C20's I had looked to be that way so I just replaced the ball joints. So how do you know those bushings are really bad. Or does the rubber just completely fall out more or less.

Also has anyone ever sectioned a crossmember say 2.5 to 3 inches, and used rod ends with spacers to correct bump steer in the truck?

Originally Posted by Ziegelsteinfaust

2.5 to 3" is the amount of front drop I want. The rear will be leveled to match with its new tires.

Along with full suspension bump travel, and more ground clearance. Which for what I want to do makes sense. I plan to rally cross the truck for fun. So I have a odd set of requirements I want to pull off.

My current plan is 1.5 for the section, 2.5 drop spindles, and 1" lift springs or spacer. This way I can hit my major points.

If I do the 3" section I can ditch the drop spindles, and spacer. Which to my current thoughts could be more beneficial at this point.

What brand of parts is the PST 'kit' supplied with? Knowing the source helps you understand the value in the parts vs. suppliers w/a known (expected?) reputation (Moog; Howe Racing; Proforged; etc).

As stated, 1.5" is about the max amount of 'traditional' notching/pancaking an x-member. I'm willing to bet alternative ideas can be accomplished but @ the cost of complexity.

Even @ 1.5", a stock upper a-arm can make contact w/the stock steering shaft in extreme compression situations. Only 63-72 upper arms clear. 73-87 & aftermarket arms likely won't clear because of the larger pivot bushings.

With 73-87 & aftermarket arms, a multi-joint steering linkage set-up will likely be required w/a notched x-member as the bushing barrel wants to occupy the space the steering shaft requires when connected to the box. The multi-joint steering set-ups add complexity.