lowering and ride quality

[protruck]

hello vereyone joined many months ago had some medical issues that kept me from posting and so on. anyways. im going to do my first truck i been doing camaros chevelles and novas and a lil everything for years .
now i want to do a pro tour style truck with some handling lowered and on 18,s and id like to lower the truck and not have to go the air bag route if possiable.
so im open to ideas suggestions and so on. i dont want to shove blocks on it and have a rough bouncy ride. i want comfort and handling.
the project is a 73 c-10 short bed. factory ac all original but the rims and tires.

[babyJay]

Originally Posted by protruck

i want comfort and handling.

I'm afraid you're gonna have to go with bags.......

[Driveway Dreams]

Bags are way more advanced in the areas of a perfect ride & handling. Vehicles on bags are very capable handlers and are not going to be stiff, nasty rides. (unless you want them to be)

But they are more $$ which is what has led me to a static drop. And I want to be a little different from the trendy nonsense.

[menace121978]

hi neighbor! welcome from orangevale. i'd go w/ bags if the $'s there. if not spindles, springs, and flip kit, sway bar with maybe a little taller sidewall to ease the ride. at least it will handle nice. i've tried coils and she rode rough as hell imo so i cut 1 coil off the stocks and remove 2 leafs w/ a 50 series tire. rode real nice but handled like a pig. on this next build up i'm going w/ spindles,coils,flip and have decided to deal w/ it. just going to get some real comfy buckets!LOL

[boatpuller]

i went the drop spindle,new coil and shock's..c notch and flip kit in the rear.mine ride's great.and i was around when there was no lowering kit's.i lived thru the heat em up and drop day's,then we progressed to cut coil's.now the bag's are high tech and the way to go.a good quality static drop ride's fine.

[flamingbig10]

I have a 6-7 drop on my truck with springs, spindles and flip kit with removed leafs and over load and drop shocks it rides ok but it
bottoms out every where I go and the lower control arms drag badly

[N2TRUX]

If your priority is handling AND comfort, then lets take a look at what you have, and what needs to be improved. To improve your handling, you need to lower the center of gravity, and reduce body roll. To incorporate ride comfort in that equation, you don't want too firm of a spring, to stiff a sidewall, or to much damping in your shocks.

I suggest a 3" drop spindle up front with no more than a 2" drop spring. I believe Eibach makes a kit for our trucks. For the rear you can keep it simple with a flip kit and stock springs, or aftermarket lowering springs.

You will want to add a large sway bar front and rear. You can use a factory bar from a Burb, or C-20 up front. You will need a universal kit for the rear. Hellwig makes a great product.

Be sure to update your complete suspension with poly-graphite bushing. This will take some of the flex out, but not as stiff as polyurethane, and the graphite eliminates squeaks that are inherent with straight urethane bushings.

Tire choice is very critical. You want a low profile to reduce body roll, but you can't go too low or the ride quality goes to heck.

Once you determine all these factors, then shocks become a major concern. Your best choice would be some of the high end billet shocks like QA-1s. Consider the adjustable valve version so you can tune your ride.

[N2TRUX]

Oh, and where are my manners. Welcome to the forum protruck.

[SBTork]

Originally Posted by N2TRUX

If your priority is handling AND comfort, then lets take a look at what you have, and what needs to be improved. To improve your handling, you need to lower the center of gravity, and reduce body roll. To incorporate ride comfort in that equation, you don't want too firm of a spring, to stiff a sidewall, or to much damping in your shocks.

I suggest a 3" drop spindle up front with no more than a 2" drop spring. I believe Eibach makes a kit for our trucks. For the rear you can keep it simple with a flip kit and stock springs, or aftermarket lowering springs.

You will want to add a large sway bar front and rear. You can use a factory bar from a Burb, or C-20 up front. You will need a universal kit for the rear. Hellwig makes a great product.

Be sure to update your complete suspension with poly-graphite bushing. This will take some of the flex out, but not as stiff as polyurethane, and the graphite eliminates squeaks that are inherent with straight urethane bushings.

Tire choice is very critical. You want a low profile to reduce body roll, but you can't go too low or the ride quality goes to heck.

Once you determine all these factors, then shocks become a major concern. Your best choice would be some of the high end billet shocks like QA-1s. Consider the adjustable valve version so you can tune your ride.

That was very well put, it just helped me and I thought I had it figured out, thanks.

[slugish]

x2 on the advice n2trux gave you if ride & comfort is a priority for you. Ihave Eibach 3 in coils & 2.5 spindles in front & HANGERS & SHACKLES IN REAR for approx. 4 in & dearched stock springs for another 3 in. . does it ride good , NO . BUT ITS OK FOR ME & Im 62 yrs old . Its all in what you want to spend your money on .

Oh , welcome from the other side of the usa.

Very good & helpful forum

[454HO]

Welcome to the forum.

Another option for the front that has not been mentioned is tubular control arms. I have DJM 3" drop arms on my truck. Check out the link in my sig if you want to see them. When I bought them my expectation was they would be lighter than stock control arms therefor reducing unsprung weight. This is a basic recipe for improving handling. But unfortunaly the DJM's aren't really any lighter, so I did not get the benefit I was hoping for. I am sure there are other tubular arms available, so shop around if you go this route.

I like the simplicity of a mild (3" front / 5" rear) static drop, Any lower than that I would definately be looking at bagging it. That gives you the ability to tune the ride height for the situation.

[Driveway Dreams]

Originally Posted by N2TRUX

You will want to add a large sway bar front and rear. You can use a factory bar from a Burb, or C-20 up front. You will need a universal kit for the rear. Hellwig makes a great product.

Is there any particular Burb that you want the sway bar from? I am looking at an 85 2WD for some other parts, maybe I can get it too. Just need to know if it will work. My truck is an 86 2WD.

[chevyrestoguy]

To make a static suspension work right, you have to do is do your homework. Definately use spindles, and just remember that the more you cut out of your coils, the higher you are going to make the spring rate. If you need to go lower than what a spindle will give you, consider a lowering spring designed to provide a good spring rate and definately buy it from a reputable company. The rear is easy. Go with a flip kit. It gives you 6" of drop, but you have to look at the axle tube to frame clearance, because a notch will give you the travel you need. Consider removing the helper leaf to help soften up the spring pack, too.

90% of the people doing static drops get it wrong with the shock selection. Stock shocks on a lowered rear will ride like crap. The best bet is to jack up the rear, put the frame on jackstands, remove the shocks, and jack the rear housing up all the way until it stops and lower it until the suspension stops moving. Take these measurements (max up/max down) and go to a shock website like Monroe and start researching shock travel numbers. Find a shock that can withstand the weight of the truck but also has travel that will not bottom itself out before the suspension does. Your "up travel" number is most critical because the suspension moves in that direction most of the time. You will usually find a shock that will perform better than the "lowering shocks" (which are usually crap) for a whole lot less. I used to have Monroe gas shock part numbers that I used on all my 73-87s that worked great with a 5/7 drop. They are around the shop somewhere.

A bagged suspension will ride better than a static, but with a little homework, a static suspension can ride pretty nice, too. You just have to picture in your mind what the suspension is TRYING to do when you're driving, and concentrate on those areas.

[protruck]

wow lots of responses. thanks guys. yeah i have done all the suspension before just never done a truck . i currently have a pro tour 69 camaro that pushes 1.5 g,s on the skid pad and i have over 8 grand in suspension .
anyways i dont want to c notch the frame . id simply like to get really decent handling run some 18,s on all 4 corners and have somewhat of a decent ride . i do not plan to carry much if anything at all in the bed.
and i know from past experiance all good builds start with an idea and that idea changes and changes and changes until you get the end result you was looking for. so i figured since i have never done a truck id join a site and talk to some who have and make a few new friends.
my plan would be drop spindles i always use q-a1 shocks and tubular arms
have any of you done the front with spindles decent springs and maybe a mono leaf . ? or a mono and a rear bag for ride quality. ?

[protruck]

Originally Posted by menace121978

hi neighbor! welcome from orangevale. i'd go w/ bags if the $'s there. if not spindles, springs, and flip kit, sway bar with maybe a little taller sidewall to ease the ride. at least it will handle nice. i've tried coils and she rode rough as hell imo so i cut 1 coil off the stocks and remove 2 leafs w/ a 50 series tire. rode real nice but handled like a pig. on this next build up i'm going w/ spindles,coils,flip and have decided to deal w/ it. just going to get some real comfy buckets!LOL

hello back at ya neighbor . ever go to the red robin on wendsday nights for the cruz in ?

[menace121978]

Originally Posted by protruck

hello back at ya neighbor . ever go to the red robin on wendsday nights for the cruz in ?

LOL ya i have crashed it a few times with new gto's!! good times they never let us in... have a few friends that always go '68 camaro and chevy II guys i work with.

[kevinr1970]

Originally Posted by protruck

anyways i dont want to c notch the frame .

You know all a "c" notch is is clearance in your frame for the axle when its lowered right?
Maybe you are thinking of the "c" notches the guys with bags do that stick up into the bed?

I don't think there is any way around it if you plan more than ~5" of drop in the back. I know some people here say they have done flip kits in the back and not needed it but an equal amount of people have said the opposite.
On my '06 (different design, I know) the manufacturer said no notch needed with shackles and hangers but I definitely did need it.

[bigarmzz]

Originally Posted by chevyrestoguy

You will usually find a shock that will perform better than the "lowering shocks" (which are usually crap) for a whole lot less. I used to have Monroe gas shock part numbers that I used on all my 73-87s that worked great with a 5/7 drop. They are around the shop somewhere.

did you ever find those part numbers?? i'd much rather run monroe's over lowered shocks, given the opportunity

[JohnC]

Welcome to the board protruck. It sounds like you have a great idea in your head and you know what you are wanting. There is a wealth of knowledge here, and the people are irreplaceable. I would check out this thread-

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=299455

f.monroe had a tan truck that is similar to what you are wanting. He currently has a black one with the same suspension setup, but with 20's. There are trucks all over the board here with different setups, and they all look great!

Also we love pics here! So whenever you get em share em!