Drop Kit Decisions

[lo72]

Getting ready to drop my 85 C-10. wanting 4/6 or a 5/7 will be running 235 60r 15 0n an 8" Corvette Rally 4.25 BS and a 295 50R 15 on a 10" Rally 5" BS on the rear. Really wanting to get the look of joe1982s truck. Question if i use a 3" drop Spindle how much will i need to trim the control arm and still be safe? best senario 3" spindle and a 2 " spring or a 2.5 spindle and a 3" spring This will be a driver not daily but still a driver

[westofb]

I don't think there is a given amount of grinding that needs to be done, I think it varies truck to truck. I would go with the 2.5" spindles to reduce the amount of trimming the lca's will need. Cut one coil off the bottom of the stock springs will give you about 3" of additional drop. To determine the trimming required you will have to get it lowered, mount up the wheels, turn it lock to lock and locate contact points that need massaging. I had an 84 that 8" truck ralleys that only needed minor trimming, I actually thought it was okay until I drove it and peeled off all the wheel weights off the inside of the wheels...LOL!

[lo72]

Thanks man, I believe after reading numerous threads i'm gonna go with the 2.5 spindle and 2" spring..thanks again Greg

[N2TRUX]

Since your asking opinions, I will give you mine. I feel that you should alwys go with 3" spindles and never go with 3" springs on the 73-87's. Yes it may require some trimming of the A-arms, but its worth it to gain a better ride. I have never heard anyone "honestly" say they got a good ride from 3" springs.

[lo72]

thanks N2TRUX, i'm leaning to a 2.5 inch spindle and a 2 inch spring with a flip kit and shackle for the rear... one vendor offered me a 3 in dropped lower arm and a 2 in spring,your thoughts on that method? Any help or thoughts you may have would be great i'm looking for the same stance as joe1982. By the way great looking truck and congrats on the magazine article

[3r!c84]

get as much drop out of spindles imo

so 3inch

[westofb]

Using the 15" wheels, I would stay away from the 3" spindles, I already had the 2.5" spindles when I came across a great deal on the 20" wheels, so I used what I had. Had I had the larger wheels, I probably would have went with the 3" spindles because wheel contacting the lca's would not be an issue. I have never used the lowering lca's, so I can't give you an opinion on them, I would think they would eliminate the wheel and lca contact problems since the gap between the lower ball joint and spindle center remain unchanged, they just lower the truck by lowering the lca's spring pocket...I am sure someone here has used them and will chime in with their opinion about using them.

[lo72]

thanks for the input westofb i'm really leaing to the 2.5 spindle and 2 inch spring, i sent a pm to ccpjeff asking for a quote on a 4.5/6 drop kit.

[silvereagle07]

lo72 , I installed 3" spindles and cut 1 coil off of my stock springs recently and had no problems with the lower control arms on 15" stock 8's. The only grinding I did was to the top of the spindles that were contacting the wheel. I have done 3 truck within a few years like this. I've never ran into trimming the lca's. I guess it depends on the wheel that you will use. Here's a pic of the trucks with 275/50/15 and 295/50/15 on ralleys.

[lo72]

thanks silvereagle07, i'll be running a corvette rally style steel wheel 15x8 with a 4.25 back space. what size is your front wheel? thanks again greg

[silvereagle07]

Originally Posted by lo72

thanks silvereagle07, i'll be running a corvette rally style steel wheel 15x8 with a 4.25 back space. what size is your front wheel? thanks again greg

It's a stock corvette rallye with 15x8 4.25 backspacing on front and 15x10 6.25 backspacing on rear. The other red/white truck(mine) are just stock 15x8 truck wheels all around. Both trucks run 275/50/15 BFG on front and 295/50/15 on rear of the blue truck. Oh, corvette 3" trim rings on both trucks. I think it was 1st Gen Camaro center caps on the blue truck. Got them all from a local vendor at a car show.

[texassquarebodies]

Its very common to grind under the lower ball joint area and trim a portion of the lower A arm lip area, front and rear, when using 8" rallys. Its going to be very close. I have had to do this on a couple of trucks. Some people have no problems. Just depends on the truck.

[lo72]

silvereagle07 they are both sweet rides, i'll be running a 15x10 with a 5 inch b.s. will probably go with a 2.5 spindle and a 2 inch spring...some of the roads in GA are just a big old pothole...

[lo72]

Thanks texassqarebodies i'm gonna go with a 4.5/6 to begin with and possibly go lower from there after i put a few miles on it...thanks again greg

[silvereagle07]

Originally Posted by lo72

silvereagle07 they are both sweet rides, i'll be running a 15x10 with a 5 inch b.s. will probably go with a 2.5 spindle and a 2 inch spring...some of the roads in GA are just a big old pothole...

Thanks man! 15x10's all around may be a bit much all around. The front will probrably scrub. With my 15x8's they scrubbed the outside lip until I set it with negative camber. It still is close to the lip/trim. I can't imagine what it will look like with 10's. Good luck man.

[lo72]

Sorry man 15x10s on the rear and 15x8s up front