Best way to lower 70 3/4 ton with leafs

[Mmorgan32]

I have a 70 3/4 ton custom camper I want to lower it so it doesn't look like a 4x4 anymore. It sits up really high. My question is what is the best way to do this for the money I don't want to do air bags but I want to lower it all the way around.

[tinydb84]

How much do you want to drop?
I had 3" drop spindles with a cut spring and drop shackles/hangers and 2-3 leafs removed in the rear. Ended up starting to bag it before I drove it though. It would have been 5/6 drop. Mine is a 75 C20 though.

If i wasnt going bagged Id do POL drop spindles and cut a coil and a half or so in the front. Weld on new axle perches and flip the rear on top of the springs. It should give you something around a 5-6/7-8 drop.

[bbcmudtruck]

There are a few options and different ways to approach this. First, you need to determine how much lower you want to go with the truck. You can buy lowering leafs for the rear for a mild drop as well as add in some lowering shackles. If you want to slam it, you can do what they call "an axle flip". This is where you mount the leafs under your axle, rather than on top. Tinydb84 mentioned this in his post. I had a flipped leaf spring truck and had to notch my frame. The axle tubes would bounce off of the frame a lot. If you flip the rear axle, your going to have to buy spindles and springs for the front. If you don't have disc brakes up front, now is the time to do so if you want them. When you buy your spindles, you'll want spindles for whichever setup you want up front. IE, if you have drums, you'll need drum spindles. If you have disc, you'll need disc spindles. If you have drums and want discs, you'll want disc spindles.

If you can give us an idea on how much lower you want your truck to sit, we can give you a detailed list of parts and options. Also, do you have disc brakes brakes up front currently? If not, do you want discs up front?

[Mmorgan32]

I don't want to do an axel flip I do t want to have to deal with the tube hitting the frame and doing a natch. I was thinking a 3/5 drop. I've seen lowering leafs but none say if the are for a c20 and mines a custom camper so I have like 7 leafs. Also the range from $300 to $600 for the leafs so I don't know which ones to go for

[Mike C]

Start out with the ECE lowering shackle. An 1 1/2" lowers it more than you think. This will get the truck sitting nearly level. I ran my C2500 GMC that way and was pleased. I ran 265 75 16's to fill the wheel wells. I didn't want to compromise load carrying capacity at all but YMMV.
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[tinydb84]

You could get a bit creative to get the 3/5:

Front: POL drop spindles and cut half a coil.

Rear: ECE lowering shackle, raise the hanger 1.5'' (to match so you wont have pinion issues), and remove your overload spring (assuming you don't plan to haul a lot).

[Mmorgan32]

Originally Posted by tinydb84

You could get a bit creative to get the 3/5:

Front: POL drop spindles and cut half a coil.

Rear: ECE lowering shackle, raise the hanger 1.5'' (to match so you wont have pinion issues), and remove your overload spring (assuming you don't plan to haul a lot).

That's what I was thinking but I've never taken leafs apart what's involved in doing it?

[tinydb84]

Its not bad. You drop the axle (plan on replacing the u bolts). Clamp the spring together for safety. The bolt in the center of the springs will probably be rusted and stuck. Cut it and hammer it though. Take the clamps off and remove the springs you want. Replace the bolt and you are good to go.

Here is when I did mine:
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...85&postcount=9

[Mmorgan32]

Originally Posted by tinydb84

Its not bad. You drop the axle (plan on replacing the u bolts). Clamp the spring together for safety. The bolt in the center of the springs will probably be rusted and stuck. Cut it and hammer it though. Take the clamps off and remove the springs you want. Replace the bolt and you are good to go.

Here is when I did mine:
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...85&postcount=9

How many did you end up taking out. Mines a camper so it has a lot of leafs I'm not planning on using it to tow since I cut off the hitch and installed the smaller crime bumper but I'd still like to use it as a truck. Where did you get the shorter u bolts and did you just go get a shorter grade 8 bolt for the center? Also do you know if they sell drop spindles for front drums? I can't afford to do a disc swap right now

[tinydb84]

Mine is a camper special as well. I removed 3 and did lowering shackles/hangers.

They dont make drop spindles for drums. You will have to save up and do a disc conversion.

[Mmorgan32]

Originally Posted by tinydb84

Mine is a camper special as well. I removed 3 and did lowering shackles/hangers.

They dont make drop spindles for drums. You will have to save up and do a disc conversion.

Awesome thanks man, where did u get the shorter u bolts?

[tinydb84]

I wanna say I got the bolt online but it is just an Allen head bolt that fits in the hole and the head fits the perch. The bolt is really just holding the springs together and centering the axle until you get the large U bolts on there.
Here is the before:


Here is the after (the angled driveway kind messes with the picture):

[Mmorgan32]

Originally Posted by tinydb84

I wanna say I got the bolt online but it is just an Allen head bolt that fits in the hole and the head fits the perch. The bolt is really just holding the springs together and centering the axle until you get the large U bolts on there.
Here is the before:


Here is the after (the angled driveway kind messes with the picture):

Damn that's a big difference. I want those hub caps but they are expensive!