Daily driver build

[bMr]

Greetings all, long time lurker here and I'd very much appreciate some advice as I plan to return a '72 C10 to daily driving, but with some modifications. As you can tell from the picture below it is an unmolested LWB, it also has the original 350, with ps, pb, and a/c.



The goal is to create a reliable, amenable, comfortable, fun to drive truck that can still tow 6k lbs while lowered on 20's. My main question at this point relates to the suspension and what system to use to lower the truck while maintaining towing capacity. The truck has to be able to tow, with aplomb, a 5k lb car and trailer combination. Can a 4/4 static drop suspension accomplish this?

For you folks running drop coils in the rear of any height and without a notch, what kind of axle clearance do you have?

The easy installation and low-maintenance nature of drop coils and spindles is appealing, and the cost savings over an air system isn't insignificant either, but I want to make sure the truck can still be used as one. Thanks!

[eagleuh1]

Are the C10s rated to tow that much? Don't know.

[gcburdic]

first off, and to the boards from NC!!!....

That's a great looking truck....I think the static drop would be nice and think a LWB truck looks nice with a 3.5/5 drop...I'm gonna move this over to our suspension forum so the gurus there can give ya first hand experience....

Good luck and enjoy the ride

[SCOTI]

Clean truck!

I would start w/2.5" spindles up front. Spindles drop the height w/o negative impact on the geometry. Add some 1 or 2" drop coils, higher quality shocks, & get a 1.25" minimum diameter sway bar. That's 3.5-4.5" front drop & very acceptable for the daily grind.
*(trim the stock coils + look under C20/C30 GM trucks for a cheap used sway-bar swap candidate if you're trying to keep it budget friendly)

For the rear.... since towing a car hauler is the plan, I would go straight to air bags in place of the coils. Bags can get the ride height you need & can then quickly adjust to re-level the truck once it's loaded while offering a great ride quality @ either height/capacity. I would also use 1-1.5" lowering blocks because like spindles, they drop the height w/o negative impact (in this case the shock travel length requirements). Using drop blocks = using stock replacement length shocks. Those lowering blocks + bags can yield between 5 - 6" of rear drop (anything more & you'll need to consider a bolt-in HD c-notch).

Depending on your budget & ability, there are multiple options for the rear bag set-up.

[bMr]

Thanks much for the suggestions. I would like to eventually bag the truck and ideally it'd get the full Porterbuilt treatment front and rear too but that seems a step too far right now. The thing I don't want to do is buy something that doesn't work AND that can't be used with a Porterbuilt dropmember. Bearing that in mind, could the Classic Performance Big Brake Grand Slam kit work?

Does the CPP "modular" spindle that decreases track width work with Porterbuilt's dropmember that also decreases the track?

If so, CPP's kit with 2" drop spindle and spring (and other wear items that should be replaced anyway) should take care of the front, along with improving the braking. The kit also includes any of CPPs rear coils; the 4" heavy duty drop rear coil may or may not work towing, but if it didn't I wouldn't be out that much.

Of course this theory assumes the CPP 13", twin-piston braking setup is really all that....if it isn't, someone tell me!

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by bMr

Thanks much for the suggestions. I would like to eventually bag the truck and ideally it'd get the full Porterbuilt treatment front and rear too but that seems a step too far right now. The thing I don't want to do is buy something that doesn't work AND that can't be used with a Porterbuilt dropmember. Bearing that in mind, could the Classic Performance Big Brake Grand Slam kit work?

Does the CPP "modular" spindle that decreases track width work with Porterbuilt's dropmember that also decreases the track?

Yes, they will work w/the Dropmember. But, the wheels would be tucked way inside the fender-well (perhaps a little too much). It really depends on the wheel width & back-spacing.

If so, CPP's kit with 2" drop spindle and spring (and other wear items that should be replaced anyway) should take care of the front, along with improving the braking. The kit also includes any of CPPs rear coils; the 4" heavy duty drop rear coil may or may not work towing, but if it didn't I wouldn't be out that much.

Of course this theory assumes the CPP 13", twin-piston braking setup is really all that....if it isn't, someone tell me!

The CPP 13" brakes would be better than stock & similar to other aftermarket 'big brake' kits. In the rear, dropped coils will get your ride height where you want it but then you have a sagging issue when you connect that loaded car trailer. Bags allow you to re-level the truck to maintain your clearance.

I can't think of anyone on this board who's posted up picks of their truck w/4" or more dropped coils pulling a loaded trailer. My set-up below is about 7-ish inches of rear drop (the rear axle tube is approx 1" into the frame @ normal ride height).....