Drop

[77ChevySharkBite]

I just have a quick question fellas!

I'm thinking of doing the cheap and inexpensive drop for my truck and cut my coils, my question is do I need to take the coil off or can I leave it on the truck and do it?

I'm going for a 3/5 drop just for the time being still fighting the decision between bags or a nice low stance.

All advice will be greatly appreciated!

[chris1htx]

for safety reasons i would take the coil off. it's going to be under a lot of pressure.

[77ChevySharkBite]

Okay, is there an easy way to get it off?

[IwantaK5]

If there is a way to cut the spring with the coil in, it would probably be easier in the long run just to take it out. It it were my truck i would just get some drop coils and not bother with cutting. If you want lowered and performance cutting wont give you that. It will just make it low and bouncy. If you decide to do bags make sure you do not do it the cheap way. An air bag system installed poorly not only wont get you as low as you can get but the ride quality is more than horrible.

[77ChevySharkBite]

Originally Posted by IwantaK5

If there is a way to cut the spring with the coil in, it would probably be easier in the long run just to take it out. It it were my truck i would just get some drop coils and not bother with cutting. If you want lowered and performance cutting wont give you that. It will just make it low and bouncy. If you decide to do bags make sure you do not do it the cheap way. An air bag system installed poorly not only wont get you as low as you can get but the ride quality is more than horrible.

Thanks man!

Yeah I've heard back and forth people say they have no problems with the ride when the cut coils. Its really not driven a bunch so the ride quality isn't such a issue at this moment.

Yeah I've already decided if I do an air bag system I'm going to go Porterbuilt Products all the way. I have a good friend of mine getting an accuair system in his lexus right now so I want to see how his is before I decide who I'm going to use for that part of the deal.

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by IwantaK5

If you want lowered and performance cutting wont give you that. It will just make it low and bouncy.

Disagree. Are you basing this on what someone told you, or your own experience?

I did seven or eight different trucks back in the day, all with cut coils and none with any ride complaints.

My current truck has cut coils and has been a daily driver for 27 years and 200,000 miles with no issues.

K

[77ChevySharkBite]

Originally Posted by Keith Seymore

Disagree. Are you basing this on what someone told you, or your own experience?

I did seven or eight different trucks back in the day, all with cut coils and none with any ride complaints.

My current truck has cut coils and has been a daily driver for 27 years and 200,000 miles with no issues.

K

How much were y'all cutting off the coils Keith or did it just depend? I figure if I did half a coil I'd be okay to get that 3ish

[frog210]

jack up the truck(maybe like 2 feet) and put a jack stands on the frame, with the frame supported, loosen the lower ball joint, dont take OFF, you can either seperate it with a pickle fork $9-$20 and maybe risk cutting the boot on the ball joint or strike the spindle where the ball joint goes thru or tap the side of the ball joint nut(the reason i said dont take it off), it should drown down a little when it broke loose
(( you might have to undo the sway bar if equipped, and shock))
put a carjack under the lower control arm and lift it to put pressure on the spring, once it starts lifting, undo the lower ball joint NOW.
Some people chain the spring to the lca, i didnt
SLOWLY SLOWLY lower the car jack, the arm will travel all the way down, if you didnt raise the truck enought it will get stuck, mine did this, but it only had a slight amount of pressure on the spring so i popped it out will a long pry bar
Hope it helps

[rs74]

Especially for safety concern you will have to split the ball joints from the spindles to get the springs out. Just be carefull. Like stated before they are under alot of pressure so you will want to keep a jack under the lower control arm and keep pressure on it. After the spindle is free then you can SLOWLY let down the jack to let pressure off the spring and then when all pressure is off then you should be able to pull the spring out.

[IwantaK5]

[QUOTE=Keith Seymore;6180345]Disagree. Are you basing this on what someone told you, or your own experience?

I did seven or eight different trucks back in the day, all with cut coils and none with any ride complaints.

My current truck has cut coils and has been a daily driver for 27 years and 200,000 miles with no issues.


I am basing this on the experience of removing and cutting already worn out 30+ year old springs and the vehicle riding poorly. I would imagine if you cut springs that were new or not very worn it would be fine.

[77ChevySharkBite]

Originally Posted by frog210

jack up the truck(maybe like 2 feet) and put a jack stands on the frame, with the frame supported, loosen the lower ball joint, dont take OFF, you can either seperate it with a pickle fork $9-$20 and maybe risk cutting the boot on the ball joint or strike the spindle where the ball joint goes thru or tap the side of the ball joint nut(the reason i said dont take it off), it should drown down a little when it broke loose
(( you might have to undo the sway bar if equipped, and shock))
put a carjack under the lower control arm and lift it to put pressure on the spring, once it starts lifting, undo the lower ball joint NOW.
Some people chain the spring to the lca, i didnt
SLOWLY SLOWLY lower the car jack, the arm will travel all the way down, if you didnt raise the truck enought it will get stuck, mine did this, but it only had a slight amount of pressure on the spring so i popped it out will a long pry bar
Hope it helps

Okay thanks man it makes perfect sense!!

Originally Posted by rs74

Especially for safety concern you will have to split the ball joints from the spindles to get the springs out. Just be carefull. Like stated before they are under alot of pressure so you will want to keep a jack under the lower control arm and keep pressure on it. After the spindle is free then you can SLOWLY let down the jack to let pressure off the spring and then when all pressure is off then you should be able to pull the spring out.

Sweet thanks man!!


I defnitely want to do this as safely as possible.

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by 77ChevySharkBite

How much were y'all cutting off the coils Keith or did it just depend? I figure if I did half a coil I'd be okay to get that 3ish

You should go by "inches" rather than coils. The relationship is 2:1, meaning for every inch you cut the coil you'll get 2" of drop at the fender.

The drop on the truck you are looking at is roughly 3"/3".

Four inches is a nice drop, which would be 2" off the coil.

K

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by IwantaK5

I am basing this on the experience of removing and cutting already worn out 30+ year old springs and the vehicle riding poorly. I would imagine if you cut springs that were new or not very worn it would be fine.

So it sounds like the issue is the springs are worn out, rather than the cutting.

K

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by rs74

Especially for safety concern you will have to split the ball joints from the spindles to get the springs out. Just be carefull. Like stated before they are under alot of pressure so you will want to keep a jack under the lower control arm and keep pressure on it. After the spindle is free then you can SLOWLY let down the jack to let pressure off the spring and then when all pressure is off then you should be able to pull the spring out.

You can also drop the control arm at the vehicle center, by undoing the U bolts that hold the cross shaft.

There's a little less pressure from the spring when doing it that way.

K

[77ChevySharkBite]

Originally Posted by Keith Seymore

You should go by "inches" rather than coils. The relationship is 2:1, meaning for every inch you cut the coil you'll get 2" of drop at the fender.

The drop on the truck you are looking at is roughly 3"/3".

Four inches is a nice drop, which would be 2" off the coil.

K

Okay so my best option would be take a tape measure and mark where 2" off the top of the coil is?

[IwantaK5]

Originally Posted by Keith Seymore

So it sounds like the issue is the springs are worn out, rather than the cutting.

K

Yeah,the cutting didn't make the worn out springs ride any better

[frog210]

Originally Posted by Keith Seymore

You can also drop the control arm at the vehicle center, by undoing the U bolts that hold the cross shaft.

There's a little less pressure from the spring when doing it that way.

K

Wouldnt it be a little more dangerous like this, because how is he going to hold the shaft to let of the pressure, im just asking

[77ChevySharkBite]

I'm just going to do a basic flip kit in the back with specialityretails "block" they make.

How hard is the flip kit to do or is it just a matter of unbolting and flipping the leaf springs?

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by 77ChevySharkBite

Okay so my best option would be take a tape measure and mark where 2" off the top of the coil is?

I'd cut the bottom.

My recollection is that the top is curled to fit into a pocket; the bottom end is a consistent radius and is a bit more forgiving (or will allow you to rotate the spring in the bottom indentation to allow it to seat).

K

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by frog210

Wouldnt it be a little more dangerous like this, because how is he going to hold the shaft to let of the pressure, im just asking

You place the floor jack under the cross shaft and let it down gradually, to ease the pressure.

K

[77ChevySharkBite]

Originally Posted by Keith Seymore

I'd cut the bottom.

My recollection is that the top is curled to fit into a pocket; the bottom end is a consistent radius and is a bit more forgiving (or will allow you to rotate the spring in the bottom indentation to allow it to seat).

K

Okay, I'll check it out this weekend! Thanks for the help Keith!

[77ChevySharkBite]

Thank you for everyone who has responsed and given me advice and input I greatly appreciate it!

[MWS1994]

I'm going to be keeping an eye on this thread . I'm thinking about doing the same to my truck.

[Sodell]

I just completed a drop on my truck and cut one spring. Gave me about 1.5 inches, plus a set of drop spindles. I can't really tell if it affected the ride because I replaced all the suspension components, and the shocks. I can say you will have to put some cash aside for an alignment and they will have to add some shims to the upper A-arm (more $$). You will most likely have to replace at least the lower ball joints as well. You might as well save for some drop spindles if you can, and get a suspension kit so you can go ahead and replace everything. My front end is now tight and drives like a new truck. I did a LOT of research before going with this set up and it seems to be the norm, and also works well for most. I think you may have problems if you cut more than one spring (just from others experience I have read about here and on other forums).
There are also some great videos on you tube that explain the process of taking out the springs, not hard on a 1/2 ton.

And always cut the bottom...

[INSIDIOUS '86]

My friend cut a coil off on his truck and it dropped it a good amount. I would recommend a cuttoff wheel not a torch or sawzall. And if you hit the ball joint flip the castle nut upside down first.

I wouldn't go much more than 1.5 coils cut btw.
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