Any regrets on your drop??

[norville]

bigarmzz,

How did it turn out?? Anty tips for the install? I'm really not looking forward to the rear.


bob

[bigarmzz]

Originally Posted by norville

bigarmzz,

How did it turn out?? Anty tips for the install? I'm really not looking forward to the rear.


bob

yeah, its been done for awhile now...i've been lazy about gettin pics up though

its gettin painted right now, with a steel cowl hood

my advise is this....if you use drop spindles in the front, use stock shocks....you dont "have" to use lowering shocks in the front....it will soften your ride to use the stockers (i did find that out)

install isnt bad....routine stuff...exept, like i said those rivets are a pain to get off....well, if i had the right tools it would have been easier

[bigarmzz]

Originally Posted by solidaxel

Here is 2/4 drop with Bilstine shocks and 17" wheels. Right front inner takes a hit ever so often when I am going over the limit !! I can't haul as much firewood as I used to, but then I don't have to work as hard !!
Just do it you will love it !

solidaxel, what size 17" rims are those??? up front and back that is.....and what size tires did you end up using???

i'm wanting to put as much "meat" in the rear as i can with my 3/4 lowering kit

[87 Shortwide]

I drove my 87 with a 5/7 drop all through highschool without a problem in the world. All belltech of course.

My brothers 82 is dropped 5/8 and it's fine driving also.

[norville]

bigarmzz,

for the rear did you grind or drill then air chisle?? Did you drop the tank or remove the bed??

Trying to figure out if I need help or not.

bob

[bodydropped]

my truck has a rear flip kit with 10 leaf springs on each side so i could tow a car with no prob the frt has springs but when i put my 3 inch spindles i was to low to be a daily my dad dually is 4/7 and he is as low as u can go on a dually without flippin the rear end and notchin the bed for the center chunk and he just go thru towin a trailer 300 miles and he has no problem but like my dad tells me there is always to low for a daily so that why im buildin a rocker draggin truck so i can have fun but i do love layed out tow pigs

[solidaxel]

Bigarmzz they are 17" front and rear and I think they are 8" wide I will look at the tire size when i get back on Monday. I do know the rears are one size larger than the front > This was done 4 years ago so I don't remember all of the work I had to go through but i have had no problems to date, except for replacing thr tires!!

[SCOTI]

Get those pics posted when you get it back from paint.

Mine has 3" spindles & 1 coil cut from the stock small block springs + I relocated the upper shock mount to get optimum travel using the stock HD gas shocks. For the rear, it has the HD 8-leaf option w/a flip kit, shock relocators, & BellTech dropped shackles. It has matching HD gas shocks that were again researched for optimim travel given the drop. Ironically, they're intended for the front of a 73-87 4wd trucks but the length was right.

I drive it daily these days since my 68 is getting a V8 transplant & my only complaint wouldn't be an issue if I would just get it done. I bottom out on the big ruts/dips on the road because I have yet to install my c-sections. Of course this hinders my load capacity somewhat as well .

Here's my over-posted pic. No regrets @ all . . ....

[78' Silverado]

My only regreat is...not going lower LOL.

[norville]

So folks Can I do this shackle drop without removing the bed?? I figure the tank will have to be dropped. After really looking into all this I think a flip would have been easier for me to do. But I have all the parts for the shackle/hanger drop so that 's what it'll be.

I think the time is getting near. Is it possible to do in a weekend? without a torch?

Pa folks free food and beer. I'll throw some cash if it's your place.

bob

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by norville

So folks Can I do this shackle drop without removing the bed??.... After really looking into all this I think a flip would have been easier for me to do. But I have all the parts for the shackle/hanger drop so that 's what it'll be.

bob

I didn't have to pull my bed to do the shackles. I've also heard of some people having to 'notch' a support under their bed floor but I didn't need to do that either.

Having done a few of each, a flip kit is easier vs. shackles/hangers (more drop for the amount of work). But, if your budget is a concern, go w/what you have.

[1FaastC10]

Originally Posted by bigarmzz

i the rear is a ***** b/c of the rivets...i've been working steady now getting them off with air chissel....the ones on the drivers side kinda behind the gas tank are a biatch......

buy a good quailty air chisel. i took my 79 K10 frame down to bare rails with my Matco long barrel in about 15 minutes, including about 5 when i had to bandage my hand. rivet splitters will also split skin.

[norville]

So to clear things up I still need to gring the back of the rivts and then chisel. Or do I not need to gring if I have a chisel. Lastly I would grind then drill and cold chisel them off.

Does this sound right. Just trying to get a game plan and ot reinvent the wheel.


bob

[Tom]

I regret the 3/4 drop I first did on my 78. I used shackles and hangers. Then I relized 3/4 isen't even close to hurting daily driving and didn't look all that much better. So I went 5" front. Now my problem is getting the extra 1-2" out of the rear. A flip kit would have been so much easier like it was on my 79. I drove that truck daily over 80miles with a 5.5/7 drop.

[82c10]

i have thought about doing a 3/5 with springs, and a flip kit, or doing a 3/4 with springs,shackles, and hangers, are the springs ok to use on the front, most of y'all have spindles, springs are cheaper, but are they ok?

[bigarmzz]

for a rear shackle/hanger set up, you "dont" have to remove the bed....you "can" grind the rivets off, but i think its not any harder to just air chisel them off...(i didnt have an air chisel, i had to big hammer it off, and use a big ol' pry bar)

Originally Posted by norville

So folks Can I do this shackle drop without removing the bed?? I figure the tank will have to be dropped. After really looking into all this I think a flip would have been easier for me to do. But I have all the parts for the shackle/hanger drop so that 's what it'll be.

I think the time is getting near. Is it possible to do in a weekend? without a torch?

Pa folks free food and beer. I'll throw some cash if it's your place.

bob

[swervin ervin]

After doing all kinds of drops on the rear of my 85, let me tell you, remove the bed if you want it to be easy. No, you don't have to remove the bed, but it will save you a ton of time and work to just go ahead and do it. I remember when I installed a shackle/hanger kit way back and the instruction sheet said to remove the bed. I thought no way. I can do this without that. Guess what? I ended up removing the bed. So much easier and only takes one more person to help you lift it off and on. Best way to remove the hangers is with a chisel, air or just a hammer and cold chisel. Air chisel makes quick work of it and hammer/cold chisel takes a lot of beating. No grinding is needed. Just cut the head off and punch the rest of the rivet out.

Now to what is best. Matter of opinion I guess. Myself I wouldn't go any other way than to use a flip kit. This way you have all kinds of options later if/when you decide to go lower. Believe me, you will want to go lower. I know, been there, done that. You can get by without a c-notch for normal driving but just be careful on the big bumps though because it will bottom out.

[slammd72]

when ive ever removed rivets on these chevy trucks ive found out that if you just sawzall off the head you can get to then use a punch and whack the hell out of the rivet it usually comes out. and if it doesnt come out then you can just lodge a chisel in between the part that is riveted on and it ill come off.