Laying Rocker? an other 73-87 ?'s

[Slammed '87]

ok, first off, i know all the info is prolly here sumwhere but it gets really confusing when u have a million posts with a million people sayin whats what. Right!? OK, first ? What is the rocker? I know its the lowest part of the body (er i think), On these trucks theres a one inch lip that hangs down. I am close to laying "rocker" but when i look at piks that are body dropped, with the front an rear bumper on the ground, that one inch lip "rocker" is gone. (see piks 1-2 below) Is that still considered laying rocker, or body, or the same???

Ok now, i want to be as low as that orange body dropped truck (or really close to), without a body drop, but on 17" rims an low profile tires (prolly 245/40/17's), is that possible? I am about 2" from laying "rocker" in the front of my truck now, and i figure if i do a 2" x-member mod with airride strong arms an of course modify my steering linkage etc i should be really close!? OR should i go with a 3" Z?, i'd prefer not to do the Z if i don't have to, but ....whatever it takes. Does adding the control arms give me any more drop ie; lower spring cups, or do i even use them?, can i cut them down?.....

This guy?... (see pic 3 primered truck with moons below) i believe did a 3" Z an thats it, no body drop. He is running 15" rims, but with huge whities. They, i assume are taller than my 17's will be, so that's why i am thinkin i can do it!?

When i did the suspension i have now, i screwed up! i hate to say it but being a newbie, i guess it happens. In the rear of my ride i went with a 6.5" step notch, figuring that'd be lots, knowing i was only gonna go with 17" rims. I measured everything like 20 times too! My plan was to lay rear bumper when layed out. BUT, because the front of my truck was still sitting about 3" to high, thats what screwed me up. When you bring one end down, like a teeter todder, it raises the other end up. When aired out my rear bumper is bout 2" from ground. Neway, i have to redo the whole rearend from scratch, starting from enlarging my step notch, to relocating the 4 link etc.....NEWAY. i have the rear all figured out now, thats easy, but the front is another issue. I wanna make sure i do it right the first time! Any info is is appreciated and to those who i stole your piks from, i hope you don't mind,they make me drool everytime i look at em, an i am sure many others too!! Cheers!...

[Captkaos]

The lip is the pinch weld. "laying rocker" is a technical term (in my opinion) that means the body of the truck is on the ground, be it the pinch weld or the actual rocker panel. There are those that say laying rocker means no pinch weld, and they are cut off.

A 2" x member drop is going to required alot of modification to the frame and steering. 1.5" is as low as you can go and not have a ton of problems.

If you do a 1.5" x member and a 2.5" Z, that should get you where you need to be. The problem is the lower control arms hang down lower than the frame at the cab, and the cab hangs lower than the rocker. So to lay the rocker on the ground you need to get the lower control arms up and the bottom of the frame up. If you just Z it 4" you will have the same results.

[DM310]

Well from the look of the pic of the orange truck, looks like they cut off the rocker and layin door. To get that low you will have to bodydrop the truck. Its not that hard depending on which way you do it.

[67Fleet]

Originally Posted by DM310

Well from the look of the pic of the orange truck, looks like they cut off the rocker and layin door. To get that low you will have to bodydrop the truck. Its not that hard depending on which way you do it.

Then you get to decide which way to BD it. Stock-floor, or traditional?
I'd go stock-floor, it's way easier.

[DM310]

I have been thinking about body drop'n my truck 3" and cutting off the rockers so I can lay some door. Just trying to see if I want to or not.

[el curioso]

Stock-floor, or traditional? Whats the difference?

[67Fleet]

Originally Posted by el curioso

Stock-floor, or traditional? Whats the difference?

info is from fullsizechevy.com: (my C.Y.A. policy)
STOCK-FLOOR BODY DROP
Basically (its harder than it sounds) you raise the bed floor which drops it over the frame, cut the frame underneath the cab and reinforce with new tube stock, raise the tanny hump in cab, notch fire wall for wheels(if needed), and drop the front frame horns, lower the cab body mounts. In reality there are alot more details and little specifics. I would recommend a stock floor over a traditional. As far as how much, to get it done at a shop look for anywheres from $3000-$4000 at some of your higher end shops

TRADITIONAL BODY DROP
For a traditional bodydrop, you need to strip the interior, cut the firewall under the windshild cowl, cut the back wall, cut out and raise the floor your desired height(generaly 3"), after that you do the bed the same as above, aswell as the frame horns you'll also have to do some relocating of underhood items. ANything on the inner fenders will have to be relocated, because the iner fenderswill have to be removed, and new ones built or you can go without them, If you run 22s the firewall will have to be tubbed and the battery may have to be relocated and the fuse box moved to the baterys stock location, wires and hoses may need to be lengthend. There's also probably 100 other things I'm forgetting. I used to say if i were to bodydrop another truck I'd go stock floor, but recently I've had a few safty concerns about cutting the frame that much. Even with reenforcement I have concerns about what would happen in a crash. I'd recommend doing a complete frame or at least a new frame from the firewall back as opposed to sectioning the stock frame. Either way your looking at 3500+ and I wouldn't really expect to pay much less than 4000 realistically to have a good shop do the work.

[fastbagged68]

If the rocker sit level with the frame then you need to get the whole frame on the ground. You should be able to lay rocker with a crossmember notch, 3 inch drop spindles, and air ride. You are running a small tire so you shouldn't need to Z your frame. If you truck is allready on air then factor in another 1.25" drop and see where that will put your frame...Is it on the ground? Where is the rocker at? There are a ton of different ways to get what you want.