A spring is a spring is a spring?

[69 MOD]

I'm sure this question has been asked before but my search didn't bring up what I wanted to really know.

With all the different mfg. of drop springs how do you know what the ride is going to be like?

McGaughty
Hotchkis
Eibach
Classic Performance
Belltech
Etc.

The choices are plentiful but what am I buying?
I don't want the truck to ride like a 1 ton but I still want a decent cornering and handling truck.

Any thoughts guys?

Thanks,
MOD

[Mikec10]

The more drop the stiffer the spring
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[68c10airstream]

Hi, my 68 c10 handles and rides great with these changes; lowered 2 1/2 disc brake spindles up front with a thick antisway bar up front, a newer gm truck quicker steering box (3 1/2 turns lock to lock with variable ratio option) 4" lower rear coils and rear shock relocators, and a rear antisway bar. There is more involved with these changes, but very doable! When i take my truck in for a front end alignment about every 2 years the front end guy raves about driving my truck, and i quote him " drives and rides like a late model gm". Some fantastic help here so ask away! Btw, i was a dealership mechanic for many years, 2 years of auto schooling, ASE master mechanic, and this was my approach with front end changes. There are a lot of new products out if you ever decide to go lower to address alignment issues, Brian F.

[68c10airstream]

I probably should add my thoughts on lower springs. Not to offend the lower crowd, but here i go, i used the stock springs and lowered spindles for 2 reasons. One, upgrade to disc's and two, by using stock springs look at it like this: lets saw your truck in a stock application has probably equal wheel travel up and down to accomadate hills and holes. lets also say you have as an example 6" of travel up and down from center stock. Now do a 2" lower spring with this same example and now you have only 4" of travel of the wheel up (hitting a hill) but now you have 8" of travel for the wheel to move down (hitting a hole). So you can see how lowered springs get you closer to the compression bump stop. There is quite a science to springs, fixed rate, variable rate, grade of metal, etc, etc, so search away. The lowered spindles with stock springs kept the factory geometry pretty much the same without getting into scrub radius discussions, etc. Good luck

[69 MOD]

Thanks guys, I'm not going to go crazy dropping it.

It's going to be 3/5 or 2/4 haven't decided how low I want it and I also don't want to notch the frame.

68c10 I agree on total travel of the suspension, I'm a former mechanic myself so I get the geometry factor in the front.

Still interested in opinions on this though...

[66 C10 383]

68c10airstream - what was the application for the "newer gm truck quicker steering box (3 1/2 turns lock to lock with variable ratio option)". I've been wanting one for my 66 C10.

As far as the springs, I've been wanting to know the same thing. Are the aftermarket springs just trimmed stock springs then powdercoated and double the price?

I've got listings for stock springs from 722# (6cyl) to 1060# (1 ton). I'm not wanting a Caddy ride but I don't want a log wagon either. How much is too soft and too stiff? I'm wanting to do a 2.5 drop spindle and a 2" drop spring but with a decent ride. I don't believe you have to have a stiff suspension to have good handling, let the sway bar do it's job.