Spring ride height

[JoeNational]

This is new to me as I have never tried to change the height of any vehicle before. Right now when I measure from the ground to the fender lip I get 33" for both front and back. I assume if I do a 4" drop spring only I will then be riding at 29" between floor and fender.

Does this sound correct? Also, is there anything else I need? Can I just do the springs? This is for a 1969 long bed

Thanks,

[Mike C]

Yes that sounds right. Assuming the stock springs still have the truck at stock height. There is some variance, and if your truck has settled in the last 45 years then it may lower it more than that. It may not. Be that is a good ball-park way to figure it.

On the drums, lowered coils are about the only choice. I've driven these trucks with drums, and my opinion is that they are not safe to be on the road equipped that way with newer vehicles. I consider discs to be a mandatory upgrade for a truck that will see real road duty. Not everyone agrees with me, but having done my 70 C2500 and my 69 C10 I have experience both ways with both short and long beds and both half and three quarter tons.

The beauty of the disc conversion is you can use a drop spindle and a 1 or 2 inch spring and get it as low and have much more travel.

[CC69Rat]

As Mike mentioned, new dropped springs are not going to yield a full drop as advertised. For example your stock springs have lost tension over the years and are already allowing the truck to sit about an inch lower than it did from the factory.

I personally wouldn't run more than a 3" drop spring in the front.. it will make it pretty difficult to get the alignment back in spec.

So, 3 in drop spring will net only about a 2 or 2.25" drop over where you are right now. Realistically speaking your truck will sit about 31" in that same place you're measuring from.

If you decide to add discs up front I would suggest dropped spindles. And maybe a combination of drop spindles and drop springs to really get it down .. dropped spindles will give you 100% of the advertised net drop. 2.5" spindles gives you your 2.5" drop AND you can retain the factory ride, steering geometry, and alignment specs. Go with spindles if you can.. you'll be glad you did.

[JoeNational]

Thanks guys. I am looking to do the disc conversion as well. Redoing the truck as I don't like the way it came out. But this time doing the other parts I neglected last time.

So to recap:
Lowered springs will drop but in the front it is best to do spindles and springs while in the back just springs is fine.

Thanks again
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[CC69Rat]

Yeah springs in the back but anything over about 3-4 inch drop in the back I'd look at shock relocation brackets. Early Classics sells them as a kit (there are others out there too) it will make the ride a lot better. Anything over about 4" your rear shocks are at such an angle they lose their effective up/down compression and are laying almost horizontal. Your truck will ride like a two horse wagon.

Also anything over about 4" take a look at your pinion angle..