1979 Big 10 5/7 drop input...

[Moose62]

I bought a 1979 Big 10 swb and I would like any insight on the best route to get a 5/7 or 4/7 leveled look. Because of the H.D. Suspension I'm going to lose the coils and leafs and prefer a flip in the rear with maybe some stock leafs from a c10 (if anyone has any willing to sell). What are the best products for the front to get a proper 4-5" drop?
Also if anyone has any backspacing info for a 20" wheel, 8" and 9" wide. I plan to run a 275 or 265/45-20. Front and rear same size.

[Moose62]

Original 1979 all stock.

[bbbc10]

sweet truck!!! u don't need stock leaf springs from a c10 urs are fine.....up front go with western chassis 2.5" spindles and western chassis 2.5" springs and for the rear got with belltech flip kit with notch and some 2" shackles and for shocks go with belltech drop shocks....I had this setup on my 84 c10 minus the shackles

[bbbc10]

you can run up to a 255/40/20 front and 285/40/20 rear and for backspacing are u going billet wheels or just a standard wheel?

[Moose62]

Probably doing a Detroit steel wheel, custom offset. Any way a 255/45/20 will work in the front with let's say the 4.5" drop kit in the front. Where does it hit the tire, on the inner fenders?

[bbbc10]

pretty sure that tire not gona fit.....I rubbed on the inner fenders with a 255/60/15 front with 5" drop

[Tom]

I prefer to use the least coil drop as possible, so I always use 3" spindles with the 73-87 range, then add 2" springs. Western chassie is the best overall company IMO, with doetsch tech shocks in front and shock extenders in the rear. A big10 should have an 8 spring leak pack, that will give you 6-7" of rear drop with a flip. You can remove a couple leafs to reduce the drop the flip gives you.

[bbbc10]

I wouldnt run doetsch shocks...also i forgot i had to run shock extenders with my 6" flip kit an 1" lowering blocks

[Moose62]

How about mcaughys 4.5/6 drop kit. Are their spindles and kits worth trying? I'm not so much worried about the rear cause I can add a block or shackle once I remove some leafs....what is a normal c-10 leaf, a four pack?

[bbbc10]

like said above 2 times......go with western chassis or belltech

[bluex]

Here's how mine sits with a 2.5 western chassis spindles and one coil cut off the stock front spring. Flip kit in the back no notch with shock extenders and the stock Big 10/Heavy Half spring pack. 235/55/17 front 275/60/17 rear, it rides great now much better than it did stock I think. I would skip out on the lowering springs and just cut one coil, nothing wrong with it as long as you don't use a torch on it.

[Moose62]

Anyone else have any input? Plan to use western chassis 2.5" spindle, 2" coil, and belted rear flip kit, and nitro drop shocks.
Wheels will be us mags oem Scottsdale in a 20x 9 with 255/45/20. Will cut and fab front inner fenders if need to. Anyone have pics of and offset for 20x9?

[bbbc10]

Go with 20x8.5 front an 20x10 rear and no need for custom inner fenders

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by Moose62

Anyone else have any input? Plan to use western chassis 2.5" spindle, 2" coil, and belted rear flip kit, and nitro drop shocks.
Wheels will be us mags oem Scottsdale in a 20x 9 with 255/45/20. Will cut and fab front inner fenders if need to. Anyone have pics of and offset for 20x9?

Originally Posted by bbbc10

Go with 20x8.5 front an 20x10 rear and no need for custom inner fenders

I ran 26.75" tall front tires on 15x6.5" wheels w/3" spindles & 1-coil removed w/no problem (74 swb C10).
I swapped over a set of 20x8.5's w/255/40's (28" tall) up front w/the same combo & didn't make it down the alley w/o buzzing the tops of the stock inners. It only got worse on the road @ speed.

The need for custom inners on the front depends on tire size & amount of drop. Moose62's proposed 4.5" drop w/a 29" front tire will quite possibly be very close & might just need customized/aftermarket inners.

[Moose62]

I don't like offset wheels, like my wheels the same on all four corners. Personally I think c10 guys let their truck hold them back with the front wheels. The inner fenders just unbolt, not that big of a deal. Wide tires on the back look like fat lady ass and small front tires on the front look like fat lady ass with tiny legs. Sorry not gunna let some unbolted sheet metal hold me back. They would have to come out if I bagged it....
Just curious if anyone else is running a 20x9 with 45 series tire? I did this same set up on my 01 Sierra and it was by far the best looking wheel and tire combo for a 3/6 drop then. 40 series are for cars, I don't want a c10 on training wheels. Just my opinion as to where I come from on the issue. Never run smaller than stock.
Only reason I don't bag it is because I want to drive not fix, and money.

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by Moose62

I don't like offset wheels, like my wheels the same on all four corners. Personally I think c10 guys let their truck hold them back with the front wheels. The inner fenders just unbolt, not that big of a deal. Wide tires on the back look like fat lady ass and small front tires on the front look like fat lady ass with tiny legs. Sorry not gunna let some unbolted sheet metal hold me back. They would have to come out if I bagged it....
Just curious if anyone else is running a 20x9 with 45 series tire? I did this same set up on my 01 Sierra and it was by far the best looking wheel and tire combo for a 3/6 drop then. 40 series are for cars, I don't want a c10 on training wheels. Just my opinion as to where I come from on the issue. Never run smaller than stock.
Only reason I don't bag it is because I want to drive not fix, and money.

I'll agree to disagree on the big/wide small tire combo being ugly. Lot's of guys are just fine w/it. One big difference between your mentioned 01 & a C10 is the track width is wider on the front vs the rear for these trucks. Staggered widths can help w/the difference. If that's not your style.... I get it.

Me? I wouldn't drive anything w/o inner fender-wells if it was possible. It just makes a mess of everything under the hood any time you hit water run-off @ speed.

20x9's w/29" tall fronts will fit, they just might require the mentioned fender-well mods or removal.

[Moose62]

So now Belltech cant tell me why but they said their flip kit wont fit a big 10 truck just the 1/2 ton c10. Im assuming because of the 8 pack leaf springs and possibly u bolts not being long enough..

I can remove some leafs no problem. Anyone used a belltech flip on a big 10? Also do I really need the shock relocators or not?

Also belltech drop shocks are for 2-4" front and 4-6" rear, and im planning to have 4.5" front and 6" rear. Will those shocks have to do...?

Im asking cause I don't want to waste money doing this twice.

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by Moose62

So now Belltech cant tell me why but they said their flip kit wont fit a big 10 truck just the 1/2 ton c10. Im assuming because of the 8 pack leaf springs and possibly u bolts not being long enough..

I can remove some leafs no problem. Anyone used a belltech flip on a big 10? Also do I really need the shock relocators or not?

Also belltech drop shocks are for 2-4" front and 4-6" rear, and im planning to have 4.5" front and 6" rear. Will those shocks have to do...?

Im asking cause I don't want to waste money doing this twice.

I used a standard flip kit on my old 74 w/the HD 8-leaf pack w/o issue.

Shock relocation brackets help you run the longest stroke shock possible for the best ride. I would definitely run them on the rear w/a flip kit & look into front shock relocation brackets as well.

[Moose62]

Originally Posted by SCOTI

I used a standard flip kit on my old 74 w/the HD 8-leaf pack w/o issue.

Shock relocation brackets help you run the longest stroke shock possible for the best ride. I would definitely run them on the rear w/a flip kit & look into front shock relocation brackets as well.

Was yours a c20? Read the heavy half didn't start until 74. And bell tech doesn't acknowledge it til 78. I would think it will work unless someone knows what I don't. Read the frames were the same. Just heavier springs leafs and brakes

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by Moose62

Was yours a c20? Read the heavy half didn't start until 74. And bell tech doesn't acknowledge it til 78. I would think it will work unless someone knows what I don't. Read the frames were the same. Just heavier springs leafs and brakes

It was a C10.

[bbbc10]

It will work and they do have belltech shocks for 5/7 droo cause i have them in my shed from when i was static dropped got them from summit

[bluex]

My post above mentions mine is a big 10 with a flip kit and shock extenders. I used the ubolts with no issue.