info and pics of c20 with axle flip

[ullose272]

I picked up an 86 c20 that i plan on cutting down to a short bed and lowering, ive been reading that axle flipping a c20 will have different results than a c10. can anyone post some pics of a c20 with axle flip and about how much lower it is? and how much you had to notch the frame?

[LONGHAIR]

The drop will be a little more, because of the thicker springs. They make the truck sit higher, in stock form.
At a minimum, you'll need a bolt-in notch kit. It depends on how much you intend to haul at that point. You might get by with less travel, if you don't carry much, otherwise, banging the bump stops can be pretty harsh feeling.

[ullose272]

i will likely build a sort of step notch and weld it in. from the look of it the axle will be on the frame with the flip

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by ullose272

i will likely build a sort of step notch and weld it in. from the look of it the axle will be on the frame with the flip

It will be very close. Flip kits on 3/4 ton set-ups are typically closer to almost 8" of drop depending on how many leafs are in the pack.

[ullose272]

Originally Posted by SCOTI

It will be very close. Flip kits on 3/4 ton set-ups are typically closer to almost 8" of drop depending on how many leafs are in the pack.

thats fine, im going to pancake the front, spindles, and springs. see how its sitting, if its too low in the rear ill build a link setup.

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by ullose272

thats fine, im going to pancake the front, spindles, and springs. see how its sitting, if its too low in the rear ill build a link setup.

You can also add a 'lift' shackle to raise the set-up slightly.

It's the next gen but my '99 is a 3/4 ton 8-lug w/the Semi Float 14bolt housing. I did a flip kit but it was too much drop vs the front (3" spindle + 1-coil removed from the springs). I used the lift shackles to balance it out. My Squarebody dually was going to get the same thing but I changed direction & did a 4-bar as well.

[ullose272]

nice i'll keep that in mind! thanks

[ullose272]

nice i'll keep that in mind! thanks

[ullose272]

Originally Posted by SCOTI

You can also add a 'lift' shackle to raise the set-up slightly.

It's the next gen but my '99 is a 3/4 ton 8-lug w/the Semi Float 14bolt housing. I did a flip kit but it was too much drop vs the front (3" spindle + 1-coil removed from the springs). I used the lift shackles to balance it out. My Squarebody dually was going to get the same thing but I changed direction & did a 4-bar as well.

how is the bed clearance on the square bodys? my 68 gmc with a 9 inch comes pretty close to the bed, its sitting about 6" lowered in the rear.

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by ullose272

how is the bed clearance on the square bodys? my 68 gmc with a 9 inch comes pretty close to the bed, its sitting about 6" lowered in the rear.

I can only share my experience w/my dually & the truck it replaced (my 74swb C10) as they're the only squares I've owned....

My 74 was the 1/2 ton HD/Trailering package which had 8-leafs. Doing a flip kit on it yielded +6" of drop. With Western Chassis bolt-in C-notches, there was limited clearance (~2") but the 12bolt differential housing smacked the bed floor on significant bump/compression situations.

When I measured my dually (w/its even larger Dana housing) for a similar flip kit, there was minimal clearance as well. I recall it was less than 2" just sitting static. With that measurement & having grown tired of the constant impact experienced driving my 74, I stopped my plan to lower it until I had a solution for additional clearance. I did stepped rails (Porterbuilt units) vs. c-sections & did a raised bed floor to ensure clearance.

My dually @ ride height has never had contact issues w/the differential hitting sheet-metal (floor) or frame (@ the frame notch). Those efforts greatly improved (>100%) the driving experience vs my old 74 & I will not compromise that quality ever again. My dually has much better ride quality even w/the load rated/stiff sidewall truck tires.