How to lower my ride? Please help a newbie.

[Slonaker]

Originally Posted by los-lowrider

Hi, I have a problem with sport truck direct. I wanted to order a complete lowering set 5/7 from western chassis. So I wrote them several e-mails to let me know with what charges for freight and handling I have to count. Unfortunately nobody answered me. So I thought ok maybe they have a problem with their server or whatever. I sent them two faxes but also no response.
What do you think, is that normal? I don't know if this is their kind of customer support, but not i my oppinion.
I find their behaviour is really impolite. On my opinion it is absolutely ok to check out the costs before because I order from Germany and the additional costs are sky high. Please let me know your opinion!

I emailed them 2 or 3 times after they were recommended here. I was asking about spending about $600, and they never bothered to respond. I took my business to another place.

I bought my Western Chassis drop components from http://www.performancesuspension.com. I had no problems with them.

Slonaker

[milehightoyz]

yeah, be careful with excessive shipping charges from sport truck direct. i was gonna order a $79.00 flip kit and they wanted to charge me close to $30 to ship it. thats a bigger mark up than gmcpauls who charges $80.00 for the same kit and then $16.00 to ship it then sticks it in a flat rate $7.70 box US mail box to get it to you.

[los-lowrider]

Sprot truck direct seems to have no interest in selling their products. I wrote them four or five e-mails till today. Without any response. So can anyone tell me where I can find an dealer who sell's an similar 5/7 kit with helper airbags from western chassis?
My problem is that I am from Europe and a lot of dealers are obvisiously not interested in this kind of trades.

Michel

[Slonaker]

As I said in my post above, I bought Western Chassis components from http://www.performancesuspension.com/. I had no complaints.

Slonaker

[los-lowrider]

@Slonaker: Yes, Iknow you mentionedabout, but I can't find a set-up there which is similar to that which sport truck direct offers especially for that price. Or am I just blind.

[Slonaker]

Originally Posted by los-lowrider

@Slonaker: Yes, Iknow you mentionedabout, but I can't find a set-up there which is similar to that which sport truck direct offers especially for that price. Or am I just blind.

It looks like they offer the components, but you have to order the parts separately. They have spindles, springs, shackles, and air bag kits. You can find it all by looking in the menu on the left side of the page.

Slonaker

[swervin ervin]

Michel,

I am getting involved in this late it seems, but I highly recommend Performance Suspension Components. Sportruck Direct doesn't seem to care sometimes and they are not as knowledgeable as PSC. I also recommend you spending a few bucks worth of phone time to call them and tell them what you are after and need. They are real helpful and know exactly what you will need. I don't know if they ship overseas or not though. I don't see why they wouldn't. It would suck if you ordered everything off their web site only to find out you didn't get everything you needed and have to pay shipping again.

[1976K5CHALET]

los...nice to see a german truck owner on the board! I spent 3.5 years in your country when i was in the army in the mid to late 80's. Back then it
was still east and west....but i really miss the foood and great beer your
country has. When i was there i had a 69 chevelle and i was a member of
a german/american car club in frankfurt. Unfortunately my chevelle never made it home to the states. Coming home from frankfurt one night i spun
out on the offramp going to hanau and put her on her roof. I ended up
giving her to a sgt. i new who was restoring a 69 el camino...so she's still
over there somewhere to the best of my knowledge.

Maybe you can help me. I'd like to find an old issue of chrome flammen
magazine...how would i go about that? I think it would be a 88-89 issue.
Spent my last two years in weisbaden and i had a german friend who's camero
made it in that magazine...was thinking since he was a polezi i might be able
to find his name in the magazine and find him again.

Doug Wright.

PS...i have a 77 and a 79 K5 in the back yard...if you need small parts let me know and i'll take care of you...

[bigarmzz]

here's a pic of the 5/7 drop los lowrider....i have 235-75/15's in the front and 285-70/15's in the rear

(i just saw you requesting pics of the 5/7)

[los-lowrider]

Is it correct that the Western c-notch is the same for both sides. Or did I just receive the wrong notch?

[bigblock73]

They appear to be the same at first glance, but they are indeed different. Compare the bolt hole locations. Swervin has a writeup on 73-87.com, check it out too.

[los-lowrider]

Just wanna let you know that I did some progress. Front end is nearly done and the rear is also nearly finished!

[swervin ervin]

You forgot to let us know where you ended up getting the parts from. It is important to all of us so we can recommend companies to others, such as yourself. This is a big part of these forums, to weed out the bad guys who feel like we are not worth the effort to let us know what they charge for something before we buy it.

Looks like you are making great progress on the drop. Looks very sharp too. Please post back with more photos. We all love photos. It's a fetish we all have.

[los-lowrider]

Sorry, I ordered the parts at Performance Suspension. I have had no problems with them. Sonny is a great guy and he knows what he is selling. The only thing was that they weren't able to state a price for shipping. Only comment was minimum 500$. So I decided to take a own freight forwarder to be on the save side.
I ordered an Western 5.5/7 drop kit, an front end rebuilt kit, a front sway bar and bushings for the rear springs. All together it's a lot of work bit I hope to ready this weekend.
I will post pics of the result!
Michel

[moneyeater]

Sieht doch ganz gut aus!
Looks very good,keep on the progress and praise the lowered!!
Seems that we get some hot sport trucks in good ol´ germany too!lol

[los-lowrider]

Hey guys it is nearly finished, just the tires don't fit here are some pics and please let me know which tire combo will work!

[los-lowrider]

some more

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by los-lowrider

Hey guys it is nearly finished, just the tires don't fit here are some pics and please let me know which tire combo will work!

Are you wanting to use the same front wheels? If so, try a 245/60-15. They're 26.5" vs. your current 275/60 @ 28". Some narrower wheels would help or a little more back-spacing. This would prevent rubbing on the outside fender-lip.

[moneyeater]

Wow thats very low compared to my 4/6 drop!In front i´m running 265/50/15 on alcoa design wheels in 10x15 ET -45 and still the rim rubbed a little at the lower a-arm!I had to grind the lip of the arm and the fit is tight!Maybe the tire will hit the fender too when the front dives in at hard cornering or breaking!Rearward i run the same rims with 295/50/15 tires and there should be no rubbingproblems!And on top of that all the local TÜV (technical inspection) may not give his " amen " to the suspension mods because the frontcrossmember is very low and may hit roadbumps!









But besides all that your rideheight is coool!

[los-lowrider]

I think with my rims it won't work. At the moment it's not possible to turn. So what do you think could i use. What backspace etc. is possible to drive?

[los-lowrider]

Oh I forgot, I think I have to keep a diameter of 28" because the ground clearance is just a package of cigarettes. So if I loose in diameter the lower arm will scrap.

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by los-lowrider

Oh I forgot, I think I have to keep a diameter of 28" because the ground clearance is just a package of cigarettes. So if I loose in diameter the lower arm will scrap.

Then 225/75-15's will net you just over 28" tall. Unfortunately, you'll more than likely buzz the top of the inner front wheel-wells w/that tall of a tire.

[los-lowrider]

@scoti
As far as I know you have a 18/20 combo with a 5/7drop, so what are the specs of your set up and does it work well or did you have to work on the inner and outer fender?

[boxrodz]

los-low...
The drop looks low and tight.
Sounds like you're gonna have to swap out the stockers.
Maybe, 5" or 5.25" bs on the front would solve your problem. BTW, the rear doesn't need as much bs.

Looking good.

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by los-lowrider

@scoti
As far as I know you have a 18/20 combo with a 5/7drop, so what are the specs of your set up and does it work well or did you have to work on the inner and outer fender?

My front wheels are 8" wide but I'm running 5.25" back-spacing to keep them from rubbing the fender-lip. In order to run this amount of BS, I did trim the lip on the lower a-arm all the way back to the shock mount. It still will rub on the a-arm if I try & lock the wheel w/too sharp of a turn, but it's never rubbed on the outer fender lip.

I would get new (different) front wheels w/better back-spacing.