2" Shorter Coil Springs = 4" Drop ?!

[Gregski]

Originally Posted by Houston Ben

2/4 belltech with 2" drop springs 275/60/15 on 15x8.5 rim for comparison. Yours is way low!

Than you Ben I appreciate that. Sent another email to Tom letting him know I keep buttoming out when I drive over mild speed bumps on my street. Seriously leaning towards returning these springs.

[79sierra]

Don't know if this helps but I think the front will come up some as the rear is lowered. If it will be enough I don't know.

[enaberif]

Perhaps its a lower control arm issue and not a spring issue? I mean you could get @Houston Ben to measure his springs and you could compare spring height.

But it could also be a spring softness issue too? I know springs are usually measured by figuring out how much weight it takes to compress it one inch.

[f.monroe]

Originally Posted by Gregski

so thank you all for following along as we beat this horse to death got another email from Tom from McGauphys

"... Here is a picture of a few trucks with the same coil you have in the front for reference. They do not have a spindle installed like the black truck which is actually dropped 4.5" in the front [...] Please understand my only intention is to give you the information you are looking for to get to the bottom of the issue [...] These trucks 60-87 are what we specialize in here at Switch and are quite familiar with them..."

Just thought I would correct this . The Buckskin 1978 on 18" Torq Thrusts had 2.5" western chassis drop spindles and the original stock Big 10 coil springs on the front and a 4" drop leaf in the rear. It is technically a 2.5/4 drop.I'm flattered that he has a pic of my truck but he is wrong about the parts used. I did use 2.5 drop spindles and a 1" drop cool on my black truck. They were mcgaughys coils. They did drop it much more than an inch. Your truck looks like the original springs were still in good condition and not sagging like most. I think they base their drop on the difference in height using asagging original spring as their base . That's why you got so much drop from those springs.

[Gregski]

well Gentlemen the saga continues, I waited till November so I could have money to buy new coil springs, I thought hey lets buy them from LMC Truck so that they take the guessing game out of the equation for us, right, I mean those guys should know these trucks

so today the package arrived, I got the coil springs and the leaf spring hangers for the rear

want to first show you the way LMC Truck packages their stuff because I believe they fired their efficiency experts back in '86 LOL

[Gregski]

now you all may wanna be sitting down for this next part cause it's about to get real

LMC Truck sent me the exactly precisely unequivicably same McGauphys coil springs that I already had, that I already bought from McGauphys that dropped my truck way too much

Did I call LMC Truck before ordering? YES

Did I ask them if they could tell me what brand these coil springs are? YES

They said they could not tell me that info because they did not know / have it.

LMC Truck has no Technical Support department and their call center is lame.

[Gregski]

Originally Posted by BRUISER

... I used the Summit Racing 2" drop springs.

do you recall the part number bro?

I am eyeballin' these: 1974 GMC C15 C1500 PICKUP Summit Racing® Dropped Coil Springs SUM-G727

[KQQL IT]

Why don't you get a stock set, and clip a coil?

[Gregski]

Originally Posted by KQQL IT

Why don't you get a stock set, and clip a coil?

Seriously considering doing just that. I didn't want to at first because of all the stuff I read and heard about getting the right spring size and tension with the proper bottom to make enough contact with the bowl, I guess when you cut a spring there is less contact between the bottom loop and the bowl cup it sits in, that type of thing

[Desert1957]

You CANNOT tell "Spring Rate" by looking at a coil spring, They could still be different.

Desert

[68Timber]

Originally Posted by Gregski

do you recall the part number bro?

I am eyeballin' these: 1974 GMC C15 C1500 PICKUP Summit Racing® Dropped Coil Springs SUM-G727

I don't and Summit doesn't show my order history that far back. But I looked in their catalog and the ad hasn't changed in all these years, those are the pair I ordered.

[Gregski]

Originally Posted by Desert1957

You CANNOT tell "Spring Rate" by looking at a coil spring, They could still be different.

Desert

They have the exact part number written on each spring, that's what I am going by. Not willing to install these just to check them, since I might scratch them up and then they won't want to take them back. And what would it say about their product if two sets of exact same part number springs sagged and recoiled differently? Just something to think about, I guess.

[SkinnyG]

The initial dropped picture you posted looks dandy. It is about where most fronts site when combined with a flip kit out back.

Aftermarket springs give you what they expect for drop, but since no vehicle is perfect, the amount of drop may vary. Maybe your truck had different springs. Maybe your truck weighs less. Maybe maybe maybe. Fact is - it sits where it sits.

Riding this low, using springs but not spindles, does a couple things:

It may increase bumpsteer because the control arms and tie rod ends won't be "optimal" (if there is such a thing in these trucks) - but you will drive around it subconsciously. You likely won't even notice.

It may increase front tire wear due to more "scrub" (that is, as the control arms start deviating from horizontal, the tire starts scrubbing sideways over a bump, wearing the tires out). It might be noticeable, but only time will tell.

You may not have much bump travel. You could, if you had to, trim the front bumpstop (or cut down the bumpstop tower and install an Energy Suspension bumpstop of some kind/height) so that you hit the stop before the wheel hits the underside of the fender.

Keep the McGaughy's you bought previously, return the LMC ones, flip the axle, and ride on! It will be fine. Truck guys have been doing it this way for years. It works fine.

[Gregski]

quick update, decided to just cut a loop off of my stock coils and that gave me a perfect 2" drop, thanks for the suggestions everyone

also, shipped the McGauphys coils back, the US Post Office wanted $50 bucks to ship the original package back which weighed over 30 pounds but luckily they fit in their large Flat Rate box, which allowed them to be shipped for only $18 bucks

lets keep our fingers crossed to see if the Greg will get his refund

here is a pic of 2" drop in front by cutting stock springs, and a 2" drop in rear using 2" taller aftermarket shackles, (we are also going to add 2" taller leaf spring hangers in the back to level this green machine - wish me luck)

[Gregski]

figure I would give you an update on this McGaughys coil spring fiasco. so after having returned the springs to them and not having heard back, I emailed them, and Tom emailed me back and said my package was refused because it did not have the ORDER # on it, and their folks are trained not to accept those types of packages

[MuirR]

So if they refused it where did it go? Is the post office returning to sender?

[Matt Man]

What a fiasco, I also wonder where are they then?

[Gregski]

Originally Posted by Chaplain

What!

Exactly, I emailed Tom and asked if he could provide a link to where it says that on their website, he sent me a link but here's all it says, there is nothing here about including your Order # on the outside of the box:

http://www.mcgaughys-suspension.com/shipping-returns/

Shipping & Returns

Returns Policy

You may return new, unopened items within 15 days of delivery for a refund minus a 20% restock fee and original shipping charges (if shipped for free) . We'll also pay the return shipping costs if the return is a result of our error (you received an incorrect or defective item, etc.). Absolutely No Returns After 15 Days.

You should expect to receive your refund within four weeks of giving your package to the return shipper, however, in many cases you will receive a refund more quickly. This time period includes the transit time for us to receive your return from the shipper (5 to 10 business days), the time it takes us to process your return once we receive it (3 to 5 business days), and the time it takes your bank to process our refund request (5 to 10 business days).

If you need to return an item, simply login to your account, view the order using the "Complete Orders" link under the My Account menu and click the Return Item(s) button. We'll notify you via e-mail of your refund once we've received and processed the returned item.

-------------------------

can someone explain to me why in the world someone would return an unopened item, oh look here is a brand new part I ordered and have been waiting on for days, I know I will turn around and return it for a full refund, well duh no, you will open it and look at it and only if it is red and you specifically wanted a darn blue one will you know that it is the wrong part, and only then know to return it, geez

[enaberif]

I hate this bull****. I once returned something to rock auto and forgot a piece of paper. it was rejected and sent back.


by the time I could send it back grace period was up and they wouldn't refund me.

[Jake Wade]

One of the reasons I try to do all the business I can with Summit or Jegs, no hassle, ever

[Chaplain]

Originally Posted by Jake Wade

One of the reasons I try to do all the business I can with Summit or Jegs, no hassle, ever

Yep... What he said or better yet a local shop where you can have a face to face conversation. Wait I'm saying this to people I've never met.