advice on cutting rear frame snubbers

[slugish]

I have lowered my 84 C10 to the point where I am looking to get more travel out of the rear. I would like to try cutting the rear "snubber mounts" out before I C-notch the frame. Do you guys have any advice on what the best way is to do this or helpful tools? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

-Will

This is the only picture I have of my truck on my computer.

[1974gmc]

i took the rubber bump stop out. you can pull it out easily

[boxrodz]

1974gmc - I think he wants to remove the actual mounts themselves.

slugish - You could try an air chisel to remove the 4 rivets. But, you may have better luck with a angle grinder or a drill in removing the head of the rivets. I prefer a 1/2" electric drill with quality drill bits. But, you may have trouble getting a drill in there. If you use a drill, start with a smaller bit, then step up to the larger size. Cutting oil also helps considerably. Once you remove the heads, you should be able to punch out the rivets.

BTW, the truck looks good.
What size do you have on it?

[bigblock73]

If you are going to c-notch the frame...why not just leave them in until then? When you notch the frame they will be on the piece you are cutting out anyhow.

Truck looks nice by the way.

[Slonaker]

I took his question to mean that he would like to try it before resorting to cutting the frame. As in, see if removing the snubber will allow him to avoid doing a c notch.

I am interested in this same subject. I only have about 1.5 inches of suspension travel right now in the back.

Slonaker

[slugish]

Thanks for responses . Trying to stay away from c notching. Once bracket is removed should have approx. 3 more inches of spring travel. Have tried a sawsall & grinder , finally gave up. A***** to get off. Shouldnt this be enough spring travel ,without having to c notch ?? . will try drill, never used a air chisel.

[cliffsta]

Originally Posted by Slonaker

I am interested in this same subject. I only have about 1.5 inches of suspension travel right now in the back.

You went with drop leafs huh? If I go with shackles/hangers would I still maintain some of my travel in the back?

[Slonaker]

Originally Posted by cliffsta

You went with drop leafs huh? If I go with shackles/hangers would I still maintain some of my travel in the back?

AFAIK, you would get about the same amount of drop and have the same amount of travel. It isn't so bad. It actually rides better than it did, probably because the new springs are softer. The stock springs might not bottom with the combo you are looking at because the springs have more leaves, and are not as soft.

If I hit a really big bump going fast, it bottoms with a THUD! I'm not used to slowing down for stuff, and don't want to start. I know I can get a little more travel by trimming the rubber snubber, but I would like to get as much travel as possible without cutting the frame. I really don't want to do that.

I'm still happy with it, and I think you would be, too.

[slugish]

Ifirst did shackles & hangers which gets you down approx. 4 inches. Still had enough spring travel then . Wasnt satisfied with look, had rear leafs dearked 1.5" . snubbers about 1 " from axle. cut 1/2 of snubber off. then had springs dearked 1 more inch. You live & learn, should have done a flip kit & be done with it . Oh well , hind sight is wonderful. If Ican ever get those snubber brackets off I think I WILL BE OK. wILL LET YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENED.

[SaskC10]

Slugish, would you recommend doing a flip if you could do it again? I have a shackle/hanger kit, but still might to an axle flip, help me out??

[cliffsta]

Slone you are the man. I'm going with the 2/4 drop largely because how well your truck came out.

I think I'm going with shackles / hangers with drop shocks... a little cheaper IIRC and like you said, it might not bottum as bad. I couldn't imagine it bottuming out... going to work and back I take the Pineville Expressway which is concrete and its anything but smooth... and at 60 MPH you're bouncing ALOT.

But I won't be dropping until I at least start the body work.. especially since at least one of the bed mounts is broken... you can pick up the box at one corner

[boxrodz]

Originally Posted by slugish

Thanks for responses . Trying to stay away from c notching. Once bracket is removed should have approx. 3 more inches of spring travel. Have tried a sawsall & grinder , finally gave up. A***** to get off. Shouldnt this be enough spring travel ,without having to c notch ?? . will try drill, never used a air chisel.

Yeah, frame rivets are pretty hardened. I once tried a 'cheap' grinder trying to grind off the rivet head. I suppose the abrasive pad wasn't course enough. I ended up burning up the tool. I've also tried an air chisel. But, it wanders to much for my liking. As I said before, using a cutting oil the drill did the job. Since then I have a Milwaukee eletric grinder waiting to be used.

For most driving, a minimum of 3 inches between the axle tube and the frame rail should work. Unless, of course, you have a load on the truck. Once you remove the snubber mount, you could always install a button (low profile) snubber to protect you if you ever bottom out.

Good luck.

[boxrodz]

Originally Posted by SaskC10

Slugish, would you recommend doing a flip if you could do it again? I have a shackle/hanger kit, but still might to an axle flip, help me out??

Not slugish, but you may want to consider a flip kit to get low (~6"). To determine how much clearance you'll end up with after the installing a filp kit:

• measure the distance between the bottom of the frame rail and the top of the axle tube,

• then measure the distance between the bottom of the axle tube and the top of the leaf spring pack,

• the difference between the two measurements is the clearance you'll end up with less a 1/4" or so for the thickness of the flip kit spring perch.

Should try to obtain at least 3" clearance after lowering the rear without having to notch the frame.

[Slonaker]

Originally Posted by cliffsta

Slone you are the man. I'm going with the 2/4 drop largely because how well your truck came out.

I think I'm going with shackles / hangers with drop shocks... a little cheaper IIRC and like you said, it might not bottum as bad. I couldn't imagine it bottuming out... going to work and back I take the Pineville Expressway which is concrete and its anything but smooth... and at 60 MPH you're bouncing ALOT.

But I won't be dropping until I at least start the body work.. especially since at least one of the bed mounts is broken... you can pick up the box at one corner

I'm glad you like it. I'm pretty pleased with the way it came out.

I'm using stock shocks with shock extenders with no problems. Right now it only bottoms if I hit a big dip going fast. A good example is an intersection where they set it us so the road dips on either side of the road you cross. It hardly ever bottoms out, though.

[slugish]

Originally Posted by SaskC10

Slugish, would you recommend doing a flip if you could do it again? I have a shackle/hanger kit, but still might to an axle flip, help me out??

If you use shackles & hangers ,the bed frame rails will have to be notched a little , which isnt that much of a deal. Should have ample spring travel with that set up. If you want to go lower than 4 inches (to 6 inches or so) flip kit should be your best bet, but this is where you run into bottoming out problems