DJM Lowering Parts Questions

[kevinr1970]

Before I go and fly off the handle while on the phone, can someone please answer some questions for me.

I bought a DJM 2"/4" kit for my 2006 GMC 1/2 ton and went over to me girlfriends parents house (~250 miles away) to install this past weekend - her dad has lowered every car he ever owned, has a two-post lift, every tool you could ever need, etc. It was his birthday gift to me and I very much appreciate all his help!
<RANT>
So we do the front first - 2" drop control arms.
Everything seems to be going going fine until we go to mount the shocks. The kit said to re-use your stock shocks so we did.
The threaded holes in the control arms to mount shocks were pretty far off from the shocks. We had to take a dremel-like tool and hog the holes out in the shocks quite a bit to get them to work. Once we got them open enough to clear the bolts, both bolts went in at an angle. If straight is 90dgrees, then they were going in at around 80-85degrees. The holes were pre-drilled and tapped and they weren't going sideways because of stress from the shocks, they went in at an angle before we tried to mount the shocks.
Once we got the bolts figured out, the shock bushings wouldn't clear the notch in the frame. We had to take a razor knife and cut away the bushing all the way to the steel of the shock eyelet.

We go to do the the rear - 2" shackle, 2" hangar.
We have to take the dremel-esque tool and hog out the holes in the hangars (both) to clear the bolt (they supplied) to mount the front of the spring.
Ditto on the shackles. There are two sets of holes so you can adjust the height of the spring in the back so we did both sets.
Does this seem like normal things to have to do?
</RANT>


The amusing stuff:
This is a lot of work and a lot more than my GF's dad signed up for.
We had to drop the 1/2-full tank of gas (which the instructions said would have to be done but my GF's dad says he's never actually had to do?). As he was buring off the rivets on the hangars with an acetalyne torch, the rubberized under-coating kept catching on fire. Next to the plastic gas tank!?!
The reciever hitch was in the way of removing the rear spring/shackle bolts which made us have to remove it. But the exhaust kit I installed about a month ago was in the way so we had to drop the spare tire to get the reciever off. Neither off us had ever removed a spare from a newer vehicle like this so it it took us a few minutes to figure out how the jack handle made the wheel come down. But that was after getting the handle from behind the seat. Which was about 8 feet in the air. And the door could only be opened about 8" because of the post. So I had to reach in and pop the rear slider latch. But to get in the slider, I had to stand in the bed. So I had to remove the toneau cover while standing with one foot on the top step of a step ladder (a no-no) and one foot precariously standing on a rain dampened 3" wide lifting arm for the lift.
Pictures are in my GF's camera so I will post alter.

[N2TRUX]

That surprises me that you had so much trouble. I have used DJM products countless times and never had an issue. Is it possible that they sent you the wrong year kit? Maybe the early years of this body style were a bit different.

[kevinr1970]

Originally Posted by N2TRUX

That surprises me that you had so much trouble. I have used DJM products countless times and never had an issue. Is it possible that they sent you the wrong year kit? Maybe the early years of this body style were a bit different.

Anythings possible? Pretty much everywhere I looked it said 99-?. Some sites said 99-04, some said 99-05 and some 99-06. I just assumed that they hadn't updated their sites to show the newer years. But I was talking to DJM directly about a hardware count on the instruction sheet right after it arrived and gave them the part # for the kit and told them what year it was and they didn't say anything.

I am guessing that on the front shocks that maybe you do need to order new shocks. The kit came with rears (which is another story all-together) which seem to really keep the bounce down compared to the stock shocks that were on there. If the fronts will have the same effect it will probably be worth buying the new ones for the front too.

We just got a new CNC Plasma table here at work to cut some stuff that we were either stamping or laser cutting before. I was just talking to the guy that is our plasma expert and he says that with the plasma the cuts bevel from where they pierce to where it blows through. So if the hole is .500" diameter on the piercing side, it may only be .4xx on the blow through side.
This sounds like what was going on with the Hangars and shackles. We only had to remove a small lip for the bolts to pass through.

I am going to give DJM a call after I have some alignment issues looked into. Want to be sure that can be resolved and doesn't have something to do with the parts.
It was really windy when we left for home. I thought I was fighting the wind with the wheel cocked (think the little hand at about 1 o'clock). Steering seemed a little twitchy too. When we dropped down into a vally with no wind it was still the same.
I had the truck aligned at a Sears right before we left. Their is a Sears right by my house so I am going to go in after work and see if I can get them to check the alignment. If that doesn't work I am not sure what to do next?

[kevinr1970]

Before and after pictures:

[droppedgmc]

should have contacted me, i would have helped you out on installing...im in mount vernon if you ever need help

[kevinr1970]

Originally Posted by droppedgmc

should have contacted me, i would have helped you out on installing...im in mount vernon if you ever need help

I really appreciate the offer. And will keep it in mind.
This has been in the works since I bought the truck. It is also a way for me to get some car stuff done while going over to my girlfriends parents so she can "spend some time" with them.
Two birds with one stone sort of thing.
But thanks for the offer.

[dailydragger03]

I put a 3, 4 belltech drop on mine I had to do all the same stuff but I didn't have the shock problems, I used coil springs. I even had to jack the bed up to get the shackles off b/c mine is a stepside. Just sale the kit and bag it. I drove mine static dropped for 6 months and bagged it.

[kevinr1970]

Originally Posted by dailydragger03

I put a 3, 4 belltech drop on mine I had to do all the same stuff but I didn't have the shock problems, I used coil springs. I even had to jack the bed up to get the shackles off b/c mine is a stepside. Just sale the kit and bag it. I drove mine static dropped for 6 months and bagged it.

Maybe somewhere down the road. I keep telling myself that this truck is going to remain relatively stock.

I have an '87 swb and a few 2wd K5's to toy with.
The idea (at this point in time, who knows next week?) is to go all out on the '87 swb with flip-kit rear, spindles/springs front, roll pan, modified front bumper, cowl hood, etc. I have everything except the cowl hood but have a line on a good deal for a fiberglass and not quite so good a deal on a steel one. Have some ideas for the front bumper but always looking to see what other people are doing.
Lower the K5 maybe 2"/2" and just keep it a good runner.

[87 STEPPER]

About two years ago i lowered my '99 2wd 2door Tahoe and i used DJM front coils and Belltech spindles no problems there but the DJM rear drop kit what a joke the instructions must of been written by a 3rd grader cuz all the important stuff you needed to know was omitted.

The C-notch was no problem and the front schakles were no problem but the relocation brackets for the rear end are just a POS design IMO and they either didn't send me the right shock extender mounts or they didn't have them made yet cuz now they have the correct ones for sale.

The ones i need are for a truck not equipt with a rear sway bar and i got the ones for a truck with a sway bay.

But when i ordered my kit there was no such info stating this.

After the kit was installed and the truck back on earth my drive shaft was hitting a body X-member and it was necessary to notch it so this wouldn't happen and nothing in the inst. about this step.

I also had to notch another X-member on the rear frame behind and above the rear end diff. cover so it wouldn't hit if a large hole or dip in the road was encountered also not in the inst.

The kit was suppose to lower the truck 4/4 but it ended up 4/6 but the truck sits right so i wasn't to concerned about that.

If you go to my web page in my sig you will see the pic's of what im talkin' about.

Anyway i won't ever use any of there stuff after this.

I understand that theres certin things that will come up on projects like this but Dyamn there was just too much afro engineering that had to be done here for a kit from a company that claims there kit is the best engineered one on the market.

And i dont have any problems hacking on any part of the truck if thats what has to be done but at least mention it in the instructions.

[kevinr1970]

Seemed to me that the instructions weren't so much instructions as they were "special" notes. Meaning they only told you about weird things.
But sounds like you had a few things they didn't mention?

Originally Posted by 87 STEPPER

...the instructions must of been written by a 3rd grader cuz all the important stuff you needed to know was omitted.

And i dont have any problems hacking on any part of the truck if thats what has to be done but at least mention it in the instructions.

[kevinr1970]

Alignment...
So I took the truck into a Sears on the Sunday afternoon when we were done installing the parts. Wouldn't have taken it there if I had any other options - I don't think they have any experience with lowering/lifting trucks.

Driving it home (~250 miles) it was pulling bad to the left. Steering wheel cocked to the right. More-so than just fighting the pull.

Took into the Sears by the house after work on Monday and explained to them what was going on. Got it back from them that night and it wasn't pulling anymore (so much) but the wheel was still cocked to the right.

Brought it back to them Tuesday after work. The tech that did the work told me everything is perfect and gave lots of attitude. Told me somethings wrong with the truck. He agreed to take a look at it and when I picked it up he said its perfect now with plenty of attitude. Wheel is better but not straight.
I drove it around the block - just far enough to see it still wasn't straight. Brought it back to them and told them it wasn't straight. He said its the truck, he set it to be perfect. So I left.

Took it to Les Scwab this morning. Got a call from their alighnment guy and he says he got the wheel to be straight but he had to adjust the camber and castor to the max.
So I ask again, is this normal? The LS guy says that he sees that alot with lowering trucks. Says they were working a truck similar to mine about a week ago and could never get it just right.
I asked if I would have done the spindles instead of the cantrol arms if it would have been better but he couldn't answer that.

Grrrr...

[87 STEPPER]

I just got the new & correct shock extenders and i see what you mean about the bolt holes.

The bolts won't pass thru them and if you look at the hole you can see it's got a bevel to it so one side is just a bit bigger then the other but neither is big enoguh for the bolt to pass thru.

Im gonna have to open the hole up using a rotery file in my die grinder.