lowering clearance - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

yellowgmc · 10-12-2002, 11:27 PM

this may be a simple question but if a put a 4/6 lowering kit in my gmc, how much clearance will i have? i live in the land of frost heaves so i may need to reinforce some stuff if i'm gonna be smacking bumbs in the road

crazy longhorn · 10-13-2002, 09:28 AM

I dont think you will have too much trouble with clearance. You will want to tuck your exhaust up inside the frame, & run either stock manifolds ,or a 3/4 lenght chevelle header. We get some pretty nasty pot holes here in Illinois, & have a lot of lowered trucks running around. my longhorn is a 3/5 drop, with cut coil front(soon to be upgraded), with an axle flip rear & relocated spring hangers(no notch). I have also tossed the flat helper& 2 bottom leafs, & run a set of slapper bars. The body is also dropped 1 1/2" over the rails to give a little more drop......without dragging suspension parts. I run a full lenght Hooker comp header, & have 2 1/2" duals run under the crossmembers(modified crossmembers to tuck it up tight)........I have yet to drag anything on the pavement. good luck......AL

yellowgmc · 10-13-2002, 12:18 PM

crazy longhorn how did you lower the body? was it a body drop or did you cut and reweld the body mounts on the frame? a body drop is way out of my league but i could do the body mounts.

crazy longhorn · 10-13-2002, 12:37 PM

With such a minor drop, I didnt need to take the complete floor out of the cab. I dropped the mounts down on the frame, then cut a strip out of the floor ea side from the 'toe boards" to the seat area. this was filled with a 3 sided box from 16 guage steel, & welded back in. The back of the cab, & rear cross brace also have a very minor notch. I opted to rework the trans tunnel, but think you would have enough clearance with a high hump installed. on the front, i cut the frame horns off, & welded them back on 1 1/2" lower, the boxed the inside for strenght. The box had the mount lip cut off, & moved up 1 1/2", then welded back on. Also there was a little trimming around the rear post, & the front panel had the lip cut off & refolded. Finally on the rear bumper, drop down brackets were fabbed to get the proper height. this was a bit of work, but pretty easily don with a welder & a few air tools(die grinder , pneumatic saw ect). Im not a body man, nor do I have too much equipment........my best" tool" is patience. http://community.webshots.com/user/hotrodhorn Good luck....AL

10-12-2002, 11:27 PM	#1
yellowgmc Getting cabin fever?!?!?! Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: chisholm, mn Posts: 1,679	lowering clearance this may be a simple question but if a put a 4/6 lowering kit in my gmc, how much clearance will i have? i live in the land of frost heaves so i may need to reinforce some stuff if i'm gonna be smacking bumbs in the road __________________ Member of the Discs Up Front Club 1972 GMC 1500 1994 F-150 XL 4x4 Tact is for people not whitty enough to be sarcastic

10-13-2002, 12:18 PM	#3
yellowgmc Getting cabin fever?!?!?! Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: chisholm, mn Posts: 1,679	lowering body crazy longhorn how did you lower the body? was it a body drop or did you cut and reweld the body mounts on the frame? a body drop is way out of my league but i could do the body mounts. __________________ Member of the Discs Up Front Club 1972 GMC 1500 1994 F-150 XL 4x4 Tact is for people not whitty enough to be sarcastic

10-13-2002, 09:28 AM	#2
crazy longhorn Fabricate till you "puke" Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Ill Posts: 9,402	I dont think you will have too much trouble with clearance. You will want to tuck your exhaust up inside the frame, & run either stock manifolds ,or a 3/4 lenght chevelle header. We get some pretty nasty pot holes here in Illinois, & have a lot of lowered trucks running around. my longhorn is a 3/5 drop, with cut coil front(soon to be upgraded), with an axle flip rear & relocated spring hangers(no notch). I have also tossed the flat helper& 2 bottom leafs, & run a set of slapper bars. The body is also dropped 1 1/2" over the rails to give a little more drop......without dragging suspension parts. I run a full lenght Hooker comp header, & have 2 1/2" duals run under the crossmembers(modified crossmembers to tuck it up tight)........I have yet to drag anything on the pavement. good luck......AL

10-13-2002, 12:37 PM	#4
crazy longhorn Fabricate till you "puke" Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Ill Posts: 9,402	With such a minor drop, I didnt need to take the complete floor out of the cab. I dropped the mounts down on the frame, then cut a strip out of the floor ea side from the 'toe boards" to the seat area. this was filled with a 3 sided box from 16 guage steel, & welded back in. The back of the cab, & rear cross brace also have a very minor notch. I opted to rework the trans tunnel, but think you would have enough clearance with a high hump installed. on the front, i cut the frame horns off, & welded them back on 1 1/2" lower, the boxed the inside for strenght. The box had the mount lip cut off, & moved up 1 1/2", then welded back on. Also there was a little trimming around the rear post, & the front panel had the lip cut off & refolded. Finally on the rear bumper, drop down brackets were fabbed to get the proper height. this was a bit of work, but pretty easily don with a welder & a few air tools(die grinder , pneumatic saw ect). Im not a body man, nor do I have too much equipment........my best" tool" is patience. http://community.webshots.com/user/hotrodhorn Good luck....AL



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