Lowering springs

[Rooster's82]

I talked to a guy at the local performance shop about dropping my truck with lowering springs and hangers and shackles. He said a couple of things that i want to get some opinions on:

Drop springs change the geometry of your suspension and make your ride suck. He also said that alignments would be a problem with them. (i have never heard this before...is it true, will i end up chewing up my tires?)

With hangers and shackles i will have to do a c notch as well or else i will bottom out all the time. Isn't there a happy medium that i can lower to with out having to do a c notch?

I was under the impression you could do a 3/5 drop with springs and H/S and end up with a decent ride.


....is it worth it to pony up the money and use spindles and do the c notch?

[benoit454]

well I know the springs effect the geometry and you need an alignment. That's what everyone says, but as far as bad ride I don't see that unless they have a crappy spring rate or cheapo's maybe.

I never heard of anyone doing a c-notch with shackles and hangers, maybe if you haul heavy loads, then maybe but you could use air shocks in back to level it up with a load and avoid it, or helper air springs maybe. If not then remove the factory bump stop and bracket and it give you alot more clearance.

[S10Fan]

I'd go with spindles, they're worth the money, safer too.

I did spindles and cut 1 coil on the front, and flipped the rear. BUT, I don't haul anything in my truck either.

[Square84]

I lowered my 84 longbed 3/6 with springs and a flip kit no c-notch just cut the bump stops down. the front springs were western chassis smooth riders and belltech drop shocks had to get alignment but now rides better than factory. i also cut the bump stop perches off the lower control arms.

[Rooster's82]

Well i do plan on moving my bikes around with it, so when i drop the rear i don't want to be bottoming out. Do you think 5in drop with helper springs would do it?

I am going to go with Square84's set up in the front. Next time around when I'm starting with a better truck and more money i will go with the spindles.

[daman02]

the only problem i see with my lowering springs is when you take the load of the tires (jacking the front end up for example) the springs fall out of their pocket and if lowered back down it will sit like an inch higher.

[Rooster's82]

Originally Posted by daman02

the only problem i see with my lowering springs is when you take the load of the tires (jacking the front end up for example) the springs fall out of their pocket and if lowered back down it will sit like an inch higher.

huh?

[BowTieOgre]

I used a flip kit on my truck and didnt use a cnotch. With the bump stop brackets removed ive got about 4" of clearance between the axle and frame and have not bottomed out yet. My truck is a SWB and doesnt have as many spring leaves in the back as yours does so yours might end up sitting a little higher. A shackle and hanger kit is $150 and a flip kit is $85.

As far as the front is concerned if you do spindles you can get away with not getting an alignment done but with springs it is highly recommended. Springs and an alignment are about $170 and spindles are $230.

My setup is 2" springs and 2.5" spindles in the front and a flip kit in the rear. it rode well after the drop but I put on a junkyard swaybar and it rides great now!

[Rooster's82]

Great info....i think i may have to go with a flip kit. Will i be able to add helper springs? What about shocks?

I need to be able to move my bikes after everything is said and done...that is why i bought the truck in the first place.

[seanconnery]

How much of a drop do you get out of each one seperately:
-hangers and shackles
-flip kit

can you combine any of them with some simple lowering blocks? Would any of these setups produce a nice level ride with lowering spindles and stock coils cut down 1 coil?

I think thats what Rooster's82 is looking for, that being multiple options for lowering from people who've done it before. He's not the only one looking for info either (think me). I'm sorry if I but-in, but I could use the help too being a rookie.

[BowTieOgre]

Flip kit is 5", shackles and hangers are 4". As far as I know blocks will only work to raise the truck.

Here is my story.

I started out with a flip kit in the rear for a 5" drop (thx for the help pcmcobra) and when i went to put the spindles (bought second hand from a friend) on the front the spindle shaft wasnt the right size. I took the spindle off and cut a coil from my stock springs which netted me a 3.5" drop in the front.

The ride was rough and my tires were wearing on the outside and when i hit a bump my suspension crossmember was making serious contact with the bumpstops on the lower control arm...until the drivers side gave up the ghost a few weeks later and it was metal on metal.

I ordered the spindles and 2" springs that night and had it all fixed up 2 days later. The ride was about equal to stock and the addition of the sway bar made it enjoyable to drive.

A friend of mine with a LWB truck did 3" springs in the front and took a leaf out of the rear and used 2" shackles for a 3"/4" drop and im sure his truck will still tow a small trailer. Check to see how many leaves you have in your springs, I think you can go down to 4 without issues.

[slug]

rooster, just get a set of air shocks for the rear after you lower it. or you could get a set of air helper springs.

[Square84]

For Rear Shocks I Used Factory With Shock Extenders $65 And Haul Sheetrock Riding Lawnmower Ect. No Issues W/ Bottoming Out. As Far As Springs Coming Out Of Pocket When Jacking Up The Western Springs Are Not That Short Compared Too Factory. I Only Had That Prob On S-10 With Factory Springs That Had Been Cut Down 3 Inches.

[Square84]

Any Problems With Spindles And Factory Rallys. A Friend Had To Cut The Rolled Bottem Part Of The Control Arm To Be Able To Turn?

[S10Fan]

Originally Posted by Square84

Any Problems With Spindles And Factory Rallys. A Friend Had To Cut The Rolled Bottem Part Of The Control Arm To Be Able To Turn?

Yes, I need to trim mine, running 15X7 in the front. Had to trim my S-10 for the same reason.

[BowTieOgre]

If you get the 3" spindles then yes you will have issues. Ive got 15x8 rallys on the front with 2.5" spindles and no problems.

[flamingbig10]

I have 3 inches djm spindles and didnt have any problems with the lca but the calipers wouldnt even let me turn the wheel so I grided a little off and the wheel fit with no problems but I have stock steel wheels up front and they rub on the tire rod bad

[slugish]

Originally Posted by benoit454

well I know the springs effect the geometry and you need an alignment. That's what everyone says, but as far as bad ride I don't see that unless they have a crappy spring rate or cheapo's maybe.

I never heard of anyone doing a c-notch with shackles and hangers, maybe if you haul heavy loads, then maybe but you could use air shocks in back to level it up with a load and avoid it, or helper air springs maybe. If not then remove the factory bump stop and bracket and it give you alot more clearance.

chris,

I TRAVEL ON MY JOB / I was in Logan W VA. TODAY & WAS LOOKING AT THE MAP OF A ROUTE TO WELCH & Isaw Monaville ( Ithink you are on rt. 44)
Crazy , small world isnt it.

[slugish]

Originally Posted by daman02

the only problem i see with my lowering springs is when you take the load of the tires (jacking the front end up for example) the springs fall out of their pocket and if lowered back down it will sit like an inch higher.

yea they will fall out / but no problem if you can position your jack under the control arm.

[Rooster's82]

I was just told that if i do a flip kit i can forget about putting my bikes in the bed. Does anyone have experience hauling after doing a flip kit or h/s drop? 2 bikes weigh about 1000 lbs....i don't think i will ever have much more than that back there, is it possible to do the drop and keep the utility?

This is starting to concern me...maybe i don't want to drop the truck that low...What does it take to level the truck off? like a 3 inch drop in the rear? any recommendations?

[BowTieOgre]

Do shackles and take a leaf out of the rear.

[Rooster's82]

Originally Posted by BowTieOgre

Do shackles and take a leaf out of the rear.

To level it off? What type of drop will that give me?

[kevinr1970]

Why don't you just do the c-notch?
The pre-made kits are less than $100. If you can do any kind of fabricating you could make your own too.

The flip kit wouldn't be an issue at all.

[Rooster's82]

Originally Posted by kevinr1970

Why don't you just do the c-notch?
The pre-made kits are less than $100. If you can do any kind of fabricating you could make your own too.

The flip kit wouldn't be an issue at all.

I could still load 2 bikes in the bed will no problems, if i do a flip and c-notch?

I want a to lower the truck...but i want to be able to haul around 2 motorcycles more. So if i have to, i will just use shackles to level her off, one of my friends has his truck set up like that and it looks real nice.

Could i see some pics of different levels of drop? my original thought was 3/5 but like i said i may just go 2 in the rear.

[Rooster's82]

Here is an older picture of my truck....since this was taken all the body work has been done and she is in primer. I would keep the same wheels and tires.