Lowering questions...

[Oregoon]

If this has been covered elsewhere, my sincerest apologies. I searched, and found a few answers...

Anyway, I'm going to drop my '66 Carryall soon, and will be swapping to disc brakes at the same time.

While I'm not looking to lower the thing beyond practical driving, I would like to set her down nice and low. I've got shop space lined up, and a good fabricator waiting to assist in some c-notching. Also have '83 upper and lower control arms ready to go, with springs. These are a straight bolt up, right?

So here's the question: What aftermarket spindles would you use? My same fabricating-friend had a pair from Summit, and they broke while the truck was rolling down the road.

Another question: Would you stick to cutting the stock springs? I don't mind if it rides a little stiff, especially in the rear, since I'll be towing a small trailer now and then.

And lastly: I assume I'd be wise to use sway bars. Where do I find 'em?

Thanks a ton, and by all means tell what I'm missing!

[bird7263]

Yo yo.. I read that you are from Oregon and south east Portland. I am from Tigard. I have a cure for you. Go see Jake at the "Drop Shop." Its on NE 33 between Columbia and Marine Drive. The Drop Shop used to be owned by Charlie and for years it was called Charlies Drop Shop. Charlie is still around and kinda famous at building 60-72 Chev Trucks.

Jake has dropped lower control arms, along with those and a spring set up he can get you on the ground and still have a killer ride. I think the lower control arms are around $250 and springs are around a $100. Dont quote me. But I did my 67 and sat as low as I could with out airbag'n it and still had a killer ride. Drop shop is very affordable and cool group of guys. They specialize in getting rides as low as they can and keeping your good ride.

Jake has helped me do my 67 shortwide and my 66 stepside. Check him out. Great parts at a even greater price.

[badriand]

I went with McGaughty's , just get spindles as to what yr you have. I went with a 2.5 inch drop spindles and 2 inch drop coils from brothers. I would do it right and not cut the coils, you can but will save you time so you don't have to go back later when they weaken and start bouncing alot on ya.

http://www.mcgaughys.com/chevyhighperformance.html

I did my front drop at the same time and put power disc brakes up front. I went with a 87 suburban , upper and lower control arms bolted right up , added drop spindles with new rotors and 87 sub calipers booster and master cylinder and ran new lines. Also got a adjusting nuckle from cpp to go from the 66 tie rod end to 87 sub ends.

http://www.mcgaughys.com/chevyhighperformance.html

[PrerunnerRob]

I went with McGaughty's too, great spindle and well made. Check your brake line hoses match up before the parts houses close!

[bird7263]

Great thing about Drop Shop is that you don't have buy spindles. You can use your stock ones. I had 2 1/2" dropped lower control arms and 3 inch drop springs and it drove like it was stock. Total of 5 inches. The drop control arms are made on a jig and keep your stock camber and caster angles. The thing drove like a dream. And parts are right here local with out shipping. Drop shop can also get you your spindles if you want to go that route.

As far as the front sway bar.. You can use one off of any truck 63-87. I have one off of a 86 one ton. Bolted right up. I can get you one for around $10 bucks. I have a couple. Most of the chevy places around the metro area want $50 for them. Or you can run down to u-pull-it, or LKQ if you will now and grab one off any of those older chevy two wheel drives. The one on Foster Rd has a bunch.

DO NOT cut your coils. Rides and handles like hell. Just spend the money and buy the right drop coil for the stance. I did something else. I used a 3 inch block that Drop Shop makes. Blocks were $10 buck and made from thick steel. Jake can have Oregon Spring make the U bolts too. I then read on here about putting new Jeep stock TJ rear springs to lower it. I used the combo of the 3 inch block and Take off Jeep rear springs and dropped my rear 5 inches for around $50 bucks. Drive and handles nice too. Looks clean as well.

Let me know if you need any help. I have a ton of resources in Portland Area.

[Oregoon]

Might check out the dropped control arms. Caster and camber would be nice to keep stock.

Thanks for the heads up! My mom lives in Tigard. I'll keep my eyes open when I'm rolling around that way...

[Frizzle Fry]

Originally Posted by Oregoon

Caster and camber would be nice to keep stock.

That's why you want drop spindles. The upper and lower arms remain relative to each other throughout their travel as factory set. Nothin wrong with dropped LCA's but for that price I'd go for spindles. I have ECE 2.5" spindles. No issues.

[Oregoon]

Yep, I'd rather do spindles as well. ECE? Who's that? Is there a web page?

Going to five-lug at the same time...

What years of rearends bolt up? Is '72 half-ton five lug?

[MEANlowGREEN]

ECE stands for Early Classic Enterprises, another good source for Spindles, springs, disc brakes, front end rebuild kits, track bars, you name it is CPP or Classic Performance Products. I bought all my lowering components, disc brake conversion, and front end rebuild components from them and everything was direct bolt-ons (except for the brake booster but it was still relatively easy). The ride is great, even with a 5 1/2 front and 5 rear drop. So I am pleased with their parts in every possible way...

[SIR]

..just a sample...this stance was achived by using 2-1/2"drop spindles with a 1" drop springs and 4" drop springs in the rear, making it a 3/4/drop,the suspention is 1972,,front and rear, this was a drect bolt in,it has since setteled down to a 4/4 drop expect this to happen,a "c" notch was installed in the rear ,if your going to"bag"your ride you should do this,also when you install your rear end you may have to trim 1-1/2"out of the rear wheel opening on both sides in the rear..hope this helps......

[kizer]

Just do a search for Early Classic trust me you will find the URL easy in google.

I think it came up first when I just did it. I would post it, but I don't know if they are a vendor and all that stuff.

[Demmit_Hemmit's 65]

I dropped my burb by using 2 1/2 " drop spindles(5 lug) and 2 " drop coils in the front and 4" drop coils in the back............................It dropped the front of the truck 4" and the back 6".................

[MEANlowGREEN]

When visiting ECE or CPP's websites be sure to check out their excellent tech articles section for step by step instructions or how to install their parts. They are mostly magazine articles following along as the parts are installed on various project trucks. There is a lot you can learn about how to properly modify your truck and the parts you will need to do the job right so you will have a good handling and riding vehicle when you are done

[bird7263]

I agree with a of what most guys say here.. Spindles are good to. I have done both in the past. I mush rather prefer the ride of the drop coils and LCA's. To each is own. These are a bolt on application and took me no time to put on in my garage. The reason I was telling you about the dropped lower arms is they are cheap and local here in Portland. I have never had good luck ordering from nobody and I hate waiting. When I want something I want it now. Drop Shop has Drop Spindles in stock as well. Don't pay for the bull crap shipping. Keep our Local business alive in this terrible economy.

[MEANlowGREEN]

Originally Posted by bird7263

Keep our Local business alive in this terrible economy.

I gotta agree with you there. We just aren't fortunate enough to have any local shops that carry stuff like this in my area so I am very familiar with the mail order companies. Go local if you can, by all means. If nobody buys local then there will be no local businesses where you live either and there is a lot to be said about being able to walk up to a parts counter and get your parts from a real live person, if nothing else it gives you some one to yell at when things go wrong!!!

[bird7263]

Amen Brother. KEEP THE LOCAL BUSINESS ALIVE!!! I know that most areas have some sort of local shops. Keep those guys alive. Also for you Portlanders check out DC Truck Parts in Vancouver WA. he as all things for 60-72 Chevs and GMC. Dave up there has everything that your LMC/ ECE/ or what ever mail order place has. Costs are the same or better and there is no shipping and same day pick up. He has it all new and in Stock for most stuff.

I forgot to mention in my last post. That red 67 SWB was my old truck. I sold a while back and moved on to the 60-66 body style. The 67 had dropped LCA's drop coils, stock 72 5 lug disc brake set up and 5 lug in the rear too. It was a GMC, so i did the Drop Shop flip kit in the back along with a set of drop shalkes. It was pretty low as you can see. It drove like a dream. Power breaks and steering too. I would drive that truck from Seattle to portland with one finger on the wheel and never have a worry.

[protrash64]

I'll throw in a comment......I have used control arms (lowered spring pocket) and I ran into scrub line issues which suck if you get a flat. The drop pocket will hit the ground before the tire goes completely flat. I would check out this aspect of a control arm. I have done trucks both ways( spindles vs. a-arms and dont have much of a preference. I think the spindles are more work but better for suspension angles.

[bird7263]

These arms are not the kind where you have a dropped pocket, or that have been hacked. Charlie has been making these for over 30 years. He has a jig that he builds them on. I wish had a picture of them to show you all. I will work on that. Bascialy he takes the outer portion of the control arm where the bottom of the spindle bolts into, cuts it off moves it up 2 1/2 inches and they gussets it back in. To the untrained eye most would never be able to tell. But for all of us its trick. The factory camber and caster is kept. Every thing is welded clean then stamped with his logo and sent out to powdercoat. They are super clean and super simple.

Again just my opinion on these, but around the Portland, Vancouver area a lot of guys have been running them for years. You can see how the front of my 67 sat. I have ran spindles too and liked them. A lot of guys around here run the LCA's, drop coils and spindles too. Makes it way low.

I will work on getting pic of the control arms for ya all.

[protrash64]

..cool bird; thats the oldschool method and is really cool. I used aftermarket tube a-arms that had the scrub issue.

[Dadsredwagon]

Bird ?

do you have contact info for the drop shop you talked about in Oregon?

thx

[bird7263]

Hear ya guys go.. He is still working on the website.. but its up and running. www.thedropshop.net. contact info is

The Drop Shop
7731 N.E. 33rd Dr.
Portland, OR� 97211
(503)288-5951 fax and phone
sprayonbyjake@msn.com

I know that Jake does mail order for you guys looking for parts as well.

I have known Jake since high school in the Mid 90's. He still owns and drive is first pick up he ever owned. Its a dropped 66 longbox. He has had the thing for like close to 20 years. He knows his SH**!! Plus for us local guys its great to have a killer resource. Especially with a smaller car scene due to amount of rainy weather up here.

[Frizzle Fry]

Originally Posted by bird7263

A lot of guys around here run the LCA's, drop coils and spindles too. Makes it way low.

Bird I like your style; oldschool. And that 67 looked good! I go to Dave at DC a lot.

I do want to comment on the LCA+Spindle comment. Running dropped LCA's AND dropped spindles is not a good idea. You'd end up with the bottom of the LCA 5" lower than stock (relative to the wheel). That will put it well bellow the scrub line on 15's. Springs and LCA's or springs and spindles are OK, but LCA's and drop spindles should not be combined unless your running huge wheels. Here's what the drop shop arms look like:

[kizer]

Ok, let me get this straight.

For me to lower my truck I have to either get drop spindles or new lca arms.

If I go with spindles I have to get disc brakes, which by in a since is a good idea because well they are better than drums.

With the drop arms I have a choice is what your saying?

[MEANlowGREEN]

Sure, you can run drums with modified LCA's. You are so right about discs being a VERY good thing though. Especially if you plan to do any city or even highway driving at high speed, as in 55-65MPH.

[Oregoon]

I'll be going to talk to The Drop Shop soon! I agree wholeheartedly about keeping the $ in Portland. I graduated from PSU last spring, and I'm finding nothing jobwise. Still driving a truck. It pays.

Anyway, I'm probably just gonna do spindles, since I'm going to discs anyway.

Oh--that reminds me--why trim the rear openings with a '72 rear end? Is it the extra 1 1/2 inch width?