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

72chevyLWB · 05-11-2002, 11:48 AM

Can you buy longer bolts for the upper a-arms? I have 3" drop springs and I can't fit enough shims in it to get the alignment right. I am eventually going to get drop spindles but I need to make something work for now. I am going to a car show next weekend that is 90 miles from my place and another in 2 weeks that is 350 miles away.

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72 Chevy C/10
87 Chevy Silverado 4X4
www.geocities.com/chevylwb/chevylwb.html
Aberdeen South Dakota
WANTED: Drop Spindles
F/S: rebuilt Turbo 400 & Aluminum wheels w/ tires

72chevyLWB · 05-11-2002, 07:08 PM

ttt

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72 Chevy C/10
87 Chevy Silverado 4X4
www.geocities.com/chevylwb/chevylwb.html
Aberdeen South Dakota
WANTED: Drop Spindles
F/S: rebuilt Turbo 400 & Aluminum wheels w/ tires

bluzman2004 · 05-11-2002, 07:41 PM

I have the same problem on mine. I was going to try the same thing, too.
By the way, what does ttt mean?

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69 Chevy ProStreet, Low and wild. Check it out http://y42.photos.yahoo.com/bluzman2004

**68SWB4x4** · 05-11-2002, 08:25 PM

to the top

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My Truck pictures

www.xframeimpala.com

68 4x4 short fleetside 327 CH465 edelbrock intake and carb MSD distributor its the "SHAGROLET"
56 big window short stepside 235 dual 1 brls
64ImpalaSS 327
70 C10 LWB fleetside custom/10 350/TH350
IM me on aol SN= SHAGROLET

72chevyLWB · 05-12-2002, 09:15 AM

Is this safe to do? I don't know if I have to get longer wheel studs to make this work or just Grade 8 bolts.

------------------
72 Chevy C/10
87 Chevy Silverado 4X4
www.geocities.com/chevylwb/chevylwb.html
Aberdeen South Dakota
WANTED: Drop Spindles
F/S: rebuilt Turbo 400 & Aluminum wheels w/ tires

69 longhorn · 05-12-2002, 09:41 AM

I have the same situation on my longhorn,with a 3" drop on the spring. It drives ok,but will eventually wear the tires(fortunately I dont have a lot of cash in the front tires). Several yrs back,I had seen a couple articles on 3-4 " drops on a spring only. It seems that some of the guys had cut the balljoint area out of the lower arm, moved it in about 3/4",then welded the pc back in(I think the theory was that spacing the top out enough for alignment would cause tire/fender clearance problems). I havent modified my lower arms,& I dont reccomend it........I will just go for a 2 1/2"dropped spindle to correct the geometry. If you add another 1-1 1/2" drop with a spring,you will have a rspectable drop.....without the geometry probs caused with a short spring. Good luck....69longhorn.

tom hand · 05-12-2002, 10:08 AM

When I first started lowering these trucks[1980],cutting the springs was your only option up front. There used to be a company that sold longer bolts and spacers so you could get it to line up. The spacer was one piece and went on both bolts to help strengthen the setup and allowed you to only use a few shims to line it up. I don't know if they are still in business but I don't think so with all the cool parts they sell now. If I was going to use longer bolts I would make something like this because it is so much better than longer bolts with a bunch of shims and no support. DO NOT use any thing less than an 8 grade bolt. I think I would look long and hard at lowered spindles.This pickup was lowered buy this method way back then. In the rear I heated the springs with a torch and then used airshocks to make it ride better.I would not recomend anybody doing one this way but it rode OK and I drove it this way for 5 years with no problems. But I was young and it was too cool to have one like this back when there were hardly any lowered trucks on the road.

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72 GMC Sierra SWB almost finished---- 84 Softail
Olive Branch MS

05-11-2002, 11:48 AM	#1
72chevyLWB Got 20's???? Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Aberdeen SD Posts: 1,451	lowering question Can you buy longer bolts for the upper a-arms? I have 3" drop springs and I can't fit enough shims in it to get the alignment right. I am eventually going to get drop spindles but I need to make something work for now. I am going to a car show next weekend that is 90 miles from my place and another in 2 weeks that is 350 miles away. ------------------ 72 Chevy C/10 87 Chevy Silverado 4X4 www.geocities.com/chevylwb/chevylwb.html Aberdeen South Dakota WANTED: Drop Spindles F/S: rebuilt Turbo 400 & Aluminum wheels w/ tires __________________ 99 Silverado Ex-Cab 2wd, Bagged&WhippleCharged 02 Sierra Ex-Cab 4wd 2500 HD The 72 went down the road.

05-11-2002, 07:08 PM	#2
72chevyLWB Got 20's???? Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Aberdeen SD Posts: 1,451	ttt ------------------ 72 Chevy C/10 87 Chevy Silverado 4X4 www.geocities.com/chevylwb/chevylwb.html Aberdeen South Dakota WANTED: Drop Spindles F/S: rebuilt Turbo 400 & Aluminum wheels w/ tires __________________ 99 Silverado Ex-Cab 2wd, Bagged&WhippleCharged 02 Sierra Ex-Cab 4wd 2500 HD The 72 went down the road.

05-11-2002, 07:41 PM	#3
bluzman2004 Registered User Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: OliveBranch, MS Posts: 154	I have the same problem on mine. I was going to try the same thing, too. By the way, what does ttt mean? ------------------ 69 Chevy ProStreet, Low and wild. Check it out http://y42.photos.yahoo.com/bluzman2004 __________________ 69 Chevy ProStreet, Low and wild. 78 Corvette rturnpaugh@compcams.com

05-11-2002, 08:25 PM	#4
68SWB4x4 Strongman Garage Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: Salinas, CA Posts: 10,241	to the top ------------------ My Truck pictures www.xframeimpala.com 68 4x4 short fleetside 327 CH465 edelbrock intake and carb MSD distributor its the "SHAGROLET" 56 big window short stepside 235 dual 1 brls 64ImpalaSS 327 70 C10 LWB fleetside custom/10 350/TH350 IM me on aol SN= SHAGROLET __________________ Kalle 68 GMC Suburban 1500 4x4 SOLD 69 Pontiac Lemans 99 Silverado 4.8 5 speed ECSB [ Facebook Instagram Subscribe on YOUTUBE

05-12-2002, 09:15 AM	#5
72chevyLWB Got 20's???? Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Aberdeen SD Posts: 1,451	Is this safe to do? I don't know if I have to get longer wheel studs to make this work or just Grade 8 bolts. ------------------ 72 Chevy C/10 87 Chevy Silverado 4X4 www.geocities.com/chevylwb/chevylwb.html Aberdeen South Dakota WANTED: Drop Spindles F/S: rebuilt Turbo 400 & Aluminum wheels w/ tires __________________ 99 Silverado Ex-Cab 2wd, Bagged&WhippleCharged 02 Sierra Ex-Cab 4wd 2500 HD The 72 went down the road.

05-12-2002, 09:41 AM	#6
69 longhorn Registered User Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: rock island,il,usa Posts: 5,382	I have the same situation on my longhorn,with a 3" drop on the spring. It drives ok,but will eventually wear the tires(fortunately I dont have a lot of cash in the front tires). Several yrs back,I had seen a couple articles on 3-4 " drops on a spring only. It seems that some of the guys had cut the balljoint area out of the lower arm, moved it in about 3/4",then welded the pc back in(I think the theory was that spacing the top out enough for alignment would cause tire/fender clearance problems). I havent modified my lower arms,& I dont reccomend it........I will just go for a 2 1/2"dropped spindle to correct the geometry. If you add another 1-1 1/2" drop with a spring,you will have a rspectable drop.....without the geometry probs caused with a short spring. Good luck....69longhorn. __________________ http://community.webshots.com/user/hotrodhorn

05-12-2002, 10:08 AM	#7
tom hand CCRider Join Date: Feb 2000 Location: Olive Branch,MS,USA Posts: 2,232	When I first started lowering these trucks[1980],cutting the springs was your only option up front. There used to be a company that sold longer bolts and spacers so you could get it to line up. The spacer was one piece and went on both bolts to help strengthen the setup and allowed you to only use a few shims to line it up. I don't know if they are still in business but I don't think so with all the cool parts they sell now. If I was going to use longer bolts I would make something like this because it is so much better than longer bolts with a bunch of shims and no support. DO NOT use any thing less than an 8 grade bolt. I think I would look long and hard at lowered spindles.This pickup was lowered buy this method way back then. In the rear I heated the springs with a torch and then used airshocks to make it ride better.I would not recomend anybody doing one this way but it rode OK and I drove it this way for 5 years with no problems. But I was young and it was too cool to have one like this back when there were hardly any lowered trucks on the road. ------------------ 72 GMC Sierra SWB almost finished---- 84 Softail Olive Branch MS __________________ 72 GMC Sierra SWB almost finished---- 84 Softail Olive Branch MS



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