Lowering an '05 GMC Sierra

[deyomatic]

I've got an '05 GMC Sierra 4x4, 4.3L, regular cab. I don't want to go crazy, just take up some of the slack in the rear. If I remove the stock lifting blocks in the rear will I need angled shims to keep the pinion angle in correct?

Also, supposedly with a torsion bar front end, people say I can just loosen the adjuster bolts to lower the front. Is this true for my truck?

Thanks.

[Shane]

you want to lower a 4 wheel drive?

[deyomatic]

As it sits, standing next to the truck, the top of the bed rails come up to my nips. I will NEVER EVER take it off road...EVER. But even if I did, it would STILL be high. I don't want to drop it to the ground or bag it or anything, I just want it to look normal and not have to strain so bad to get heavy things into the bed.

[MXmaniac]

Originally Posted by deyomatic

As it sits, standing next to the truck, the top of the bed rails come up to my nips. I will NEVER EVER take it off road...EVER. But even if I did, it would STILL be high. I don't want to drop it to the ground or bag it or anything, I just want it to look normal and not have to strain so bad to get heavy things into the bed.

I know exactly what you mean, I just understand why modern trucks are so tall. I can load stuff in my stock height '69 C-20 ten times easier than my dad's stock height '99 F-150.

Have you looked into lowering shackles for the rear? A friend of mine has an '07 Chevy 1500 2WD and he used lowering shackles to level it out and he said the two inches made a big difference for the ease of loading/unloading.

[gringoloco]

Pull the stock blocks- there will be no need to shim for pinion angle. You can de-crank for a mild drop, but it will affect your spring rate, hence ride quality will suffer. The good way to do it is with keys or spindles. If you just wanna level it out a little though, definitely pull the blocks- nothing spent except time...

[smashingchuck]

Remove the block in the rear, and put these keys on the front. Don't forget to get it aligned once you have the new keys on. This method should retain the factory ride quality... using a torsion crank for lifting or lowering makes ride quality suffer.

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/BEL-3921/?image=large

[deyomatic]

Thanks for the answers. I'll take those blocks out in the near future. That's what I wanted to hear. I'll hold off on the front to see what it looks like.

I never realized anyone replied, the notification must not have worked and I've been on vacation for the last 10 days.

Thanks.

[AceX]

Dad and I installed some McGaughy's rear shackles in his '06 GMC 2wd CC. Took us about 2 hours. Works out great.

[deyomatic]

Cool. If I don't like the way it looks with the blocks out I'll check out other methods. I'm sure it'll be fine without the blocks, though.

[deyomatic]

I jumped under there and it doesn't look like the current U-bolts will have enough thread when I yank the blocks out...Should I:

1. Find the right die and put more threads into the bolts.
2. Find some thick washers or spacers to put in as spacers under the nuts.
3. Find a place that sells or makes suspension U-bolts and get new shorter ones.

Thanks. I'm thinking that probably the cheapest would be number one.

[ghettoluxury]

Buy new U bolts. Just take one of the old ones with and one of the blocks so you know exactly how much shorter they need to be

[deyomatic]

Hopefully this is my last question related to this...

I stopped at a local speed shop yesterday thinking that they might have the new U-bolts and if they didn't, they'd probably at least know where to get them. When I told him what I was doing, removing lift blocks, he came out to test fit some bolts he had (which I knew were wrong because they were round and not square) but he saw the blocks and said, "Those are FACTORY! You can't pull those out, this suspension was designed to have those in place." I told him that it was just too high in the back and he said, "when you load it to capacity it is supposed to be flat with those in place, if you take them out you'll need new shocks because these ones will bottom out- you'll probably rip the bottom shock mount right off the axle after you hit a bump."

Now, I'm looking at it and it doesn't LOOK like there will be a shock issue, and it also looks like there will still be a good inch and a half of clearance between the axle and the bump stop. I just wanted to double check that the stock shock will be fine.

Thanks.

[ghettoluxury]

Shouldn't have any issues factory blocks are not that tall so using stock shocks will do.