73-87chevytrucks.com
73-87 Chevy _ GMC Trucks => Brakes, Frame, Steering & Suspension => The Lows (Lowering/Drops) => Topic started by: 1badgmc on August 15, 2007, 06:02:49 am
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I've kind of been out of the loop and haven't really paid a lot of attention to things lately. Where is a good place to buy a big drop for this sucker? It's an '88 crew cab dually. I want at least a 5/7. I was looking at Sport Truck Direct's website and they have a 6/8.5 Western Chassis drop for $650 without shocks. DJM's site only listed a 3/4. That just won't cut it. I couldn't find a kit on Stylin' Concepts' site, but when looking at individual components and looking at coils, you can get some BellTech coils, but they ONLY have 1" coils and they're $175 just for those! F that!
Also, what size tires work with that much of a drop? This thing has the 205/85-16s or whatever on it and I kinda worry about whether or not I'll need to replace them.
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205/ 85's? Are you sure? Why not just do a complete air bag suspension
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Belltech makes a 3" drop spindle for these, you should be able to find them in Summit or Stylin.. PN is BEL-3500 for the spindle and BEL-4500 for the spring. (or you could cut yours) Then just do a flip on the rear. They only list a 4/4, but with a flip you will get more out of it.
Summit:
http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?autofilter=1&part=BEL%2D3500&N=700+300244+4294908216+4294925005+4294905271+115&autoview=sku
http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?autofilter=1&part=BEL%2D4500&N=700+0&autoview=sku
Stylin:
http://www.stylintrucks.com/part.aspx/partid/19402/partfamilyid/1740/subcategoryid/373/categoryid/30
http://www.stylintrucks.com/part.aspx/partid/19409/partfamilyid/1737/subcategoryid/373/categoryid/30
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Why not just do a complete air bag suspension
1. Budget. I'm not looking to drop $3,000+ on the suspension.
2. I'm just trying to keep it a simple, clean, reliable hauler.
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Belltech makes a 3" drop spindle for these, you should be able to find them in Summit or Stylin.. PN is BEL-3500 for the spindle and BEL-4500 for the spring. (or you could cut yours) Then just do a flip on the rear. They only list a 4/4, but with a flip you will get more out of it.
Summit:
http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?autofilter=1&part=BEL%2D3500&N=700+300244+4294908216+4294925005+4294905271+115&autoview=sku
http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?autofilter=1&part=BEL%2D4500&N=700+0&autoview=sku
Stylin:
http://www.stylintrucks.com/part.aspx/partid/19402/partfamilyid/1740/subcategoryid/373/categoryid/30
http://www.stylintrucks.com/part.aspx/partid/19409/partfamilyid/1737/subcategoryid/373/categoryid/30
Is Western Chassis the only company that makes anything more than a 1" spring for these things? I want at least a 2" spring. Who else makes a flip kit?
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You can cut the spring and it will give the same effect.
Flip kit, you can probably make I don't know anyone off hand.
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Is there anything wrong with Western Chassis stuff?
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Nope, nothing wrong with them at all...
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Didn't think so. I'll think about that 6/8.5. ;D
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205/ 85's? Are you sure?
After looking today, they're 215/85s.
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If you are going that low I think you will need to change tire size.
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Any clue on what size? I still want to be able to have a decent load rating. The tires on my parents' motorhome are 225/75-16s. They're an inch shorter. That's probably not enough. hmmm... Maybe a 225/70? That's a full 2" shorter...
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BEL-10038 SHOCK $49.95 X 2 = $99.90
BEL-10508 SHOCK $49.95 X 2 = $99.90
BEL-3500 SPINDLE SET FRONT 3 INCH DROP = $399.50
BEL-4500 FRONT COIL = $139.95
BEL-6750 HANGER KIT GM C-30 4 INCH DROP = $159.95
Grand total=759.25
I just finished installing a 4 " front and rear drop on my crew cab and my tire current tire size is 235/85 R16s 10 ply, if I drop down to 225/75R16 R16s I will lower the truck 3 more inches for a grand total of 7" or so.
If you plan on still using the truck as a tow rig I would not flip the Axel and try to stick with a 10 ply tire.
My truck is completely gutted right now so as soon as I get the engine and the bed on I am sure I notice more of a drop. Also do your self a favor and replace the ball joints now while you have it all apart it could save you alot of hassle down the road.
Check out my imagestation photos under dually rebuild.
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How much clearance do you have with those 235/85s and the 4/4 drop?
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The truck is not back together yet so I am not sure but I am guessing I'll have at least 2". I still am using the truck for towing my car trailer so I wanted to make the suspension usefull. Another thought I had was to remove about half the the rear leafs and spacer and install an airbag to make up the difference summit sells the Heavy duty Airlift for less than 300 plus the price of the compressor.
Imagestation where I keep my photos is down right now but in a couple days when it comes up take a look at the dually rebuild photos.
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Yeah, I tried to look and noticed it was down.
I already have all the stuff laying around here that I can get a helper setup put on. All I need are some valves. So that's already part of the plan.
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I did some research and this is what I found out when it comes to tire size my current tire size is 235/85 R16 load range E which is 31.5" tall
215/85R16 Load Range E is 30.5" Tall
225/75R16 Load Range E is 29.5" Tall
I plan on sticking to Load Range E tires because I will still be using the truck to tow. But if I run the 225/75R16's I'll gain 2 more inches on my 4" drom front and back to a grand total of 6" and will still be able to tow my trailer. If it still rides rough I'll remove some of the rear leaf springs and install the Airlift airbag's
Before
(http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid225/pa26a8729fb44cea3e95de53a349ba2e0/e895708d.jpg)
After the lowering kit
(http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid225/p87f0ffe8a11f8b34d91cb245bed32dbe/e85e9561.jpg)
(http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid225/pe523429f0ae512440968a43a7ef3b7fb/e85e9096.jpg)
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The 225/70s I was looking at may not be load range E, but they still give me plenty of load range for what I'll be using it for.
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Figured I'd throw out some pics of my starting point:
(http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g54/bad91gmc/Dually/IMG_0511.jpg)
(http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g54/bad91gmc/Dually/IMG_0515.jpg)
(http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g54/bad91gmc/Dually/IMG_0518.jpg)
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Looks great keep the photos comming
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Still a great starting point especially since you can drive it...
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i chopped it for you so you can see what it looks like lowered about as far as you can get it ;D
.... only catch is you gotta wait till i get home to post it since i cant get to a image sharing website from my work computer :-[
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So, hurry up, dangit!!
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Well, one obstacle cleared today. I was somewhat worried about getting this sucker on an alignment rack with a 6/8 drop. Then, I remembered years ago when I first had the 5/8 put on my truck, that my friend's dad's alignment store that I went to used their pit rack to align it. Last time I was there for an alignment, they put the vehicle up on a more modern rack, so I asked him if they still had and used the pit. He said I'm good to go! :)
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.... only catch is you gotta wait till i get home to post it since i cant get to a image sharing website from my work computer :-[
You could upload it to the site under additional options when you made the post...
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.... only catch is you gotta wait till i get home to post it since i cant get to a image sharing website from my work computer :-[
You could upload it to the site under additional options when you made the post...
I guess he's never going to get home. ;D
You know, it's killing me, but the more I look around the net at all these square body duallies laid out, the more I'm tempted to just say f it and go all the way...
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lol i lost ALL my cable and internet over the weekend... tey were cuttin trees away from the powerlines by my house and somehting got cut and they STILL havent fixed it >:(
anyway pm me chris and tell me how to upload it throughthe site and i'll post it up that way ;)
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i just tried and it said that the max size was 512kb so i resized it and tried then it said the max was 128kb!!! chris im just gonna email you the pic then you can upload it ;D
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here we go!
(http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b375/MIKEITH/CREW1.jpg)
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I see you figured it out. It was a bitmap so that is where the size limitation was coming from...
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Oh heck! That thing looks hilarious all slammed with running boards and all!!
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This is the direction I need to go with it:
(http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g54/bad91gmc/CCDuallyDraggingTowingon22s.jpg)
I mean, sure that one is bodydropped, I wouldn't go that far, but I may need to put the sucker on the ground.
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Ok. So it's already snowballing. Static drop is out. I'm laying this thing out and going with 22" semi wheels. My buddy who will be the #1 help when it comes to doing the install is kind of working on me for a stock floor bodydrop. I can't say that I'm not considering going ahead with that either. :D I have a good friend who owns a machine shop here in town who said he can mill some 22.5s down to 22s for me and can cut any design into them that I may like as well. I'm also thinking of a 2-tone paint job now with a blue top half, possibly even the same blue as my '91.
Where does it end!!?? :o
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body drop. EWWWW, why? Just Z the frame, MUCH easier....
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body drop. EWWWW, why? Just Z the frame, MUCH easier....
That's why I said Stock Floor bodydrop. ;D No way would I do a traditional bd and have that stupid raised floorboard!
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I guess I wan't paying attention....
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:P I'll forgive ya.
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funny you guys mention that... how do you do a stock floor BD... or z the frame? i wanna keep my stock floor but i wann drop the body down to hide the frame better and what not
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funny you guys mention that... how do you do a stock floor BD... or z the frame? i wanna keep my stock floor but i wann drop the body down to hide the frame better and what not
I can't give you much insight to it. Hopefully I'll be learning about it first hand before too long. ;D Basically, you just build a new frame under the cab. The cool thing about the square body trucks is that there's not much frame hanging down to begin with.
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So, here's a couple of edits courtesy of lowdown on FSC. He was going for the blue of my '91. I think he did a pretty good job. I'm sold. This is what I want.
(http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g54/bad91gmc/1badgmc-d.jpg)
(http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g54/bad91gmc/1badgmc-d2.jpg)
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So the picture you posted on Aug 27, what did you end up putting in there. Without going way extreme I think it looks great. I want to do it to the 1977 I just bought if you could let me know what you put and where you got it.
Thanks,
Timm
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So the picture you posted on Aug 27, what did you end up putting in there. Without going way extreme I think it looks great. I want to do it to the 1977 I just bought if you could let me know what you put and where you got it.
Thanks,
Timm
I haven't done anything yet. It's all on hold right now while I deal with trying to turn my stupid, psycho wife into a stupid, psycho ex-wife and try to get myself a house.
FYI: That pic I posted on Aug 27 is the exact same truck as the one that the black/blue edit was done on. Before the edit, it was originally maroon on top.
Right now I would be more than happy with a 5/7 or 6/8 drop and then work on getting the wheels and paint/body.
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I work with commercial wheels/tires all day long, and I would highly recomend you DO NOT try to mill down a 22.5 wheel to 22" diameter. your going to have a razor thin bead flange which is not safe if you are driving this thing on public roads
they make 22" alcoa's for this purpose, so you still get the look, but its still safe.
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check these guys out instead
http://www.americanforcewheels.com/
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How do the wheels turn on those things? :o
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How do the wheels turn on those things? :o
Air up the suspension.