Quote:
Originally Posted by EagleChief
I missed your reply yesterday. That's what I have been curious about... can I just add spindles up front and springs in the rear and be good? Probably add a panhard bar in the rear as well?
If I do that, do I need to replace the shocks and relocation brackets? That's my big question about all of these kits that I see.
I see where people are cutting springs with no issues, but then you hear all of the naysayers and their stories of mangled cars and death (exaggeration of course) from cutting the coils.
Budget is pretty tight - I was all set on purchasing the ECE kit. But, when when it came down to it and looking at our budget, it is just too pricey right now. I have a feeling I'm going to have to do some motor work over this next winter.
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For a truck-arm application, if you just want drop & don't care about ride/drive quality, just buy 4 drop springs & replace hardware as needed.
If you want drop while improving the ride & drive quality, here are things to consider:
1) Just adding the spindles mentioned won't get your desired front drop amount (Western Chassis spindles are 2.5" drop). There are 3" drop spindle options, but those usually increase the probability of interference.
There are 3" drop springs for the front. They are not optimum (when all things are considered) but will work. A combo of the 2 is best. Keep in mind, advertised spring drops are compared to stock heights & can vary the resulting amount of drop.
2) Even @ 3-4" of drop, I would use rear shock brackets to stand the shocks up @ a better angle vs. stock. In my opinion, any rear spring lowering hurts shock effectiveness by changing it's designed working angle. I would also avoid marketed/kit 'drop' shocks. Shorter shocks don't help ride quality
unless valved properly & they're installed @ good working angles. Typical drop-kit shocks are just shorter shocks that were made for a different application (usually the front of a diff vehicle) but can work on a C10. For the best ride quality, use good quality replacement length shocks (or as close as possible) & tweak the brackets as needed to put the travel where it should be. 'Kit' drop shocks are a typical
added expense where it might not be necessary. What condition are the stock shocks in??
* REAR truck-arm shocks/mounts: If you are mechanically capable & can fab, tweaking the original rear shock mounts for improved travel can be done in a couple of hours for free or new mounts that improve the working angles can be made for pretty cheap:
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=451200
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=359399
* FRONT shocks/mounts: Once dropped, taking some measurements will guide what your needs are. You may/may-not need to do anything for the shock mounts/shocks to work as intended (esp. if using spindles for a mild drop).
3) When lowering a truck-arm C10, the axle will/does shift over. If you don't mind it not tracking straight, it can be driven. However, some trucks might experience rubbing depending on wheel size, back-spacing, & body placement on the frame. Adjustable Panhard bars help correct this & keep the tracking straight.
If it were me? I'd start by seeing what condition my front suspension & shocks are in. Take apart one side of the truck & inspect things. That helps kick-off educated decision making.