[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by cwcarpenter98

Please forgive me if this has already been answered in another thread. If so, please direct me to that.

After reading through the over 2,000 post "make it handle" thread a bit and gathering some info, I have a question or two.

Has anyone tried some of this stuff on a stock height truck? I see a ton of info related to drop spindles and such, but I'm not planning on lowering my truck. I do want it to handle a little better than stock though.

Current set up: Factory, 63 front and rear suspension. Squarebody disc brakes from ball joints out. Manual steering. I think the camber, caster, and toe is all pretty much stock. Added 1 1/4" front sway bar from Squarebody. No rear sway bar at the moment, but was thinking about adding one.
In the next couple of months, I'll be installing 15X8 steelies, 30x9.5 tires, and stock hubcaps. Currently have 15x8 truck rallies, 255/70 tires

From what I've read so far, it's looking like I need to do a caster and camber mod to help out with the handling. Will switching the upper ball joints to the bottom of the A arm for the "tall" ball joint effect be worth-wile for more negative camber? I think I'm at about 0* camber right now. Would like to have close to -.5*

On the caster, is the best way to get a least a little more than stock to drill the different locating notch?

Thank you!

I have been towing a fair amount recently, so rear sway bar is on the list, but will have to reroute exhaust to use the bar I picked from a junkyard.

Right now there's not any budget or plans to do motor work. Eventually I'll rebuild the 283 I swapped out, but the 283 in it now works well for what I'm trying to do with it.

I'm mainly inquiring to see if any of the suggestions front suspension wise are worth doing at stock height, without any lowering

If I wasn't starting to save up money for getting my own house in the next 2 to 3 years, I probably would be more willing to do an all out front suspension refresh with fancier parts, but for now, going to stick with the wear parts that are only a couple years old and the stock springs. I have the stock, 63 control arms still. My disc brake kit that I used was a kit that replaced everything from the ball joints out.
I haven't replaced the control arm bushings yet though, so that is probably something I should do.

Exhaust plan is to run a single, 2.5" pipe on the outside of the driver's frame rail. That way, I can keep the exhaust above the bottom of the frame and run it over the axle where I don't have to deal with sway bar and panhard bar. I think that size pipe will be big enough for the 283 and better than the single, 2" exhaust on it now. I like my exhaust going out the side in a stock fashion.

The Caster Mod helps achieving the increased target easier using fewer shims. On this front set-up, re-drilling/re-locating the divot is an easy way to get it done.

You should be able to achieve the -.5 Camber as well. If they can achieve +.5 Camber w/adding shims, -.5 will just require fewer shims.

The Camber is set within the alignment. The Camber curve is impacted by the position of the a-arm (chassis pivot point vs. BJ pivot point). These trucks have fairly tall spindles & you already have Squarebody BJ's so you could add a tall upper BJ.

I like the Bilsteins for the ride quality.

Your front sway-bar sounds good. The rear bar option is not a 'must have' for better handling. It would probably help for your towing needs.

Spring rates will benefit you for a firmer ride but I wouldn't swap anything until I had the other items addressed first. If I felt the goal was not achieved, only then would I seek a slighter higher spring rate.

Exhaust revisions sound good.