4" Drop Front Coils

[gringoloco]

Four inch drop coils are now available for 63-87 trucks from two vendors, Hotchkis and Western. Anyone using them, and if so:

- Were you able to properly align?
- How's the ride?
- Do they fall out of the pocket?
- Did you get a true 4" drop?
- Any issues otherwise?

Four inch drop front coils seems to go against conventional wisdom that 3" is as low as you can/should lower with springs and still maintain align-ability. Curious of you guys' real-world experiences.

Western 4" Coils
Hotchkis 4" Coils

[tinydb84]

My uncle ran 3'' springs in his burb and he had to have longer studs added in order to fit enough shims to get it aligned. The number of shims looked dangerous to me....It also rode like crap.

I would rather do 3 inch spindles and 1 inch springs. Any reason you want the 4 inch drop springs?

[5567Cruiser]

I used the 4" front coils from Hotchkis and the alignment went well with the ride being firm like a BMW but handles great. I have 15" wheels with 255/60R/15 BFG TA's on front and 275?60R/15 on rear. I think if you used 20 or 22" wheels it would really ride firm. I also used the short dropped shocks from Brothers Truck parts. Some of the guys say its all in the shocks you use.

[lolife99]

Here is an old thread.
This don't see how you can get a 4" drop with just springs and get it to align.
Maybe the 4" drop is with their a-arms,..
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=549121

[gringoloco]

Originally Posted by tinydb84

My uncle ran 3'' springs in his burb and he had to have longer studs added in order to fit enough shims to get it aligned. The number of shims looked dangerous to me....It also rode like crap.

I would rather do 3 inch spindles and 1 inch springs. Any reason you want the 4 inch drop springs?

Curiosity more than anything. Though, paired with Belltech spindles, it would be a slammed 7" drop (and probably dragging arms on everything).

Originally Posted by 5567Cruiser

I used the 4" front coils from Hotchkis and the alignment went well with the ride being firm like a BMW but handles great. I have 15" wheels with 255/60R/15 BFG TA's on front and 275?60R/15 on rear. I think if you used 20 or 22" wheels it would really ride firm. I also used the short dropped shocks from Brothers Truck parts. Some of the guys say its all in the shocks you use.

Thanks for the info! How much drop did you get out of them? Pics?

Originally Posted by lolife99

Here is an old thread.
This don't see how you can get a 4" drop with just springs and get it to align.
Maybe the 4" drop is with their a-arms,..
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=549121

Saw that one, thanks for the link. His pictures don't look like 4" drop; almost like before pics...

[gringoloco]

Gary,

Is this your truck with the 4" Hotchkis coils installed? Any other modifications up front?

[RodsGreen10]

This has also been in my mind. I want to combine the 4" coils with a 2.5 drop spindle. My CPP. LCA sit higer than the stock ones. I have 3" could now with 2.5 drop spindles. Very curious about this.

[N2TRUX]

I wont try to dispute what they manufacturers say will work, but my experience has been your much better off to get most of your drop from spindles, then any additional drop needed from springs. Dropped spindles do not affect your ride, springs do. I would much rather have a 3" spindle combined with a 2" coil.

[RodsGreen10]

Originally Posted by N2TRUX

I wont try to dispute what they manufacturers say will work, but my experience has been your much better off to get most of your drop from spindles, then any additional drop needed from springs. Dropped spindles do not affect your ride, springs do. I would much rather have a 3" spindle combined with a 2" coil.

That why I put the Porter front shock relocators on and running mono tube shocks. Rides like a dream!!! Can't even tell I have 3" springs on at all!!

And to be honest my truck gets any lower I won't be able to jack it up off the ground. Had to buy a low profile racing jack so I could jack the front end off the ground.