Coilovers in the front

[cab4word67]

I am looking at maybe making this change from 3" drop springs and bell tech shocks for a better ride. How many of you have this conversion and how do you like the ride. I am looking at the CPP conversion because I currently have there upper control arms and they sell with or with out lower arms. Also they will go to my stance of 3".

[HO455]

Ride quality is a function of how much suspension travel is available to soak up bumps before the suspension bottoms out.
Going to dropped spindles will help gain suspension travel while maintaining the lowered look. But there is a limit of how low you can go with the stock component mounting locations and still have a reasonable ride.
How much travel does your current setup have before it hits the stops?

[1970 CST Short Wide]

If your thinking on changing to coil overs you’ll love the ride. I have Full QA1 coil overs front and rear along with there sway bars front and rear. I changed from 2 in spindles and 1 “ springs in the front and 4” spring rear with bell tech shocks. There’s NO comparison in the ride with the coil overs plus there are 16 setting on the shocks to get the ride You want
My shocks are single adjustable but you can get dual adjustable. There are a few Good Companies out there. I went with QA1 because I liked there quality I spent just over $3000
But I have a friend that’s a dealer and got them at his cost
Hope this helps

[cab4word67]

Originally Posted by 1970 CST Short Wide

If your thinking on changing to coil overs you’ll love the ride. I have Full QA1 coil overs front and rear along with there sway bars front and rear. I changed from 2 in spindles and 1 “ springs in the front and 4” spring rear with bell tech shocks. There’s NO comparison in the ride with the coil overs plus there are 16 setting on the shocks to get the ride You want
My shocks are single adjustable but you can get dual adjustable. There are a few Good Companies out there. I went with QA1 because I liked there quality I spent just over $3000
But I have a friend that’s a dealer and got them at his cost
Hope this helps

Question, if you are going as low as you can with coilovers will you still have full spring rate?

[mkmc69]

Originally Posted by 1970 CST Short Wide

If your thinking on changing to coil overs you’ll love the ride. I have Full QA1 coil overs front and rear along with there sway bars front and rear. I changed from 2 in spindles and 1 “ springs in the front and 4” spring rear with bell tech shocks. There’s NO comparison in the ride with the coil overs plus there are 16 setting on the shocks to get the ride You want
My shocks are single adjustable but you can get dual adjustable. There are a few Good Companies out there. I went with QA1 because I liked there quality I spent just over $3000
But I have a friend that’s a dealer and got them at his cost
Hope this helps

I have a question also. Why ditch the drop spindles? Wouldn't that give you even more options?

[jimijam00]

Conventional springs and a quality shock would be the route I take if I were planning on setting it and forget it.

[1970 CST Short Wide]

Originally Posted by cab4word67

Question, if you are going as low as you can with coilovers will you still have full spring rate?

Yes you still get full spring rate. QA1 has a good vidio on U tube. Check it out

[1970 CST Short Wide]

Originally Posted by mkmc69

I have a question also. Why ditch the drop spindles? Wouldn't take give you even more options?

I kept the drop spindles, just had to ream to fit there taper. Original 7 deg had to ream to 10

[1970 CST Short Wide]

I did a lot of homework looking at a lot of dealers lots to read and learn. It was worth it for me. I enjoy my Truck much more now

[1970 CST Short Wide]

Originally Posted by jimijam00

Conventional springs and a quality shock would be the route I take if I were planning on setting it and forget it.

I changed spring and shocks at least a have dozen times. Either to soft or stif as a board. Now I have 16 different settings to get the ride I want with a simple twist of a knob. I just couldn’t find a ride I truly liked

[Zeroman]

I went with the CPP front and rear coil overs. I already had the CPP upper and lower tubular control arms, front and rear sway bars, adjustable pan hard bar, and rear shock relocator brackets. I did have to modify the lower control arms to accept the lower trunnion mounts of the front shock, but that was no big deal. Also installed the CPP rear c notch.

The dual adjustable shocks that come with the CPP are Viking Performance shocks out of Minnesota. They are adjustable for both compression and rebound.

I used Western Chassis 2 1/2" drop spindles so the front suspension geometry would stay close to stock as possible, but still give me the drop.

As far as the drop is concerned I am not really sure what I have it set to. I just know it is where I like it.

If you have any questions just let me know.

[jimijam00]

Originally Posted by 1970 CST Short Wide

I changed spring and shocks at least a have dozen times. Either to soft or stif as a board. Now I have 16 different settings to get the ride I want with a simple twist of a knob. I just couldn’t find a ride I truly liked

That's too bad. Something like a Viking double adjustable shock isn't any different on a coilover as it is with a conventional spring.

[HO455]

Originally Posted by 1970 CST Short Wide

If your thinking on changing to coil overs you’ll love the ride. I have Full QA1 coil overs front and rear along with there sway bars front and rear. I changed from 2 in spindles and 1 “ springs in the front and 4” spring rear with bell tech shocks. There’s NO comparison in the ride with the coil overs plus there are 16 setting on the shocks to get the ride You want
My shocks are single adjustable but you can get dual adjustable. There are a few Good Companies out there. I went with QA1 because I liked there quality I spent just over $3000
But I have a friend that’s a dealer and got them at his cost
Hope this helps

Can you post some pictures of the truck? I would love to see more.

[1970 CST Short Wide]

Originally Posted by jimijam00

That's too bad. Something like a Viking double adjustable shock isn't any different on a coilover as it is with a conventional spring.

Very true, Sounds dumb but I never really considered that. Guess I should have done more homework back then.
Good point

[72c20customcamper]

Not on my truck but I have QA1 coilovers on my Chevelle. Infinite adjustability mine give me stock to 3 inch drop . I'm about 2 1/2 with stock spindles . Rides great but I do have the stage 4 UMI complete suspension in it .

[Zeroman]

Originally Posted by jimijam00

That's too bad. Something like a Viking double adjustable shock isn't any different on a coilover as it is with a conventional spring.

Not sure I understand your comment.

There would be a difference as the adjustable coil over can be adjusted to height, not just ride quality.

Standard springs have a spring height that cannot be adjusted.

Coil overs allow you to adjust the ride height, then allow you to set the ride quality whether they are single, or dual, adjustable.

As long as the spring rate is properly calculated, the adjustments for shock height are within the optimum range of the particular shock, and the compression and rebound adjustments are set to the drivers liking, coil overs are pretty sweet.

There is a reason RideTech, QA1, CPP, Aldan, Viking, and others sell so many of them.

[jimijam00]

Originally Posted by Zeroman

Not sure I understand your comment.

You don't.

[custom10nut]

My truck is at “Factory Ride” height, but I CAN tell you that the Coil overs make a HUGE improvement in the ride.
I put on coil overs both front and rear.
I no longer have the bouncy rear end, or the diving front end.

[CastIron]

Originally Posted by custom10nut

My truck is at “Factory Ride” height, but I CAN tell you that the Coil overs make a HUGE improvement in the ride.
I put on coil overs both front and rear.
I no longer have the bouncy rear end, or the diving front end.

Was your suspension worn before the coil over swap? I've never experienced an excessively bouncy rear end nor diving front end with almost stock suspension. I have KYB Gas-a-just shocks, a 1.25" swaybar, and power steering gear out of a square-body and it drives as well as most modern trucks. It's not exactly sports car handling, but neither are 90% of vehicles on the road.

[cab4word67]

Thank you everyone for your input. I found and bought a set of Viking double adjust shocks to bolt on to my current ride height. If I have a reason to change out later to coilovers I can move these to the rear as I have same size shocks with my extenders and leaf's making them almost up and down.
Chris

[jimijam00]

You'll love those Vikings. Be patient with getting them dialed in to your liking. I think there is something like 350 possible combinations of compression and rebound.

[cab4word67]

Thanks to everyone with this quest. I installed the Viking shocks and currently have them at 10 C and 16 R. Remember this is on a 67 C10 with 4" drop coils & 2.5" drop spindles with a 1" spring spacer to raise the truck back up off off the ground. These shocks are supper nice and so easy to adjust with very noticeable differences with just one click. Now I will be working on the rear. Maybe there is a feed on rear leafs?

[jimijam00]

I figured you'd like them, and the cost savings for not going with "coilovers" to boot.