HELP!! (Make me a list please) as I’m

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Night Bomber

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This evening at 7:00 pm I finished installing the DJM2555-4/6+ kit you have illustrated above into my 1998 GMC RCSB. The box is not yet back on and I haven't driven it yet. Hoping to post some photos in the next couple weeks once it is roadworthy and licensed. Very pleased with the quality of the kit (it is truly an upgrade) but with Covid-19 I was alarmed with how long it took for the kit to arrive. Word from my supplier in British Columbia is that DJM has had to reduce their manning on the production floor so they are going flat out to keep up with orders. Likely many other manufacturing plants have had to do similar things. I ordered my kit June 6, 2020 and some of the parts arrived about a month later. I tore the front suspension apart and had the control arms installed in a couple days but had to leave it up on blocks until the front coils arrived. The front coils and all the parts for the rear suspension upgrades arrived August 26, 2020. Truck was up on blocks all summer. Hopefully things go a bit faster in the coming weeks.
Be sure to order new lowering shocks. Finally, if I ever get to do this project again I would buy the same kit again but I wouldn't use a grinder to cut the C-notch. I'll use a reciprocating saw with a steel blade instead. It is a bit confined and awkward for maneuvering a grinder. I'm sure that thing is trying to kill me!!
 

blackdeathmessenger

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The only thing I can say is that's what you get for lowering your truck... I kept mine stock ride height and have no issues :Big Laugh:
 
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This evening at 7:00 pm I finished installing the DJM2555-4/6+ kit you have illustrated above into my 1998 GMC RCSB. The box is not yet back on and I haven't driven it yet. Hoping to post some photos in the next couple weeks once it is roadworthy and licensed. Very pleased with the quality of the kit (it is truly an upgrade) but with Covid-19 I was alarmed with how long it took for the kit to arrive. Word from my supplier in British Columbia is that DJM has had to reduce their manning on the production floor so they are going flat out to keep up with orders. Likely many other manufacturing plants have had to do similar things. I ordered my kit June 6, 2020 and some of the parts arrived about a month later. I tore the front suspension apart and had the control arms installed in a couple days but had to leave it up on blocks until the front coils arrived. The front coils and all the parts for the rear suspension upgrades arrived August 26, 2020. Truck was up on blocks all summer. Hopefully things go a bit faster in the coming weeks.
Be sure to order new lowering shocks. Finally, if I ever get to do this project again I would buy the same kit again but I wouldn't use a grinder to cut the C-notch. I'll use a reciprocating saw with a steel blade instead. It is a bit confined and awkward for maneuvering a grinder. I'm sure that thing is trying to kill me!!

Thank for the feedback..

great advice thanks.

I am a little concerned about the time it will take to get here living in the Uk to be honest.

did you use the recommend calmax shocks??

Do you know if it’s possible to do the C Notch with the bed in place?
 

618 Syndicate

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Thank for the feedback..

great advice thanks.

I am a little concerned about the time it will take to get here living in the Uk to be honest.

did you use the recommend calmax shocks??

Do you know if it’s possible to do the C Notch with the bed in place?
I'm from the UK originally, still have immediate family there. (Newbury area) Shipping times both ways are fluctuating wildly right now, but it'll get there eventually.
Can't comment on the calmax shocks, I've always just found shocks that work for my specs for cheap.
Yes, you can notch without taking the bed off. Squares, OBS, and NBS can all be notched with the bed on the truck.
 

Night Bomber

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Have done a bit more work since last posts. Wheels are American Racing AR647 Nitros. Tires in these photos are Front: P255/50R15 and Rear: P295/50R15. Must admit it gets a lot of doubletakes and it seems almost whenever I stop someone would like to chat about the love this truck has recently received. But we went on a longer 7 hour drive recently. On smooth pavement it drives straight as a rail after the wheel alignment. However, if there is uneven pavement or grooves caused by highway tractors it takes undivided attention to stay in the center of my own lane. It was rather tiring to drive a long way. So we sold the wheels and tires.
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Night Bomber

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Some like to do the C-notch with the box on. It likely will keep the frame from flexing without needing to support it until the C-notch plate is in place but it is a bit awkward to work under the box with a hazardous cutting wheel. I found it more convenient to remove the box and carefully support and brace the frame in place before the C-notch is cut. Either way will likely work well with different pros and cons. Take your time and be careful. Slow is faster. And safer.

I did use the recommended Cal-max shocks on the front. With the big fatties on the back it would rub the tires on the fender wells even when they were rolled so I returned the recommended ones and found some ACDelco Suburban air shocks (ACDelco P/N: 504-550, Suburban GM P/N:88946638) and ran a separate air line to each shock; not one line to feed both. That way when you go around a corner the air from the outer rear shock stays there and doesn't migrate to the inner rear shock where there is less pressure. Stays a little bit more level. It is also possible to reduce the "driver side droop" that these GMT400s seem to display when the fuel tank is full and there is only the driver onboard.

A two wheel drive suburban rear sway bar helps as well. It's fittings will bolt up fairly easy with a bit of creativity and a 3" exhaust clamp around the rear diff.
 
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Night Bomber

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This is what it looks like now. Hub caps aren't on it at the moment (and the driver has had some "cosmetic upgrades" as well). Tires are Toyo Proxes 4 Plus P275/40R17 on Black Iron Tracker rims on all 4 corners. The rims came with the truck and have a 18mm offset INWARD which causes the tires to rub on the front lower control arms when turned fully one way or the other. Fortunately the truck also came with a set of 32mm wheel spacers which brings them out slightly. The spacers are not installed in the photo below. It's snowing here and it is off the road for the winter. These wheels drive much better than the fatties in the previous pictures, but I admit it doesn't quite look as good. Given the option I would prefer the tires be the same width but maybe an inch or two taller.
Ooops... Live and learn...:cool:
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sewlow

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275/55-17's & 255/60-17's are the same height as the stock 235/75-15's.
My 20's are 255/45 on the front, also the same diameter as the the stockers & on my '98 @ 4/6 with rolled f/lips they'll only occasionally rub at the bottom rear of the fenderwell.
So I'd say the 255/60-17's would fill up the wheel wells better & wouldn't create any rubbing problems.
I've run a 275 on that truck all around but a 60-15. Little shorter than the originals. Had to clearance the LCA's, but the extra width didn't rub any more or less than the narrower 20's.
Had 275/55-17's on my '97 & I liked the way that they looked on the truck, even if it was just a 2/4 drop. Would of liked to have tried them on my '98. Didn't get the chance, though.

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