'98 K1500 Front Coilover Swap

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dvnlhnt

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So I came across this video a while back.

tldw; man removes torsion bars and uses stock shock tabs to install front coil overs.

I spit balled the idea with my father - a veteran mechanic - he says its a dumb idea, since I value the off road capabilities of my K1500, because despite the weight savings you would lose a significant amount of valuable strength when it comes to off-roading with the weight of the vehicle displaced elsewhere. I have a local shop that could easily brace the stock shock tabs professionally and install front coil overs. What do you guys think in respect to 4x4 capabilities with this type of conversion? How would this impact a potential future lift or other modifications one might make?
 

DonYukon

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not much to gain and if anything not worth it. I say this because the stock Torsion bars already flex plenty enough for a IFS. the problem here would be matching the spring rate and possibly losing some articulation. Also from a strenght standpoint the TB is much better. I run a set of Fox 2.5s on my SAS yukon and even with a 12 inch travel it leaves me wanting more. with a IFS setup I doubt you would be able to run much more than a 10 inch without having to redo the gussets. and even then your limited by the travel of the rest of the componets. will they work? i think so but as the video shows that lower mount is not intended for load bearing only dampening. for a IFS Coil swap to really be good your probably better off looking at a full setup with custom control arms. I really say all this from a offroad performance standpoint.
 

Gobistro00

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Pretty sure
So I came across this video a while back.

tldw; man removes torsion bars and uses stock shock tabs to install front coil overs.

I spit balled the idea with my father - a veteran mechanic - he says its a dumb idea, since I value the off road capabilities of my K1500, because despite the weight savings you would lose a significant amount of valuable strength when it comes to off-roading with the weight of the vehicle displaced elsewhere. I have a local shop that could easily brace the stock shock tabs professionally and install front coil overs. What do you guys think in respect to 4x4 capabilities with this type of conversion? How would this impact a potential future lift or other modifications one might make?
pretty sure if you weld up a good solid mount the on the frame and reinforce it a bit you would be okay. Personally what I would do is just go for it. I’ve been thinking about doing this for awhile, and might just take the shot and attempt it, I was thinking of maybe just flush cutting shock mount and weld and reinforce kinda like a bucket style mount that goes a bit higher, as for the lower control arm…… it’s incredibly beefy where the shock mounts already, so I wouldn’t be worried about that. It’s a new idea that not many people attempt but who knows it might work well, I’m planning on doing a coilover solid axle conversion soon. I’m going to attempt to cut and reweld a bucket style mount for coilovers on the ifs first, and if it doesn’t work, I’ll be doing the sas, sas kit by wfo concepts
 

Burdom13

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I'm doing a coilover kit right now. Checkout my build thread. If there is actually interest in it and I can get someone to pay for it, I can modify my stock lowers and ship em out to ya since.im not using them. Just N idea? I really want to get some products going for these trucks cus nobody really offers anything DECENT and keeps price in mind. Also trying for a bolt-on coilovers conversion is extremely difficult, due to the ****** stock shock mounts between the upper arm mounts. If people have the capability of welding and cutting, then I can have a kit designed pretty quick, just gonna need new upper arms obviously. Message me if your interested!!!
 

Gobistro00

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I'm doing a coilover kit right now. Checkout my build thread. If there is actually interest in it and I can get someone to pay for it, I can modify my stock lowers and ship em out to ya since.im not using them. Just N idea? I really want to get some products going for these trucks cus nobody really offers anything DECENT and keeps price in mind. Also trying for a bolt-on coilovers conversion is extremely difficult, due to the ****** stock shock mounts between the upper arm mounts. If people have the capability of welding and cutting, then I can have a kit designed pretty quick, just gonna need new upper arms obviously. Message me if your interested!!!
Im very interested!!! If you were to design a kit and would sell them, I would buy, im not a fan of how torsion bars look haha, I wanna get some nice coilovers! Let me know when you’d design a kit so I can purchase, I weld for a living aswell so a weld on kit isn’t an isssue for me
 

skeptic1

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I've been reading post on this site for a couple years while I restored a coveted obs Z71. I thought it was time to go ahead and register.
Any way...... here are a few pictures of my tuck. It is a complete frame off restoration. The only thing left to do is the headliner.
I've also wondered how swapping in a set of coil overs would work. It would be easy enough.
You guys mostly talk about not gaining articulation and then proclaim that a coil over conversion would therefore not be worth doing.
You realize that these trucks are not rock crawler buggies and that gaining articulation has little to do, if anything, with why a coil over suspension set up would be desirable, right?
Saying that, leads me into my next question.
While i do occasionally find worthwhile information on this site most of what i read sounds like kids trying to ruin there first truck with ridiculous modifications and children that have absolutely no idea what they are talking about.
Also, the site seems saturated with members that can barely read or write much less form complete thoughts and type those thoughts into a paragraph that is understandable.
Is this what this site mostly is?

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Keeper

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I've been reading post on this site for a couple years while I restored a coveted obs Z71. I thought it was time to go ahead and register.
Any way...... here are a few pictures of my tuck. It is a complete frame off restoration. The only thing left to do is the headliner.
I've also wondered how swapping in a set of coil overs would work. It would be easy enough.
You guys mostly talk about not gaining articulation and then proclaim that a coil over conversion would therefore not be worth doing.
You realize that these trucks are not rock crawler buggies and that gaining articulation has little to do, if anything, with why a coil over suspension set up would be desirable, right?
Saying that, leads me into my next question.
While i do occasionally find worthwhile information on this site most of what i read sounds like kids trying to ruin there first truck with ridiculous modifications and children that have absolutely no idea what they are talking about.
Also, the site seems saturated with members that can barely read or write much less form complete thoughts and type those thoughts into a paragraph that is understandable.
Is this what this site mostly is?
Misspelled words and improper punctuation may not be the best way to throw stones at others for their misspelled words and improper punctuation.

And while most of us are probably as old as you, or more, doing ridiculous modifications to OUR own trucks is not childish.

"Never grow up" is a much better life motto than "holier than thou"... imo, of course.

Love the truck btw!
 
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