Ball joint spacers and front diff. Drop.

[shrekmoose]

So I just came over from the colorado and canyon midsize scene. Decided I was over a truck payment sold my new canyon and bought a 92 model ext. Cab 5sp 350 truck. My question is how close to the same are the front suspensions of these trucks? I had a z71 canyon which also has torsion bars and mine were cranked almost 4 inches. Now with that being said my cv angles and all were almost at stock angles alot of the guys including me were running spacers on the 4 bolts that held the diff up under the truck. What is stopping us from doing that to these fullsizes? From what I can crawl up under and look and see they look pretty similar. Also we were flipping our ball joints to the underside of the UCA and running about a 1/4 or 1/2 inch spacer between the UCA and the ball joint which helped alot with alignment issues. Just figgured I would throw the idea out and see what happens. I searched and really didn't find a whole lot of anything on this. So any and all insight would be awesome

 

[rcman989]

Interesting idea, I haven't heard of this ever being done.

 

[TLoud]

Yea I'm curious to hear if anyones done this with a fullsize

 

[Swims350]

plenty have done it over on fsc, just search for balljoint flip, it works but as for a spacer not sue if it'd trust that or if it'd leave enough room for it to draw down right in the taper or not. The diff. guys have made their own drops too, with like spacers and such. Then used longer bolts.

As for getting 4 inches on an obs, maybe, but most likely your torsion bars could be sagging and not hold the weight. crank em and see how much it will go. if it doesn't go high enough you need new torsion bars. don't bother with aftermarket keys on these trucks they are a waste of time and money if the stock keys won't do it, you don't need it done. That is again if the bars aint sagging, and the factory keys will drop the uppers to the droop stops, can't really go much further then that.

Also there is a couple companies with longer aftermarket upper control arms to help avoid a ball joint flip but help with the angles. Thing is they are in the kits, which are overpriced, $500 for 2 upper control arms, rear block sor add a leafs, diff. drop brackets, and new reindexed keys which are usless. You may be able to buy the parts seperate.

would I do it? No I'd be too worried about breaking an upper baljoint or too much stress.

 

[dirtridinz71]

The ball joint flip is doable on the fullsizes. Just unbolt the upper balljoint, lift the control arm above it and bolt it to the underside of the control arm. It wont work with stock rims though as the upper control arm will rub the wheel. 2" crank is about the most you would want to do and still have any front end parts left.

 

[shrekmoose]

If the ball joints and axle angles were almost stock what else wears fast on these trucks. I'm trying to get a Cali lean stance after adding some 2 inch blocks in the back. And I'm not one to buy a kit if I can possibly fab somethig up that works better and lasts longer. I would like to think I'm fairly mechanically inclined but any ideas would be awesome. It would just be cool to incorporate some of these midsize ideas into stuff for the fullsizes to solve some of these headaches.

 

[dirtyhick42]

Let's put it this way, you have an inch or so of rake stock. Add 2 inches to the rear and your now at 3 inches of rake. To achieve your Cali lean you need to get 4 inches of crank. I have never seen anybody crank 4 inches, 3 inches I have seen and personally done. I do not suggest 3 inches of crank as you will wear out everything on your front end very quickly.

 

[Swims350]

as for what else wears out, the lower ball joint. you flipped the top and dropped the diff. but what about the bottom? nothing.

screw that cali lean BS, level or rake for me nothing else.

 

[shrekmoose]

What is the setup like for the lower ball joints people were also putting small spacers in for the lowers too. I didn't personally because I was happy at where it sat but the bottom spacers were actually netting lift in the front. Does anyone have a blown up view of the ifs on a chevy or know where I can find one?

 

[dirtridinz71]

The lower balljoint either slides into the lower control arm and is bolted in place (riveted factory) or it is pressed into the control arm. I'm not sure what year it was they changed them.