McNaughty's 2-4 drop install notes

[RShrimp]

The drop shackles are a no brain install unless you have a Reese Hitch. If you have a hitch the spring bolts wont come out and the hitch will need to be removed.
The Front hangers are a ***** as those rivets just dont want to give up. The passenger side was easier as there is nothing in the way. I ground the rivet heads and hit the back of the bracket with a BFH and it popped right off. Once the bracket was off I had to grind the rivets flush with the frame and then a quick hit with the air chisel popped them out. Plan on destroying a Dewalt 4.5 inch grinder!
Drivers side plan on dropping the tank. I was able to remove the 3 torx T30's under the gas filler and the just slide the tank inboard a bit to gain access.
The BFH did not work to remove the bracket as the gas tank is in the way. A bit of work with the air hammer and it finally came off.
I have a 4 post lift. I am an old guy. I would not attempt this on the ground (young guy maybe)
Have not done the front yet but as long as you dont remove the shock or the lower arm it should be pretty easy. I bought the extended cab spindles and am going with all new HD brakes, Anti lock delete, and NBS Master on my 1990 C1500 Single cab short bed.

 

[FLGS400]

Have not done the front yet but as long as you dont remove the shock or the lower arm it should be pretty easy. I bought the extended cab spindles and am going with all new HD brakes, Anti lock delete, and NBS Master on my 1990 C1500 Single cab short bed.

I just got done with my spindles (also replaced springs, shocks, ball joints, sway bar bushings, and end links) and stayed with the LD brakes, though replaced everything. I found that if I ran the nuts for both of the ball joints out to the end of the threads (so they were on by a few turns), when I smacked the spindle side at the lower ball joint with a hammer, the force of the bottom joint separating, also separated the top ball joint from the spindle, at the same time. Just make sure you support the lower control arm under the spring enough to let it drop a couple inches and not let the spring fly out. I wrapped a chain through the spring and lower control arm too, for safety sake.

I did it on the floor with the truck on jack stands, though.

 

[RShrimp]

More notes: I have completed the 4 inch drop in the rear but have not touched the front yet (waiting on brake parts) Took the truck for a ride yesterday and then put the tape measure on it. It is within an inch of dead level right now with the front wheel opening maybe a half inch higher than the rear. Looking at it it looks dead level. I am committed to the front drop as I bought the HD brake parts and spindles. I have seen people take the center leaf out of the rear springs. I would really like to be at least an inch lower in the rear. It has 3 leaves right now. Anyone take a leaf out?

 

[Erik the Awful]

A previous owner of my '89 Stepside removed a leaf from each of the 3+1 spring packs so that it's now 2+1. I don't think it lowered it at all. It rides very nice, but it's really not suitable for towing. I have a set of 3+1 spring packs that I plan on swapping in.

 

[GrimsterGMC]

The drop shackles are a no brain install unless you have a Reese Hitch. If you have a hitch the spring bolts wont come out and the hitch will need to be removed.
The Front hangers are a ***** as those rivets just dont want to give up. The passenger side was easier as there is nothing in the way. I ground the rivet heads and hit the back of the bracket with a BFH and it popped right off. Once the bracket was off I had to grind the rivets flush with the frame and then a quick hit with the air chisel popped them out. Plan on destroying a Dewalt 4.5 inch grinder!
Drivers side plan on dropping the tank. I was able to remove the 3 torx T30's under the gas filler and the just slide the tank inboard a bit to gain access.
The BFH did not work to remove the bracket as the gas tank is in the way. A bit of work with the air hammer and it finally came off.
I have a 4 post lift. I am an old guy. I would not attempt this on the ground (young guy maybe)
Have not done the front yet but as long as you dont remove the shock or the lower arm it should be pretty easy. I bought the extended cab spindles and am going with all new HD brakes, Anti lock delete, and NBS Master on my 1990 C1500 Single cab short bed.

I have found, after removing truck loads of rivets from heavy truck chassis, grinding a small flat spot on the head of the rivet and then drilling them until the hole is nearly as large a diameter as the waist of the rivet. Then you only need a gentle tap with a cold chisel and they just snap off. The rivets are only soft so they drill very easily too. When replacing the rivets with bolts you should drill the hole to the next size up as the rivet holes are usually punched and not consistently round drilling them out makes a better fit with the bolt.

 

[RShrimp]

Cant get a real drill in there unless you remove the bed. I did have to enlarge the holes slightly with a 1/2 inch bit and an angle drill for the included bolts to fit. but yea drilling would have been way easier if there was room.

 

[618 Syndicate]

The drop shackles are a no brain install unless you have a Reese Hitch. If you have a hitch the spring bolts wont come out and the hitch will need to be removed.
The Front hangers are a ***** as those rivets just dont want to give up. The passenger side was easier as there is nothing in the way. I ground the rivet heads and hit the back of the bracket with a BFH and it popped right off. Once the bracket was off I had to grind the rivets flush with the frame and then a quick hit with the air chisel popped them out. Plan on destroying a Dewalt 4.5 inch grinder!
Drivers side plan on dropping the tank. I was able to remove the 3 torx T30's under the gas filler and the just slide the tank inboard a bit to gain access.
The BFH did not work to remove the bracket as the gas tank is in the way. A bit of work with the air hammer and it finally came off.
I have a 4 post lift. I am an old guy. I would not attempt this on the ground (young guy maybe)
Have not done the front yet but as long as you dont remove the shock or the lower arm it should be pretty easy. I bought the extended cab spindles and am going with all new HD brakes, Anti lock delete, and NBS Master on my 1990 C1500 Single cab short bed.

Like we always tell people, go ahead and flip it. Hangers are a PITA and you're gonna end up wanting to be lower anyway...

 

[someotherguy]

Like we always tell people, go ahead and flip it. Hangers are a PITA and you're gonna end up wanting to be lower anyway...

"2/4 drop kit install notes"

"1. Return 2/4 drop kit and order 4/6 or 5/7"

Richard

 

[RShrimp]

Did the Spindles yesterday. Took the opportunity to replace Lower ball joint and upper control arm. I bought the EXcab spindles and all the HD brake stuff.
Notes:
1. Lower ball joint is not that bad but you have to get the bottom of the lower arm about 2 feet off the ground to use the press.
2. The brake lines hit the upper ball joint. My solution was to flip them 90 degrees. Some calipers may not allow this and the solution would be to swap them left and right.

 

[fancyTBI]

The brake lines hit the upper ball joint. My solution was to flip them 90 degrees. Some calipers may not allow this and the solution would be to swap them left and right

This is what I did too. I also removed them from the bracket that bolts to the UCA and repositioned them for some extra slack. I of course put them back in the bracket and bent it closed.