MODIFYING UPPER CONTROL ARMS:

[pokey]

I WAS READING AN ARTICLE IN A NEWER TRUCK MAGAZINE ABOUT INSTALLING 3 INCH LOWERING SPRINGS IN OBS TRUCKS.THE ARTICLE STATED THAT IF YOU USE THESE SPRINGS,THE UPPER CONTROL ARM HAS TO BE MODIFIED OR OPENED UP IN THE AREA WHERE THE CONTROL ARM BOLT RUNS THROUGH.THIS IS IN ORDER TO ALLOW THE TRUCK TO BE ALIGNED.I AM CONSIDERING DOING THIS ON MY 95 C1500 THAT ALREADY HAS 2 AND A HALF INCH DROPPED SPINDLES.HAS ANY ONE DONE THIS ON THEIR TRUCK ?

 

[Schurkey]

They're probably talking about installing the alignment cams. Many (most?) GMT400 vehicles did not come with alignment adjustments. The adjustment parts had to be installed before an alignment was performed. I've seen this on the two I own--but they're both 4WD. I don't know how the 2WD vehicles are set up.

WHY would you lower the truck 3"? You'd be destroying the function of the vehicle.

 

[MrPink]

^ i know plenty of lowered truck owners that still use their trucks as intended some are lowered 4/6 or 5/7 too.

 

[sewlow]

They're probably talking about installing the alignment cams. Many (most?) GMT400 vehicles did not come with alignment adjustments. The adjustment parts had to be installed before an alignment was performed. I've seen this on the two I own--but they're both 4WD. I don't know how the 2WD vehicles are set up.

Two wheel drive...
Toe CAN be adjusted via tie-rods.
The problem is the camber/castor adjustments. They can be done, but the adjustments are extremely limited.
For that to be done properly, the upper control arms need to have the knock-outs punched.
There's a special tool for that.
Why GM didn't punch the knock-outs from the factory is good question.

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WHY would you lower the truck 3"? You'd be destroying the function of the vehicle.

Damn useless lowered trucks with all those questionable suspension & frame mods, especially those ooh-sooo unsafe C-notches.
Useless pos's.

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My '97.

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[Erik the Awful]

You lower them to make them easier to load and unload, right? If it weren't so easy to just crawl under my truck to work on it, it'd have a 5/7 drop.

 

[pokey]

Thanks "SEWLOW" for you're reply.The control arm does look like GM has it stamped for it to be knocked out.As for why we would want to lower our trucks,I guess if I had to explain why,it wouldn't matter.The pictures speak for themselves.

 

[red98]

They're probably talking about installing the alignment cams. Many (most?) GMT400 vehicles did not come with alignment adjustments. The adjustment parts had to be installed before an alignment was performed. I've seen this on the two I own--but they're both 4WD. I don't know how the 2WD vehicles are set up.

WHY would you lower the truck 3"? You'd be destroying the function of the vehicle.

While I also don't like lowered trucks, there's like, a lot of them on this forum, and a lot of them are lowered more than 3". Not like this guy is laying frame and has airbags or anything crazy.