Spindles and coils will be cheaper, but control arms will ride better from what I understand.
Next truck I drop will be with control arms.
Wanting to lower a 2wd c1500 and looking for suggestions
- Thread starter Darrell
- Start date
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Next truck I drop will be with control arms.
Get some 2" front hangers in the back, consider using the middle hole on the hangers for a 3" drop total in back. Cut the front coils one coil on the bottom side of the spring for a 2" drop in front. Proper lowering shocks would be a good plan but you can find shorter shocks from other cars like late 70's regals on the front and suburbans for the rear. Why spend $1000 to lower an old truck when a few hundred will do it.
This is my 93 Silverado fleetside shorty standard cab with a 2 4 drop. 2" spindles in the front, stock springs and hanger/shackles drop in the rear. I run 275x60x15 all around on 15x8 American Racing wheels and it rides great. The Belltech spindles do push the wheels out a bit and I had to trim one underbed rib to clear the shackles. I want to go lower, but don't want to ruin the ride and workability of the truck.
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EarlH
Newbie
I noticed you have the later model grill on there. Where did you get it? And did you have any difficulties swapping it out ..thanks for a reply.
92SlammedC1500
OBS Enthusiast
As far as spindles go, go with DJM suspension they do not push the wheels out, you will have to trim the lower control arm rain gutters if you’re running 15” wheel's, Belltech spindles push the wheels out .45” per side.
swb charlie
Newbie
yes my '90 Sport is running the 3-4 drop with the 15" wheels
Cool, but how did you get there ? What mods if any and do you like the ride ?
FullBlowncustoms
I'm Awesome
I removed the 20's off mine and put on 18's.... Very nice truck you have, love it.... Congrats !!! Ya don't see nice clean ones in NYS, we gotta pay $$$$ to find them ..
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I got the grill at LMS. I wanted a stock one but they were on backorder and the chrome one was only $10.00 more . It was an easy install everything lined up nice. I think the only thing i had a problem with was my bug shield wouldn't fit right , wouldn't let the hood shut. The bug shield had made such a mess out of my hood I left it off. I just had it painted and replaced all the headlights, blinkers and marker lamps. I was going to put my billet insert back in, but couldn't bring my self to cut that nice grill. I removed all the bumpers grill and lights to have it painted so everything was off to start with. Just for GP when one set of tires was installed with the white letters out and after installing the bell spindles. i hit a big dip with front end and shaved all the letters off the front tires. I have since rolled the wheels wells so that doesn't happen again.
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Videos up on youtube show how it's done. I expect you have the lower shackles already. The front leaf spring hangers are riveted on and will take grinding to remove. Shock extenders use your current shocks in the back if you find you need them. The suburbans have shorter rear shocks. Rockauto is useful for getting the lengths for comparison.
On the front if you measure the free length of the spring you can determine how much to cut. The lower arm is a 2:1 ratio. If you want to lower 2" you have to remove 1" from the spring and should find a shorter shock to keep a better ride but it doesn't hurt to try what you have already then change it later.
I wouldn't recommend lowering more than 2" with a cutting a spring 1 coil or so. People do it all the time but don't care about negative camber and tire wear. One thing to look into if the alignment slots on the upper arm bushings mount are already knocked out. There are slots that can be broken out to allow camber and caster adjustments. The factory didn't open them up but most of our trucks have had it done by now.
If cutting the spings doens't work out you can always get aftermarket lowing springs for around $150 or so. The rear leaf front hangers for a 2" drop that give 4" with the rear shakles are around $100 and the shackles are like $20. Figure 35 for the rear shock extenders and $50 for a pair of front shocks if you change them. It's easy to change shocks and add rear extenders later if you find you need them
Another rear option to consider is removing a leaf but it will reduce the load you can carry. There are videos on that too. Depending on where you are a lot of the bolts will put a fight to come apart with all the rust.
Merry Christmas,
Vic
On the front if you measure the free length of the spring you can determine how much to cut. The lower arm is a 2:1 ratio. If you want to lower 2" you have to remove 1" from the spring and should find a shorter shock to keep a better ride but it doesn't hurt to try what you have already then change it later.
I wouldn't recommend lowering more than 2" with a cutting a spring 1 coil or so. People do it all the time but don't care about negative camber and tire wear. One thing to look into if the alignment slots on the upper arm bushings mount are already knocked out. There are slots that can be broken out to allow camber and caster adjustments. The factory didn't open them up but most of our trucks have had it done by now.
If cutting the spings doens't work out you can always get aftermarket lowing springs for around $150 or so. The rear leaf front hangers for a 2" drop that give 4" with the rear shakles are around $100 and the shackles are like $20. Figure 35 for the rear shock extenders and $50 for a pair of front shocks if you change them. It's easy to change shocks and add rear extenders later if you find you need them
Another rear option to consider is removing a leaf but it will reduce the load you can carry. There are videos on that too. Depending on where you are a lot of the bolts will put a fight to come apart with all the rust.
Merry Christmas,
Vic
