what drop kit or combination of lowering parts are y'all using?

[smoothandlow84]

Another thing to consider, is a 3" spindle will have the control arm hanging below 15" rims up front. This is neither safe, nor legal. A 2.5" spindle would be better, though I suspect still hang too low.

When my 15" BFG's are done, I'm going 17".

X2 with the 3" spindle. The p.o. did a hack job when lowering the front end of my square and still using 15" rally wheels. If you opt to use a 3" drop spindle, larger diameter wheels are necessary and safer than hacking the lower control arms. You can notch the lower a arms, but be sure to plate it so that its is reinforced. The easiest way of course is to use a 18" or larger wheel setup.

 

[74 Shortbed]

I'm thinking going with a 2 1/2 spindle and 1" coil and tubular control arms, i think I should be fine with 15' wheels??..

 

[RangRayy]

I'm thinking going with a 2 1/2 spindle and 1" coil and tubular control arms, i think I should be fine with 15' wheels??..

That's what I was looking at doing as well. Instead of cutting a coil. Also wih tubular upper control arms. From what I've gathered the longer tubular control arms help with the negative caster that tends to happen when lowering. But like everyone else I don't like the idea of all the weight out on those bolts. I saw a guy with a '77(I believe it was stepside bed red and white truck on YouTube with a 5/7 drop) who added a bump stop to his cross member and it helped but wasn't the main support.

I would like to keep my 15s. I want to try and keep my inner wheel wells up front to help keep my freshly painted engine clean.

 

[74 Shortbed]

That's what I was looking at doing as well. Instead of cutting a coil. Also wih tubular upper control arms. From what I've gathered the longer tubular control arms help with the negative caster that tends to happen when lowering. But like everyone else I don't like the idea of all the weight out on those bolts. I saw a guy with a '77(I believe it was stepside bed red and white truck on YouTube with a 5/7 drop) who added a bump stop to his cross member and it helped but wasn't the main support.

I would like to keep my 15s. I want to try and keep my inner wheel wells up front to help keep my freshly painted engine clean.

Well, my lowers are all beat up from PO so I figured I'd use the CPP lowers, they look the best I've seen so far, but I feel the same about the uppers can't see all that weight on the bolts, haven't decided on which ones to use yet though. And yes they are longer so you don't need a ton of shims to set the Camber and depending what brand they have anywhere from 2* to 5* of caster built into them, should make alignments easy..

 

[RangRayy]

Well, my lowers are all beat up from PO so I figured I'd use the CPP lowers, they look the best I've seen so far, but I feel the same about the uppers can't see all that weight on the bolts, haven't decided on which ones to use yet though. And yes they are longer so you don't need a ton of shims to set the Camber and depending what brand they have anywhere from 2* to 5* of caster built into them, should make alignments easy..

Ah I still have the factory ball joints. Also both control arm bushings are crap, all cracked and very worn out. What you'd expect from a 29 year old truck. I was planning on replacing both with new arms since they come with new bushings installed and ball joints. It's more expensive, by $20, but by the time I get them out and pay a machine shop to press new bushings in the time factor is what I'll save. But I was just going to go OEM on the LCA and go tubular up top. Should I just got both tubular on the LCA as well? I want to do it right the first time.

 

[74 Shortbed]

Ah I still have the factory ball joints. Also both control arm bushings are crap, all cracked and very worn out. What you'd expect from a 29 year old truck. I was planning on replacing both with new arms since they come with new bushings installed and ball joints. It's more expensive, by $20, but by the time I get them out and pay a machine shop to press new bushings in the time factor is what I'll save. But I was just going to go OEM on the LCA and go tubular up top. Should I just got both tubular on the LCA as well? I want to do it right the first time.

Well, they are stronger than OEM and shouldn't have to do any grinding on them to clear the 15" rims and they look nicer too, just have to make sure they have the "good" ball joints and not China junk, of course they can always be changed..

 

[RangRayy]

Well, they are stronger than OEM and shouldn't have to do any grinding on them to clear the 15" rims and they look nicer too, just have to make sure they have the "good" ball joints and not China junk, of course they can always be changed..

The video I watched he got his off eBay and I think they were Chinese parts. You get what you pay for. I'm a UAW member and I will buy American made products. Not "assembled only" in America. I may order my parts today just depends on how much of a dent into my wallet replacing the windshield in my DD is.

 

[74 Shortbed]

The video I watched he got his off eBay and I think they were Chinese parts. You get what you pay for. I'm a UAW member and I will buy American made products. Not "assembled only" in America. I may order my parts today just depends on how much of a dent into my wallet replacing the windshield in my DD is.

I hear ya I feel the same way, friend of mine bought some China $h!t for his Camaro, and they were $h!t and had to send them back, main reason I haven't figured which uppers to go with yet..

 

[RangRayy]

main reason I haven't figured which uppers to go with yet..

Well if I haven't gotten them yet let me know what you decide on and I will post up what I discover. Share the wealth kinda deal.

 

[74 Shortbed]

Well if I haven't gotten them yet let me know what you decide on and I will post up what I discover. Share the wealth kinda deal.

For sure.

 

[RangRayy]

For sure.

Are you going to go with lowers as well? I think if I do both I'm going to go with DJM set. Advertised that the LCA drops everything 3" without having to use springs.

Now CPP aren't too bad either might consider them instead. Advantage of their LCA is ground clearance, no more scrapping the pavement with the LCA.

Let's face it though, using a set from any company is going to drop the truck considerably like most I see is around 5" or is ment to be used in conjunction with airbags for the slammed look.

Like this post started out I want some clearance under my truck and not really wanting more than 4" of drop up front. Mind you spindles will make it roughly 4.5 but it appears I can save on spindles by simply replacing the control arms with DJM ones for the 3" and get a 1"drop spring.

Or just replace the UCA with a tubular one and the bottoms with OEM. Just cannot make up my mind...

 

[74 Shortbed]

Are you going to go with lowers as well? I think if I do both I'm going to go with DJM set. Advertised that the LCA drops everything 3" without having to use springs.

Now CPP aren't too bad either might consider them instead. Advantage of their LCA is ground clearance, no more scrapping the pavement with the LCA.

Let's face it though, using a set from any company is going to drop the truck considerably like most I see is around 5" or is ment to be used in conjunction with airbags for the slammed look.

Like this post started out I want some clearance under my truck and not really wanting more than 4" of drop up front. Mind you spindles will make it roughly 4.5 but it appears I can save on spindles by simply replacing the control arms with DJM ones for the 3" and get a 1"drop spring.

Or just replace the UCA with a tubular one and the bottoms with OEM. Just cannot make up my mind...

Since my OEM's are beat up I figured I'd go with lowers too, not all of them lowers the truck though, you can tell if they lower the truck by the spring pocket, personally I don't like the spring pockets hanging down below the CA like that sooner or later you're gonna hit something I would think, and 3" below the CA seems quite low to me, been looking at CPP lowers their pockets don't hang down and seem pretty much like OEM, but I'm gonna ask first to make sure..

 

[RangRayy]

Since my OEM's are beat up I figured I'd go with lowers too, not all of them lowers the truck though, you can tell if they lower the truck by the spring pocket, personally I don't like the spring pockets hanging down below the CA like that sooner or later you're gonna hit something I would think, and 3" below the CA seems quite low to me, been looking at CPP lowers their pockets don't hang down and seem pretty much like OEM, but I'm gonna ask first to make sure..

They makes sense I didn't even notice that pocket hanging down on the DJM set. Mine aren't beat up per say just the bushings are bad and I mean baaaaaad. So I'm opting to replace the whole CA. Since I'm taking my time on the rebuild and will be awhile before its back on the road might as well do both and I believe CPP is the route I am going to take. Along with a new sway bar and steering components.

 

[74 Shortbed]

My complete front end is going to be new, actually the whole truck pretty much will be new,lol, and it's gonna take a while for me to finish it too.

 

[bluex]

Guys the lower a arm is already the lowest part of the suspension on these trucks. That dropped lower arm drops the spring pocket down and makes an already bad problem worse. Avoid dropped lower arms at all costs, they just aren't worth the trade off when you can get the same drop from spindles an a cut coil. Just my opinion though