Static Drop

[JAMESCHURCH13]

What is the Lowest Semi Street Friendly Drop? I got a 67 swb and am moving to vegas in like 3 months once i return from Japan from the airfoce. So far i got 5 inch drop springs for the rear. What else should i get for the meanest static drop possible.

[powell72]

you could do a 2.5'' spindle, 2'' spring in the front and a 1'' block to go with your 5'' spring. Don't forget your shocks relocator mounts, and adjustable panhard. You could go lower than that, but that setup is pretty street friendly.

[72BLAZERDUDE]

Here is a pic of my sons old truck. 6 inch drop springs and 2 inch blocks in the rear and 2 1/2 spindles and 1 coil (2-3 inch)cut on the front springs Since it was a long bed I thought it would have problems but you just had to be careful

[JAMESCHURCH13]

Originally Posted by 72BLAZERDUDE

Here is a pic of my sons old truck. 6 inch drop springs and 2 inch blocks in the rear and 2 1/2 spindles and 1 coil (2-3 inch)cut on the front springs Since it was a long bed I thought it would have problems but you just had to be careful

What kind of headers was he running and how was the ride with the front cut springs. That truck is where its at. After reading around im thinking doing what your son did with a c notch, toxic drop shocks 3 inch spindles, 3inch blocks, 5 inch rear drop springs, one coil out of the front, adjustible rear bar and shock relocation out back. Any one got a detail pics included install of such parts? I'll be in Maryland for one month then off to Vegas for one year. I'm driving the truck from Maryland to Vegas so time and not messing somthing up are a big deal to me. So all and all I should be running a 6/8 static. Again your sons truck is greatness. I dig the white walls and painted rims. Ol Skool is sweetness. Thanks for the pic.

[72MARIO]

A 4" front and 6" rear would be a safe daily driver. I would not go any lower on a spring drop for a DD I drive mine daily over 6000 miles with it finished and only 1 time have I dragged the front lower A arms when pulling into a really steep incline.

[JAMESCHURCH13]

How is your truck droped and what parts did you use? Thanks. What do you guys think of a 6/8 static? I Want the look and the price is right. Trouble vs Looks. What to do?

[gringoloco]

Originally Posted by JAMESCHURCH13

How is your truck droped and what parts did you use?

I'm pretty sure Mario's truck is spindles/springs up front and a flip kit out back. I know for sure he has a leaf rear.

Originally Posted by JAMESCHURCH13

What do you guys think of a 6/8 static? I Want the look and the price is right. Trouble vs Looks. What to do?

First of all, I don't think you will run into any more trouble than anyone else who is dramatically dropped. I have spindles and cut coils up front and have no worries.

If you like the look of 72blazerdude's truck, do that. If you don't, you'll be mad at yourself for not going lower. Are you really dropping the truck because you wnt to be conservative? Didn't think so...

Front:
Spindles- $200
Cut Coils- Free
Alignment- $60?

You will also want to move the sway bar mounts up to the frame, eliminating the low hanging brackets.

Rear
Springs- $60
Blocks- $60
Notch- $150

Shocks all the way around- $100

I would definitely recommend relocating rear shock mounts too...

Cheap AND looooow. I say gopher it!

[JAMESCHURCH13]

Originally Posted by gringoloco

I'm pretty sure Mario's truck is spindles/springs up front and a flip kit out back. I know for sure he has a leaf rear.



First of all, I don't think you will run into any more trouble than anyone else who is dramatically dropped. I have spindles and cut coils up front and have no worries.

If you like the look of 72blazerdude's truck, do that. If you don't, you'll be mad at yourself for not going lower. Are you really dropping the truck because you wnt to be conservative? Didn't think so...

Front:
Spindles- $200
Cut Coils- Free
Alignment- $60?

You will also want to move the sway bar mounts up to the frame, eliminating the low hanging brackets.

Rear
Springs- $60
Blocks- $60
Notch- $150

Shocks all the way around- $100

I would definitely recommend relocating rear shock mounts too...

Cheap AND looooow. I say gopher it!

Dude you so talked me into it. I also got this knarley I idea for a front drop so I can loose to coils off the front springs and not have to repalce my drum brake spindles. Cant wait to be back in America in August. Thanks for all the help and any more pics or ideas are way welcome. Peace.

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by JAMESCHURCH13

....I also got this knarley I idea for a front drop so I can loose to coils off the front springs and not have to repalce my drum brake spindles.

There's a big difference between using 2.5" ~ 3" drop spindles & trimming 1-coil vs. stock spindles & trimming 2-coils.

If your statement of "loose to coils" means removing 2 coils from the front springs, that's a bit too much. Any time the front suspension is 'unloaded', the front springs are short enough they can become dislodged. This can happen when jacking the truck up in the driveway (or putting it on a lift), which is no big deal. It can also happen on a big enough crest on a highway, which is a very big deal. The other problem w/cutting 2-coils is the spring rate isn't increased enough to compensate for the now much lower heights resulting in poor quality ride vs. the amount of suspension travel. If you want over 2~3" of drop from the springs only, buy aftermarket drop springs that are engineered for the task.

Use the spindle + spring combo. Don't go as radical; or don't do anything until you can do it right. This is just opinion from someone who has ridden in vehicles done both ways so it can be taken for what it's worth.

[JAMESCHURCH13]

Originally Posted by SCOTI

There's a big difference between using 2.5" ~ 3" drop spindles & trimming 1-coil vs. stock spindles & trimming 2-coils.

If your statement of "loose to coils" means removing 2 coils from the front springs, that's a bit too much. Any time the front suspension is 'unloaded', the front springs are short enough they can become dislodged. This can happen when jacking the truck up in the driveway (or putting it on a lift), which is no big deal. It can also happen on a big enough crest on a highway, which is a very big deal. The other problem w/cutting 2-coils is the spring rate isn't increased enough to compensate for the now much lower heights resulting in poor quality ride vs. the amount of suspension travel. If you want over 2~3" of drop from the springs only, buy aftermarket drop springs that are engineered for the task.

Use the spindle + spring combo. Don't go as radical; or don't do anything until you can do it right. This is just opinion from someone who has ridden in vehicles done both ways so it can be taken for what it's worth.

Check it out i got this plan to take out one coil and still get a six or so inch drop. It envolves Thick plates on the top and bottom spring pearch with Two Huge I-Bolts and Some Chain. Kind of like a clamp to constantly compress the spring. I dont care if the truck rides stiff in fact i want a far more stiff ride. The saftey aspecet of cutting two spring coils out is not worth the risk your right. Low is not fun if your dead right. So any way I'll post a very rough scetch of my plan when I get home right now Im at my work Computer. Thanks for the info. Check out my pic when its up and has any one ever heard of or used such a set up? Its also my plan to fabricate a spacer for the top a arm to fix the lean. Not sure how it will all work but im way excited to try it. Peace

[JAMESCHURCH13]

Very Rough Sketch... Never mind the sketch its too big a file. Hmmm... Well its like this... Weld in two thick strong plates. One to the bottom A arm and the other to the top spring pearch. Drill holes centered over spring location size of large i-bolt treads. I bolts would be welded shut once heavy gauge chain is inserted. So you would have a heavy duty chain maybe 4 or 5 links long and an I-bolt at each end. Top I-bolt would be put through spring pearch once whole assembly was inside of spring with one coil removed. This I-bolt would be secured with a large thick washer and two nuts that lock against each other and dont interfere with upper A arm. Next the bottom I-Bolt would be put through the bottom A arm same as the upper spring pearch. Now the difference is this one would be tightened to desired hight to create drop. Then once height was deemed good second lock nut would be placed on assembly. End result low truck with stiff ride and no possibilty of spring dislocation. Will this work. I think it will and am willing to try it. However as a disclaimer... Im sure this is not legal and I should not be held responsible if some one else trys this and it does not work. That being said if some one does or has tried such a contraption let me know how it works or worked. I'm in Japan and will not be home till August. I would try it on my twin turbo charged Subaru Legacy GT but its low enough all ready. Plus its got Shock struts.

And Before someone gets all upity I already Know!

Ol Skool and Cheap are synonimous. Peace.

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by JAMESCHURCH13

....And Before someone gets all upity I already Know!

Don't think of it as "upity'. Think of it as people on the roadway w/their families having legitimate concerns for safety.

I'm not an engineer, but intentionally compressing (or limiting) the suspension travel w/chains sounds unsafe. It sounds like you don't have the means to do this correctly so I encourage you to just wait.

Everyone's safety, yours & those on the road around you, is far more important than looking cool. If you can fabricate a couple of plates for your idea, do some side fabricating for enough $$ & install 2-airbags w/schrader valves. 2-bags should only be about ~$150.

[XXL]

Originally Posted by SCOTI

Don't think of it as "upity'. Think of it as people on the roadway w/their families having legitimate concerns for safety.

[camaro__thunder]

thats sounds like a ghetto weightjack setup like used in OVAL TRACK cars.. Just manual bag it, with ball valves.

[JAMESCHURCH13]

Originally Posted by camaro__thunder

thats sounds like a ghetto weightjack setup like used in OVAL TRACK cars.. Just manual bag it, with ball valves.

You can manual bag? I had no Idea. I put air shocks on the back of a 73 elcamino once I guess its the same type concept. Okay so chains arnt safe. Bummer. Its not a lack of means its just that I wanna keep my Drum brakes and all the nice drops require drop spindles and Discs. I know of this guy who got new drums cross drilled them and had near disc stoping. It look cool was safe and unique. I wanna do that same thing. I got a pile of new parts back home. Just waiting for me to put them on. Any way I'll start posting pics in august. So if I run bags and no pumps what all will I need? How much can I fix the alignment with out drop spindles. Whats the lowest front end i can get. For the back im doing about 7-8 inch with toxxic drop shocks 5 inch drop springs and either 2 or 3 inch lowering blocks. If i did not already have the springs I would just put bags in the back also. Actually I may still put bags in the back. I'm also shock relocating and panhard adjusting and c notching the back. My main thing is all the parts have to go in and work with a quickness. I'll be in maryland for one month on leave and then have to drive out to vegas. I may go with a 3/5 till i get there but if bags are just as easy smoother riding and I get more drop I will for sure do bags. Ive check out suicide doors and bags are silly cheap. Any body running Bags and no pumps? I take it you just install bags as normal with manual shrader valves in an accessible location. Ive been on this board for like a month and gotta thank all you guys for all the help and guidence. By the way due to the numerous safty concerns my chain and I-bolt idea will never make it off paper so drive with that much less concern.

[JAMESCHURCH13]

By the way my end goal for my 67 Swb is to have here ride on full bags and sit frame. However about a year and a half ago I got a v8 350 to replace the more than worn out Inline 6 and with it I bought all the normal stuff. Edlebrock pro intake, Accel distributer cap ect., and the thing that will undoubtible f@#$ me over long tube headers from headman. I also got a set of puple hornies that are 33inchs long and end the exaust turned down about 3 inchs behind the cab. If this manual bags works a nice as it should i'll be getting manifolds or shorties and running the exaust tucked up next to the frame. And why change my project in the middle of my build you ask? Well its simple. I surf and get tattoos and listen to punk. Being over seas for 3 years and some odd months Ive never seen a C-10 in real life dropped on bags. I thought only import wanna be S-10s with neon pink paint did that. A couple jokes in that last sentence. Ha Ha. But dude Sitting frame on these C-10s looks bad A$$. I'm saying that is hottness. C-Thunder, XXL, And the dude with the Blue C-10 that just got doored whos name I cant rember right now you guys got the coolest trucks IMHO Ive ever seen PERIOD. To add to that I saw a video of a 73-80 C-10 Draging down some random road and that is just to cool. Sparks at night in most exellent truck equalls greatness. Well I'm out for now. Thanks one more time and any pics or tips would be way cool. Peace.

[SCOTI]

Dang..... slow down man you're makin' me dizzy.

Yes, bags can be installed & used w/o a tank or compressor. The drawback is if you don't carry a portable air tank, you can only adjust ride height @ a gas station that has working air (no really, some gas stations actually have air that works....). Also, a portable air tank won't do much for you . . .... but it can work in a pinch.

Yes, bags installed this way use schrader valves to inflate. The schrader valves can be mounted in an accessible, convenient place w/the air line routed to the bag. The problem lies in accurate air measurement @ alignment height. If you use a typical tire pressure guage for verifying the air psi, results may vary which will affect the alignment. I know of one guy that used to post on here that made a 'jig' that he slid under the truck to make sure he was @ his alignment height. I don't know how accurate that method was for him but it sounds like it could be made to work w/a little creative thinking (of which you seem to have a firm grasp!).

The rear drop @ ride height using bags & 2" blocks would be about 6~7" drop. That would definitely benefit from relocating the shocks, adding c-notches, & re-centering the rear either by cutting the original panhard bar to the proper length or getting an adjustable one.

The front drop @ ride height w/bags only is prob around 3" drop so that's still not in the realm of what you're looking for but is safer if done correctly.

You could try 'stepping' the lower a-arms 1~2" @ the ball-joint area. This would have a similar affect as a drop spindle w/o having to swap to discs because you retain your stock spindles. This combined w/front bags would get you on down. There was an article in Streettrucks magazine a few years ago on this subject & @ one time the guy that wrote the article built these arms (he's no longer doing business). Search for "The Big Low Down" Streettrucks mag January 2000 (issue # 4 ) to get educated on the subject.

If you consider doing this mod, please, please have a certified welder do the work. This is no time to be practicing your welding skills. The a-arms would need to be properly cut & then boxed for reinforcement & you will be limited on your wheel backspacing.

[SCOTI]

Here's what stepped arms look like. These pics are from slightly different angles showing the gussets . . .....

[JAMESCHURCH13]

Who sells those or you gotta have them made? Thanks Scotie for all the help your exellent.

[raggedjim]

James, I'd stay away from a 3" block in the rear, your shock mounts will hang below the scrubline if your tire goes flat it's metal on pavement...

2" blocks should be fine...

Good luck, Rg

[JAMESCHURCH13]

Originally Posted by raggedjim

James, I'd stay away from a 3" block in the rear, your shock mounts will hang below the scrubline if your tire goes flat it's metal on pavement...

2" blocks should be fine...

Good luck, Rg

Word good call. I'll prob keep an all spring drop of 3/5 till i drive out to vegas and drop it on bags.

[SCOTI]

The guy that was selling them is no longer in business as far as I know. Several board members here had issues w/his products and/or customer service. My neighbor that bought the ones in the pics had a hard time getting his 'core deposit' back after returning his old arms to them. They also didn't send him all the sway-bar stuff that he paid for. I felt bad because I'm the one that suggested the guy (Turner Enterprises).

I will say the arms were quality built & worked on his 66. You can see in those pics the other stuff I used: 2" blocks, new gas shocks, & he already had some drop springs.

....I'll prob keep an all spring drop of 3/5 till i drive out to vegas and drop it on bags.

That sounds like a good idea.

[JAMESCHURCH13]

That sounds like a good idea.[/QUOTE]

Thanks man some times I get a good idea. It's hard to not get balls deep into somthing then be like oh wait thats silly I should have waited. Thanks to all the board members for all the help on this. I've got 3inch front and 5inch rear drop springs on the way from Gmc Pauls and toxic drop shocks from summit. Should I get my Panhard bar shortend or buy the adjustible one?

[SCOTI]

I shortened one for my 67 years ago & I used an adjustable one on my 68. The adjustable bar was fairly straight forward & was easier since you didn't have to worry about the exact length w/the ability to adjust.

That would also allow you to re-use it later on when you do get around to bagging it.

[JAMESCHURCH13]

Originally Posted by SCOTI

I shortened one for my 67 years ago & I used an adjustable one on my 68. The adjustable bar was fairly straight forward & was easier since you didn't have to worry about the exact length w/the ability to adjust.

That would also allow you to re-use it later on when you do get around to bagging it.

Sold adustible bar it is. Scoti its ashame you dont sell parts or you could be my very best friend. Thanks so much dude for all your input. Its most exellent. Peace. Happy memorial day.