I need help W/Spindle & springs

[66farmer]

This is my first time posting a question. I'm a christmas tree farmer in snowy North Plains, Oregon. I'm just starting to restore my father inlaws 66 stepside which my wife took her drivers test in years ago. I want to lower the truck but not to the extent of draging over the speed bumps. So i'm asking you to help me with maybe pictures and spec's of your trucks. The attached pictures are of me and my wife bringing the truck home from Eastern Oregon.

[vin63]

Welcome. Replacing the springs with a shorter set might be less expensive and involved than replacing the spindles with a drop spindle set. Most of the vendors have different spring heights for a desired stance.

However, if you are doing a disc brake upgrade, the drop spindle would probably be the best route to take. Good luck and let us know if you have any other questions.

[scotts62]

Ya the drop spindles will give you a better ride but the springs work ok too just depends on how much your wanting to spend and lower it.

[Alan's Classic]

Welcome aboard from North georgia.

Here is a link to a page that shows pix of trucks at different stances and what it took to get there to give you an idea of what your looking for.

http://www.earlyclassic.com/Tech.asp...=Stance+Photos

Keep the info and progress pix coming.

[slepysal]

welcome from nor cal very nice project

[Chevy Fleetside]

Here are a few pictures of a 3/4 drop. I want to raise the back up 1" for more rake.

[MEANlowGREEN]

5 1/2 drop front with 2 1/2 drop spindles 3 inch drop springs and 5 inch rear with drop springs, Doetsch Tech drop shocks on all four corners. All bought from CPP . This is probably lower than you want to go but it does meet your criteria as I have no trouble with speed bumps or anything else I've encountered. I will be going lower soon thanks to me winning a new set of four Air Lift Dominator Bags on another forum!

[ChiefRocka]

If you are planning a complete restoration with upgrades, then mabey the spindle/disc is probably the way to go.

As others have mentioned, it all depends on how low you would like to sit.

If you would a slight drop, you could always cut 1 1/2 turns off the spring, and trim the bumpstops....this will actually still give you a decent ride.

BTW, nice project you got there !!!

Welcome from San Jose, CA.....

[MEANlowGREEN]

[QUOTE=

If you would a slight drop, you could always cut 1 1/2 turns off the spring, and trim the bumpstops....this will actually still give you a decent ride.:[/QUOTE]

I hate to disagree with anyone but my truck rode like it had no suspension at all with just one coil removed and four new Monroe Gas Shocks. It rides so much better now, even with the extreme drop than it ever did on 40 year old cut factory springs. So I vote for at least new springs, mine are 3 and 5 inch drop springs so I would think a milder drop spring would ride superbly!

[ChiefRocka]

Really ?

Did you trim or remove the stops, and install shorter shocks ??

As a rule of thumb, on ALL GM vehicles, you can cut 1 1/2 to 2 turns (MAX) , with correct shocks and still achieve a good ride.

Currently, my truck has NO stops, and the coils are cut so much that they are loose in the spring pockets (when lifted off the ground) and it still rides good.

This is all temporary until....well..... I get to it !!

[SIR]

...HOWDY from southern oregon,I.M.H.O,wash it clean it up,get it running good,throw a cheap seat cover on it and DRIVE IT!!!.when you have all your plan figured out ,and the majority of your parts gathered up,then go for it...It's better than most of us started with,Good luck.....