new to me 85 burb. need lowering help

[jasonroman]

hello all.
i just picked up a 1985 2wheel drive suburban. 1500 silverado
i would like to lower the truck and am interested in my options.
looking for any help, how to's, write ups, suggestions etc.
no money for bags or the fancy stuff. just wanna bring it down some.
I've had a bunch of c 10s and usually 5-7 them. not looking to cut the frame if not needed. not necessarily looking for 5-7 drop. would just like to bring it down some.
thanks for any help or direction.

pics to come...

[RDrancher]

Jason, I'm lowering my '85 next week. I'll be using 2.5" drop spindles and cutting a coil. In the rear I'm using member Specialty Retail flip brackets. Since Burbs are already lower in the back, I think the flip will be a bit too low and may require lift shackles to avoid a notch. I'm installing air shocks just in case.

Looking forward to your pics.

[jasonroman]

Originally Posted by RDrancher

Jason, I'm lowering my '85 next week. I'll be using 2.5" drop spindles and cutting a coil. In the rear I'm using member Specialty Retail flip brackets. Since Burbs are already lower in the back, I think the flip will be a bit too low and may require lift shackles to avoid a notch. I'm installing air shocks just in case.

Looking forward to your pics.

how low will you end up?
spindle and cut spring=4 ish up front?
thought you need to notch the rear if you flip it???
i obviously don't know enough...

[RDrancher]

I'm basing my drop off the info in this thread. http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=400345

[Ol' Drippy]

When I lowered my 78 Burb, I did the normal drop springs and spindles in front. In the rear, I had to replace my springs anyway because they were cracked so I got a more heavy duty spring pack which actually raised the truck. Then when I flipped the axle, I had enough clearance to the frame although I think I ended up adding 1/2 in lift shackles to the stance right.

[jasonroman]

Originally Posted by Ol' Drippy

When I lowered my 78 Burb, I did the normal drop springs and spindles in front. In the rear, I had to replace my springs anyway because they were cracked so I got a more heavy duty spring pack which actually raised the truck. Then when I flipped the axle, I had enough clearance to the frame although I think I ended up adding 1/2 in lift shackles to the stance right.

any pics? so i can get a flip kit and not have to notch the truck?
where should i look for parts? i was thinking i could get away with just cutting a couple coils up front and maybe pulling a couple leafs..
if i have access to funds id like to maybe do the spindle and spring thing.
thanks for reply

[RDrancher]

Originally Posted by Ol' Drippy

When I lowered my 78 Burb, I did the normal drop springs and spindles in front. In the rear, I had to replace my springs anyway because they were cracked so I got a more heavy duty spring pack which actually raised the truck. Then when I flipped the axle, I had enough clearance to the frame although I think I ended up adding 1/2 in lift shackles to the stance right.

We finished the front drop on ours yesterday and started on the rear today. The problem we ran into was the nut inside the fixed end spring hanger. It's not welded on and there is no access to it like on the trucks. I'm going to buy another 7/8" box end wrench to sacrifice. It needs to be bent at a 90* to hold the nut.

[Ol' Drippy]

Originally Posted by jasonroman

any pics? so i can get a flip kit and not have to notch the truck?
where should i look for parts? i was thinking i could get away with just cutting a couple coils up front and maybe pulling a couple leafs..
if i have access to funds id like to maybe do the spindle and spring thing.
thanks for reply

You can see my truck in this post http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=645023 scroll down to see how it sat after it was repaired. To answer your question, if you have a half ton truck then no, you can not flip the axle without a notch. As I mentioned, I added taller 3/4 leaf springs to gain enough clearance for the flip. You can also cut the front coils to get low, removing leafs in the back will work too but it will reduce your load carrying capability.

[RDrancher]

Originally Posted by Ol' Drippy

You can see my truck in this post http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=645023 scroll down to see how it sat after it was repaired. To answer your question, if you have a half ton truck then no, you can not flip the axle without a notch. As I mentioned, I added taller 3/4 leaf springs to gain enough clearance for the flip. You can also cut the front coils to get low, removing leafs in the back will work too but it will reduce your load carrying capability.

Just checked out your thread. Shame what happened to your ride.

There's some info on doing just the spring drop here http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=705751.

[jasonroman]

Originally Posted by Ol' Drippy

You can see my truck in this post http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=645023 scroll down to see how it sat after it was repaired. To answer your question, if you have a half ton truck then no, you can not flip the axle without a notch. As I mentioned, I added taller 3/4 leaf springs to gain enough clearance for the flip. You can also cut the front coils to get low, removing leafs in the back will work too but it will reduce your load carrying capability.

ill be checking your link in a minute. i have a 1500 silverado
i dont plan to haul much but i may just wait and look for a proper kit to lower the suburban. I'm guessing cutting coils won't be enough so i may look for a spindle kit. maybe i can flip the rear and add a shakle to raise rear....
guess ill cross that bridge when i am close enough to cross.
thanks for replies.

[jasonroman]

Originally Posted by RDrancher

We finished the front drop on ours yesterday and started on the rear today. The problem we ran into was the nut inside the fixed end spring hanger. It's not welded on and there is no access to it like on the trucks. I'm going to buy another 7/8" box end wrench to sacrifice. It needs to be bent at a 90* to hold the nut.

hey man, are you doing a build thread? would like to see pics of how you lowered your truck. would also like to see a pic of what you mentioned in last post.
last thing id want is to get parts, have truck apart and not be able to move forward.
thanks for any more info
and thanks for replies.

[RDrancher]

Originally Posted by jasonroman

hey man, are you doing a build thread? would like to see pics of how you lowered your truck. would also like to see a pic of what you mentioned in last post.
last thing id want is to get parts, have truck apart and not be able to move forward.
thanks for any more info
and thanks for replies.

Link in my signature. It didn't start out to be a build thread, but I thought I'd document the upgrades. We got the rear finished today.

[mcmlxix]

Would it be possible to remove all the leafs of the spring except the main and then add two bags with just a Schrader valve hidden in the back. The leaf spring will still locate the axle and the bags will provide the ride height and load capacity. All for the coast of 2 bags and 4 brackets....

[RDrancher]

I think the spring wrap would be horrendous.

[jasonroman]

so this weekend i got the burb lower to the ground.
cut 1 coil off the front spring. then went back and cut another half off the front.
messed up lower ball joint so i replaced both lowers.

rear,
i had some shackles that i thought would be easy enough to just slap on but the side that holds the spare tire had me confused. not sure how to get the nuts in or out. even if i cut them off i couldnt see how i would get the bolt in, since there is no room on that side.
still looking for answers to that since the plan is to get spindles for the front and then flip the rear.
but for now, since i couldnt figure out the shackle thing, i opted to pull a couple leafs off.
took out the bottom fatty, think its an over load spring. and 2 others. so started with 6 and now have 3.
i think this weekend i will put either the fatty overload spring back in or 2 leafs. i like the look not sure about the ride tho.....

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[jasonroman]

new question. for the guys that dropped your burbans, the bump stop on the control arm....are you cutting it off?

i pulled the rubber thing off now i am wondering if the clunking sound i hear from time to time is the metal piece that held the rubber thing banging something since i cut a coil and a half off the stock springs.
???

should i cut it? should i get new shocks?

as for the rear, i think from 6-3 leafs may have been a bit much. so i think I'm putting the over load spring back in this weekend. hopefully it will ride better and raise the rear a bit since now it seems like the ass is lower than the front.

appreciate any input.

also, still looking for answer on how to pull the bolt from shackle to eventually put all the springs back together and flip the rear.

thanks again.

[SBTork]

I hacked off my bump stop bracket when I static lowered it. I still have yet to fab up one and I've been on air ride for 4-5 years now. The only thing to be aware of is that this is also the steering stop so you won't have that to stop you when you're turning to lock. Just keep it in mind and it'll never be anything you notice or worry about. You shouldn't need new shocks at the point you are now.

An option for the rear for you may be to get a set of air shocks. It will give you the ability to add air to them manually to raise it up and get ride and clearance. This is if you like the way it is and want it to stay low. Just an option for you.

[jasonroman]

Originally Posted by SBTork

I hacked off my bump stop bracket when I static lowered it. I still have yet to fab up one and I've been on air ride for 4-5 years now. The only thing to be aware of is that this is also the steering stop so you won't have that to stop you when you're turning to lock. Just keep it in mind and it'll never be anything you notice or worry about. You shouldn't need new shocks at the point you are now.

An option for the rear for you may be to get a set of air shocks. It will give you the ability to add air to them manually to raise it up and get ride and clearance. This is if you like the way it is and want it to stay low. Just an option for you.

thanks for reply.
originally i was gonna order spindles and flip kit. maybe the shock extenders if needed no notch since its mainly me in the truck and no towing
saw that i could do a cheap/free at home drop and went that way for now since i had nothing to do after work this weekend.
figure there are a lot of parts on this truck that may be original so thats why i thought maybe shocks would help. need to figure how to get what i have to ride better at this height, or with the rear a little higher actually, not that i don't like the low, but my driveway sucks, so for now i wanna better ride with what i have then ill have to figure out if i will make it up and down if i get the spindles and flip kit.

any ideas how to get the bolts off the leaf springs?? pretty sure if i would have left the leafs alone and bolted up the shackles, the ride would be better.

air shocks for just the rear correct? had some on a short bed i had before this truck and i kept them full of air at all times.
what should i put on the front? drop shocks?

[RDrancher]

The rear air shocks I used will fit your application. They are stock length so you can use them now and with shock extenders after the flip. https://www.summitracing.com/parts/MON-MA743

I had originally planned to do a 1.5 coil drop and purchased a set of CPP front drop shocks that were on sale. I have them on now, but I haven't put any miles on them yet so I don't know if they're too soft, too stiff, or just right.

[jasonroman]

Originally Posted by RDrancher

The rear air shocks I used will fit your application. They are stock length so you can use them now and with shock extenders after the flip. https://www.summitracing.com/parts/MON-MA743

I had originally planned to do a 1.5 coil drop and purchased a set of CPP front drop shocks that were on sale. I have them on now, but I haven't put any miles on them yet so I don't know if they're too soft, too stiff, or just right.

well i guess until i can figure out how to do the flip i may look into those.
for now, i put the overload back in today. rides much better seems to only hit in the front now. tomorrow i will cut the metal bracket that held the bump stops up front.
rears a little higher but only the width of the overload. but now doesn't look like it did in pics where the ass was lower than the front.
going to order the spindles, and flip kit. worse case i guess ill take it to a shop with a lift. thinking they can take off the easy side of the leafs and drop axle then swing everything back into place. i cant do this in my garage.
issue will be wether or not i can get in and out of my driveway after parts are installed. may ride like this for a little bit and look for some truck rallys in the meantime. id hate to get parts, put on and not be able to get in driveway....
thanks for reply's!!!!

will be looking to clean engine bay up next. no clue where to start but 85 no inspection needed here in jersey. so I'm pretty sure 85% of the stuff thats under my hood, i don't really need.

[jasonroman]

so i cut the metal brackets up front that held the bump stops. much better. not banging around as loud as i was before. right now its riding pretty good. will be ordering parts to drop it correctly soon. i will most likely add some drop shocks to it.
still looking for rally wheels.

[Koz1]

1. if flipped you can use stock c-10 front hangers to raise rear up some
2. you need to cut access hole in spare tire well to pull rear shackle bolt out. then just plug with rubber plug,Doorman has good selection.
3. use raised front shock mounts- that way you have large selection of stock front shock length,which ride and perform better,plus you keep shock at correct working angle.
4. if using taller shackles,if going to top hole,you'll need to modify gas filler hose,if using first hole ,than you need to trim some off so it doesn't hit filler tube.

5. front bump stops,cut factory mount off ,and use a studded aftermarket one,and trim to desired bump,you may need to drill 3\8 hole in lower a-arm for stud on bump-stop
hope any of this helps.