can you lower a 4X4?

[Smokin72on20s]

is it possible?

[full foot notch]

what kind of 4x4, leafspring or torsionbar/IFS setup?

[Smokin72on20s]

i dont know, its a 75 chevy 4x4 1/2 ton.

[Destructo]

Its leaf spring

The rear you could lower like a 2wd truck I would imagine, the front you would have trouble with, you can'y get lower springs or shorter shackles and it would be very hard to do a flip kit because then the axle would probably hit the crossmember and plus the passenger side spring pad is cast into the pumpkin and you would have to have a flat spot on the bottom side to mount the spring and then the u-bolts would be a problem.

[LONGHAIR]

It is not likely that you could drop it much. The stock leaf springs are actually arched downward to start with and there is not much space between the spring and the bump-stop. If you could get the springs lower you would be taking away from this travel distance even more. This translates into bad ride. Then you start running into the clearance problem between the axle housing and the bottom of your engine.
The simplest way to lower a 4x4 would be to convert it to 2wheel drive

[JIMs70GMC]

Convert from spring over to a spring under configuration then notch the frame front and rear. Scouts, Jeep trucks had spring under set-ups. Then you'll have issues with engine cross member to work out.

[Destructo]

I don't think you can easily notch the front of the frame on these things, plus your oil pan becomes an issue.

Those jeeps and stuff also had positive arch springs, if you did a spring under with the stock front springs you would be sitting pretty low in the front.

[LONGHAIR]

Spring under would never fit. There is not enough space for the axle to fit above the springs anyway. If you tried to C-notch the frame, you will contact the oil pan and/or crossmember with the axle. I suppose you could raise the engine........but what is the point?

It could be done with an old "straight axle" with dropped ends if you wanted to keep the leaf spring suspension....but you are back to 2wheel drive again.

[1969 GMC]

Lowering a 4x4 is even dumber than lifting a 2wd. Why, Why, WHY???
Just go for a Syclone or Typhoon. They are AWD, fast, and should sit low enough for you.

[Grim Reaper]

How far are you from this address?
484 County Road 113
Carbondale CO 81623

Go over there and find the skinny guy named Stephen Tell him I sent ya and tell him you want to lower a 4x4.
When he stops laughing have him call me.

[67cst]

i saw a mid 50s ford 4x4 slammed at a car show once, it was different thats for damn sure

[8t5Silverado]

Originally Posted by 1969 GMC

Lowering a 4x4 is even dumber than lifting a 2wd. Why, Why, WHY???
Just go for a Syclone or Typhoon. They are AWD, fast, and should sit low enough for you.

He didn't ask if you thought it was dumb or not, he asked if it was possible.

Some people think lifting a 4X4 is dumb.

Some people think restoring an old Chevy truck is dumb.

Some people think lowering a truck is dumb.

Let's try to keep posts constructive and kind.

[1969 GMC]

Originally Posted by 8t5Silverado

He didn't ask if you thought it was dumb or not, he asked if it was possible.

Some people think lifting a 4X4 is dumb.

Some people think restoring an old Chevy truck is dumb.

Some people think lowering a truck is dumb.

Let's try to keep posts constructive and kind.

Holy one week ago, Batman!

I offered him a helpful suggestion if he wanted a lowered 4x4 (ok, Sy/Ty's are AWD, close enough). And I think its pretty much been pointed out that if you wanted to lower a 4x4, you cant do it easily or cheaply. So thank you for being the internet nanny in the 4x4 forum, but it is not needed.

[8t5Silverado]

An internet nanny? I'm not gonna start a p*ssing contest with you. My post wasn't demeaning to you in any way, so why do you have to be.

There were seven posts before yours that answered the question and were constructive. Then there was yours. I just thought you were harsh, that's all.

Enough said. Drop it.

[donkey69]

Lower a 4x4? How about removing the lift kit?

[Mudder]

Nope not gonna be any pi$$ing matches here...... I thought about it a lot and really cant see how you'd really be able to do it without having a lot of rubbing issues. Everyone has ideas, but just may not be our cup of tea. Not nice to bash someone elses ideas imo.

[DennyB]

Originally Posted by Smokin72on20s

is it possible?

I was looking to do something similar as well.
Not to slam it but to get it low where it handles well and can still go through the snow and pull the boat in and out of the launch area.

From what I have discovered is like what LONGHAIR explains.
To get through the issues I was going to do cross over steering with scout axles supported with a 4-link up front and bagged for ride and adjustability.

Still could not get past the oil pan interference issue without raising the engine and tunneling the cab.
This is not the what I'm looking for.

So now I'm looking for an S10 4wd chassis to work from.
I think width the IFS up front this should greatly simplify the process.
ALso the wheel with is small enough that I can tuck some fat tires in the fenders.
The key to this so far is what to use to beef up the S10 parts to give them more strength.
I figure someone out there makes HD ball joints etc..

I hope this is helpful.

[DennyB]

BTW a 75 has a straight axle up front, you could only get it down about and inch or so (if its stock) without having crossmember interference.

[LUV2XCLR8]

LOWERED 4 X 4 = STOCK SPRINGS, STOCK SHOCKS, AND 24" RIMS.

WELL, AT LEAST IT WOULD APPEAR TO BE LOWERED. :p :p :p

[highboy_04]

you could just let the air out of the tires..... that would lower it.

[Grim Reaper]

Originally Posted by DennyB

I was looking to do something similar as well.
Not to slam it but to get it low where it handles well and can still go through the snow and pull the boat in and out of the launch area.

From what I have discovered is like what LONGHAIR explains.
To get through the issues I was going to do cross over steering with scout axles supported with a 4-link up front and bagged for ride and adjustability.

Still could not get past the oil pan interference issue without raising the engine and tunneling the cab.
This is not the what I'm looking for.

So now I'm looking for an S10 4wd chassis to work from.
I think width the IFS up front this should greatly simplify the process.
ALso the wheel with is small enough that I can tuck some fat tires in the fenders.
The key to this so far is what to use to beef up the S10 parts to give them more strength.
I figure someone out there makes HD ball joints etc..

I hope this is helpful.

You ever drove a Full time 4x4 truck that was in good condtion tand the full time still active? They actually handle surprisingly well. They will pull a curve hard enoug to scare punks in honda's that are on the outside. You have to remeber one thing about it though. Once you enter the turn your comited to it good or bad. To make it go through that turn you put the skinny to the floor to get the front end to pull around the corner. You lift and your going to have your stomach in your throat. The truck will become unsetteld. It';s like a monster truck and a saying they have. When in doubt power it out. If you watch you will see when they start losing it they floor it. They got to get the wheels to catch the CG changing.

I still regret converting my 75 to part time but it had to be done when the front locker went in.

As you have found out a stock solid axle has minimal front suspension uptravel. You coudl lower a 92 fullsize but the gain I think you looking for comes with the full time 4wd. The lowering will make it handle better but its hard to lower them a great deal anyway. Even and S10 only has 5 inches or so of frotn wheel travel and your only going to be able to git maybe 2 inches bofore you on the bump stop. Nobody makes a lowering spindle for a 4x4 because the drive hub makes it impossible. Look at the Typhon and Cyclone. they only sat about 1 inch lower then a stock S10. Their handling came from the full time 4x4.

[Bobalouie]

Yea, but the Syclone/Typhoon also had a viscus center coupling that reproportioned torque to whichever axle needed it most. That would be something that you would lack in a fulltime 4x4 setup.

[Grim Reaper]

Originally Posted by Bobalouie

Yea, but the Syclone/Typhoon also had a viscus center coupling that reproportioned torque to whichever axle needed it most. That would be something that you would lack in a fulltime 4x4 setup.

The NP203 has a center diff. It does close to the same thing. It allows the fornt drive line to run at a different speed then the rea drive line when turn so you don't have driveline bind. Other then if the front axle looses traction on a full time it could potentialy send all the power to that axle but as heavy as these trucks are....it doesn happen often.

The difference is the viscus coupling sort of locks if the speeds change like a limited slip. Its more or less a Torque converter. There was a company that use to sell one of these that you put on your front driveline and then just ran the truck in 4 high. Was pricely and didn't sell well. Might look in J.C. Whitney and see if it's offered.

[DennyB]

Grim,
I was also pondering an awd setup.
The Sy/Ty chassis are rare to find not wrecked, then there priced like gold.
Although the ride from one of these would be acceptable w/o bags.
I have 70" inside my front fender lips.
Any idea on an awd chassis that might fit?
I also plan to run a SBC/700r4, do you know of a awd case that will bolt up and handle about 350 ponies?

Thank you Large.

[1FaastC10]

you could lower a 4x4... you could also sleep with your sister. either case, its just sick.

anybody considered an Astro AWD setup? same as the Sy/Ty setup IIRC