The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network







Register or Log In To remove these advertisements.

Go Back   The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network > General Truck Forums > Suspension

Web 67-72chevytrucks.com


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 11-10-2006, 05:12 PM   #1
chevguy7
Registered User
 
chevguy7's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Washington
Posts: 316
lowering a '70 c10

I have a 1970 C10 and have been wondering about my different options for lowering it. All I would like to do is lower it 2 inches. I know I could by shorter springs to do this. Would I then have to buy different shocks as well? I have heard some people in other forums talking about cutting springs, what does everyone think?
chevguy7 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-11-2006, 02:33 AM   #2
jimmydean
Registered User
 
jimmydean's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Beaverton, OR
Posts: 3,728
Re: lowering a '70 c10

Springs are cheap and in your truck, they are 36 years old. New lower springs would drop it 2". Stock shocks will work just fine, but you might need new ones anyway.

New springs and new shocks will not only give you a good look, but can give you a good ride too.
jimmydean is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-11-2006, 02:35 PM   #3
crazy longhorn
Fabricate till you "puke"
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Ill
Posts: 9,402
Re: lowering a '70 c10

I agree that new springs would be the better way to go, but here goes on the budjet drop...... You can cut 1 full round off the bottom of the front springs& expect about a 2 1/2" drop. On the rear, you can use a 2" drop block(coil spring truck), & neither of these mods will cause any problems. You can run the stock shocks on both ends,but might add a set of relocator brackets on the fronts.....the rears wont be affected by the blocks. Best of luck, L
__________________
69 longhorn,4" chop,3/5 drop, 1/2 ton suspension/disc brakes,1 1/2" body drop,steel tilt clip, 5.3/Edelbrock rpm intake/600 carb, Hooker streetrod shorties,2 1/2" exhaust/ H pipe/50's Flows , 6 spd Richmond trans,12 bolt/ 3.40 gears....
crazy longhorn is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-12-2006, 12:53 AM   #4
SCOTI
Registered User
 
SCOTI's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: DALLAS,TX
Posts: 22,066
Re: lowering a '70 c10

Quote:
Originally Posted by jimmydean View Post
Springs are cheap and in your truck, they are 36 years old. New lower springs would drop it 2". Stock shocks will work just fine, but you might need new ones anyway.

New springs and new shocks will not only give you a good look, but can give you a good ride too.
The problem w/those 'new' lowering springs is what height is the standard for comparison vs. the advertised drop amount?

A 36yr old trucks springs have sagged some over the years of use which typically alters the ride height. Are those 2" advertised drop springs 2" lower than a 'new' stock truck or 2" lower than your 36yr old used springs...... what about compared to my springs in a truck w/different options (6cyl no options vs. a loaded sbc)? See the issue that arises here?

Like 'crazy' suggested, try trimming 1-coil off the current front springs & see what you think. Take measurements before & after any work is completed so you have some sort of base-line for future comparisons. I bought some 3" 'drop' springs years ago for my first truck & was quite annoyed after installing them.....the truck was @ the same basic height as when I started. When I called to ask why this was..... they told me the drop amounts were established vs a new truck @ stock height.
__________________
67SWB-B.B.RetroRod
64SWB-Recycle
89CCDually-Driver/Tow Truck
99CCSWB Driver
All Fleetsides
@rattlecankustoms in IG

Building a small, high rpm engine with the perfect bore, stroke and rod ratio is very impressive.
It's like a highly skilled Morrocan sword fighter with a Damascus Steel Scimitar.....

Cubic inches is like Indiana Jones with a cheap pistol.
SCOTI is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-13-2006, 11:48 PM   #5
chevguy7
Registered User
 
chevguy7's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Washington
Posts: 316
Re: lowering a '70 c10

Quote:
Originally Posted by SCOTI View Post
I bought some 3" 'drop' springs years ago for my first truck & was quite annoyed after installing them.....the truck was @ the same basic height as when I started. When I called to ask why this was..... they told me the drop amounts were established vs a new truck @ stock height.
Is there any way to tell if my current springs are sagging now? One of my friends has a '70 C10 that is lowered 2 inches and I like how it looks and I know that it is lower than mine so I am guess that my truck is not saggin much if at all.
chevguy7 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-14-2006, 12:24 AM   #6
SCOTI
Registered User
 
SCOTI's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: DALLAS,TX
Posts: 22,066
Re: lowering a '70 c10

Quote:
Originally Posted by chevguy7 View Post
Is there any way to tell if my current springs are sagging now? One of my friends has a '70 C10 that is lowered 2 inches and I like how it looks and I know that it is lower than mine so I am guess that my truck is not saggin much if at all.
Measure both trucks @ roughly the same point on the frame F/R. See what the difference is for the amount of drop he has vs. your truck @ current height.
__________________
67SWB-B.B.RetroRod
64SWB-Recycle
89CCDually-Driver/Tow Truck
99CCSWB Driver
All Fleetsides
@rattlecankustoms in IG

Building a small, high rpm engine with the perfect bore, stroke and rod ratio is very impressive.
It's like a highly skilled Morrocan sword fighter with a Damascus Steel Scimitar.....

Cubic inches is like Indiana Jones with a cheap pistol.
SCOTI is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-14-2006, 02:38 AM   #7
chevguy7
Registered User
 
chevguy7's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Washington
Posts: 316
Re: lowering a '70 c10

Thanks Scoti. How hard is it to do the relocator brackets on the front and is it guaranteed that I will have to do that?
chevguy7 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-14-2006, 08:54 AM   #8
70c10
67-72 Addict!
 
70c10's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: The TAX State!
Posts: 7,856
Re: lowering a '70 c10

I lowered my 70' by cutting 1¼ coils off the front which gave me almost 3" drop. I bought 4" rear springs for $100. I kept my stock shocks. Here is a before and after shot.
Attached Images
  
__________________
Jim

1970 C/10 Fleetside w/Ghost Flames
Lowered 4.5" front and 4" rear (Raked)
355/350 Turbo w/shift kit
10" Redneck Performance Verter w/2500 stall
Hooker Super Comps part#2808-1
Performer RPM Air-Gap
12 Bolt w/3:73 gears- Eaton Posi
Comp Cams XE262 with 1.6 Crane Energizers, Road Demon 625 and Brodix IK 180 heads
70c10 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-14-2006, 01:29 PM   #9
chevguy7
Registered User
 
chevguy7's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Washington
Posts: 316
Re: lowering a '70 c10

Thanks! Looks good.
chevguy7 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-14-2006, 06:31 PM   #10
SCOTI
Registered User
 
SCOTI's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: DALLAS,TX
Posts: 22,066
Re: lowering a '70 c10

Quote:
Originally Posted by chevguy7 View Post
Thanks Scoti. How hard is it to do the relocator brackets on the front and is it guaranteed that I will have to do that?
Are you referring to relocating the shocks? I re-read your previous post & could not determine what you're asking about. On my 74 I did relocate the shocks higher up on the framerail vs stock. My 68 did not require relocating the shocks.

The way I determined this is:
I set the truck on the ground @ the new lowered ride height w/the front shocks removed & recorded the distance between the top & bottom shock mounting holes. My 74 was 11" between the mounts.

I then measured my front shocks fully extended & fully compressed & split the difference between those numbers to know the optimum 'ride-height' for the shock. Mine were close to this example: 16"L extended; 10"L compressed = 13" @ optimum ride height.

Compare the optimum ride height of the shock w/the available length between the shock mounts. If there's a gross difference you can either buy custom/shorter shocks for lowered vehicles or you can relocate the upper mount.
My shock needed to be @ 13" for the middle of the shocks stroke & would bottom out @ 10". Since there was only 11" available between the mounts, I would have only had 1" of travel before the shock was self destructing.

I measured on the frame rail & had roughly 2" to play w/so I made new upper mounts from 2"sq. .250-wall mild-steel tubing that I had picked-up from some scrap @ work. I mounted them as high as I could on the frame rail & gained 1.5" more length for a total of 12.5" which was pretty close to ideal (13"). Of course I could have bought some custom or shorter shocks. I simply used what was most convenient @ the time & I knew the shocks worked well before I lowered the truck.

Here are some pics of my cheap, home-made, upper-shock relocation brackets for my 74. In the last pic, you can see the original shock mount hole about 1.5" below the C/L of the upper shock bolt. I hope this helps . . .....
Attached Images
   
__________________
67SWB-B.B.RetroRod
64SWB-Recycle
89CCDually-Driver/Tow Truck
99CCSWB Driver
All Fleetsides
@rattlecankustoms in IG

Building a small, high rpm engine with the perfect bore, stroke and rod ratio is very impressive.
It's like a highly skilled Morrocan sword fighter with a Damascus Steel Scimitar.....

Cubic inches is like Indiana Jones with a cheap pistol.

Last edited by SCOTI; 11-14-2006 at 06:32 PM.
SCOTI is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-14-2006, 07:50 PM   #11
crazy longhorn
Fabricate till you "puke"
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Ill
Posts: 9,402
Re: lowering a '70 c10

http://community.webshots.com/user/hotrodhorn go to the 2nd page, a pic titled clutch linkage......there is a pretty good shot of the shock relocators that I fabbed . L
__________________
69 longhorn,4" chop,3/5 drop, 1/2 ton suspension/disc brakes,1 1/2" body drop,steel tilt clip, 5.3/Edelbrock rpm intake/600 carb, Hooker streetrod shorties,2 1/2" exhaust/ H pipe/50's Flows , 6 spd Richmond trans,12 bolt/ 3.40 gears....
crazy longhorn is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-15-2006, 04:40 PM   #12
chevguy7
Registered User
 
chevguy7's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Washington
Posts: 316
Re: lowering a '70 c10

Thank you for all of your help.
chevguy7 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-17-2006, 09:08 PM   #13
scotts 72
Registered User
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: virginia beach VA
Posts: 26
Re: lowering a '70 c10

I have a 72 c-10 that the guy I bought the truck from took a tourch and heated the front as well as the back srings and the truck looks good but rides like crap
scotts 72 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-24-2006, 11:59 PM   #14
BCOWANWHEELS
Registered User
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: KINGSPORT,TN.
Posts: 3,035
Re: lowering a '70 c10

that blue 70 truck dont look good ! it looks really good!!!!!!!!!!!!! almost just like i want mine to be except i,am going hawaiian blue all over and american torque thrust wheels. killer pal.
bob
BCOWANWHEELS is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-09-2016, 10:34 PM   #15
Rocky P
Registered User
 
Rocky P's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Camas,Wa.
Posts: 18
Re: lowering a '70 c10

So i added a camaro tank under the frame, my truck was already lowered with lmc springs . Now i noticed the rear with a full tank is lower then thw front.
Do lowering shocks make the truck any lower ? I need the front to drop another inch or two. help..
Rocky P is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-10-2016, 11:56 PM   #16
TexasLS1
Registered User
 
TexasLS1's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Jonestown, TX
Posts: 471
Re: lowering a '70 c10

Quote:
Originally Posted by Rocky P View Post
So i added a camaro tank under the frame, my truck was already lowered with lmc springs . Now i noticed the rear with a full tank is lower then thw front.
Do lowering shocks make the truck any lower ? I need the front to drop another inch or two. help..
Shocks shouldn't affect your ride height at all - the springs will determine the height. Sounds like you'll need to swap to a taller spring in the rear (or change/remove lowering blocks if you have them under the axle), or you'll need to lower the front a little more by getting a shorter spring or adding drop spindles. Do you have factory spindles on it now?
TexasLS1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-11-2016, 11:28 PM   #17
Rocky P
Registered User
 
Rocky P's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Camas,Wa.
Posts: 18
Re: lowering a '70 c10

Ok, thanks. Still drums in the front. You think coil overs till i do a drum to disc conversion?
Rocky P is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-12-2016, 02:28 AM   #18
BigMike
Registered User
 
BigMike's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Rancho Santa Margarita - SoCal
Posts: 1,432
Re: lowering a '70 c10

What drop springs do you have up front now? I think the max you want to go up front is 3", anymore and I think you run into alignment issues. If you have 2" dropped springs you can cut 1/2 coil out of them to give you appox 1" more of drop that may help the stance.
BigMike is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-12-2016, 10:29 AM   #19
SCOTI
Registered User
 
SCOTI's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: DALLAS,TX
Posts: 22,066
Re: lowering a '70 c10

Quote:
Originally Posted by Rocky P View Post
Ok, thanks. Still drums in the front. You think coil overs till i do a drum to disc conversion?
Cart before the horse.....
__________________
67SWB-B.B.RetroRod
64SWB-Recycle
89CCDually-Driver/Tow Truck
99CCSWB Driver
All Fleetsides
@rattlecankustoms in IG

Building a small, high rpm engine with the perfect bore, stroke and rod ratio is very impressive.
It's like a highly skilled Morrocan sword fighter with a Damascus Steel Scimitar.....

Cubic inches is like Indiana Jones with a cheap pistol.
SCOTI is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Bookmarks


Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -4. The time now is 11:36 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Copyright 1997-2022 67-72chevytrucks.com