What drop does this look like?

[75Chevy90Kawi]

Sorry for the sad attempt at photoshop, but save these to your computer, and flip from one to another to get a good comparison. this is about the drop i want on my truck, what does it look like to you, and whats the easiest (and cheapest) way to get close to it? the tires are 275/40/20 in the front and 295/40/20 in the rear (or close to it, i'm trying to remember ).

http://www.67-72chevytrucks.com/vboa...66#post1639966

oh yeah, i also took off the license plate and the door handle/lock, gas cap, and tried to take off the mirror, but couldnt, so i just left it. i dont like the mirrors but dont have enough $$ to replace them. actually, i dotn have enough money for anything, but ya know...

thanks

[bigblock73]

I agree with Scoti.

[75Chevy90Kawi]

so do you think a 3/5 would be the cheapest/easiest way to go? i wasnt planning on dropping it more than 3/5, and so if that looks like a 4/6 i think a 3/5 would be just about right. what do you guys think?

[bigblock73]

a 3/5 would be spindles (or coils) and a flip kit I assume? I thought flip kits gave you 6 inches? Perhaps you are after a 3/4...with the rear drop being drop shackles and hangers.

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by bigblock73

.... I thought flip kits gave you 6 inches?

It depends on how many leafs the truck has. My truck has the HD 8-leaf option so I got 6" of drop. A truck w/only a 5-leaf pack would only get about 5" drop because the number of leafs act like a 'lowering block' below the housing.

[evan]

Originally Posted by SCOTI

It depends on how many leafs the truck has. My truck has the HD 8-leaf option so I got 6" of drop. A truck w/only a 5-leaf pack would only get about 5" drop because the number of leafs act like a 'lowering block' below the housing.

Which models came with the 5 leaf packs?

[75Chevy90Kawi]

ok... lets see.... if i dropped it 3" in front w/ spindles and 5" in back with a flip kit, would that be do-able? i wouldnt have any issues with camber, clearance in front, etc? Also, the one thing i DON'T want to happen is have the rear end up lower than the front. level or a bit higher.

[N2TRUX]

It's hard to say if that will rub or not. If I remember correctly you are running 275/45/20 which works out to be a 29.74" tall tire. You should be able to get by with a 3" spindle. The 5" drop in the rear should get you about right, but to be sure measure what you have now. Take a measurement at the center-line of the wheel to the edge of the upper trim front and rear. Subtract the amount of intended drop and compare the difference. This will give you a rough idea of how much rake you will end up with.

It's not 100% accurate since you never know "exactly" how much drop you will get when you are lowering. It will get you a lot closer than guessing by looking at a pic.

BTW- I say go for it. You have a sharp looking truck that would look much better with a mild drop. If you can't afford to have the mirrors removed, have you considered a smaller mirror?...

[Captkaos]

Originally Posted by evan

Which models came with the 5 leaf packs?

Non-HD versions, it would be listed in the options sheet in the glove box. If I remember correctly it is option G50 for the rear. Heavy Halfs also came with the HD rear springs.

With tires over 28", 4" drop in front is going to rub a on large bumps, At 30", they will probably do it on small ones. I wouldn't go more than 3", though either..

[boxrodz]

Originally Posted by 75Chevy90Kawi

...photoshop ... this is about the drop i want on my truck, what does it look like to you, and whats the easiest (and cheapest) way to get close to it? the tires are 275/40/20 in the front and 295/40/20 in the rear (or close to it, i'm trying to remember ).

http://www.67-72chevytrucks.com/vboa...66#post1639966

oh yeah, i also took off the license plate and the door handle/lock, gas cap, and tried to take off the mirror, but couldnt, so i just left it. i dont like the mirrors but dont have enough $$ to replace them. actually, i dotn have enough money for anything, but ya know...

thanks

The P'chop of the truck and of the drop both look good. But, the amount of the drop can be deceiving from the angle of the picture. From a past post, you're running 45 series on both the front and the rear. (29.75" tall in front and 30.45" tall in the rear.)

If you're leading towards a 3" drop spindle, measure the 3" drop from the front fender lip as N2 suggested to get an idea of what it would look like in relation to the wheel. I don't believe that you will be tucking with a 3" inch drop. But, check the vertical alignment of the wheel with the inside of the fender lip and the inner fender well. To check the outer alignment, place a straight edge vertically on the outer surface of the wheel and extend up to the fender lip to see if it'll rub (when the suspension compresses). You also want clearance between the wheel and the fender lip when the wheel is turning. Check the inner clearance as well. Going with a dropped spindle will retain the front suspension and the steering geometry.

If you go with a flip in the rear, get under the truck and measure the distance from the bottom of the axle tube to the top surface of the spring leaf pack. Add ~1/4" to get an idea of the total rear drop. Then, like the front, measure down from the rear fender lip to get and idea of what the drop will look like in relation to the wheel. You can then also compare the front and rear fender well measurements to see if it'll sit the way you want it to.

Just do it.

I zapped your mirror for you.

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by boxrodz

....I zapped your mirror for you.

I bet a silent majority of the board thanks you for performing this service. Now he knows how good it looks w/o the lg. mirrors.

75Chevy90Kawi, remove those mirrors, put 2 small stainless bolts into the door where the bottom 'legs' were bolted, paint the 2 stainless bolts green w/some touch-up paint, bolt on some small GM sport mirrors available from CaptKaos @ 73-87ChevyTrucks.com or ChevyDuty.

A little off the bottom, shave the sides . . ..... .....

[75Chevy90Kawi]

trust me, i want new mirrors, and i think i'll be goin with something like these ( http://www.lmctruck.com/features/cc/CCMR1.htm ) but that will be one of my college projects. i want to do it up right, not just throw in some bolts and paint over em. plus, on the drivers side, the top bolt has some rust on it and the surrounding metal. i want to get everything done neatly rather than just make it "good enough for now". trust me, i've got a good long list of things i want to do. after all is said and done, the exterior will look a lot like what's in the last picture, but with the small mirrors. i mainly want to clean up the interior (it's 100% original except for a seat cover and a tach) and repaint the truck (same factory colors).

i'll try and follow those instructions for measuring the drop tomorrow and see what i come up with. the price point, added with some other little things has me leaning towards 3" spindles in front and a 5" flip kit in rear, but if 5 looks like too much i might have to go with 4" hangers and shackles.

keep in mind, i dont know all too much about suspension in general, so if i ask stupid questions, just go with it. feel free to chuckle. even point at the screen and laugh a little. but be nice! haha

thanks for all the help so far...

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by 75Chevy90Kawi

trust me, i want new mirrors, and i think i'll be goin with something like these..... i want to do it up right, not just throw in some bolts and paint over em. plus, on the drivers side, the top bolt has some rust on it and the surrounding metal....

When I removed my 'tow' mirrors, I swapped the 'sport' mirrors on & used a marks-a-lot over the 'plugs' in the door .

I contemplated painting the middle section of the truck white like yours so I could weld up the holes & clean up some of the minor rash but I know it would not have stopped there. I flat out refuse to apply any significant amount of paint to any of my vehicles until my RestRod gets color (sound of foot firmly planting itself on the floor!).

[1986 Scotty]

Will anyone photoshop me a 3/5 drop on my truck?