Best Drop For my Budget?

[Mater/10]

Hey guys!

Ive been saving a little coin for a nice Drop for Christine. I have a drop budget of about 400$ maybe 500$ tops. whats the lowest i can go for the dough?

What all will i need to buy to make it functional ?

Where to buy?

What all will i need to do to my truck to get them to work well with each other?

Can i re use my ball joints?

Thanks in Advance-Mater

[64chevtruck]

for that much coin your looking at drop spindles and heated/cut springs in front, and heated/cut springs in back with lowering blox. Get it all at Ebay,

[TJ's Chevy]

Heck...get some 3/2 drop springs an you'll be good!

[LVPhotos]

To cut a coil is OK, to heat a coil bad. Rear coils can't be cut because of coil cups. There are those who run this but how safe is a coil not bolted in? I say Ride Tech rear bags with schrader valves for adjustment and 2" coil front. Save up for brakes and drop spindles.

[PGSigns]

Here i what I would do. Update the brakes with donor 73 to 87 front end parts. Looks for a used set of drop springs or do a cut front spring and a jeep rear spring from the junk yard. This will get you the updated front end and disc brakes along with a drop for the same money. Then save up again and do the spindles and a good set of springs. Keep an eye out in the classified section for springs, panhard bar and shock relocater brackets in both the 60 to 66 and the 67 to 72 sections. Wont take long to collect up what you need in good used parts.
Jimmy

[64chevtruck]

For the record, My grandpa ran heated springs all his life, My dad ran heated springs all his life, and so have I, Heated springs are fast, cheap, and fine.

[jcramsey]

Ran a 3/5 drop on my 66 for a while and I thought it looked pretty good. $324 to your door from CPP off Ebay. I'm a cheapskate and that price doesnt sound to bad to me.

3/5 Lowering springs with shocks



Heres what my truck looked like with that setup and 235/75 tires.

[familyfast64]

Yeah I agree with the new lowered springs and shocks, hell at that price you can almost purchase the drop spindles too. That is assuming you don't have rear leafs.

[ol_skool_chevy]

Originally Posted by LVPhotos

To cut a coil is OK, to heat a coil bad. Rear coils can't be cut because of coil cups. There are those who run this but how safe is a coil not bolted in? I say Ride Tech rear bags with schrader valves for adjustment and 2" coil front. Save up for brakes and drop spindles.

100% disagree...............I have had cut rear springs for over 17 years on Many trucks...Never an issue.
Maybe what you mean is drop springs are Better then cut springs.

[ol_skool_chevy]

Refer to..........http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=591030

[donthekawguy]

CPP 2.5 spindles at Summit $230 free shipping. You can use your ball joints. Junk yard rotors, calipers and lines. 4 inch rear springs Ebay around $100. that will get you around $400. Junk yard wheels for the front 5 lugs and new shocks for the back will get you to $500. Save up for 2 inch springs in the front another $100. That will get you low and comfortable ride. IMO heating and cutting springs is the old way to go but now you can get shorter springs for cheap and it will be done right.

[NEWFISHER]

"" Junk yard wheels for the front 5 lugs and new shocks for the back will get you to $500""

Why switch to 5 lug and spend the extra coin when you can do it with 6?


Mater, I thought you were lifting it?

[tinydb84]

Originally Posted by jcramsey

Ran a 3/5 drop on my 66 for a while and I thought it looked pretty good. $324 to your door from CPP off Ebay. I'm a cheapskate and that price doesnt sound to bad to me.

3/5 Lowering springs with shocks

If you don't plan on bagging it. Do this^^^.

Then when you get more cash saved up do the spindles and a 1-2 inch block out back and have a nice low ride.

You will need a new panhard rod either way.

[LVPhotos]

Originally Posted by ol_skool_chevy

100% disagree...............I have had cut rear springs for over 17 years on Many trucks...Never an issue.
Maybe what you mean is drop springs are Better then cut springs.

What I mean is the rear being cut leaves the coil unable to bolt back to trailing arms. So if you hit a bump or encounter a situation where the rear shifts this would be unsafe. Right is right and cheap is not always safe. I have seen bad judgment go wrong. Heating springs bad idea. I have run cut coils on the front but does stiffens ride.

[tincan1966]

After my bags failed on the rear of mine, I thought I'd try cutting the rear coils. I was able to bolt mine back in because I only cut the bottom.
I, too had disagreed with this in the past, but once I tried it and figured a way to do it and bolt them in, I really kind of like the ride and stance. It's not permanent, but works for now.

I also agree that heated springs are a bad idea, tho, as I was always tols they will continue to sag, since the heating changes the metallurgy.(sorry if that's the wrong term)

[jcramsey]

Originally Posted by tinydb84

If you don't plan on bagging it. Do this^^^.

Then when you get more cash saved up do the spindles and a 1-2 inch block out back and have a nice low ride.

You will need a new panhard rod either way.

This was how I did it. Springs and shocks for a while, save some money, then drop spindles/discs up front, made my own 2" block for the rear, and a cpp notch from summit.

[donthekawguy]

Originally Posted by NEWFISHER

"" Junk yard wheels for the front 5 lugs and new shocks for the back will get you to $500""

Why switch to 5 lug and spend the extra coin when you can do it with 6?


Mater, I thought you were lifting it?

Since using drop spindles makes you have to change to disc brake might as well get the 5 lug rotors. They are esier to find at the wrecking yards. Adds a little cost but also adds to the resale value if you ever sell it.

[NEWFISHER]

Originally Posted by donthekawguy

Since using drop spindles makes you have to change to disc brake might as well get the 5 lug rotors. They are esier to find at the wrecking yards. Adds a little cost but also adds to the resale value if you ever sell it.

NOT true. I have dropped spindle drum set up in 6 lug on my other truck.

If you switch to a 5 front, you need new conversion axles or redrill yours. Unless you are going to an open lug style 5 spoke wheel, no need to switch. They offer disc conversions, dropped spindles for drum etc. in 6 lug. I have the set up's on both of my trucks.

If I had a $400 budget to drop a truck I would:
Cut the front springs, drop spindles, buy lowered rears ( not jeep, because I would want to use my truck as a truck and haul stuff) or look for a couple used/cheap air bags for the rear and use Schrader valves at each side, make a set of blocks and cut in a 5 1/2 pipe notch.

[Clyde65]

I agree with Newfisher. ^^^^^^

[boucher racing]

Read through this page on one of my builds "Cropwell"

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...=587639&page=2

This is the most bang for your buck when dropping it. It rides good too!

With out labor (which I did in my drive way) rear TJ jeep springs $40 , rear 2" drop blocks and ubolts $100 (from board member)> $140 total.

[familyfast64]

Originally Posted by boucher racing

Read through this page on one of my builds "Cropwell"

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...=587639&page=2

This is the most bang for your buck when dropping it. It rides good too!

With out labor (which I did in my drive way) rear TJ jeep springs $40 , rear 2" drop blocks and ubolts $100 (from board member)> $140 total.

100$ for drop blocks and u bolts!? That's ridiculous. Not ridiculing you, just the thought of people charging ridiculous amounts for next to nothing. Some things, to me anyway, are just incredibly over priced. Couldn't one just buy some scrap steel? Idk, and also I heard using jeep springs doesn't give you the stiffness you needed to pt anything in your bed. I mean, maybe others can chime in and correct that statement. I'm sure it'll get you by but id rather have springs meant for a truck

[NEWFISHER]

Originally Posted by familyfast64

100$ for drop blocks and u bolts!? That's ridiculous.

Seems pretty fair for a set of longer ubolts ( have to go around the 2" block and the stock ones now won't work) with large washers and castle nuts and a pair of cast steel blocks with the center pins and opposite side holes to locate the axle so it doesn't walk around. At $25 per longer Ubolt set up and $25 per cast block with the nubs seems pretty reasonable to me. Sure I could take an hour off and run into town after calling in my U bolt specs to the fab shop that makes them ( I wouldn't heat and bend them/trust them myself) and buy them local for $45 a pair then off to the hardware warehouse for the $2.00 nuts and washers then drive over to the Steele company and grab $4.00 in 2x3 1/4 wall, come back and drill press 2 holes then cut the head off of 2 bolts and weld them to the other side and then box the ends. I would have 1+ hour off work $25 ish plus $55 in materials $15 fuel to town ( 3 stops and back )and If I paid myself $10 an hour to use my tools, welder, drill press etc that equals $101. Or, I have them all shipped to my house for $100 and save a buck for a McDouble next time I'm out.

Sometimes working smarter not harder pays off even when you think " I can do that myself and save the money". Some jobs I do myself, others I do the math and peck the keyboard with a visa card handy.

[boucher racing]

Originally Posted by NEWFISHER

Seems pretty fair for a set of longer ubolts ( have to go around the 2" block and the stock ones now won't work) with large washers and castle nuts and a pair of cast steel blocks with the center pins and opposite side holes to locate the axle so it doesn't walk around. At $25 per longer Ubolt set up and $25 per cast block with the nubs seems pretty reasonable to me. Sure I could take an hour off and run into town after calling in my U bolt specs to the fab shop that makes them ( I wouldn't heat and bend them/trust them myself) and buy them local for $45 a pair then off to the hardware warehouse for the $2.00 nuts and washers then drive over to the Steele company and grab $4.00 in 2x3 1/4 wall, come back and drill press 2 holes then cut the head off of 2 bolts and weld them to the other side and then box the ends. I would have 1+ hour off work $25 ish plus $55 in materials $15 fuel to town ( 3 stops and back )and If I paid myself $10 an hour to use my tools, welder, drill press etc that equals $101. Or, I have them all shipped to my house for $100 and save a buck for a McDouble next time I'm out.

Sometimes working smarter not harder pays off even when you think " I can do that myself and save the money". Some jobs I do myself, others I do the math and peck the keyboard with a visa card handy.

Haha, been there and done that! Way too much work to save a few bucks. I bought them from way2lo2 here on the board. Very nice product and a perfect fit.

I actually went back and looked, it was $70 shipped, not 100.

[losthope]

Originally Posted by LVPhotos

To cut a coil is OK, to heat a coil bad. Rear coils can't be cut because of coil cups. There are those who run this but how safe is a coil not bolted in? I say Ride Tech rear bags with schrader valves for adjustment and 2" coil front. Save up for brakes and drop spindles.

you can cut the rears if you wanted i did on one of my trucks I cut the coil from the top and then used a u-bolt and drilled 2 holes in the frame and bolted the top of the spring to the frame was nice and secure...not the cleanest or prettiest install but did the job and got the truck lowered with cut rear springs safely until i had the funds to air bag the back..

[cortcomp]

You can't go wrong with the CPP kit TJ mentioned and jcramsey showed above...it fits the bill in the budget, the correct shocks and springs for the height and for a truck, so if you DO put something in the bed it's not killing it like jeep springs, and you retain most of the ride and safety vs cutting springs and using homemade non grade 8 parts to hold in cut rear springs.

Sure, those things have worked, lots of things have worked. I got a 68 cutlass where a guy literally wrapped a chain around the motor wedged between the water pump/timing cover and intake/block. With a logging binder (you know, the thing with the lever to tighten the chain? against aluminum parts?) instead of just switching to the correct motor mounts on the frame. It worked great for the month i drove it around before tearing the car apart for the pontiac 455 motor and parting the rest.

So it did work and was cheap. But there are other things to consider. For me, if i do something one way and it was cheap to do "right", i usually think, how would i explain this to a potential buyer? Would i be embarrassed?

Of course a lot of that depends on the truck too. Hard to put $500 in suspension into a $1200 truck. Then i'm cutting springs up front and not caring about bad load rated jeep springs in the rear.