Question about ground clearance on a lowered truck

[Mathew21]

OK a little background first. This is my first car or truck I've owned that has been lowered. Previous to this I always had a Lifted Jeep or Truck.

I'm just wrapping up a front crossmember swap out of a 91 Suburban in my 66' pickup truck. I installed 2" lowering springs along with CPP 2.5" drop spindles. The rear has not been touched yet but I have a set of 4" drop springs that will be installed as soon as I finish the front swap.

I have about 4.5" of ground clearance under my lower control arms now that is lowered. Is this enough to drive around town and go up driveways? I know I'm probably just being a little paranoid but it don't seem like much clearance.

[REParker]

You should be fine with that much clearance. Especially since the lower control arms are right between your front wheels. They will raise over bumps with the wheels. My '67 has 3.5 spindles and 3 inch springs and in 7k miles the control arms have never hit anything. I had more problems with the tires hitting the fender opening lip than anything else.

[Mathew21]

Great, Thanks for the reply REParker.

[Palf70Step]

I also have 4.5" drop like yours and 6" drop in rear and except for a few extreme cases (grooved out gravel/mud roads/driveways) do I have any issues. Yes, you will need to go slower on any speed bumps, but other than that you should not have any issue at all.

[Slow Build]

The only time I ever hit my control arm was when I pulled off a low shoulder without taking it at an angle.

[Mathew21]

Thanks Palf70Step for the reply. You have a great looking Truck. I figured I was just being a little paranoid.

[LVPhotos]

Here is just the torsion bars twisted. Reasons I am bagging it soon.

[AJNapierski]

Can someone explain the whole lowering thing to me? I don't get it you lose ride comfort, suspension travel, the ability to drive over a curb and crawl underneath without a jack, not to bring up the clearance issues with the front tires. I know it looks cool but everyone I know who has ever lowered their vehicle came to regret it even if they didn't admit it out of pride. So why do it?

[markeb01]

I don't think it's any different than why some like blue and some like red. Some do it because it's cool, other's because they like the appearance, and others because of improved handling & braking.

My last car was a 46 Ford sedan and it only had 1" of suspension travel between the front suspension and the frame. I never had any real issues with it and we put 300,000 miles on the car in 8 years. But it did require a cautious driving technique. I couldn't just plow into anything like a normal car, I had to be careful. But to me it was worth the effort.

[LVPhotos]

Because stock sucks! I have chosen to bag this one so I don't have to worry about speed bumps. If you build it right a lowered truck rides as good or better as stock. Lower center of gravity means better roll control. Makes for less air under the truck which helps mpg and aero. Like the Chevy SS or GMC Cyclone or Typhoon. I have a "street" truck and a 4x4. So one up and one ground pounder. But to each their own.