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#1 | |
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the Waco kid
Status: Offline
Join Date: Apr 2002
Member ID: 1522
Pics: My Gallery
Location: Dallas, Tx
Age: 22
Posts: 6,548
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Long post ahead. I got a PM and see many threads addressing questions about how to go about static drops and how they work in real life, so I thought I would make a post putting my .02 cents in, having driven a 96 chevy extended cab slammed 5/8 every day for 8 months now, day in and day out.
I'm going to give you all some good advice, because I have learned a lot working on my truck, doing all the work myself, and having to rely on it for sole transportation (which can be tricky at times like now, when its down most of the time for a full custom paint job ) . Anyway, as far as the suspension goes, I was/am in the same boat as you. I started with a 3/4 drop, and while it was cool and very streetable, I didn't like the rake too much. I wanted bags, couldn't afford it at the time. The reason I went with the 5/8 was because I already had the 3" coils and 2" hangers. That was mistake #1. Hangers. They are a total pain. You have to pull the bed to put them on and the rivets on the driver's side are blocked by the gas tank. So, I went my merry way to the local hot rod shop and picked up a 6" flip kit and 2" lower control arms. Mistake #2. LCAs + coils = alignment issues. I'm going to swap them out for spindles, and I will be able to align it all back to spec, and they wont rub the inner lip of my $600 apiece wheels like they do now Now, a 4/6 is a very streetable drop. The only real thing you have to cut is the frame for the bolt in notch. Sure, a 4/6 is cool.. but you want to go that extra mile right? I did. So, when you take the plunge and go 5/8 ( you know you want to ) you'll want to use 3" coils and 2" spindles in the front, and a flipkit and shackles in the back. You could think that you'll be okay on the bolt in notch like I did, but you'll hate it instantly. There's no travel. So, knowing that I will want bags later, i went ahead and cut the bed out and welded in a monster notch from Suicidedoors.com . But, if you dont want the big hole and dont care about laying out all the way, get the same notch i did ( the 8" one ) and just trim it down to fit under the bed floor. I have plenty of travel in my notch, I can lay frame on 22s easy. Now, for the front, anything lower than 4" and you have to cut a notch in the frame for your tie rod ends. If those break youre screwed. You'll also notice your swaybar doesnt fit. Dont chunk it - I ran without it for a while and yes, it does make a big difference in these big trucks. What you'll need is some shorter endlinks. However, if you use DJM lca's, you'll notice that their brilliant engineering department designed them so that the swaybar is at some goofy angle and you end up busting out your bushings. Solution = redrill and tap the swaybar mounts on the frame. Also, dont forget your carrier bearing shim. Nothing is worse than taking off from a stop and getting that extra vibration jiggling your hot, expensive Starbucks all over your dash. If you go 5" in the front, and even with a wheel and tire combo that equals 27" in overall diameter like my 20s with 255/35ZR20 tires, you'll need to cut out or better yet modify your inner fenders in the front, cause rubbing them and bumping them sucks. And for peace of mind, even though my billet Intro wheels tuck perfectly, I rolled all 4 of my fender lips - no worries. And if your roads even slightly suck like they do here, you'll want a slightly larger profile tire, like a 45 or 50 series, something in there. Good luck, and remember - No fat chicks, the truck will scrape!![]() Cody Quote:
2002 Tahoe 1996 Silverado
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#2 | |
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King of the Assclowns
Status: Offline
Join Date: Aug 2001
Member ID: 66
Pics: My Gallery
Location: New Jersey
Age: 33
Posts: 50,671
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Re: My advice on lowering your truck static.
Quote:
I disagree, I'm way lower then 4" in the front and mine don't hit. Nor do Matty's and I just did a 5" drop on his on Sat. |
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#3 |
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Administrator
Status: Offline
Join Date: Jul 2001
Member ID: 26
Pics: My Gallery
Location: Staten Island, NY
Posts: 36,386
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The only problem I have with the 5-7 is the ss has a 14bolt rear so the pumkin hits the bed on large bumps, it might even be cause the 3" exhaust pipes run over the rear, but no problems in the front at all. I drove it 58 miles from Doogies and then cruised around my crappy streets for a few hours yesterday and still no problem with the front.
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#4 |
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King of the Assclowns
Status: Offline
Join Date: Aug 2001
Member ID: 66
Pics: My Gallery
Location: New Jersey
Age: 33
Posts: 50,671
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Are your tierods hitting or are the sleaves hitting. If the sleaves are hitting, you can rotate the, so the bolts don't hit.
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#5 | ||
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the Waco kid
Status: Offline
Join Date: Apr 2002
Member ID: 1522
Pics: My Gallery
Location: Dallas, Tx
Age: 22
Posts: 6,548
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Quote:
I will post pics in a second. Quote:
2002 Tahoe 1996 Silverado
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#6 | |
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the Waco kid
Status: Offline
Join Date: Apr 2002
Member ID: 1522
Pics: My Gallery
Location: Dallas, Tx
Age: 22
Posts: 6,548
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Here is a before pic:
And here is an after pic: ![]() Quote:
2002 Tahoe 1996 Silverado
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#7 |
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King of the Assclowns
Status: Offline
Join Date: Aug 2001
Member ID: 66
Pics: My Gallery
Location: New Jersey
Age: 33
Posts: 50,671
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Ouch! All you had to do was rotate the adjustment sleave!
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#8 | ||
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the Waco kid
Status: Offline
Join Date: Apr 2002
Member ID: 1522
Pics: My Gallery
Location: Dallas, Tx
Age: 22
Posts: 6,548
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Quote:
No, I did that at first, and that whole outer sleeve was scraping. Had I left it alone, they would have gotten bent against the frame and then you're fubared without steering ![]() Quote:
2002 Tahoe 1996 Silverado
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#9 | ||
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King of the Assclowns
Status: Offline
Join Date: Aug 2001
Member ID: 66
Pics: My Gallery
Location: New Jersey
Age: 33
Posts: 50,671
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Quote:
BTW, where the hell is the sway bar? ![]() Quote:
Maybe the stock spindles are making it do that. |
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#10 | |||
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the Waco kid
Status: Offline
Join Date: Apr 2002
Member ID: 1522
Pics: My Gallery
Location: Dallas, Tx
Age: 22
Posts: 6,548
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Quote:
That was during the part of my first post where I mentioned it doesn't fit worth a crap and I drove without it:clown: Quote:
![]() Quote:
2002 Tahoe 1996 Silverado
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#11 |
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King of the Assclowns
Status: Offline
Join Date: Aug 2001
Member ID: 66
Pics: My Gallery
Location: New Jersey
Age: 33
Posts: 50,671
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Has to be the stock spindles.
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#12 |
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Know-It-All
Status: Offline
Join Date: Oct 2001
Member ID: 272
Pics: My Gallery
Location: Ohio
Age: 29
Posts: 3,224
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I'm with dougie on this one. mine was 6-8 for well over 3 years. I never had a problem with my sway bar or my tie rods.
The only major problem I had was my y pipe got a little dinged, and my gas tank sheild was a little scraped....other than that..not a single problem in 3 years
Never argue with idiots, they drag you down to there level, then beat you with experience
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#13 |
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King of the Assclowns
Status: Offline
Join Date: Aug 2001
Member ID: 66
Pics: My Gallery
Location: New Jersey
Age: 33
Posts: 50,671
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Yeah, it's definately the spindles....even on my '94 the tierods are almost level.....look at Codemans, his are on a pretty good angle because the stock spindle mounting hieght. That 2" spindle makes all the differance in the world I guess.
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#14 |
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Forum Leader
Status: Offline
Join Date: Aug 2001
Member ID: 72
Pics: My Gallery
Location: Alexandria VA
Posts: 4,934
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How the hell did you two
's manage to cause a tranny problem while working on the suspension... ![]() ![]() EFI University's EFILive Course Instructor, Black Bear Performance 2003 Silverado SS. Radix. LS6 Cam 2002 Trans Am WS6. |
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#15 | |
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King of the Assclowns
Status: Offline
Join Date: Aug 2001
Member ID: 66
Pics: My Gallery
Location: New Jersey
Age: 33
Posts: 50,671
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Quote:
I guess his yoke shaft (insert g@y joke here) was rusty and when the driveshaft went into the seal further it caused it to seap out some. No problems.......I was just figuing the worst..... as usual. I already had it in my mind i was going home to get the '96 and tow him back to my house. ![]() |
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#16 |
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Xcentric Customs
Status: Offline
Join Date: Jul 2003
Member ID: 7315
Pics: My Gallery
Location: baton rouge
Age: 21
Posts: 4,697
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The 2" lca's push the tierod mount up(on the spindles). A 2" dropped spindle keeps the stock tie rod mount. I was rollin a 6.5" drop up front, with no scraping of the tie rods at all. Now I'm rollin a 5.5" front drop daily with no scraping.
Fender wells-pull them out. I hit them all day long. DJM cnotch-not worth a crap over a 6" drop shock extenders- a must have bed support over the differential-trim it so the diff doesnt hit DJM coils- not meant for extended cab v8's. Stick with belltech's Adjustable shackles- man's best friend Hangers- man's worst enemy y pipe- Get it raised if you go over a 4" drop. exhaust in rear- dump it before the axle if using a 7" drop and up This is a little of my advise in slamming your truck. A 4/7 drop is prolly the lowest you wanna go without cutting crap up. My bag stuff is ordered, so this low static crap is outta here. ![]()
'98 Camaro Z28/GTP stage 2 5.3 heads/LS6 intake/F15 cam/Pacesetter LT's and ORY/cutout/2" drop/17" z06 wheels/SS hood
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#17 | |
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King of the Assclowns
Status: Offline
Join Date: Aug 2001
Member ID: 66
Pics: My Gallery
Location: New Jersey
Age: 33
Posts: 50,671
|
Quote:
Funny, my DJM's have been in for 6 years now. No problems. ![]() |
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#18 |
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Xcentric Customs
Status: Offline
Join Date: Jul 2003
Member ID: 7315
Pics: My Gallery
Location: baton rouge
Age: 21
Posts: 4,697
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My coils must have been duds. They slammed me 4.5" up front. StylinConcepts said nothing about a special coil for the v8 or extended cab.
The coils made me come exactly 1" from tucking rim up front.
'98 Camaro Z28/GTP stage 2 5.3 heads/LS6 intake/F15 cam/Pacesetter LT's and ORY/cutout/2" drop/17" z06 wheels/SS hood
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#19 | ||
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Administrator
Status: Offline
Join Date: Jul 2001
Member ID: 26
Pics: My Gallery
Location: Staten Island, NY
Posts: 36,386
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Quote:
BTW There is no tranny leak I just checked to make sure, it had to be cause you had it jacked up in the front all that time. Quote:
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#20 |
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Registered User
Status: Offline
Join Date: Oct 2003
Member ID: 9445
Pics: My Gallery
Location: Denham Springs, LA
Age: 19
Posts: 32
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i have a question about Aa 4/6 drop for my 96 silverado ext cab. i found a 4/6 drop for $399 and it includes spindles springs and rear flip kit is this a good price for this drop and how will the ride be w/ it and cody do u have a pic of ur truck w/ the 5/8 thanx for the help guys
joe
97 Silverado 1500 ext cab
-5.7 vortech, auto tranny -parts coming |
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