[Skinny G]

Just lowered mine this weekend:

Lowering the Hideous Hardbody - Mr. Wellwood

Nutshell:

• 3" blocks for the back
  
• Unwind front torsion bars
  
• Ultra-low profile bumpstops
  
• Chrysler Cordoba shocks (modified control arm slightly to fit)

Sits reasonably low and rides surprisingly well (you NEED short front shocks for this to ride well):

You can always go lower by re-drilling the front spring perch, pulling a leaf, and dropped spindles.

 

[Skinny G]

Canadian prices:

3" lowering blocks: $67
Two sets bumpstops: $20
Two shocks: $50

"Hard" is a subjective term - it was super easy for me. It may be more difficult for you. On a scale of 1 to 10 it's probably a 3 or less. You can do it in an afternoon.

Detailed way to do this? Did you clicky the linky?

Lowering the Hideous Hardbody - Mr. Wellwood

^^^ clicky ^^^

 

[Skinny G]

 

[Skinny G]

By the way, I experienced a bit of universal joint vibration taking off in first gear with moderate throttle.

Some guys use angled lowering blocks, which I don't believe are the best solution. I raised the carrier bearing with 1" spacers and longer bolts and the vibration is gone.

 

[Skinny G]

it 's actually more expensive in the long run!

Can you elaborate on this? I'm interested.

Futher:

1. Lowered control arms do not correct the suspension geometry like spindles do. They are no better than unwinding the control arms.

2. If you use your truck as a truck, don't lower it. Lowering it is stupid if you use it like a truck.

3. It is very easy to re-align your headlights after lowering 2"/3" - if you can turn a screw driver, you gots the mad tyte skilz yo.

 

[Skinny G]

You're doing more damage to your suspension components and tires

Tires I can see, but I only ended up with -1.5° of camber with a 3" lowering of the torsion bars. This is not excessive by any means, and a normal camber setting for many vehicles.

I'm not visualizing the damage to the suspension that you're talking about - can you be more specific?

With spindles and blocks, you do not need lowering shocks at all, whatsoever.

With 2" blocks, I can carry 50% less weight in the back before the suspension bottoms out. That doesn't sound like no issues period.

I apologize in advance for sounding like a dink here.

 

[Skinny G]

Bump steer doesn't cause tie rods to wear any more than turning the steering wheel causes the tie rods to wear.

As long as a tie rod end or ball joint is not expected to operate outside its operating range, it should last indefinitely (with proper lubrication).

Other issues such as a well worn ball joint or tie rod being expected to operate outside of its "wear" zone (yet within its range of operating, and due to being lowered) could accelerate wear. In which case the ball joint was likely on its way out anyway.

Where are you getting this information from?

The amount of lowering that result in the steering linkage hitting the radius rods (definitely bad) are beyond the 3" I've outlined here.

Alternately sized and offset wheels can put excessive load on ball joints and tie rods, and must be accounted for when attempting to condemn joint wear on lowering alone.

 

[Skinny G]

Right.

Well there you go then.

I've designed and built suspension and steering systems from scratch. Including engineering the camber curve, roll centers, bump steer, trail, scrub, ackerman, spring rates, suspension frequency, bump and droop travel, shock valving and whatnot.

I endeavoured not to attack you or belittle you in my posts. I would have appreciated the same.

Happy Easter.

 

[Skinny G]

Here are some explorations I have done over the past couple of years:

http://www.gwellwood.com/project-cars/the-hideous-hardbody/hideously-lowered

Many of your questions might be answered.