Whos low to the ground? I have some questions!

[LowLifer1990]

So who here is running a lowered truck? Mines is lowered, static not bagged. I understandstand that having a lowered vehicle is what causes the suspension to be so stiff and causes the vehicle to ride rough. With that being said, is there a good lowering kit out there that delivers a smoother, less rigid ride? Airbags would be great but I don't have the money for that. I'm pretty sure that my truck has lowering blocks on it, is there a better way? I really don't know anything about lowering vehicles. I've always wanted a lowered mini truck and never had one so I bought one. Now I'm realizing I really don't know much about suspension

[geezer101]

If you're only running blocks at the rear, then the ride itself won't be any harder than standard. But there's the thing - these trucks are designed to be workhorses. The springs in them are hard so they have a buffer to become more compliant as you load the truck up with stuff. The ideal height drop is 2.5" (well that is what was recommended for 1st gens when they were being raced) as this automatically corrected the front camber to 1.5 degrees. You probably don't really want to mess with the spring rates as decreasing them will make your truck pitch like a battleship on turns. No free lunches with a vehicle. You make a change in one place and it affects something else, and as with lowering any vehicle it will alter either comfort or handling depending on how it was executed.

[t97]

Lowlifer im running lowering leafs in the back but youll have to trim the bumpstops to run them if not youll always be sitting on them it rides fine after you do that but im not sure id trust really heavy loads in the bed with a monoleaf system. If you lower the front go with lowering spindles they cost more but keep the stock geometry upfront. Anymore in the rear and youll have to notch the frame. You can lower the front with lowering springs and i want to say that lowering springs keep the stock spring rate. You can also cut coils off of stock spring s but it will definitely be a stiffer ride.

If you take the time to do it right a lowered vehicle does not ride rougher but most people dont care enough to go through the work to make it so and just end up slapping the biggest blocks they can find on ebay and heat or cut the springs and complain about the ride quality. I will say this if you want to go real low then doing it the correct way is just about as much work and money to make it ride well as a decent bag system.

My profile pick is my stock d50 not my lowered mighty max.

[LowLifer1990]

I've haven't looked into it much so I'm not sure how they did it. Once the rain takes a break I'll be able to get it up in the air and take a look but as it is now, I'm burning through tires like crazy. All the wear seems to be on the outter 2 inches of my tread. I need an alignment and new tires, will les Schwab adjust my camber when I when they do the alignment? I guess that's my biggest concern at the moment

[geezer101]

You'll need to get your front end sorted. Running wider rims changes the way the front tires meet the road, they'll probably need to add shims to correct the camber. I bet there's going to be some worn out bushes in there as well. I have thought about a way to make adjustable upper control arm shafts (with some kind of adjusting bolt system) but it would put hell strain on the bolts which would end with a ride in a wooden box...

[LowLifer1990]

I wanna say I was looking at some sort of adjustable suspension piece the other day that allowed for quick and camber adjustment. I think it was a strut mount if I remember correctly

[LowLifer1990]

Heres a set. These are specific to the BMW M3

https://www.turnermotorsport.com/p-434-front-adjustable-cambercaster-plates-e46-m3-turner-motorsport-street/?gclid=CjwKCAjw7tfVBRB0EiwAiSYGM41hXQS_f-kaTsuMkY3mCBRhjEifLMqEp7POhjRew6v-7l9kkNyhxhoCJr8QAvD_BwE

[LowLifer1990]

I doubt they make them for the mighty max but I wonder if there's a set that could be easily made to work. They aren't exactly easy on the wallet either.

[geezer101]

Those are totally different to the truck. Those ones you posted a link to are strut tower mounts. The trucks use a control arm shaft that bolts to the inboard side of the frame. To adjust the negative camber requires shims that slot in between the control arm shafts and the frame. They aren't a super accurate way of setting your suspension up but this is a critical load point so it's something you don't want to increase stress on. There is a way to modify the front end to use Chevy C10 coil over struts but it takes welding mounts to the front end and some minor mods to the lower control arm (I have a suspicion that Mustang II IFS coil overs can be adapted too)

[LowLifer1990]

Well, like I don't a whole lot about suspension haha. And modifying any of parts is outta my league, afraid. I'll just go the safe route and see what les Schwab has to say about it next week

[LowLifer1990]

Not too worried about softening the ride at the moment, id just like my tirss to wear evenly

[pennyman1]

look at your bump stops on the front of the truck - if its been lowered, and they haven't been cut, the truck will be sitting on them and the front will have no give. That makes for a stiff ride, and terrible bump steer. If you are sitting on the stops, cut them in half to get some travel back. Don't cut them lower than half, or you will hyperextend the lower ball joints and blow them out.

[dash]

good advice here. Read t97 post again as it sums up a lowered truck perfectly
have to comit to 'form over function'. The majority of low riders accept that compromise.

as geezer stated, lowering increases negative camber in the front ?
If thats the case, your tires should not be wearing on the outside, but rather the inside
You may simply have a TOE problem. Someone probably changed a tie rod end without paying attention to toe alignment


normally u feel the extra resistance in your steering, and will hear tires scrub/screech when on a smooth concrete surface
that's something u can fix at home pretty easily


Best riding vehicle I've been in was an old lowered 1500 chevy truck: brand new short shocks, springs, leafs, drop spindles
Purchased from some big name company that advertised alot in Truckin magazine
Very impressive. Somebody definitely 'engineered' that package, as that's what he requested over the phone


Air doesn't have to be expensive. Neighbour just diy his ride..... NO onboard pump or tanks or electronics etc
No interest in playing with the car goin up & down - schreader valve at front & rear sets the ht/pressure
It was something I suggested to him way back. They sold him the stuff. He's happy

[LowLifer1990]

That's a good idea with schrader valves. I have no desire to go up and down either. Thanks again for all the input guys. I've had a lot of question so far and I've gotten excellent feedback on every one of them.