02BlueStepside

iTrader: (1)

Thinking about doing the drop myself. I was going to have my cousin help me, but our schedules keep conflicting. My experience with suspension work is only installing a set of drop shackles. I need to know what tools I will need and any tips would also be apreciative. Also, with the pinion shims, which way do they face, the big side facing the rear or front of the truck. Thanks in advance for any help.

Ryan23silverado

iTrader: (1)

A 4/6 drop is kind of involved. DJM uses lower control arms on the front to drop 4". This means that you have to unbolt the spindle from the lower control arm to get it out. You will need a big hammer to get the lower ball joint out of the spindle (or a pickle fork that you can rent from Autozone or some place like that) A pickle fork is just an angled wedge that is hammered in between the two which seperates the control arm from the spindle. The front here isn't too bad, but putting it back together will take some compressing of the coil spring. (A good idea if you have any spare chain is to loop it through the center of the coil so it doesn't fly anywhere under compression) Place a floor jack under the lower control arm and compress it back towards the spindle. It might just lift the entire truck withough getting the new ball joint threads into the spindle if you have stiff Z85 coil springs from the factory. If this is the case, start loading your truck with weights on the side you are trying to compress the coil on. Put your buddy in the truck, free weights on the floorboard, someone else sitting on the floorboard etc... This should be enough weight to be able to compress the coil and lift the threads back into the spindle.

The rear is a flip kit with a 6"drop. You will need to section the frame for the frame notch. This part comes with instructions and a guide plate you bolt onto the frame to get your cut perfect. (at least the belltech flip kit that I did came with that guide plate) To cut, DON'T USE A TORCH. Extreme heat like that weakens these thin .083 tensile steel frames. Intsead use a sawzell (sp?) saw and be aware of your gas tank on the driver's side when you cut. You will then need to drill holes in the frame for the bolts that hold on the new notch. Then the axle needs to be put on top of the leaf springs. Take the leafs off and position the axle in the air on a jack and put the leafs under the axle shafts. There are nubs on the rear end that will line things up straight for you on this step.

You want your rear end housing (pumpkin) to be pointing toward the ground at rest. It should be at -2degrees. This is because when you give it a lot of torque (hitting the throttle) the rear end noses upward. So in on the throttle conditions, the allignment of the rear end will be essentially close to 0degrees. To make the nose of the rear end (driveshaft side) point downward, you would want the thicker side of the axle shim to be towrds the back of the truck.

There are many tools involved. Just try to think of all of them as you read through this and be sure to include a good floor jack and jack stands. The kits come with step by step instructions which should be way more useful than what I have briefly described Plan to have a ride for about two or three days though if you do it yourself. Perfection takes time

JSmith

iTrader: (5)

Good write up Ryan.

skylerlt

it only took me and my friend's dad 4 hours to do the whole kit. we also had air tools and stuff like that. the front springs didn't give us any trouble, all we did was unbolt the ball joint and jacked up the lower control arm. ball joint popped right out, then we just lowered the jack slow and the spring decompressed as it got lower, then we just pulled it out. we started with the rear flip kit them went to the front. the only problem we had was getting the jack out from underneath the truck when we finished and lowered the jack. keep the spare tire off and you'll have no problems.

02BlueStepside

iTrader: (1)

Thanks for all the help and suggestions. I should have all the correct tools, air tools, coil compressor, cut off wheel, jack and jack stands, and even that big hammer will be by my side. Everything sounds just like I thought it would and shouldn't be to complicated. I guess getting the jack out from under the truck will be the challenge huh? I hope all goes well as I will be starting tonight when I get home from work and all day tomorrow. I will post pics when done. Thanks again