Topic: Embracing The Low Life: Chevy Lowering Suspension Guide

[bluedevil]

Before lifting became a customizing trend, most pickups and sport utility vehicles were lowered if they wanted to look custom. Lowering trucks not only made these vehicles cool, it also opened the door for further suspension development including performance shocks, anti-sway bars, spindles and even tires that are specifically designed for for trucks and SUVs with a lowered ride height.

Lowering your truck is just as comprehensive as lifting it and some of the components are almost the same. Many lowering kits use spindles, springs, shocks and blocks to lower the vehicle anywhere from 3-6 inches. Tire size selection is also crucial and knowing that the suspension will do to change the ride and geometry of the vehicle is something that should also be taken into consideration.

Many enthusiasts want to lower their truck a few inches to give it a better stance with a nice set of wheels. This slightly lower stance can also improve the trucks handling abilities as well as level the stance from front to rear. Other enthusiasts want to dramatically drop their trucks and will often resort to using kits that slightly modify the frame to swap the position of the leaf springs on the axle and lower the vehicle 6-8 inches. This works great to give a custom appearance but it also dramatically changes the ride characteristics, but many manufacturers design additional components such as A-arms and coil springs to deliver a smooth ride.

If you thought you couldnt get any lower, there are those enthusiasts who want to lay their vehicles frame on the ground. The only way to do this is with a full air-bagged suspension. No matter how minor or extreme you want to lower your truck, there are many products available to help you accomplish this.

We've compiled some of the newest lowering products to give you an idea of what is out there to lower your GM truck or sport utility vehicle from as little as two-inches to as much as four or six inches, depending on the amount you want your vehicle to drag.

Bell Tech Lowering System
Bell Tech manufactures a full line of suspension lowering systems for GM vehicles, including the Silverado, Tahoe, and S-10 trucks. Most of Bell Tech?s GM systems come with the company?s famous 2-inch drop spindles and/or a set of high-quality coil springs.
Belltech also recently came out with their newest drop spindles for the 2007 Chevrolet GM trucks and SUVs. For more information, contact:

 KW AUTOMOTIVE NORTH AMERICA
1075 NORTH AVE.
SANGER, CA 93657
(599) 875-0222

Belltech Street Performance Shock
If your truck or SUV has larger diameter wheels and tires, your factory shocks may not be able to handle the weight. Belltech?s new Street Performance shock can handle the extra weight and provides a tuned internal piston for a smoother ride with extreme wheels and tires.
 
KW AUTOMOTIVE NORTH AMERICA
1075 NORTH AVE.
Dept. TEN
SANGER, CA 93657
(599) 875-0222

DJM Suspension System
The company has a variety of GM truck lowering systems that use the lower A-arm that drops the factory coil spring two or three inches in the front and a set of coil springs or rear leaf spring hangars to lower the rear of the vehicle. The company?s newest system is the Cal Max lowering kit for the 2007 Chevy Tahoe and GM Yukon. The system uses new coil springs, brackets and lower front A-arms.

DJM,
Dept. TEN,
580 W. 184 Th. St.
Gardena Ca. 90248
(310) 538-1583

Air Lift/Easy Street
Air Lift manufactures a full line of front and rear air-bag systems for 1988- present Chevy Silverado pickup trucks. Front systems include air-bags, mounts and shocks where applicable. Rear systems range from simple air-bag and mounts to full 3-link designed rear subframe kits with air-bags. The Easy Street line of air-bag suspension systems from Air Lift also offers full air-management kits that include air tank, compressor and all of the necessary hoses and fittings to complete your project.
 
Air Lift,
Dept. TEN, 2727 Snow Road,
Landsing, MI 48917
(800) 248-0892

Air Ride Technologies Strong Arm
As a manufacturer of complete air suspension systems, Air Ride has a multitude of applications for old and new Chevrolet trucks. The company?s Strong Arm, Shockwave and CoolRide systems for early and late-model Chevy trucks comes with new upper and lower A-arms that incorporate the air-bag/shock Shockwave or CoolRide air-bag with separate shock system. Each allows you to severely drop your vehicle, while giving you a smooth and safe ride. Air Ride Technologies also has a new Strong Arm system that is available for early model Chevy trucks like the C-10, or late model compact trucks like the S-10 and Sonoma, that are made to be used with the company?s air bag system.

Air Ride Technologies
Dept. TEN,
350 S. St. Charles St.,
Jasper, IN 47546

McGaughys Suspension Drop Kits
McGaugys has a 2/4" deluxe drop kit for the 99+ Chevy/GMC Trucks 2WD or 4WD, 1/2 ton. The front includes 2" front drop spindles and the rear includes a 2" shackle with a 2" hanger, for a total drop of 4" in the rear (part #9924DT)The parts are bolt-on with no need for any custom fabricating. The McGaugys spindles won the GM award at the 2003 SEMA Show. Applications are also available for Crew Cab applications.

McGaughy's Suspension Parts
Dept. TEN,
5680 W. Barstow,
Fresno, CA 93722
(559) 226-8196

Ground Force Suspension
Ground Force? Suspension Systems has engineered a 2-inch front and rear drop patented performance lowering kit (#9971) for the 2004-2006 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 SS AWD.
The Ground Force suspension package includes two front torsion bar adjustment keys, four nitrogen gas charged shocks and shackles and bump stops.

Ground Force
Dept. TEN
714 Braddock View Drive,
Mt. Braddock, Pennsylvania, 15465
(724) 430-2068

Ground Force 2007 Silverado 2WD Lowering System
Ground Force/Green Filter is proud to release a complete Lowering Kit for the all-new Chevy Silverado pickup. Kit includes lowering blocks, springs and shocks to bring the new Chevy down two-inches.

GROUND FORCE/GREEN FILTER
714 BRADDOCK VIEW DR., DEPT TEN
MT. BRADDOCK, PA 15465
(724) 430-2068

Chassis Tech Airshock
Chassis Tech offers a new twin-tube construction air bag/shock absorber combination featuring adjustable lengths to fit most truck applications. The body is aluminum with a double bellow air bag allowing for ride height adjustment without losing the much needed shock performance.

CHASSIS TECH
260 SOUTH HIBBERT, DEPT TEN
MESA, AZ 85210
(480) 668-5448

Energy Suspension 2000-06 Tahoe/Yukon Bushing Kit
For those looking to improve the ride and handling of their stock height or lowered Tahoe/Yukon SUVs, then Energy Suspension's new Master Suspension Bushing Set for 2000-06 model years will surely be quite popular. The kit includes new bushings to replace every factory suspension bushing.

ENERGY SUSPENSION
1131 VIA CALLEJON, DEPT TEN
SAN CLEMENTE, CA 92673
(949) 361-3935

Hellwig Power Lift
When you lower your truck, the rear suspension may need some help. Hellwig Products, has an answer with its Power Lift heavy-duty air spring assembly to help support those heavy loads on a stock or lowered truck. The kit features all necessary hardware, air bags and brackets along with an on-board air compressor that insures a level ride with self-adjusting height sensing components.

HELLWIG PRODUCTS CO.
16237 AVENUE 296, DEPT TEN
VISALIA, CA 93292
(559) 734-7451

Progress Group Tahoe/Suburban Sway Bar Upgrade
The Progress Group is boasting great handling for GM SUVs. The anti-roll bar system improves vehicle control by reducing body roll. Improves steering and tracking while cornering and towing.

PROGRESS GROUP
1390 N. HUNDLEY STREET, DEPT TEN
ANAHEIM, CA 92806
(714) 575-1193


Source: Chevy Truck World

[justJR]

Good write up! You must have read my mind. I've been looking at dropped spindles.

[bluedevil]

A quick article put together just for you JR.

[justJR]

 :drink: :drink:

[bluedevil]

Good write up! You must have read my mind. I've been looking at dropped spindles.

You still considering doing this JR?

[justJR]

Actually, yes, but the finances are a bit lean after the garage so it will probably be spring before i can on mine.
I did put the Belltech two inch spindles and three inch Eibach rear springs on another one at the shop for a guy here in Denver and it only took about an hour plus another 45 minutes for the alignment.
Cool, easy mod.

[bluedevil]

yep.it took me 3hrs with not so shop tools.

your av would look great with 2/3 kit.

[ramerenz]

looking at the post, i gain knowledge about those products that are mentioned on the top. well those things are what i am looking for. thanks to you man for posting it.


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