In a message dated 96-07-10 02:06:00 EDT, Xcliffy@ssimicro.com writes:
>"With Only 56,000 KM!!!"What i am loking for is
>some way in lowering the truck 2 inchs
>front 3-4 Inchs Rear. Has anyone done this?
> How is the handling? What Are the Lowest/wide
> profile tire On stock rims? Dakota's Rule!!!!
>
Believe me, my 95 Dakota has been an ongoing modification from Day 1; I've
researched tons o' info!
Fronts: One of three ways - (1) Lowered springs - Many companies make lowered
coils for your truck appropriate to the weight capacity. Normal or
progressive rate springs. Pretty damn cheap, I paid $90 for mine from
Chisholm (don't call them though - they'll try to rip you off!) Available in
1 or 2 inch drops. Possible geometry/wear problems. (2) Lowered A-arms
Also available in 2 or 3 inch drops; possible geometry/wear problems, a-arm
itself sits lower to ground, more succeptible to damage. (3) Dropped
spindles - Generally considered the best way to lower the front end,
maintains factory geometry, and reduces premature suspension wear. I paid
$159 for a set from AIM Industries. Built to factory specs with same
materials.
Rears: Again, three common methods: (1) Blocks - super cheap, quite easy.
Aluminum block inserts between leaf spring and axle, reduces bed weight
capacity. I think I paid $20 for 3" blocks w/bigger U-bolts. AIM makes
angled blocks to help maintain driveline angle. Definitely get these; they
help reduce wear on u-joints. (2) Spring hangers. These are what attaches
the spring to the frame. The front raised hangers drop the rear about 2",
the rear hangers do about the same. A bonus with the front hangers, they
clean up the underside silhouette of your truck by eliminating those
ugly-hang-down-low factory spring hangers. (Stand back and look at your Dak
from the side - you'll see what I mean) These modified hangers mount into
the factory mounting holes so: No drilling! I paid about $70 (?) from AIM
for the front hanger set. (3) Shortened leafs - A number of mail order
companies and any decent spring shop will custom make you a set of leafs with
the factory (or higher) weight rating, by simply reducing the overall length
of the leafs themselves, effectively lowering the rear. Definitely the best
way, but also the most expensive. Expect to pay $300+.
Of course there are other ways to cheaply slam your truck, but the above
ideas are the minimum for reliability and safety. Also, don't forget to get
lowered shocks. The first time I lowered my 95 (2" spindles, 3" blocks) I
retained the factory shocks and tires. The ride was awful and the tires
rubbed and bottomed out. Another thing you'll want to get, at least for the
rear, is polyurethane bumpstops. The factory bumps are about 2" long -
that's 2 " of travel gone. The poly bumps are only about 1/2" and do the job
at least as well. I've tried a number of different items on my truck, and
the combination I'm using right now on a 95 Club cab V8 5-spd is: 2" drop
spindles with 1" drop springs in the front, and 2" drop front spring hanger
with 2" angled blocks in back, Doetsch Tech Nitro Slammer shocks all around,
with Hoosier GT 235-60 r15s in front and 255-60s in back all on American
Racing AR-511 15x7 rims. I'm considering a c-notch kit for the frame in back,
to provide more shock travel; I've only got about 2" of travel in back right
now. It still rides like a sports car, not like a 4200+ lb. truck! I went
as big as p225-60 r15 Dunlop D-60a2's on my old factory rims. It cornered
like a slot car, but the ride was just a bit too jarring for my tastes.
That's about as big as you want to go (maybe 235-60 r15) on those rims
before you start to "crown" the tires and they wear unevenly. Plus, the
225-60's lower the truck another inch from the factory 215-75 r-15s.
Just pick up the latest copies of "Truckin' " or "Sport Truck" magazine.
They're both full of ads for the above mentioned lowering components. AIM
Industries generally has the best prices for good products, but you may be
able to find a better deal here and there. I've spent plenty of money
getting the wrong products and I've basically done the "hit-or-miss" method
of modifying my truck. So, I'd be more than happy to share whatever I've
learned if you have any more questions. Good luck and happy slamming!
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Fri Jun 20 2003 - 12:07:24 EDT