Were you the guy I saw high centered on a speed bump? ;)
Dave
At 01:37 AM 7/11/96 -0400, TeamGTZ@aol.com wrote:
>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!
>
>
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