Before I start ordering parts to lower my truck " witch is my first dropped truck". I wanted to ask a few questions and possibly get a few pics for a visual reference. On a 5/5 static drop with 16x8 205/40/16 ( small stretch ) tires. How much clearance from the ground will my Catalytic converter have in its factory location? It's really important to me that I'm not dragging my exhaust ( header S-pipe and cat ) on the smallest of things. If the 5/5 drop wont work I guess I'll go with a 4/4 but I'm really set on the #5.. The parts I have in mind are as follows. Front - 3" LCA and 2" drop spindles. Rear 3'' drop leafs and 2" beefed taco blocks. Kinda up in the air on the shocks. Maybe Air Shocks for the rear to allow adjustment for hauling things from time to time and Kyb monomax shocks for the front. Any measurement, experience, or pictures are greatly appreciated. Thanks.
Having a blingtanium exhaust in the factory location is an issue. I always tuck the pipe as far out of the way as possible. That said 5/5 shouldn't be too much of a problemon anything but the exhaust drop the rear down and adjust the front to clear the pipe. 89-95 trucks need more drop to be low than previous generations so it should work alright.
Don't know about Blingtanium. I Just prefer quality products. The Header pipe and cat hang about 3/4 to 1'' lower than the frame rail. Kinda looking for a solid answer ( measurement ) on the ground clearance issue or maybe a pic. Anyhow, Thanks for your input.
According to your build thread you have a thousand dollars in your exhaust. That is the definition of blingtanium. I'm not knocking having quality exhaust at all but I'd have tucked it up tight especially since you planned on going low with it. If it really only hangs down an inch you should be fine with a 5/5 especially with a standard cab.
That's about right ( header, cat, LC kit, etc. ).. It adds up quick. Wasn't my intention in the beginning to spending that much but it happened. Now we know why I'm concerned and not wanting to drag it on everything around town. The input I receive here in this Thread also keeps me from ordering the wrong parts for the drop and the hassle of returning them. Now, on to the exhaust tuck job. I did what I could when I modified the Header S-pipe for better fitment. It was hanging a good bit lower at an angel before I cut it up. Now it's straight and parallel with the frame. Thanks for the reinsurance on the drop I have planed. I'm hopping that the cat will sit at least 3 inches from the pavement.
My muffler hangs down about 2" below the frame tucked up as tight as possible to the frame. I had to add in a couple extra hangers to keep it from wiggling and rattling against the frame under certain throttle inputs. I currently have a 3/3 drop with stock size tires & wheels and it isn't anywhere near hitting anytime.
Not totally familiar with your gen truck but I know most can't go much over 4" in the rear without a notch.
From what little research I've done. I think that 5'' in the rear is about all that can be achieved before a notch and that's pushing it. But I'm not 100% on that. Glad you brought that up. Hopefully someone will chime in on this as well.
5" would need a notch... you will b sitting on the axle. If your lucky, u will have an inch or so, WITHOUT bumpstops.
Im at 4" in the back without bumpstops and I bottom out easily on decent bumps and such. My rear shocks are still original and pretty sloppy to though. Need to get new ones and notch it soon
I like my setup drop spindles up front bell tecs in the rear 1 finger of gap on all fenders. debating about djm lower controll arms to up my spring tension on my t bars but I have to call sway away to find out the mx twist they can go befor yeild and call djm to find out if the suspension swing is altered at all useing there arms
On my 86 I have belltech spindles, DJM arms and a BJ flip. I had to crank my torsions up from stock(as in never cranked to lower) about 7 full turns afterwards and it is nice and firm but not stiff. If you have sway t-bars you may not to crank them if they are stiffer than stock. I needed to reduce suspension travel to keep from bottoming over bumps and dips. I can't see the arms changing the swing much as the distance from the ball-joint mount to the torsion 'bolt' is the same. I didn't think to measure the angle of the BJ mounting surface but if the BJ socket stays the same the angle doesn't affect the swing, only when the BJ will bind.
I've had the Beltech 2" drop spindles, 3" drop leafs, nitro drop shocks, and the DJM 3" drop LCA and 4" drop blocks plus loosening the torsion making me 6/7 drop and the ride was pretty comfortable and having a step-notch made the ride in the rears like butter. A C-Notch is sufficient but if you're planning on going lower than 7" then I'd suggest a step-notch. Those shocks from Beltech might make the ride a little stuff but they're sure to not bottom out.
I'm in the process of mine, but I have a 4" block on the back, stock leaves and with the bumpstops out, there is about three or four inches to the frame. Might c notch it and go with lower leafs.
did you notch the crossmember at the back of the cab? I was monoleafed, 3 inch block in back and drop spindles, arms and bj flip up front and I rubbed the crap out of the driveshaft. Im back to stock now in the back and planning on getting drop leafs and whatever block to get level. after I notch that crossmember.
If you're just wondering how close your cat will be to the ground, measure it at current ride hieght then subtract 5 inches, I know, thats the easy part. Next go to tirerack and look up your stock and aftermarket tire sizes. Get the difference in overall diameter and divide that by 2 and subtract. That's how far off the ground your cat will be. My 85 is a good 6/7 drop and think I've scraped it once on a bad angle entrance and maybe a speed bump. Mines 2 inches off the ground. Gonna probably fix that when I get the exhaust redone.
In hawaii we dont have emmisions. So we remove the cat. We push the muffler back away from the cab and up. Im at about a 7/8 drop and my exhaust never touches the ground. My piping is all mandrel bent tubing and im running doug thorely tri y headers with 2 1/2 in piping to a flowmaster 40 series. If you have to keep your cat your going to have fun tucking that bad boy best advice would be push it back towards the rearof the cab.
Forget that whole muffler under the cab crap because it won't work. Here is what you HAVE to do in order to get below 4/4. Some of these are highly recommended below 3/3 but anyways, back to 5/5. This, BTW, is from what I learned from my truck. I got my truck to 4/4 before I realized going any lower would be close to the same in cost and time invested (for me) to bag my truck. That is if I wanted to do this right. You need to do or get the following: Front: 2" Calmax Control Arms by DJM (there are no 3" DJM arms, the other inch you get by cranked torsions) 2" Drop spindles Cranked Torsions or BJ flip (1"). I would do the flip to maintain ride quality. Rear: 3" drop leafs 2" blocks Fab: Run new exhaust Raise some how or replace trans mount. Lots of shops sell kits like the one I have. Clearance rear cross member (right behind the cab) or your driveshaft will hit. 1 pc. driveshaft, not sure about 2 pcs. At least a 3" notch Might have to cut front wheel fenders Other stuff: Beltech Nitto drop shocks or some other type of drop shocks Slimmer magnaflow cat or remove New headers, LCE, Doug Thorley, OBX Racing or Pace Setter will all clear the frame. New low clearance muffler. If you do all that you will lift everything up above the bottom of the frame. Some may disagree that these things HAVE to be done but I talked to a lot of people and they said might as well do it right now in case you change you mind about bagging it later or if you want to go lower.
