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from what the guys say......a set of coil springs from Illusive would be the fastest cheapest way to go....then if you decided to go lower, just buy their beam kit & install it...check out their site...What about beams? Is that better than doing coils? What are the pros and cons if i may ask. I'm lookin at a 2-4 in my future
If all you are wanting is 2" in front beams are going to give you three. If you want lower and can afford it I have got to say just the opposite of door gunner and suggest getting the beams first. I personally prefer beams because:I'm lookin at a 2-4 in my future
Dropping your truck while retaining stock springs will not affect the load carrying capacity of your truck. What it will affect is how soon your axle will hit bump stops. Regardless of whether you are sitting stock, lowered with shackle/hangar flip, or lowered with an axle flip, you can carry the same weight. The flipped axle will hit bump stops way before stock, and the flipped shackle/hangar will hit somewhere in between. There are ways around this such as shorter bump stops, bolt in notch, or some sort of load assist that only comes into play when the bed is loaded. The thing is you need to figure out how much lower you want to go. I haven't seen your truck, but I am guessing that a shackle flip by itself would level your truck. If you wanted to level with a 2" drop in front you would need to do an axle flip in the rear to get closer to 4" (w/out shackle flip). Leveling with beams will probably put you needing about an additional inch over the axle flip to get ~5", this could be accomplished with the Chevy shackle (do a search I'm not familiar with it myself). With the 4 " rear drop the bump stops would probably need to be trimmed, with the 5" rear drop they would definitely need it of not a small notch.
The only bushings you would actually replace with the beams (and they come with it) is the axle pivot beam. Beams do not require drop shocks in the front, the way they are designed allows use of standard shocks. As for lowering in general, I have heard that the ride is rougher than stock. If this is true or not IDK. While I have the beams, I never got to the point of lowering my 84 before I totaled the truck. That said I wouldn't have really been able to compare it anyway because I also have Edelbrock Performer IAS shocks, and full set of Energy Suspension Poly suspension and body mount bushings, and was going to purchase new springs for all four corners to install at the same time as I did the drop. I imagine that if it is true though it is due to the decreased suspension travel available with a lowered vehicle. I imigine that drop beams would avoid this decreased suspension travel in the front, because rather than a change in suspension geometry, the location of the tire is changed in relation to the suspension.
I believe that's the smartest thing I've heard anyone say, on their own, regarding dropping a truck. Usually they have other problems and are wanting to drop the truck, while everyone else is telling them to fix what ever first and they won't listen. I agree with your statement to an extent. If you know you are going to drop the truck fix everything to the point of needing an alignment, (if one is needed), but wait on the alignment if you will be doing the drop soon. Otherwise you may end up having to do the alignment over again.I'd rather get the suspension straightened out before I bring it closer to the ground.
I'm going to have to look back at what all I said. I just got home after 10 hours on the job and can barely think straight. I'll try to clarify later.You made mention that it would be easier to go lower in the front if I got the beams first by getting springs or "adjusting" something. What is adjusted out of curiosity?