How To – Tech Lowering Articles
For Trucks and SUV’s
A collection of installation articles, tech tips, and videos all related to lowering your rig. Keep digging to find your answer!
A collection of installation articles, tech tips, and videos all related to lowering your rig. Keep digging to find your answer!
what adjustments will I need to make so the drive shaft will not cause trouble on my 2011 f-250 reg cab 2×4 .
Jim,
Do you have a 8-Lug F250?
Mark
I am lowering (2/2) my 2001 S10 RWD. Looking at your website I am a little confused about the pinion shims (1023BP) – the website says they are required for 3″ and 4″ blocks. If I use the 2″ steel blocks (SB2LK) do I still need the shims?
Thanks
Bruce
Bruce,
The 1023BP is for the aluminum blocks on newer S-10′s. The leaf springs are not flat where the blocks mount and you can crack aluminum blocks when you tighten them up. With the steel blocks you want to use you don’t need the 1023BP!
DJM Tch
I have a 1994 chevy 1500 and I purchased a 4/6 drop consisting of lower a-arms and coil springs for the front and a rear axle flip kit I also have the bushings for the sway bars. I need to know which shocks I can use I have brand new set of shocks on the truck already I need to know which c-notch to use and I also need instructions for the entire lowering kit and the sway bar bushings
Thanks in advance
Jack,
Do you have part numbers for the lowering kit you have? You should have a c-notch with the flip kit as well as instructions. You can download our instructions from our djmsuspension.com website by going to applications then choose chevy, then silverado 1994, and click on the part numbers and the instructions for those parts should pop up. As far as replacing the swaybar bushings they probably simply replace the rubber factory parts. Again, let us now what the part numbers are and we can help you more!
DJM Tech
I’m prepping to install the 3/4 drop on my 95′ ranger and I’m almost 3/4″ lower on the driver’s side. I want this to be level at all times. What shims should I use to correct this? Could you give me a part number for it?
Thanks
Tommy
Tommy,
You might cause yourself a fair amount of frustration trying to be “level at all times.”
Try this experiment, go to a Home Depot parking lot and measure the ride height of box stock pick ups, you will find that they are not level side to side, some by as much as 3/4″ or more. You can’t see it at stock height but boy when you lower your truck it sticks out like a sore thumb. Why is this your wondering, well truck (or cars) are not perfectly balanced weight wise front to rear or side to side. The gas tank is on one side and not the other, the battery the same, air conditioner compressors, etc. Your 3/4″ measurement is a little excessive but not really unusual, and good news, you can do something about it! The cheapest way to fine tune your ride height and very common fix is to use a lenght (approximately a foot or so) of heater hose (thick walled reinforced hose) sliced down the middle like your cleaning a fish, slide it over and tape to one end of the coil spring. The wall thickness will act like a shim and give you a 1/2 to 3/4″ lift on the low side of your truck. This will get you a lot closer to “level” without spending a lot!
DJM Tech
I’m looking to buy upper and lower control arms for my 70 c-10
It is stock with drum brakes, but i will add aftermarket disc brakes when i install your arms.
Will this work? what part numbers?
Just trying to get it right before i tear it apart.
Thanks Jeff
Jeff,
Thanks for considering us when buying your suspension parts! We make the arms both way’s. Our part number’s CA2355U (upper) & CA2355L-3 (lower) are for a drum brake truck and part number’s CA2356U (upper) & CA2356L-3 (lower) are for a disc brake truck. If you are definitely going to upgrade to disc brakes then use the CA2356 numbers. They come with new ball joints, bushings and cross shafts installed and ready to mount in the factory locations on your truck! Here is a link to the factory store http://www.djmfactorystore.com
DJM Tech
I’m wanting to do a 3/5 inch drop on my 2000 chevy silverado 2wd for as cheap as possible(less than 250 max). What parts would you recommend?
Taylor,
The closest lowering kit we have to your $250 budget s a 2/4 kit that consists of coil springs in the front and a hanger/shackle set for the rear. Click on The DJM Factory Store for a link.
You may find a better price at Summit Racing, or Stylin Trucks.
The cost for a 3/5 kit is more than your budget allows, that consists of control arms in the front and a flip kit in the rear. A great kit but the cost is $571.
DJM Tech
I have a 99 Ford Ranger Extended Cab bagged on 20′s. I am running slam specialties SS6′s at all 4 corners. I bought the DJM Calmax 4″ dropped upper n lower control arms to replace my stock ones. I removed the plastic inner fender wells. My problem is clearance issues. the upper control arm is less then a half inch away from my tire. Im also gonna hafta cut my frame for my rack n pinion so it doesnt bend the hell outta it. when I let all the air out of the front bags my upper arm comes so far up its almost into my brake fluid resivor, My question is are these upper n lower arms ONLY MENT TO BE USED WITH SPRINGS???
I would like to lower the rear of my 2008 superduty f350 dually. Mild, 2 or 3 inches is all I need. Is this possible? Thanks, Bob
Bob,
Sorry about the late reply, we changed servers for the site and have been scrambling ever since to find out what’s not working, turn out the comments were not getting to us! I am also sorry to report to you that in 2008 Ford started welding the leafspring eye hangers to the frame making us totally redesign the rear drop kit. We might be able to help you with a 1″ shackle on the rear of your leaf, or the next choice is 5″ with a rear kit that moves the axle on top of your leafs. I haven’t been much help I am sorry!
DJM Tech
I have a 2002 Ford Ranger and just ordered your 4/5 drop package. I was wondering if I would have to get smaller wheels when dropping the truck. It comes stock with 235/75/15 wheels. Ive looked online and all the trucks, that I could find, with this setup have aftermarket wheels.
Thanks, Jesus
Jesus,
Our lowering kits are generally developed on trucks with the factory wheels, any combination of wheels and tires that have the same overall diameter will have no problems (assuming no change in offset). You don’t need to change your wheels and tires to use our kit but if you want to there are many great choices available for you!
Good luck with picking something cool and let us know what you chose!
DJM Tech
Hello, I’m using a chassis from a 1994 Dodge 1500 to hot rod my 1966 Dodge. I picked up a set of upper and lower control arms to lower the front end, but am unsure as to how to attach the upper control arms. Do I use the factory “hinge” bar (the bar that is bolted to the frame and used for alignment and fulcrum point for control arm)? Or is there a replacement piece to attach the arm to the frame?
Thanks,
Andy
Andy,
Yes you do use the factory mounting shaft with your DJM upper arms. Here is an excerpt from the instructions pertaining to the upper control arms!
“Remove the mounting shaft from the factory upper arm and install in the new DJM upper arm. Mark a reference line on one of the bushings and steel sleeve and remove from arm. Apply some grease to the end of the mounting shaft and install into the new arm. Push the bushing back into the arm and then the sleeve. Make sure you align your reference lines. Install and tighten the nuts on each end of the mounting shaft. As you tighten the nuts check the gap between the inner edge of the sleeve and the shoulder of the shaft, there needs to be a .025 gap on both sides. Now mount on truck with factory hardware”.
Good luck with your 66, send us some pictures very curious to see what you doing!!
DJM Tech
I am wanting to drop my 2007 silverado ext cab 2wd 4/7. I have checked on prices through summit and it’s like $700. They suggested spindles w a flip kit n the rear and I read you sell the kit with control arms and yoirs is cheaper. If any, whats the difference in control arms VS. spindles?
Kaleb,
Very excited to here your going to lower your Siverado 4/7. We built our Calmax Control Arms to give you a 4″ drop without losing any suspension travel (ride comfort) or compromise your alignment (tire wear + handling). The lower arms do the lowering while the upper arms correct the ball joint angle and the alignment. With a 4″ drop the upper arm is in a very different position and the ball joint angle is severe, one of the drawbacks to the spindle+spring combo you need to drop 4″. Plus when you use the spring you actually lose two inches of suspension travel in the front where you need it most!. The control arms bolt directly into the factory mounting points, no need to remove the spindle or the strut. Both methods give you the four inch drop and work good, we just think you get more value with the Calmax Control Arm kits. Good luck and let us know how you did!
DJM Tech
I have 2002 ext cad chevy truck with the 2/4 drop with control arms and hangers and shackles. I want to know if can use stock shocks up front with the control arms? next question is my pinion angle is not after the lower kit.I do have a 2 pices drive shaft with relocated carrier bearing but still vibration issue. I checked the drive shaft angle and it is -1 and the dif is +8 so this gives me a +7 on my pinion angle. If put a 6* shim this give me +1 for my new pinion angle. Is this issue with lowering kit?. also is it ok to use the aluminum shims. I here brake after a while is this true? Thanks for the help.
Aaron,
First you can use factory length shocks with the control arms so long as you have not put a shorter spring in. Regarding your vibration problem, tell us when the vibration occurs example at what speed does it happen? Depending on when it happens there are a couple of things to try!
DJM Tech
i got a 70 gmc c-15 with 1982 stock spindles for disc brakes, i got a set of 2 inch drop springs can i use them springs with your 1982 lower control arms to lower it 5 inches ,the ball joints on my stock control arms yo 82 ball joints so spinles would work can u email tech supports phone number before i buy control arms or spindles what would be better ride
John,
You can use the 2″ springs with our control arms for a 5″ drop no problem! Drop spindles requires you change to 73-87 upper and lower ball joints and tie rod ends to get the same effect. Give us a call at 310-538-1583 and hit extension 10!
DJM Tech
I have a 2004 dodge ram with you guys’ lower arms and a flip kit. I was wondering two things, do you guys make an upper arm for this truck also or just the lower? Also, can I use drop coils along with my lower control arms and still be able to get it into olfactory alignment specs? I had to cut tie rods and slot the upper arm mounts outward already.
Tyler,
We don’t make an upper arm for your Ram, we do make a spring but it is designed to be use with the factory arm, and our Calmax drop arms for your Ram are designed to be used with the factory coil springs. If you combine them it will lower your truck more but you will suffer from more negative camber than you can adjust out even after slotting the upper arm mounts.
DJM Tech
i have a 1995 f150 2wd and i ordered the 3/5 dream beam kit…..but it doesent look like it comes with much?
Cory,
You don’t need a lot off stuff to lower your Ford. Just remove and replace the I-beams in the front and as far as the rear goes, all you really need is the axle brackets to seat the axle on top of the leaf springs! You should be able to use the factory u-bolts and spring plates (this helps keep the cost down), but if you need new ones you can get them from a NAPA store or maybe a junkyard or as a last resort from Ford. Almost always though guys are able to use the parts they already have.!
DJM Tech
good deal!
Purchased DJM Dream Beams as part of a kit to lower my 1990 F150 2WD longbed 3″. The 3/4″ bolt connecting the stock I-beam to the radius arm passed through .748 holes in the original beam. Had to cut the ends off the bolt and press out the remainder (press fit). The holes in the new beams are .790 with powdercoating on the inner surfaces. Bolt will drop in and has considerable play. Is this right? Will it hold an alignment?
Thom,
The bolt which holds the I-beam and radius arm together is not pressed in (or a press fit). They often have to be “pressed out” because they simply become one with their I-beam and radius arm pals after years of being together. Go a ahead and install and tighten up, every thing will be fine!
DJM Tech
Lowering a 1986 ford f250 2wd,do you make a drop i beam for that model ,or will a f150 beam fit
Scott,
F-150 parts are different from F-250. We are not currently making lowering beams for your F250, sorry!
DJM Tech