The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The HiPo Shop lowering 1950 chevy 6400

I'll say it again. Lowering one of these big trucks is likely to require a more radical approach than lowering a smaller truck. No one makes kit parts designed to do it so you are making or adapting your own.

But if you study the clearances there isn't a lot of room to lower the frame or body relative to the axles. They just weren't designed for hot rodding. Imagine that.

So your options seem to me to be:

1) drop the front axle. Possible and you could even downsize to a 1-ton front axle to make it a little easier.
2) custom IFS install that lowers the truck.
3) Z the frame in front.
4) redesign the front suspenion putting springs and axle over the frame instead of under.

Which of those you'd choose really depends on the look and utility you want from the finished truck. I'm tempted to Z a frame just because its a process I'd like to try.

I'm sure there are various ideas that would work front and rear that I'm not thinking of too.

When it comes to the rear you have similar choices:

1) custom 4-link possibly with air.
2) Z the frame.
3) Combine the above with c-notches.
4) move the rear axle over the frame.

These are all things I've seen done to old trucks. I'd describe most the results as rat rods and while I enjoy looking at such things I find most of them poorly constructed and dangerous and would not encourage anyone to duplicate them.

My current 'back lot' includes enough big old trucks that I feel I could sacrifice one just to play a game like this. My current available time makes it seem very unlikely I'll ever commit the time to do it.

When you are done with something this radical the resulting truck isn't going to haul a load and may be difficult to drive or even license. It has the potential to attract attention at some car shows and might even be a lot of fun.

It won't really fit into the character of most of what we see and do here on the Stovebolt but I wouldn't let that bother you. Some of us will enjoy it and others will make very clear complaints.

But its your truck and I think that means you can do what you want with it.

And that begs the question again. Why do you want to lower the truck? Just what are you trying to accomplish? Perhaps I've jumped too radical and just downsizing the tires would do what you want...