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Mod | | | Forums66 Topics128,142 Posts1,056,478 Members48,441 | | Most Online14,466 Apr 26th, 2026 | | AD Chevy Trucks Over 6,000 pictures Brad Allen has an awesome collection of Chevrolet factory pictures that he has set up from film strips. Check them out!
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on the Internet for over 30 years! and not clogged down with Ads! Again, thanks! | | | | Joined: Nov 2015 Posts: 37 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Nov 2015 Posts: 37 | I need some advice. I bought a 1937... 1)2 truck. The guy I bought it from did a beautiful job of using a S-10 frame. Has a 327 engine, disk brakes that stop on a dime. PS, PB. Auto. It is lowered and runs like a buckboard. I want a smooth ride. Will be my daily driver. My options are. Use IFS and RS. Or should I use a new chassis. I just want a nice ride. I skipped many lunches so I would not have to skimp on truck. Any ideas what options would provide the smoothest (not perfect) but a little less buckboard. Thanks for any info. | | | | | Joined: Apr 2005 Posts: 2,832 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Apr 2005 Posts: 2,832 | The cheapest test is to remove the shocks and CAREFULLY take it for a test drive. If still a harsh ride then softer spring rates are needed. Custom coil front springs with a low rate and either leaf removal or custom leaf springs on rear. On leaf springs it is the SHORT leafs that add stiffness. On a lowered vehicle stiff springs are usually necessary because of decreased clearances between suspension and body/frame. A pricier approach is to use coil overs on all four corners where you can select from a buckboard to a baby buggy ride. Last question is if you want a Lexus ride trade the TRUCK for a Lexus.
Evan
| | | | | Joined: Feb 2000 Posts: 5,223 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Feb 2000 Posts: 5,223 | Before calling around, find someone with four corner scales and weigh the truck with you, a full load of fuel, and passenger. Any decent spring shop or hotrod shop will need to know this. You need all four corners or at a minimum, front and back. My '37 weighs 3400 in as driven condition with a 50/50 weight bias. Next question they will ask is what springs are on the truck now? Do as Even suggest, remove or unhook the shock and see how it rides, be careful, it could get craze. Shocks can make or break ride quality. | | | | | Joined: Mar 2007 Posts: 3,409 Crusty Old Sarge | | Crusty Old Sarge Joined: Mar 2007 Posts: 3,409 | On an S10 chassis most folks go with the easiest route to lower one by changing springs. If your truck has a stiffer aftermarket spring you can swap those for the OEM type and the ride should soften. The factory springs should handle the weight of the V8 no problem. If you still want to keep it lowered I would suggest you use drop spindles as they don't effect the harshness of the ride.
~ Craig 1958 Viking 4400"The Book of Thor"Read the story in the DITY1960 Chevrolet C10"A Family Heirloom"Follow the story in the DITY Gallery'59 Apache 31, 327 V8 (0.030 over), Muncie M20 4 Speed, GM 10 Bolt Rear... long term project (30 years and counting) If you don't like driving yourTruck, you won't drive yourTruck..| Living life in the SLOW lane | | | | | Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 29,819 Kettle Custodian (pot stirrer) | | Kettle Custodian (pot stirrer) Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 29,819 | Lowered vehicles and a smooth ride simply don't go together. Pick one- - - - -normal ride height and a smooth ride, or lowered and rough, and stick with your choice. You're going to need more suspension travel than the lowered stance can provide. Hopefully, you'll be able to raise the ride height and retain enough steering and suspension geometry to have a good ride and good handling, but those things really need to be designed into the original build. Most vendors who sell round track race car components can supply coil springs for the front to provide the proper weight distribution. If you're still running rear leaf springs, the weight carrying capacity can be altered for a smoother ride, as long as there's enough suspension travel to allow for some suspension movement without bottoming out on bumps. Jerry
"It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speak and eliminate all doubt!" - Abraham Lincoln Cringe and wail in fear, Eloi- - - - -we Morlocks are on the hunt! There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self. - Ernest Hemingway Love your enemies and drive 'em nuts!
| | | | | Joined: Nov 2015 Posts: 37 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Nov 2015 Posts: 37 | I can't afford a Lexus. I just want one jiggle instead of two when I hit a bump. You are right. Thanks | | | | | Joined: Nov 2015 Posts: 37 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Nov 2015 Posts: 37 | Thank you. Will go to the garbage yard. They have a scale. Thank u. | | | | | Joined: Nov 2015 Posts: 37 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Nov 2015 Posts: 37 | Thanks. Like I said. My butt hurts after a bit.😠| | | | | Joined: Nov 2015 Posts: 37 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Nov 2015 Posts: 37 | I don't like my truck now. It is lowered. I want get it back to normal height and a smoother ride. I know it can never be perfect. Thanks | | | | | Joined: Dec 2019 Posts: 439 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Dec 2019 Posts: 439 | tires could be everything. low profile will will always be stiff. Go smaller rim, higher profile or if theres room, just go higher profile for less lowering and squishier ride changing gear ratios slightly while you're at it.
Larry Old man᠁Old truck᠁neither one goes very fast. All you need in life is TIME, PATIENCE and MONEY. If you are missing one component, you'll need an abundance of the others two.
| | | | | Joined: Jan 2019 Posts: 2,242 Herder of Cats, Goats, and Sheep (moderator) | | Herder of Cats, Goats, and Sheep (moderator) Joined: Jan 2019 Posts: 2,242 | An S10 uses torsion bars for the front IFS. The most common way to lower them is to just crank the adjusters out which messes with the front end geometry. If he didn't make a bunch of changes to the front end, you might be able to get it back to a reasonable height by just readjusting it properly.
If you want the GM process for adjusting those, let me know the year of the chassis and I can pull it from techline for you. | | | | | Joined: Dec 2018 Posts: 2,450 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Dec 2018 Posts: 2,450 | Beebs In 2018 had a 2-ton 51 6400 farm truck,cut wheelbase to 98 inches,was guessing on 5x13 speedway springs truck road OK but did bottom out. So got 5x15 springs opened it with my winch truck put em right in,I wouldn't say it rides like a baby buggy but it's a lot better.Good enough ive driven it 9000 miles .Has 8.25x20's and is the best pick-up ive had,little boys love that truck !! | | |
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