The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Big Bolts Can I lower my truck?

Hi everyone,
After using the search function and to not finding what I was looking for as I thought I did see a write up on it somewhere here, I am after some advice on if it is possible to lower my truck. I have a 54 Chev dual rear wheel tray back truck. (20" wheels all round and rear wheels have 10 studs).

Also

I am looking at a 1959 Viking 60, would it be possible to lower that truck?
Thanks
John.

No your best bet would be to sell the 59 to someone like me that doesn't want to ruin it. The trucks look better if they are raised rather than lowered. Keep an eye on the ad's on cl there are lots of lowered projects forsale. Or ebay. Then start checking around and see all the "I wanted to do it my way" trucks forsale that don't sell. Something close to stock is far more valuable in the long run. Its already so bad now that there are only a handful of people that know what a stock chev truck looks like. Many of them are being chopped up and messed up daily.

No worries, I'll buy the 59, sell it to you and you can come and collect it from me here in Australia.

Maybe they look better but I cannot get them into my sheds at that height plus I dont mind the slightly lower stance. Personal preference. I hardly think lowering a truck a few inches is going "to ruin it". They just miss out going in the shed and these are keepers, not to on-sell and for the price I can get the 59 at, I'll re-coupe the cash and the little I lose,if any, well thats the enjoyement of doing up vehicles. I could not care less at whats around on Flebay, CL or any other medium and what sells and dosn't in the way of ""I wanted to do it my way" trucks for sale that don't sell", as that is nothing like what I do anyway.

With my 54 Chev truck I have taken back to closest I can get to stock with the money available, in fact all is standard. Not everyone that makes convenient improvements are out to rat rod, chop-up or mess-up vehicles.

Never the less, I have googled my question and the answers come up, from Stovebolt site, too much trouble better to leave as is.

Thanks heaps everyone
John.

Welcome John.
We all have our preference on how we want our trucks to look. That is what is cool about this hobby. To each his own.
Do it the way you want. I always look at it as, I may not totally like what someone else has done but at least it is not in the crusher, or rusting away in the woods and the person is having fun with it. Thats what counts.
Enjoy.

Thanks for that Bill,
I will have a build thread photobucket link shortly with many many photos and lots of measurements so I can in fact confirm the 54 Chev is a Big Bolt as no one here in Australia can confirm that for me. I guess I will take axle to axle, chasis girth measurements and photos of the suspension so someone can teach me, as a novice, the trucks true identity.
Thanks
John.

There was a guy (Johnnyc47) on the board a couple years ago that had a lowered early 50 1.5ton, it looked awesome. If I recall correctly he bought it lowered and wasn't sure how it was done. It looks like he closed out his account.

both my 51 6400 and my 51 gmc 350 both fit thru an 8' door. how much more room do you need to get it to fit in?

Welcome to the Bolt, John!
I would echo what Bill Marlow said-each to his own, it's your truck. Enjoy it and have fun with it. There are no wrong answers here!

Build brackets and under sling the springs. Drive slow over bumps and have a nice snubber on top. Don't cut, drill or weld on the frame. Always use existing holes and build or span existing holes using a bracket - adapter.

Hi John -
I'm a purest when it comes to keeping things stock, but I gotta admit ... I laughed out loud when I read your reply! Sounds like you have a good handle on what you want to accomplish. Looking forward to the photos.

Welcome to the forum.

(Nothing personal Truckrolet. It is a funny line.)

- Lonnie

I lowered my truck significantly, (im sure I fall into that category of "chopped up and messed up daily" haha) but I did extensive frame mods, but that's the way I wanted my truck and I am building it for myself. I get grief from hot rod guys cause I used a big truck, and I get grief from the resto guys cause well I didn't restore it or build it how they would have.

Short of it is ....like the others have said, build it for you, who cares what others think. And if you are worried about the value of your truck just give up now because no matter if you restore or build a hot rod, you will never get what you have in it if you choose to sell it.

If you are just looking for a little drop relocating the axles to the top of the springs will give you a couple of inches, maybe enough for what you are trying to achieve.

good luck

If you only want to drop it an inch or two, talk to your local tire dealer about lower profile tires. They're easily installed and easily replaced if you decide you want the truck at stock height later on.

Hi John! Welcome aboard! There's a guy that's got a '50 C.O.E.,(from the Netherlands) That "bagged" his. he opted for a different frame-swap,but I don't see why you couldn't keep your stock axles and tires,and possibly get a slightly lower stance that way. I wouldn't try to alter the stock springs,(remove any). That may jeopardise both the ride,and safety of your truck. I'm pretty much a novice myself,just a few ideas. Have fun with YOUR trucks!

If your not using it for heavy hauling you can remove every other leaf (or more) from the spring pack. Plus, a lot of them have spacers between the axle and bottom leaf as well that can be pulled too. You might get 3"- 5" inches doing it this way and still have plenty of frame clearance. Of course you will need new u-bolts, but you will probably need them anyway no matter how you go about lowering it.

Looking forward to seeing some pics.

Locomotive breath is correct,as far as not wanting to haul anything. Then you may modify the spring-pack,as he stated. Sorry-MY bad. I just assumed that you still wanted a serviceable 2-ton,(haul 3-5 tons),if need be. Any time you remove the U-bolts,it's best to use new ,since they require considerable stretch,(torque).Being torqued already,and years of use,the old bolts usually break when re-torqued,due to hardening. Worse yet,they may seem to take the torque,then break while on a road- trip.That could be dangerous! I've seen springs swing-around,and take-out the inner-sidewall of the tire. I've seen one tire blow-out,and take-out the one next to it,too. It can get expensive,quick.