5/7 drop ext cab setup

[Drewkimble48]

sometime in the future, hopefully soon, I will be dropping my truck. what I have come up with is that i will be dropping the front 5" and the rear around 6" or 7". I want my truck to ride really well since it will be my daily driver. I have seen a lot of you guys suggest the DOETSCH TECH shocks and will be getting some for the front for sure. my question though is what kind of shocks would you put on the rear, air shocks or some doetsch tech shocks?
has any of you guys used air shocks on your lowered obs trucks?
what do you guys think of monotube shocks? are there any for our lowered trucks?
thanks guys and have a great week!

[k5hart]

I'm a big fan of the Belltech Street Performance shocks. I have them on my '06 and it rides great. Granted it's not as low a your going. On my '91, it was 4/6 and I was using the Doestch shocks with air lift helper bags and about 15lbs. air. It also rode well.

[Drewkimble48]

Originally Posted by k5hart

I'm a big fan of the Belltech Street Performance shocks. I have them on my '06 and it rides great. Granted it's not as low a your going. On my '91, it was 4/6 and I was using the Doestch shocks with air lift helper bags and about 15lbs. air. It also rode well.

By air lift helper bags, are you talking about the ones that are used for towing?

[k5hart]

Yes. They mount between the frame and leaf pack. I've had them on both trucks and are pretty useful. I use the heck out of them on my current truck.

[Drewkimble48]

Along with the air bags though, you were using Doestch shocks in the rear right?

[k5hart]

Originally Posted by Drewkimble48

Along with the air bags though, you were using Doestch shocks in the rear right?

Correct.

[Kudzupatch]

Originally Posted by k5hart

I'm a big fan of the Belltech Street Performance shocks. I have them on my '06 and it rides great. Granted it's not as low a your going. .....

Same here. 4/6 drop with helper bags and 10-15 lbs and rides at least as good as it did new.

[LEEVON]

I'm kind of old school I guess but I have never been happy with "drop shocks". They are nothing special, just re-branded over priced stock applications, although I hear the Belltech SP's are a step-up. I always refer to the Monroe chart and find a light truck shock with the right mounts, length and travel by measuring the distance AFTER the drop.

Monroe Sensa-Trac
37027 - rear (92 Cherokee Sport)
37137 - front (98 Dakota)

Even more important though is using shock extenders in the rear which re-align the lower shock mount. You will gain 2-3" of travel and get closer to the stock angle. If you want to take it a step further you can relocate the upper frame mount. No drop shock will make up for a 50 or 60 degree angle...shocks aren't effective that way.

[Drewkimble48]

I looked at the belltech shocks and saw they were for a 4/6 drop, you guys think they might work for a 5/7 drop as well?
I looked at the helper bags and came up with some for $325 for them. Is that the cheapest for them or am I looking at the wrong ones?

here's the website to the helper bags I found

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Air-Lift-571...04c53e&vxp=mtr

[1badgmc]

Originally Posted by Drewkimble48

I looked at the belltech shocks and saw they were for a 4/6 drop, you guys think they might work for a 5/7 drop as well?

Yes. They'll work.

I looked at the helper bags and came up with some for $325 for them. Is that the cheapest for them or am I looking at the wrong ones?

here's the website to the helper bags I found

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Air-Lift-571...04c53e&vxp=mtr

Helpers won't be cheap for a quality setup. They're not a requirement. If it's too much on the budget right now, don't worry. Get your drop and then do the helpers later.

[Drewkimble48]

Well I believe I know what will be a great setup for my truck now. Thanks guys for your help and recommendations. When I can find a place to work on my truck and have more funds, I'll start posting pictures of the truck doing the body work and everything else.
hopefully my 315k engine will still keep going or I will be having to hold on all the suspension and body work stuff.

Also, if you guys need any help or suggestions doing body work, feel free to ask me. It's at least one thing that I can contribute to this forum and help you guys out. I always want to return the favor.
You can take a look at 2 of my personal hot rods and see the quality of body work I do:

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...09151&page=303

the orange short wide and chevelle

Once again thanks guys and have a great week!

[likaroc13]

Another vote for Belltech Street Performance shocks. I first installed a set on my old '93 S-10 with 4/5 drop, & I was pleased with their perfomance. So when replacing shocks on my '97 Tahoe with 4/6 drop, I went with the same shocks.

I had the Doetsch Tech on my old '93 C-1500. They rode great up front. I think they were a bit soft for the 8" rear drop I had though.

I got my first set of Belltech shocks through Tony (aka NORCAL SS). He's a member here, as well as Fullsizechevy.com & GMfullsize.com. I got the set for my Tahoe through The Suspension Source. Just a couple places you might check with for prices.

[Drewkimble48]

Originally Posted by likaroc13

I got my first set of Belltech shocks through Tony (aka NORCAL SS). He's a member here, as well as Fullsizechevy.com & GMfullsize.com. I got the set for my Tahoe through The Suspension Source. Just a couple places you might check with for prices.

To be able to get possibly better prices, do I need to sign up for a membership? if so then I will go ahead and do so. Besides, I spend a lot of time at work on this website and it's always helpful!

[Tom]

doetsch tech up front and shock extender brackets with stock shocks in the rear. Helper bags as well if you plan on ever actually putting things in the bed and not bottem out.

[likaroc13]

Originally Posted by Drewkimble48

To be able to get possibly better prices, do I need to sign up for a membership? if so then I will go ahead and do so. Besides, I spend a lot of time at work on this website and it's always helpful!

Nope. You can just shoot Tony a PM or his email is norcalss06@aol.com. You can find The Suspension Source via the GMfullsize forum or their website, but you might get a better deal from the forum.

[Drewkimble48]

it may be a bit before I'm ready for shocks. I'm going to buy some 18" wheels before I start buying suspension stuff. that ways I don't have any lower control arm issues when I drop the truck. I'll definitely shoot him an email when I'm ready to purchase.

[k5hart]

I'll agree on the shock extenders. I had them on my '91. Forgot to mention them. Don't go cheap on the helper bags. It will save you headaches on installation.

[Drewkimble48]

Isn't shock extenders for short wide pickup instead of extended cab trucks?

[Drewkimble48]

something else that I didn't even think of until now but since I'm lowering the fron 5", have any of you lowered guys had to buy the alignment kit from belltech or elsewhere?

[likaroc13]

Originally Posted by Drewkimble48

something else that I didn't even think of until now but since I'm lowering the fron 5", have any of you lowered guys had to buy the alignment kit from belltech or elsewhere?

Can't speak for others, but I know my old '93 C-1500 never used anything like that, & it was lowered 5" up front. I had 2" spindles & 3" springs, both from Western Chassis. Once it was done, the shop doing the drop just took it to a local shop for the alignment.

[Drewkimble48]

Well I was adding up how much everything was going to be and started looking at how much it was going to cost if I bough a complete Belltech kit. Through them it was going to cost $1247 for everything with shocks and extenders. I checked summit to see if it was cheaper and low and behold, the happened to have free shipping for the entire kit, whole lot cheaper than going direct through Belltech and it came with a $150 mail-in rebate if I bought it before july 31st. Either way, I could have pieced a kit together and spent the same or more for everything or just buy the kit with no hassle which is what I did tonight.

[likaroc13]

Originally Posted by Drewkimble48

Well I was adding up how much everything was going to be and started looking at how much it was going to cost if I bough a complete Belltech kit. Through them it was going to cost $1247 for everything with shocks and extenders. I checked summit to see if it was cheaper and low and behold, the happened to have free shipping for the entire kit, whole lot cheaper than going direct through Belltech and it came with a $150 mail-in rebate if I bought it before july 31st. Either way, I could have pieced a kit together and spent the same or more for everything or just buy the kit with no hassle which is what I did tonight.

Yeah, when I bought mine back in the day, it was a kit as well. I think I got it from Sport Truck Direct. It came with the spindles/springs/flip kit/ C-notch & shocks. I believe it was under $800 shipped. I remember shopping around with everybody I could find listed in my Street Trucks or Truckin' magazines. Summit is no doubt hard to beat on some of their deals. I always check to see if they carry what I'm looking for before making final decisions on anything.

[Drewkimble48]

I tell you this much, I would be up $*#t creek buying anything if it wasn't for Summit Racing, Jegs, or Competition Products.

[Tom]

Originally Posted by Drewkimble48

Isn't shock extenders for short wide pickup instead of extended cab trucks?

No, it doesn't matter. The axle attaches to the truck the same in all 1/2tons. It just lowers the attachment point of the shock.

[Drewkimble48]

You know I just thought of something. for you 5/7 drop guys, did you have to remove your inner wheelhouses?