Front strut “flip” as a lowering option

[Doug118]

For the DIY guys, here’s another option to lower the front of your truck. The strut normally mounts to the top of the control arm. You can mount it to the bottom to lower about 1.5-2” without any spacers. Want to go even lower, add spacers until you get the drop you want. 3rd picture is the truck with drop spindles and strut flipped with a 1” spacer

I have over 40k miles with this setup with no issues living in the state with the VOTED #1 worst roads in the country. You MUST use grade10.9 hardware or stronger. No the bolts will not break if you use proper hardware. People have been doing this for 15 years and I’ve never once heard of someone having a bolt break

 

[Doug118]

Links for the bolts and nuts I used

McMaster-Carr

McMaster-Carr is the complete source for your plant with over 595,000 products. 98% of products ordered ship from stock and deliver same or next day.

www.mcmaster.com

McMaster-Carr

McMaster-Carr is the complete source for your plant with over 595,000 products. 98% of products ordered ship from stock and deliver same or next day.

www.mcmaster.com

 

[iamdub]

For the DIY guys, here’s another option to lower the front of your truck. The strut normally mounts to the top of the control arm. You can mount it to the bottom to lower about 1.5-2” without any spacers. Want to go even lower, add spacers until you get the drop you want. 3rd picture is the truck with drop spindles and strut flipped with a 1” spacerView attachment 391025View attachment 391026View attachment 391027

I have over 40k miles with this setup with no issues living in the state with the VOTED #1 worst roads in the country. You MUST use grade10.9 hardware or stronger. No the bolts will not break if you use proper hardware. People have been doing this for 15 years and I’ve never once heard of someone having a bolt break

I don't know if it's still available, but Rough Country had a Grade 9 bolt and nut kit for this purpose. I can't recall the exact part number, but "720BAG3" keeps coming to mind. Last one I bought, it was about $30 shipped and I had to call RC directly to order it. I might end up adding it to my drop to run "normal" struts. I believe @89Suburban recently lowered his this way.

*EDIT* Photographic memory! Found the image I had in my head in a post by @kbuskill: https://www.tahoeyukonforum.com/threads/leveling-kit-to-lower.114438/post-1377417




By the way, your sway bar end links are WAY too long.

Growing up doesn't have to suck

As I ponder future sway bars, one of the things I'm struggling with is the extra weight of the solid bar. Yes, you can argue that it's small potatoes on such a heavy vehicle, and that's true. I'm just still clinging to the idea of shedding weight rather than adding. It's sort of a mystery how...

www.tahoeyukonforum.com

 

[Doug118]

I don't know if it's still available, but Rough Country had a Grade 9 bolt and nut kit for this purpose. I can't recall the exact part number, but "720BAG3" keeps coming to mind. Last one I bought, it was about $30 shipped and I had to call RC directly to order it. I might end up adding it to my drop to run "normal" struts. I believe @89Suburban recently lowered his this way.

*EDIT* Photographic memory! Found the image I had in my head in a post by @kbuskill: https://www.tahoeyukonforum.com/threads/leveling-kit-to-lower.114438/post-1377417




By the way, your sway bar end links are WAY too long.

Growing up doesn't have to suck

As I ponder future sway bars, one of the things I'm struggling with is the extra weight of the solid bar. Yes, you can argue that it's small potatoes on such a heavy vehicle, and that's true. I'm just still clinging to the idea of shedding weight rather than adding. It's sort of a mystery how...

www.tahoeyukonforum.com

I catch so much crap for using this method but companies like Rough Country use the same method for their lowering kits and yes I know the end links are super long. I don’t know if any negative effects of leaving them long so I’ve just remained lazy and left them long

 

[iamdub]

I catch so much crap for using this method but companies like Rough Country use the same method for their lowering kits and yes I know the end links are super long. I don’t know if any negative effects of leaving them long so I’ve just remained lazy and left them long

It does seem sketch. But, as you said, I know of no failures. The hardware's strength exceeds the loads that'd ever be placed on those points. The arm would snap before the hardware fails. How many arms have you heard of breaking on that point? It's good to see some real world and long term experience with this setup.

The steep angle on the sway bar reduces its effectiveness and warps the bushings. It's nothing detrimental and I don't think you try to slalom that rig. But, if you're ever under there and want a quick, cheap and easy fix, Moog K700525 would be a vast improvement. Currently $8.62 each (you'd need two) at Amazon. Ideally, you'd relocate the bar since that amount of drop has the holes misaligned. That's a bit more involved and, honestly, a bit of a PITA. I just did all of that. I'm quite sure you have much higher priorities.

 

[Doug118]

It does seem sketch. But, as you said, I know of no failures. The hardware's strength exceeds the loads that'd ever be placed on those points. The arm would snap before the hardware fails. How many arms have you heard of breaking on that point? It's good to see some real world and long term experience with this setup.

The steep angle on the sway bar reduces its effectiveness and warps the bushings. It's nothing detrimental and I don't think you try to slalom that rig. But, if you're ever under there and want a quick, cheap and easy fix, Moog K700525 would be a vast improvement. Currently $8.62 each (you'd need two) at Amazon. Ideally, you'd relocate the bar since that amount of drop has the holes misaligned. That's a bit more involved and, honestly, a bit of a PITA. I just did all of that. I'm quite sure you have much higher priorities.

When the wife and baby aren’t in the truck, I regularly take on/off ramps at 60mph+ I just ordered those end links, thank you for the P/N. I think soon I’m going to be changing the control arms for something with a narrower track width so maybe once I get that all done, I may as well get a larger sway bar and get the mounts where they should be with this height

 

[89Suburban]

For the DIY guys, here’s another option to lower the front of your truck. The strut normally mounts to the top of the control arm. You can mount it to the bottom to lower about 1.5-2” without any spacers. Want to go even lower, add spacers until you get the drop you want. 3rd picture is the truck with drop spindles and strut flipped with a 1” spacerView attachment 391025View attachment 391026View attachment 391027

I have over 40k miles with this setup with no issues living in the state with the VOTED #1 worst roads in the country. You MUST use grade10.9 hardware or stronger. No the bolts will not break if you use proper hardware. People have been doing this for 15 years and I’ve never once heard of someone having a bolt break

U got new rimz?

 

[petethepug]

So I’m breezing through the posts and think I see ….

When the wife and baby are in the truck, I regularly take ramps at 60mph+

I read it again and see what’s really there. Man, I’m get’n old. But getting old does mean stuff you read is more exciting on the first read. I’m thinking wuhh? How big are these ramps he’s jumping off?

 

[Caddylack]

(oops, didn't see the date)