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Gettin’ Down with Your Bad Self

(Sorry Guys, This One’s for the Minitrucker In All of Us.)
By Justin Wynn

 

The scrape of metal against fresh blacktop.  The looks of wonderment amongst the bystanders as sparks spray all over the road.  The feeling of being able to lean out your window and touch the pavement with ease.  These feelings are indescribable.

            Within this sport, we truck owners have two options: going high or getting’ low.  For me, nothing beats the sensation of rolling down the street draggin’ frame or body, preferably body.  Although this isn’t for everyone, for a minitrucker, this is life. 

            But how does one go about achieving this lower stance?

            The easiest and simplest way to lower your ride is the static drop.  This consists of replacing your factory suspension parts, such as coils, springs, control arms, etc., with aftermarket parts that alter the stance of your ride.  Depending on the combination of these parts, one could easily lower there ride anywhere from one to seven inches.  Although one could go further, this could make for a bumpy ride.

            If this isn’t low enough, the adjustable suspension is your answer.  The possibilities of air or hydraulic suspension are endless with the aftermarket community booming with direct bolt or weld on applications for nearly any ride.  But depending on your rim and tire combo and how crazy you want to get with your setup, this modification may be too much for the average enthusiast and seeking the help of a professional may be a wise decision.

            Now, for those who wish to achieve the ultimate low, the bodydrop is your friend.  To body drop your ride entails lowering the body over the frame rails till it lays on the ground along with the frame.  This can be achieved in several fashions but the two most popular are the traditional and the stock floor methods.  Traditional body dropping involves cutting out your floor and welding it back up once the body has been dropped to the desired amount.  To stock floor your truck involves building or modifying the actual frame rails under the cab to lower the body without losing headroom.  Both of these methods are definitely not for the average enthusiast and unless you feel capable of performing these tasks alone, seeking the help of a qualified shop is essential.

            Although I’ve said that a lot of these suspension modifications are not for beginners, but by no means am I discouraging those who are willing to take measures into their own hands and cut into their rides because I’m one of those people as well.  Just be careful and take your time because hack jobs not only cause accidents, they bring a bad name to the sport and yourself.

            Until next month, keep your head high and your ride low.

Justin


Gauge Columnist
Justin Wynn

 

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