Suspension/ wheel setups, with pics?

[Oilspot]

So I'm trying to figure out how much I wanna lower my 521. I've gotta do it, it's like a sickness that I'm not sure I'll ever outgrow. I'm 49 years old and still wanting to lower the bejesus outta everything i drive.  I've been looking around for pictures of peoples trucks with info attached as to what suspension mods they did to get there (ie. blocks, blocks with leafs pulled, leafs from different years etc.) and I havent been able to find anything of the sorts. 

So.... whattya got going on,  and how'd you get there? Wheel specs/ offsets for aftermarket wheels would be helpful!

 

 

[datzenmike]

The torsion bars can be adjusted to drop the front but too much and the camber is badly affected. It will also toe in but that can be adjusted out. A couple of inches perhaps. More and the ride is compromised because the shock absorber doesn't travel enough to absorb bumps, the lower control bottoms out on the bump stop and now the tire becomes the suspension. Basically a bouncy beach ball.

 

The rear is easily done with lowering blocks to match the front. Again a couple of inches. More and you risk bottoming out and the spring needs to be stiffened. In addition too much lowering will upset the drive shaft U joint angles and it will vibrate. Again this is fixable. Some lowering blocks are angled or you can add shims.

 

The lower you go the more thought goes into doing it right but the results are well worth it.

[Oilspot]

6 hours ago, datzenmike said:

The torsion bars can be adjusted to drop the front but too much and the camber is badly affected. It will also toe in but that can be adjusted out. A couple of inches perhaps. More and the ride is compromised because the shock absorber doesn't travel enough to absorb bumps, the lower control bottoms out on the bump stop and now the tire becomes the suspension. Basically a bouncy beach ball.

 

The rear is easily done with lowering blocks to match the front. Again a couple of inches. More and you risk bottoming out and the spring needs to be stiffened. In addition too much lowering will upset the drive shaft U joint angles and it will vibrate. Again this is fixable. Some lowering blocks are angled or you can add shims.

 

The lower you go the more thought goes into doing it right but the results are well worth it.

So I'm thinking I wanna run a 3" block, 2degree shim and level the front. Stock wheels/ caps and 175/70r14s. 

I'm just wanting to see some pics of people's trucks with info. 

With some pics I could say to myself "yeah.... Like that!", And then maybe even get some feedback on ride quality/ driveability, etc. 

[datzenmike]

Lowering the tops of the wheel arches down to the tops of the tires is a good starting point..

[d.p]

3” blocks and 2 splines on the torsion bars I think. 15” wheels with 195/55/15s. 
 

 

[KELMO]

I vote yes on d.p's truck.

Wait, he is the only one who has posted so far.

 

Who am I kidding. I'll probably vote yes on all of them.

 

This truck does look the goods though.

[Stoffregen Motorsports]

I prefer a bit of rake myself, especially if the truck will ever be used for truck duties.

[Charlie69]

What I have done on my 520 is I put a 1980 720 frame under it with Wayno's guidance.

 

The 720 frame gives several improvements over the stock frame.  The 720 frame has disc front brakes, removable transmission cross member, ball joint front suspension (does away with the king pins).  The 720 frame also moves the steering gear box and the idler arm outside the frame.

 

I installed Belltech 2" lowered spindles and re-indexed 2 splines on the torsion bars.  The 2" lowered spindles made it to where I had to increase the diameter (14") of my wheels.  I decided on 16" Isuzu wheels.

 

 

Edited July 4, 2021 by Charlie69

[datzenmike]

49 minutes ago, Stoffregen Motorsports said:

I prefer a bit of rake myself, especially if the truck will ever be used for truck duties.

 

This. Makes it look faster when sitting still.

[mrbigtanker]

Untitled by raymond medeiros, on Flickr

 

Front on coil overs and back is down 4". That is though 17" wheels. 

[Oilspot]

1 hour ago, Charlie69 said:

What I have done on my 520 is I put a 1980 720 frame under it with Wayno's guidance.

 

The 720 frame gives several improvements over the stock frame.  The 720 frame has disc front brakes, removable transmission cross member, ball joint front suspension (does away with the king pins).  The 720 frame also moves the steering gear box and the idler arm outside the frame.

 

I installed Belltech 2" lowered spindles and re-indexed 2 splines on the torsion bars.  The 2" lowered spindles made it to where I had to increase the diameter (14") of my wheels.  I decided on 16" Isuzu wheels.

 

 

Well gawdamn! Second entry sets the bar high with the full nuclear chassis swap option!🤣

 

Nice work man!

[mainer311]

Here are 3” blocks in the back. I machined the blocks to include a 2 degree taper, so I lost a little bit of drop. Stock leafs and Gas-a-just shocks. wheels are 15x8, -19 offset. 195/60-15’s. Front is low profile bump stops and adjusted torsion bars. Slight rake. It’s my only truck and I do use it as one.

 

 

Edited July 4, 2021 by mainer311

[KELMO]

Charlie, looks like you've just stacked some shit on there. Luv you bro, no homo.

 

Mainer, Tanker...Damn.

 

Now I want a truck. Somebody is gonna need to get their shite outta my shop.

[Charlie69]

6 hours ago, Charlie69 said:

What I have done on my 520 is I put a 1980 720 frame under it with Wayno's guidance.

 

The 720 frame gives several improvements over the stock frame.  The 720 frame has disc front brakes, removable transmission cross member, ball joint front suspension (does away with the king pins).  The 720 frame also moves the steering gear box and the idler arm outside the frame.

 

I installed Belltech 2" lowered spindles and re-indexed 2 splines on the torsion bars.  The 2" lowered spindles made it to where I had to increase the diameter (14") of my wheels.  I decided on 16" Isuzu wheels.

 

 

I forgot to mention 720 4x4 springs on the 2wd chassis dropped the rear 2".  Will have custom leaf springs made to drop the rear 4 or 5 inches. when road worthy.

[Oilspot]

38 minutes ago, Charlie69 said:

I forgot to mention 720 4x4 springs on the 2wd chassis dropped the rear 2".  Will have custom leaf springs made to drop the rear 4 or 5 inches. when road worthy.

Are the 4x4 springs softer or stiffer than the stock units? What's the advantage to going this direction? 

[datzenmike]

As you go lower you are closer to the ground and the original springs might allow you to bottom out. The 4x4 springs are much stiffer and they have less arch in them. So you are lower and stiffer... a good thing.

 

Of hand, I don't know what the spring rate on the 521 is, but the 620 rear springs are progressive and the rate starts at 106 lb./in. and goes to 308 lb./in.

The 720 4x4 spring is 138 lb./in. to 442 lb./in.

[d.p]

I have a set of 720 4x4 leafs just haven’t ever gotten the OEM bushings out to even attempt to install them.  If and when I get around to it will post some pics.  

[gene knight]

me and charlie69 reindexed my torsion bars 1 spline i think and running 720 4x4 leafs in back and will be running 3" angle cut blocks or 4" angle cut blocks and i will be running enkei sawblades 15 x 7 and 205/70 r15 tires

Edited July 5, 2021 by gene knight

[Charlie69]

The 720 4x4 springs will drop you truck height 1.5" to 2".  Since my 520 had the 1 ton factory leaf springs I have a 2" drop by going to the 4x4 springs.

[Oilspot]

Everyone so far is on aftermarket wheels. I'm pretty set on stock w/ hubcaps. 

 I've kinda been in the mindset that I wanna do a 175/70r14, but then i started thinking... a 195/75r14 would fill the wheelwell better on a dropped truck. But that throws the rolling diameter pretty far from stock. Are 521's okay with the extra load?

 

What are the guys dropped on stock steel wheels running. There's a super crisp stock/slammed look I'm seeing in a lot of pictures, and want to go that direction!

 

[yenpit]

Come up to Denver, I have stock 521 steelies.  You can send them out for widening, then you can run stock caps & fill out the fenders better!

 

I also have three 8in wide chrome reverse steelies (I'm keeping 2 out of 5 that I have) with patina.......use on the rear!  Likely came off of a Chevy or ??, so no way to "snap" caps on.  I might try to weld on 3-4 "bungs" to mount caps..............

[Stoffregen Motorsports]

20 hours ago, Oilspot said:

Everyone so far is on aftermarket wheels. I'm pretty set on stock w/ hubcaps. 

 I've kinda been in the mindset that I wanna do a 175/70r14, but then i started thinking... a 195/75r14 would fill the wheelwell better on a dropped truck. But that throws the rolling diameter pretty far from stock. Are 521's okay with the extra load?

 

What are the guys dropped on stock steel wheels running. There's a super crisp stock/slammed look I'm seeing in a lot of pictures, and want to go that direction!

 

Look into the stock Toyota 15" steelies. They look like original Datsun wheels, but have that extra inch of diameter and many, many more tire choices.

[Oilspot]

Well, just posted a wanted ad for 620 or 720 rear leafs. The more I look at pictures, the more I'm thinking I'll need to go down at least 4" to get the look I'm after. So much for "growing up"🤣

Edited July 6, 2021 by Oilspot

[d.p]

2 hours ago, Oilspot said:

Well, just posted a wanted ad for 620 or 720 rear leafs. The more I look at pictures, the more I'm thinking I'll need to go down at least 4" to get the look I'm after. So much for "growing up"🤣

good luck with the wanted ad.  I found my 4x4 leafs on car-part.com from a junkyard in VA and had them shipped to me.  I found a dead stock windshield exact same way too. 
 

[Oilspot]

18 minutes ago, d.p said:

good luck with the wanted ad.  I found my 4x4 leafs on car-part.com from a junkyard in VA and had them shipped to me.  I found a dead stock windshield exact same way too. 
 

I was searching around seeing if there was something along the lines of dorman replacements for the 720 but hadn't found anything yet. I've always heard mention of Dobson's when it comes to custom springs. Was to busy today to start making calls regarding custom leafs and how much more something custom tailored may cost.