Remove the tie-rod ends with a tie-rod removal tool. This ensures that no damage will occur during disassembly. If you don&8217t have such a tool, another way that works just as well is to tap the side of the spindle steering arm gingerly with a ball-peen hammer. Also remove the shock absorber from the frame and lower control arm. |
Once you&8217ve removed the brake calipers and tied them up out of the way, detach the castle or spindle nut on the spindle by breaking the cotter pin located under the wheel bearing dust cap cover. |
With the spindle nut gone, the rotor and wheel bearing are free and can be disconnected from the stock spindle. Then remove the three bolts holding the dust shield or backing plate to the spindle. |
Using a tie-rod removal tool is the preferred way to loosen the spindle from the upper and lower control arms, but several sharp raps of a hammer against the upper and lower ball joints will break the spindle free. Then pull out the coil spring by gently prying on the lower control arm and then dropping out the spring. Unlike 1988-1997 Chevy C/K trucks, which have the shock absorber running up through the middle of the coil spring, 1973-1987 Chevy trucks have their shock absorber mounted outside the coil spring. |
Remove the two bolts holding the upper control arm to the frame, then free the upper control arm. |
The only piece left to be removed from the front suspension is the lower control arm. Take out the long bolt that attaches it to the truck&8217s frame, then drop down the lower control arm. |
Once all the suspension pieces were removed, each one was meticulously cleaned with solvent to remove two decades of grease and grime. Cleaning and repainting every piece makes assembling the new suspension bushings and reinstalling the suspension much simpler. |
In the rear, the stock leaf springs will be removed and re-arched for longevity. But before reinstalling the rearend, California Street Rods will add a set of 3-inch dropped shackles. |
Once you&8217ve removed the rearend, drain the gear fluid and inspect the ring-and-pinion gears for any excessive wear and tear. Since the gears were in good shape, a new gasket was installed and the rearend refilled with fluid. New brakes will be installed, and the external housing will simply be spray-can-detailed to help keep costs down. |
With the front end completely apart and the engine removed, detailing the frame and firewall won&8217t be a problem. Thoroughly sand the frame and firewall in preparation for paint. First a primer is sprayed, then the frame is repainted black while the firewall is covered in the same fire-engine-red paint as the exterior sheetmetal. |
Performance Suspension Technology (PST) supplied us with a new set of ball joints and tie-rod ends. Once the original upper and lower control arms and disc brake backing plate are repainted, they&8217re ready for reinstallation. Also used were Belltech 2-inch dropped spindles and the OEM coil springs with one coil removed. This dropped the truck an additional 1-1/2 inches. |
With the lower control arm freshly painted, the technicians at CSR reinstalled it onto the truck&8217s frame. It was previously fit with new ball joints and fresh rubber bushings. |
In this close-up view of the lower control arm, you can see exactly how the U-bolts attach to the truck&8217s frame. |
Once the upper control arm is sufficiently secured to the frame, install the Belltech dropped spindle by connecting it to the upper ball joint. |
Fit the freshly cut coil spring into the lower control arm spring bucket. Raise the entire unit (control arm and coil spring) toward the upper control arm and fit the lower ball joint to the Belltech spindle. |
Use a floor jack to compress the coil spring into the upper control arm. Be extremely careful when compressing the coil spring, because if the jack slips from the bottom of the control arm, the spring can fly out and hurt someone. |
Reconnect the steering tie rods to the dropped spindle. Once the engine is reinstalled in the truck, take it to an experienced front-end alignment shop and have the truck correctly aligned so it’ll roll down the road in a straight line and have even tire wear. |
Dropping a late-model sport truck is simply a matter of bolting on the latest suspension components to achieve the desired ground-pounding stance. But for our Operation Retro Ride 1979 Chevy, the process isn’t quite that simple. With nearly 20 years of road fatigue dragging them down, the suspension pieces are starting to show their age in a very big way. Basically, they need to be replaced. Once we’ve replenished all the suspension hardware using a kit from Performance Suspension Technology (PST), the truck will be given a slight suspension drop with all Belltech components.
Unlike traditional 1988-1997 Chevy 1/2-ton trucks, whose lower control arms need to be trimmed when used in conjunction with dropped spindles, the 1973-1987 Chevy trucks don’t require the lower lip of the control arm to be hacked off. This not only simplifies the suspension drop but makes it a true bolt-on affair, with no cutting required for a moderate lowering.
Since Operation Retro Ride was undergoing its exterior metamorphosis at California Street Rods (CSR), we had the shop complete all our suspension work. Follow along as we get our beloved Chevy one step closer to smooth and stable road travel.