A fair share of our features rely on air suspensions for their ultra-low stance, but the price of the components, not to mention the fabrication, can be prohibitive for guys on a budget. This truck isn't about budget, it's about looking good and getting the best handling possible from a truck, and a static drop can be the answer here as well. We turned to Belltech; one of the industry's pioneers in lowered suspensions, to show you how good your truck can look for under $1,000. For our install, we headed to Trader's Trucks in Santa Fe Springs, California, where they can do just about anything to your truck but paint it. Once at the shop, Ox, Trader's go-to technician, got to business.
When we started, the truck...
When we started, the truck already had Belltech shackles to level the ride by two inches. We kept them in place to get the full 4/4 drop.
The Belltech kit included...
The Belltech kit included spindles, spring hangers, shocks, bumpstops, and hardware.
First, Ox measured the ride...
First, Ox measured the ride height while the truck was on the ground to get a baseline, then it went up on the lift. After relieving the tension from the torsion bars, the torsion keys were removed.
Off came the brakes, and the...
Off came the brakes, and the stock hub was unbolted from the spindle.
Three bolts, with Loctite,...
Three bolts, with Loctite, hold the hub onto the Belltech spindle.
Here you can see that the...
Here you can see that the spindle locates the hub higher in relation to the control arms.
The old Nitro-Active shocks...
The old Nitro-Active shocks from Belltech are on their way out in favor of the Belltech Street Performance shocks and their larger capacity, specific tuning, and improved handling.
Once the spindle was bolted...
Once the spindle was bolted to the control arms, Ox reinstalled the Baer caliper and rotor.
With their hex faces lined...
With their hex faces lined up, you can see how the Belltech torsion key is re-indexed.