Hey folks,
I’m trying to figure out what I should do next for ride quality and suspension upgardes. I have 3 inch blocks on my rear end and have lowered my torsion bars in the front.
I’m tryinf to figure out the next things I should do. Upgraded leaf springs? Performance shocks? New bushings?

I want to lower the truck slightly in the rear under the condition that I don’t make the ride quality worse. I have about 1” of travel between my axel and my bump stops, equipped with stock shocks... lol so needless to say railroad tracks (or anything for that matter) is less than pleasant.

Anything help would be appreciated. I do not want to bag it or chop on the frame, mainly because I don’t have the tools atm and it’s my daily. Let me know what Is feasible for a moderately skilled at home mechanic and a long weekend! Thanks

 

Underbed bolt on c notch is a good option for the rear.

 

usually helps us to know what gen truck you have and such...

that being said, this is my general knowledge: you can beef up the front torsion bars with ones from a 1ton or some sway-a-ways, and that will help improve the ride quality of relaxed torsions up front. For the rear, if you are hitting your bump stops, then you need to either shave them, commit to a c-notch, or get some shocks with a stiffer compression, or all 3. If you ditch the blocks, and go with lowering leaf springs you will need to get shorter shocks.

 

Jetas, how much do you trust those bolt on c notches? I put my truck through a lot of stress and strain and have always shyed away from the bolt inthings like that.

 

thanks Justin Danger and jetas, that's all super helpful.
it is a 1989 R22 4 speed
any suggestions on the stiffer shocks? i have considered shaving the bump stops and replacing shocks but cannot tell from product descriptions which would be best for the application... any suggestions would be great!

 

Can alway bolt it in+ weld it and weld in a good size piece of steel on the top side of the frame to add some rigidity back in. There have been many mini trucks with 8" notches that have survived without frame damage.

 

thanks Jetas, good to know.

As for stiffer shocks, most shock manufacturers will publish spec sheets on their shocks, and you can compare those stats. I believe some shocks like the Belltechs give you a better ride on lowered trucks, but require a little more work to install because of their size.

 

Belltech drop spindles were nice on my truck. made it a tad more sensitive at the steering wheel, which is a more modern feel to me. Keeps your front off bump stops. Shave the rear bump stops. you can figure out where the metal insert is in the bump stop by using a punch or maybe a small drill bit. I think I cut over an 1" off my rear bump stops. You can also buy replacement bump stops that are low profile. I ended up getting belltech drop leafs. says 3-4" but i'm pretty sure I got more. They won't handle the heavy load in your bed, but they do feel nicer during a normal drive.