I am looking into putting my own drop kit together, I was wondering about the front coils. Would you guys reccomend the hotchkis or bell tech front springs? or just cut the stock ones? I am looking for about a 1-2 inch drop.

 

I have the belltech 3/4 drop on my dodge with nitro drop shocks....I gotta say i am unpleased with the whole set up as the truck is "doofy".....lots of body roll especially in the turns even with a hellwig rear sway bar.

I purchased the hotchkis 1/2 drop coils,rear leafs, and waiting for the sway bars for my L. The reason i did the hothckis this time is to 1.not c-section the frame 2. The kit is more "handling" oriented 3. deal with pinion angle problems and other related lowering mishaps.


Other people might have different opinions but i have always had to " make adjustments" with the belltech. In my opinion, it is more of a show kit rather than one geared toward performance in the twisties.

Anthony

 

I did my own drop both ft and rear and stiffened up the suspension at the same time.The ride is about as harsh as the Gen 1s' but also handle3s as good if not better.Here is a pic of what it looks like.It is a link to one of the events that I participated in but you will get the idea.Look in the 135 class first line and that is me.Stan

http://www.openroadracing.com/Gamble...esults/gsd.htm

 

Ditto on was Nostromo said.

The other thing is what are you going to use to lower the rear? If your gonna use Hotchkis in the rear, then use them in the front also because the 2 were designed to go with eachother. If your gonna make your own for the like Stan I don'nt know if either would make a huge difference.

 

Evil:

The BellTech springs are very good quality but I found them, what I call, soft. Nostromo is correct about the body roll. Most people are happy with them, though.

I'd cut one ring off the stock springs in a heartbeat. You'd still have the performance feel of the stock setup and it would drop it 1"-1 1/2 easily. You could actually get away with still using the stock shocks,too... IMO.

2 rings dropped it a full 3". I sold the Belltechs. Love the look and ride now. Not for everybody though.

Oh, yeah... Guys! Front and rear are two different animals. Doesn't have to be the same manufacturer. Use what feels/works best.

 

Mostly will depend on if you are after a "look" or improved handling. Cutting the coils is cheap as are shackles. The trade off is in the handling.

 

If you cut the coils you are increasing the spring rat accordingly.IE if the rate is 600# and there are 10 coils if you cut 1 coil you increase the rate by 60# just divide the number of coils into the rate and that will give you the rate of EACH coil.Stan