How Low Can You Go?
The Steps to Dropping a '99 Chevy Silverado
Story and photos by Marshall Spiegel
The essence of restyling is changing a stock vehicle from what the manufacturer considers beautiful to what the restyler thinks is better. Suspension modification is a good example. Consider a 1999 Chevrolet Silverado. Chevy thinks the vehicle looks just fine as it is. But lowering devotees believe it looks even better dropped, say, four inches in the front and six inches in the rear. Now, there was a time when such a dramatic suspension overhaul would have permanently damaged the truck’s ride. But, I’m happy to report that today’s lowering kits are better-engineered, safer and easier to install than ever, and many of the good ones even offer a fairly pleasant ride. The old sarcasm that “a lowered truck is a lowered truck” is not as true as it once was. To prove our point, we followed along as Lary “One-R” Ihde of DJM Suspension, Gardena, Calif., installed DJM’s Calmax Level 2 (4-inch-by-6-inch) drop kit on a white 1999 Silverado. The kit includes a C-notch brace, new control arms, a rear flip kit and the latest components of the suspension-modifier’s art. When he finished, we were convinced the lowering business has come a long way. We were impressed both with the truck’s appearance and ride once this Chevy was slammed into the weeds. Here’s how the job went:
 1. Before Lary Ihde of DJM Suspension begins the installation, he measures the standard ride height of our 1999 Chevy Silverado front and rear, from the center of the hub to the lip of the wheel well. |
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 2. Starting at the passenger-side front corner, he removes the stock shock absorber. |
 3. He then loosens the tie-rod end |
 4. The lower ball joint is loosened. |
 5. The stock coil spring is removed. |
 6. The pivot bolts on the factory control arm are loosened. |
 7. He then removes the factory control arm. |
 8. The DJM control arms have twin tube pivot sleeves that require the drilling of grease holes for greasing the inner sleeve. |
 9. The inner sleeve is coated with grease before it is inserted into the outer sleeve. |
 10. The grease zerk fittings are installed into the holes drilled into the lower control arm |
 11. After any burrs left by the drilling are filed away, the bushings are greased. |
 12. The lower control arms are installed into the pivot points. |
 13. The stock coil springs are re-installed. |
 14. The lower ball joint is tightened. |
 15. The new DJM shock absorber is installed. |
 16. The shock is tightened |
 17. The tie-rod end is tightened. |
 18. The sway bar end link is installed. |
 19. The pivot bolts are tightened after the vehicle is removed from the jacks and its full weight is down, thereby completing the front installation |
 20. At the rear, the factory U-bolts are loosened. |
 21. The leaf spring is freed so it can be repositioned or flipped from over to under the axle. |
 22. The DJM U-bolts and axle saddle are positioned to anchor the leaf springs beneath the axle. |
 23. The air bag bracket is installed on the leaf spring. |
 24. The new U-bolts are then installed over the axle. |
 25. The five-hole spring plate is installed. |
 26. The frame is cut for a C-notch, and then the C-notch brace, which also incorporates the upper air bag perch, is installed. |
 27. The C-notch brace is tightened, allowing the flipped axle extra travel space for a smooth ride. |
 28. A bump stop is positioned at the center of the C-notch and tightened. |
 29. The new rear shock is installed. |
 30. The air fitting on the air bag is tightened. |
 31. The air line is positioned and secured. |
 32. And there you have it. Our Silverado now sports a more-aggressive stance with top-notch ride and handling. |
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