86-720 Posted February 4, 2016 Report Share Posted February 4, 2016 What is the best way to lower my 1986 720? I have been looking at djm lower control arms or bell tech drop spindles. Blocks or leafs in the back. I also found some adjustable arms on eBay . Anyways any info would be appreciated . 1 Quote Link to comment
Lockleaf Posted February 4, 2016 Report Share Posted February 4, 2016 Reindexing torsion bars up front and blocks out back will get you started. Drop spindles will get you farther while still giving you decent suspension articulation. 720 4x4 leaf springs are basically flat, where 2wd are fairly arched, so finding a set of those will net about 2 inches of drop in the back, so they pair well with the droptechs. After that, getting lower starts to take some serious work. 2 Quote Link to comment
Rjawm Posted February 5, 2016 Report Share Posted February 5, 2016 Just wanted to add not to expect too much more info to be posted in your thread as Lockleaf pretty much summed it up perfectly. 1 Quote Link to comment
Charlie69 Posted February 5, 2016 Report Share Posted February 5, 2016 I have a 1980 720 chassis under my 1966 520 and I am installing Belltech 2" lowering spindles and adding 1" more with the torsion bar drop. I am having custom leaf springs made for the rear. I will have a 1' rake when I am done. front will be lower than the rear of course. Stillen is the cheapest I found for Belltech https://www.stillen.com/belltech-nissan-720-d21-pickup-2-drop-spindle-set-2005/vehicle/1986-nissan-720.html?___SID=U I was lucky and found a used set in the Ecology Auto Wrecking for $80. Quote Link to comment
86-720 Posted February 19, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 19, 2016 Does anybody used aftermarket lowered leafs? I found some on eBay for $200 shipped 1 Quote Link to comment
Rhino13 Posted February 19, 2016 Report Share Posted February 19, 2016 Does anybody used aftermarket lowered leafs? I found some on eBay for $200 shipped ...720 4x4 leaf springs are basically flat... 1 Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted February 20, 2016 Report Share Posted February 20, 2016 Yes you want flatter for lower ride height and firmer to resist motion and bottoming. 1 Quote Link to comment
86-720 Posted February 20, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 20, 2016 What brand would be the best to use? 1 Quote Link to comment
Lockleaf Posted February 20, 2016 Report Share Posted February 20, 2016 Stop making this hard. Twice you have been told 720 4x4 springs are what you want. Go to a junkyard and take the springs from a truck. The brand you want is Nissan. 1 Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted February 20, 2016 Report Share Posted February 20, 2016 Does anybody used aftermarket lowered leafs? I found some on eBay for $200 shipped The leaf spring is rated in pounds per inch spring rate. A 720 2wd rear spring rate is 310 lb/in. Takes 310 pounds to compress the spring one inch. If the rear of the truck weighed 1,200 pounds the springs (two of them) would compress about 2". This is just an example. The 4x4 spring has a rate of 442 lb/in and are 'stiffer'. Using the above example the same truck with 4x4 springs will only compress 1.3inches. As the 4x4 spring pack is flatter with less arch the truck will ride lower but also sag less on a bump in the road. This is good for a lowered truck that has exhaust/frame/ drive line components that are now closer to speed bumps and manhole covers. A softer spring will lower a vehicle also BUT it will compress more with longer travel and possible disastrous results. It may have 4" of travel when hitting bumps or dips in the road and allow the vehicle undersides to impact the pavement. So, two things to consider when swapping leaf springs. The arch or bend and the spring rate. Two springs with the same rate can be flat or arched. This will hold the truck higher or lower but compress the same amount under load or hitting bumps. An unknown spring rate from e-Bay could be a disaster. 1 Quote Link to comment
86-720 Posted February 24, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 24, 2016 The problem with going to a junk yard and getting leafs off of a 4x4 is that there are no 720s 2wd or 4wd anywhere close . I live in Indiana and have called all around me and even in Kentucky looking for parts and nothing . 1 Quote Link to comment
petercscherer Posted February 25, 2016 Report Share Posted February 25, 2016 You could always go with these: http://www.belltech.com/products/belltech/rear-lowering-components/leaf-springs/leaf-spring-11264.html They're sold through Belltech, trusted company, and are direct replacements for the stock 720 springs, just with an effective 3" drop. 1 Quote Link to comment
Charlie69 Posted February 25, 2016 Report Share Posted February 25, 2016 Also on my 66 520 with the 1980 720 2wd chassis I have installed 720 4x4 springs on the rear for the spring shop to work with. Quote Link to comment
Vinny720 Posted March 13, 2016 Report Share Posted March 13, 2016 do you have to get different shocks when lowering? 1 Quote Link to comment
86-720 Posted March 13, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 13, 2016 I will get all my lowering stuff on Monday . I ended up getting bell tech drop spindles and lowered leafs . I will get it all on and see if the shocks bottom out if so there is a eBay seller that sells nitro drop shocks for $160 shipped . I have those on my bagged and bodied Toyota and love them. 1 Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted March 13, 2016 Report Share Posted March 13, 2016 do you have to get different shocks when lowering? Shouldn't. It would be a poor design if the shocks bottomed before the lower control arm hit the bump stop wouldn't it? You can always raise the top shock mount an inch. With reduced suspension travel best to get as firm a shock as you can. A stiffer spring would also help. If replacing the shock maybe an added coil spring around the shock? (may not be room) You don't have as much room to soak up a suspension compression from hitting a bump. This is exaggerated but shows the this... If you are on the bump stops your suspension becomes the rubber bump stop and the air in the tires. Not good as it is not damped by the shock and is bouncy as a beach ball. 1 Quote Link to comment
Charlie69 Posted March 14, 2016 Report Share Posted March 14, 2016 The price on the Belltech leafs are for each one. You will need to order 2 to have a pair of these. I would think that selling them in pairs instead of individually would be less confusing. I would like to see pictures before and after the drop please. Quote Link to comment
86-720 Posted March 14, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 14, 2016 I will get some pics of before and after . I have always used bell tech stuff . They make quality stuff . I just got my smoothie wheels put in too! Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted March 15, 2016 Report Share Posted March 15, 2016 720 4x4 springs are flatter and much stiffer. 2wd springs.... 310 lb/in 4x4 springs..... 442 lb/in. The arch is 2wd springs.... 6.34 in (no load) 4x4 springs..... 3.68 in (no load) There's over 3" of drop but being stiffer these will not sag as much under load. 4x4 springs might be cheaper and you can always remove a leaf if way to stiff. I don't know what the Bellteck spring rate is but it better be stiffer than the stock spring or you are still bouncing the same distance but are closer to the road. Better to be stiffer to reduce suspension travel on a lowered truck. Quote Link to comment
86-720 Posted April 1, 2016 Author Report Share Posted April 1, 2016 Ok so I got my truck lowered . In the front we used 2" drop spindles and cranked the torsion bars down a 1-2 inches and I took it to the alignment shop and the guy said the tie rods were bottomed out and he couldn't crank it any more. Any ideas what would cause this and what can I do to fix it ? Thanks Quote Link to comment
Rjawm Posted April 1, 2016 Report Share Posted April 1, 2016 Ok so I got my truck lowered . In the front we used 2" drop spindles and cranked the torsion bars down a 1-2 inches and I took it to the alignment shop and the guy said the tie rods were bottomed out and he couldn't crank it any more. Any ideas what would cause this and what can I do to fix it ? Thanks Re-read the instructions that came with the BellTech spindles, it says you have to cut a 1/4" of the threads off of the tie rods. Honestly I'm not sure how the spindles were installed without a huge splay between the front wheels making it really obvious as to what needed to be done to correct it. Edit: Look at step 14 in the PDF version of the install instructions. http://www.andysautosport.com/additional_product_info/2010.pdf Quote Link to comment
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