[zackdash]

Hey guys I'm kinda new to the nation here! But I have done some searching around on here and can't find what I'm looking for. I see a lot of guys running the 2" drop ball joints and that's kinda the route I wanna go with my crew cab zq8. Looking at belltechs installation guide i see that all you do is you have filler plate/spacer that slides in the lower control arm slot and you put the belltech ball joint on top, and the way it's made it extends the ballpoint which makes the spindle move up. And for the top you have an angled spacer that goes on top of the upper control arm and the factory ball joint bolts on top of that. Correct?
I don't know if anyone has thought of this or maybe someone has done it and or it's not safe but couldn't you just make a spacer for the bottom ball joint so you could use the factory ball joint? I just took a peek at it the other day when I was doing the brakes but it looks like if you just move the factory ball joint on top that will give you around a .75" drop. So to make it 2" you would need a 1.25" spacer. Only thing I wouldn't be sure about is if there needs to be an angle on the bottom spacer like the upper angled spacer belltech provides. And for a sway bar mount, I could fab up a little plate with a tab that would bolt on top of the lower ball joint. I work in a machine shop and I can make all of these things. Sorry if this topic has been covered before but I didn't have any luck with searching, but before I get started I wanted to see if anyone has attempted this and had a success. Any help would be Awesome!!! Thanks

 

[bk2life]

any after market parts for the 355 trucks dont sell that often. their really not a popular truck, and have been phased out of GMs line.

that being said, you could make the spacers, but i bet you wouldnt sell 10 pairs in 5 years.

 

[zackdash]

any after market parts for the 355 trucks dont sell that often. their really not a popular truck, and have been phased out of GMs line.

that being said, you could make the spacers, but i bet you wouldnt sell 10 pairs in 5 years.

I'm not looking to sell these, I'm making them for my own use. If I can make these and they work I could post the dimensions/blueprint for others to have to make or have made, and help out by providing another alternative for a 2" drop using factory balljoints.

 

[Jesse]

Sounds like a lot of work for something that you can buy and is already made to bolt right up. :shrug: Unless you KNOW what you are doing (no offense but I don't think you do) I wouldn't risk it and just leave it up to the people that have been making the parts for years. That's just me.

 

[zackdash]

Sounds like a lot of work for something that you can buy and is already made to bolt right up. :shrug: Unless you KNOW what you are doing (no offense but I don't think you do) I wouldn't risk it and just leave it up to the people that have been making the parts for years. That's just me.

Yes I understand. I know I could buy the drop ball joints and they bolt right up and work, but also at the same time I know I am capable of making these spacers because I have made parts 10x more complicated than this. I would maybe have about $20 in material plus hardware and a couple hours of my time making them. Another benefit besides it being over $200 cheaper, if you plan on keeping you truck for a while like me I would say the belltech ball joints would get worn out like any other part over time so with spacers you could buy factory ball joints instead of paying close to 300 for belltechs again.

 

[bk2life]

make'em.

 

[Jesse]

If you have the skills and patience to make them than more power to you, hell I even have an old set you can have if you want them? Just pay shipping.

 

[zackdash]

If you have the skills and patience to make them than more power to you, hell I even have an old set you can have if you want them? Just pay shipping.

You have an old set of belltech ball joints?