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Hug the Tires on Your Chevy
How-To Drop a '99 Chevy Silverado
We think manufactures have it all wrong…they feel that the stock vehicles that roll off the assembly line look great, perhaps perfect. However, at Stylin' we are all about custom! The true essence of custom is changing a stock vehicle from a seemingly beautiful state, to what the customizer thinks is better.
In this example we have a near stock 1999 Chevrolet Silverado, looks great to some, but would look (and perform) better with a road-hugging stance. For our example will be installing a 4/6 drop. In case you aren't up on your drop kit lingo, a 4/6 drop means the front will be lowered 4" and the rear will be lowered 6". No, that doesn't mean the rear of the truck will be lower; from the factory the rear of a truck sits higher so you will have less sagging under load. Some of you may be thinking, wow a 4/6 drop will probably ride like crap. Well, years ago you may have been right and that is why some people have negative opinions on dropping trucks today. But with the advances in design and engineering, you can maintain near factory ride quality with a properly dropped truck.
To show you we talked to Lary, the one "R" bandit, at DJM Suspension in Gardena, California. Here are the pictures of him installing DJM's Calmax Level 2 (4/6) drop kit on '99 Silverado. This installation will even walk you through installing the air bags.
The kit includes everything you'll need to make a great truck look better: new control arms, C-notch brace, rear flip kit and the latest components of the suspension-modifier's art.
Upon completion, we were convinced the lowering business has come a long way. Lary told us he was impressed with the truck's appearance and ride once this Chevy was hugging its tire.

1. Before Lary Ihde of DJM Suspension begins the installation, he measures the standard ride height of the 1999 Chevy Silverado front and rear, from the center of the hub to the lip of the wheel well.

2. Starting at the front passenger side, he removes the stock shock absorber.

3. He then losens 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 reinstalled.

14. The lower ball joint is tightened.

15. The new DJM shock absorber is installed.

16. The shock is tightened.

17. The tie-rod 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.