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lowering 93 d250 #1418550
04/12/13 01:00 AM
04/12/13 01:00 AM
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bbtrux Offline OP
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yeah,maybe it sounds weird.wanna drastically lower my 93 d250 extended cab longbed.obviously no available front spindles,and dont wanna cut the coils to the point of constant bottom out and causing a non alignable situation.im reading some stuff about van LCAs? would 250 or 350 van arms actually drop this truck?do they use the same lower ball joints? if this does work,how much drop is incurred,and are any other things needed along with the arms?many ways to deal with rear,front on a heavy truck is an issue...

Re: lowering 93 d250 [Re: bbtrux] #1418551
04/12/13 01:17 AM
04/12/13 01:17 AM
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76dodgeboy Offline
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All depends on your axle load rating. If its the 4000# axle you already have pocketed lower control arms. If its the 3000-3300# the van arms will work. I think the Dakota drop spindle will work too. The 1/2 tons if I remember correctly use the same bearings as the light 3/4tons. They share balljoints etc. If you have the 4000-4400# axle the only Real way to lower it is halfton coils or cut the ones in it or have some made. Cut the bump stop bracket down or remove completely.

Re: lowering 93 d250 [Re: 76dodgeboy] #1418552
04/12/13 09:09 PM
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Quote:

All depends on your axle load rating. If its the 4000# axle you already have pocketed lower control arms. If its the 3000-3300# the van arms will work. I think the Dakota drop spindle will work too. The 1/2 tons if I remember correctly use the same bearings as the light 3/4tons. They share balljoints etc. If you have the 4000-4400# axle the only Real way to lower it is halfton coils or cut the ones in it or have some made. Cut the bump stop bracket down or remove completely.




Re: lowering 93 d250 [Re: BulletBob] #1418553
04/14/13 07:10 PM
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bbtrux Offline OP
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the pocket of which you speak...are we talking of spring pocket depth?certainly theres no chance dakota balljoints share stud dimensions with this truck?or even half tons?

Re: lowering 93 d250 [Re: bbtrux] #1418554
04/14/13 07:39 PM
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Well this is what my 30+ year experience with these trucks is
If you have 8 lugs & the studs are 1/2" NF then you have the same balljoints as a 1/2 ton & no pocket in the LCA

Here's a pic of a pocketed LCA from a truck with 5/8" lug studs 4000# front axle


7668184-SAM_3410.JPG (1059 downloads)
Re: lowering 93 d250 [Re: bbtrux] #1418555
04/14/13 08:15 PM
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Quote:

the pocket of which you speak...are we talking of spring pocket depth?certainly theres no chance dakota balljoints share stud dimensions with this truck?or even half tons?



If youd search on this site you'd find alt more Lowering info Yes Dakotas share the Same balljoints as your tuck if Not a 4000# axle. The half and 3/4 ton trucks share the Same fribt components unless the 4000# axle rating. Just the rotors change do to 8 lug. There is at least 4 guys on here that used the Dakota Lowering spindles on their trucks. I've got the custom lower control arms available in the for sale section. Just sold the spindles I had planned to use.

Bob Im pretty sure my crewcab has 1/2 by 20 studs.

Re: lowering 93 d250 [Re: 76dodgeboy] #1418556
04/14/13 09:15 PM
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I parted another 165" wb CrewCab 84'model that had 1/2" & flat LCA's That's the only 81 up Crew that I've had & have seen only one other like it & it came off a base in TN.
All the other Crews that I've had were 80 & down with the shortbeds having small studs

Re: lowering 93 d250 [Re: BulletBob] #1418557
04/14/13 09:38 PM
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76dodgeboy Offline
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Half and pocketed control arms on mine

Re: lowering 93 d250 [Re: 76dodgeboy] #1418558
04/15/13 10:58 PM
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bbtrux Offline OP
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ok,if all these things are so...still wondering a few things...what are thes pockets?are we talking coil spring pocket depth? as far as the dakota spindles,what years are we talking?first gen 87-90? 91-96? are 87-96 the same?(the rotors are obviously different.)also, if i buy van arms,do they need to be from a 4000 lb. axle van?

Re: lowering 93 d250 [Re: BulletBob] #1418559
04/15/13 11:35 PM
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Here's a pic of a pocketed LCA from a truck with 5/8" lug studs 4000# front axle





Here's a pic of a van LCA Van LCA's need a few mods to use as do the Truck LCA's

7669748-SAM_3405.JPG (403 downloads)
Re: lowering 93 d250 [Re: BulletBob] #1418560
04/16/13 10:03 PM
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van arms or 4000# axle arms need mods to use? for instance what?

Re: lowering 93 d250 [Re: bbtrux] #1418561
04/16/13 10:56 PM
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I told you do a search on here. KevinI did a write up on the Van arms(all the van arms have the coil pocket recessed 70 something to at least 97 are what you need) Also Rumblebee did the Dakota Drop spindles write up. A couple other guys have done both. If you can't find them You'll have to wait till Um home to post a link

Or just send me money and Ill send you these.

Re: lowering 93 d250 [Re: 76dodgeboy] #1418562
04/17/13 01:17 AM
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78-98 at least as these are the years I have physically used or compared in the PnP

To use the pocketed truck LCA you need the steering arms that go with them & drill your spindles out to 3/4" so the arms will bolt tight
As with both the Van or the Truck you will have to drill the mounting tabs on the frame to 3/4" (a Harbor Freight step bit is the best way & cheapest for this)

The van arms require the steering stop removed
Strut rod holes drilled
Area around bushing ground down till they fit the tabs

Re: lowering 93 d250 [Re: BulletBob] #1418563
04/18/13 01:00 AM
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ok.i think im picking up what youre putting down.gonna start collecting parts,and i guess ill ask more questions as needed once i proceed.thanks!

Re: lowering 93 d250 [Re: bbtrux] #1418564
04/18/13 06:20 PM
04/18/13 06:20 PM
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Just to clear up a point that the others have missed concerning the spring pockets, the half ton and light duty 3/4 ton (those being the 3300 lb front axle rating) trucks do NOT have a spring pocket. The springs sit on the top of the control arm, not down in a pocket. The heavy duty 3/4 ton (4400 lb axle rating) and the vans as previously mentioned all have a pocket that the springs sit in as shown in the pic above of the custom built control arm. Using one of these pocketed arms on a truck that does not have a pocketed arm will lower the truck, using the stock spring for the truck. If your truck has the pockets, then you will need to either cut your springs, use 1/2 ton springs, or modify the dakota spindles to fit the larger bolts used on your truck.

Clear as mud, right?

Re: lowering 93 d250 [Re: dodgeram440] #1418565
04/20/13 12:59 AM
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Guys,
I am about to start buying parts to lower a friend's 87 1/2 ton shortbed. I have read the posts on the van LCA but one area that I still have questions is - do all vans have the pocketed LCA's? I was going to but the 3300lb van LCA from Rock Auto -but I keep seeing a mention of the 4000 lb - I am assuming that all the vans have these pocketed LCA as well as the 4000 lb P/U's - correct?
I noticed that it also says in this thread about using the Van steering arm?
not to steal the thread but I also have a question about changing the B.P. to 4.5" - I know to use the earlier rotors (82) but do I use the wheel bearings from the 82 or 87 truck - I have not checked if they were the same?
Thanks,
Mark J

Re: lowering 93 d250 [Re: dodgeram440] #1418566
04/20/13 01:25 AM
04/20/13 01:25 AM
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Quote:

Just to clear up a point that the others have missed concerning the spring pockets, the half ton and light duty 3/4 ton (those being the 3300 lb front axle rating) trucks do NOT have a spring pocket. The springs sit on the top of the control arm, not down in a pocket. The heavy duty 3/4 ton (4400 lb axle rating) and the vans as previously mentioned all have a pocket that the springs sit in as shown in the pic above of the custom built control arm. Using one of these pocketed arms on a truck that does not have a pocketed arm will lower the truck, using the stock spring for the truck. If your truck has the pockets, then you will need to either cut your springs, use 1/2 ton springs, or modify the dakota spindles to fit the larger bolts used on your truck.

Clear as mud, right?



I figured that was made clear that halfton and light 3/4 didn't have the lca's with the deeper pockets when van arms and 1tons were all that was mentioned

Last edited by 76dodgeboy; 04/20/13 01:45 AM.
Re: lowering 93 d250 [Re: 68hemiss] #1418567
04/20/13 01:29 AM
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4000# is truck LCA & you have to use the steering arm so the balljoint is not a problem

The van has different things that you have to do

Go back & read the replies

The 3300# van arms is the thing you have to mount the sway bar an inch or so forward to use if you have one

Re: lowering 93 d250 [Re: 76dodgeboy] #1418568
04/20/13 08:57 PM
04/20/13 08:57 PM
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Quote:

Quote:

Just to clear up a point that the others have missed concerning the spring pockets, the half ton and light duty 3/4 ton (those being the 3300 lb front axle rating) trucks do NOT have a spring pocket. The springs sit on the top of the control arm, not down in a pocket. The heavy duty 3/4 ton (4400 lb axle rating) and the vans as previously mentioned all have a pocket that the springs sit in as shown in the pic above of the custom built control arm. Using one of these pocketed arms on a truck that does not have a pocketed arm will lower the truck, using the stock spring for the truck. If your truck has the pockets, then you will need to either cut your springs, use 1/2 ton springs, or modify the dakota spindles to fit the larger bolts used on your truck.

Clear as mud, right?



I figured that was made clear that halfton and light 3/4 didn't have the lca's with the deeper pockets when van arms and 1tons were all that was mentioned




And yet he continued to ask about the pocket. There was obviously some confusion and the only reference to explaining it was your first reply, but you still didn't specifically say that the half tons didn't have a pocket.

Just trying to help.

Re: lowering 93 d250 [Re: dodgeram440] #1418569
04/21/13 10:49 AM
04/21/13 10:49 AM
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I looked at my 85 Crew Cab dually tag the other day trying to order ball joints....and mine says its a 3850 front end rating. I've been trying to research as much as possible on this truck as I'm about to replace the control arms(one is broken and too rusty to fix). I have control arms off a 92 D350 dually diesel truck, so I hope they interchange and I ordered ball joints for a 4000# front end. I hope the right parts are coming.

Michael


93 W250 CTD getrag, Bosch 185 injectors, AFE air filter. Trailer puller, daily driver,

90 W250 CTD 727 with smokin 5" stacks. Off road truck

75 Dodge W200 440 4spd 4x4 locked front and rear, twin disc clutch, E85. Pulling truck
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