Mild drops have long been a staple of the custom truck market. Bringing the nose down a few inches, then lowering the back to match, is almost mandatory. These kinds of drops are very popular with the do-it-yourselfer because they usually don't require any cutting and are done with bolt-on parts.
Even though suspension kits have become very exotic - such as bolt-in, airbagged cantilever setups - the tried-and-true methods of bringing the ride height down are still being implemented. DJM Suspension of Gardena, California, has manufactured quality lowering kits and suspension components for many years and knows all about lowering a truck.
The company is known for its line of Calmax control arms. These are beefy, tubular, replacement lower control arms that drop the truck 2 inches while retaining the stock spring and shock. These arms come with ball joints, urethane bushings, and sleeves already installed.
To bring the back down, DJM built a flip kit that places the rearend housing on top of the leaf-spring pack and holds it tight with a couple ingenious brackets. The flip kit actually lowers the truck 1 inch too far and creates a butt-dragging look. To cure this, DJM also provides a lift shackle to set the truck level again.
We took our Ram to Rapid Transit in San Pedro, California, to have the parts installed. The company has been customizing trucks for a long time, and the fact that it's a full-service shop with a four-wheel alignment rack made it even sweeter. You can install this setup at home, but you will need to take it to be aligned.
1. To begin, the truck was...
1. To begin, the truck was secured on a lift and the tires were removed.
2. The tie-rod ends, end links,...
2. The tie-rod ends, end links, shocks, and lower ball joints were unbolted so the spring could be removed.
3. Here are the Calmax arms...
3. Here are the Calmax arms from DJM; these will lower the truck 2 inches. They come with the urethane bushings and ball joints installed.
4. With that stuff out of...
4. With that stuff out of the way, the lower control arm can now be unbolted.
5. Before the new arm is installed,...
5. Before the new arm is installed, it's a good idea to screw in the grease fittings.
6. The control arm is slid...
6. The control arm is slid into the mounts, bolted up, and hand-tightened.
7. Here is a comparison shot...
7. Here is a comparison shot of the two arms. As you can see, the Calmax arm is beefy and drops the install height of the spring to lower the truck.
8. The stock spring is fed...
8. The stock spring is fed in; make sure it's clocked correctly. If you don't do this, the truck might not sit level once all the parts are installed.
9. The tie-rod ends, shocks,...
9. The tie-rod ends, shocks, and lower ball joints are bolted back together.
10. The stock shock bolts...
10. The stock shock bolts right back in.
11. DJM provides new end links...
11. DJM provides new end links to keep the antisway bar in its stock orientation. The urethane bushings will tighten up the cornering just a bit.
12. Before bolting the wheel...
12. Before bolting the wheel on, Rapid Transit recommends giving the rotors a cleaning. If there's any grease from your hands on the rotor, it will contaminate your pads and affect braking performance.
13. Here is one half of the...
13. Here is one half of the flip kit that is used to lower the back of the truck. It comes with everything needed to complete the job.
14a. After the rearend was...
14a. After the rearend was supported, the leaf pack, rear shackle, shocks, and bumpstops were removed.
14b.
15a. The thinner bumpstops...
15a. The thinner bumpstops require this adapter bracket before they can go on. A C-notch can be installed for added clearance, but since this is a lease truck, we don't want to cut it.
15b.
16. The lift shackle replaces...
16. The lift shackle replaces the stock unit. The flip drops the truck too much, so the lift shackle will bring the truck back up so that it will sit level.
17. When tightened, the housing...
17. When tightened, the housing brackets will clamp down and hold the rearend secure and provide the perch for the spring pack.
18. The springs are now bolted...
18. The springs are now bolted in under the rearend instead of on top.
19. The lower plate and new...
19. The lower plate and new U-bolts secure the rearend to the springs.
20. The new shocks are shorter,...
20. The new shocks are shorter, so they won't bottom out under full compression.
21. Rapid Transit has a four-wheel...
21. Rapid Transit has a four-wheel alignment rack to set the truck up perfectly. The truck barely needed an adjustment to be brought back in.
22. Here is the truck back...
22. Here is the truck back on the ground and looking much better. The lower center of gravity and urethane bushings will improve the handling characteristics of the truck while still maintaining a good ride.