Last month, we showed you the ins and outs of laying frame in a '99-and-later Silverado, using top-quality components and 22-inch-diameter rims. We covered replacing the rear suspension with airbags and KP Components' linked suspension, as well as relocating everything that hung below the framerails so that the truck would lay flat once the air was released from the 'bags. This month, we wrap up the whole deal by showing you how to modify the bed for reinstallation without cutting any gaping holes into it. We'll also go into detail on the front suspension installation, clearing the firewall for the larger tires, as well as the plumbing and wiring of the entire system. The finish line is just around the corner for all Silverado owners, so pay attention and you just might learn something.
1a. There is very little room...
1a. There is very little room within the wheelwells of a Silverado bed. A 22-inch wheel and tire package is a tight fit under the stock fenderwells, and the step notch we installed last month will not fit under the stock bed floor either.
1b. Since we're planning on...
1b. Since we're planning on body-dropping the truck later, we decided to go ahead and relocate the bed floor upward, adding several extra inches beneath it to allow room for the step notch. Doing so would mean not having any holes in the bed floor for the suspension, step notch, or the big wheels either. It's a good idea to un-clip the wiring for the taillights before cutting anywhere on the bed floor. Don't ask us how we know that.
2. Separating the bed floor...
2. Separating the bed floor from the front bulkhead is easily accomplished by drilling out all of the spot welds. Chad was willing to do the job in exchange for dinner.
3. When the airbags are deflated and the framerails rest on the pavement, the rocker panels are approximately 2-3/4 inches away from the pavement. This means that we'd have to body-drop the bed floor the same amount in order for the rockers to touch the ground after the bed is reinstalled. The only problem with that theory is that the step notch would prevent us from reinstalling the bed, unless we cut holes in the floor for the protrusions. We'd need to body-drop the floor an additional 2-3/4 inches and re-mount the bed on spacers that equal that amount. This will provide plenty of clearance for the step notch beneath the bed floor and keep us from having to cut any unnecessary holes in the floor. We marked out a total of 5-1/2 inches for the body drop and removed the paint in the areas we'd be cutting and welding in. The lower line is where we'll cut the sheetmetal apart, and the upper line is where we'll reattach the sheetmetal, at exactly 5-1/2 inches higher than it came from the factory.
4. Before we can raise the bed floor upward, we have to separate the bed sides from the inner wheelwells. These sections attach to the bed sides at the fender lip. We cut just to the outside of the outer bed side support bolts.
5. After cutting out a 5-1/2-inch section and raising it upward along the inside bed walls, we were ready to weld it up. Notice how much higher the bed floor sits in comparison to the tailgate now. The body drop definitely decreases the amount of available cargo area in the bed.
Since we're not actually body-dropping our truck yet, we'll make 5-1/2-inch-long bed spacers out of 2x2-inch square tubing and install them using 180mm M12 bolts to space up the mounts on the frame and compensate for the difference in height between the bed and the cab.
6.We began by removing the...
6.We began by removing the tie rod from the spindle, using a 15mm socket.
7.This cleared up some room,...
7.This cleared up some room, so we could remove the hub from the spindle. There are a few 15mm bolts back here, too. The brake caliper was also removed at that time.
8.We didn't get a great photo...
8.We didn't get a great photo of removing the spindle, but here's what it looked like afterward. It's not a lot of fun to take off these spindles, but we found that a little massaging with a 5-pound sledgehammer and positioning the ball joint vertically helps a lot.
9.Here's the front airbag...
9.Here's the front airbag cup kit from KP Components, along with the Slam Specialties airbag. KPC can send you a cup for any size you want, and we ordered a set that will put our truck on the ground on 22s with a spindle, while still maintaining maximum suspension travel.
10.The KPC cups have 3 holes...
10.The KPC cups have 3 holes on the bottom cup, to accommodate for different brands of airbags. Since we're using the Slam Specialties 'bags, we could use all three holes, but we decided just to use the outer two.
11.The upper cups bolt in...
11.The upper cups bolt in the same way. It's kind of hard to access the bolts, but we used a socket with a swivel on it and an extension to get the bolts in there good and tight.