When it comes to building custom trucks, most people think about buying something with a bed rather than four doors and a trunk. But when those people start having families, buying an SUV starts looking pretty good. The problem comes when they decide to customize it just a little bit but don’t want to go full bore and start cutting up the floor and notching the frame. What do you do then?
| Before
The answer comes with installing a simple lowering kit and nice wheels. This drops the SUV down to a more respectable height, but it doesn’t require notching the frame or cutting out the fenderwells. The result is a truly drivable vehicle that can still carry whatever you want without sacrificing ride quality in the process. For this truck, the owner knew that down the road he wanted to go big, but for now, he just wanted a basic drop to haul the family around town. He made a trip down to Grunion Fabrication in Phoenix, Arizona, and ordered a 2/4 McGaughy’s lowering kit with spindles, hangers and shackles. In just a few hours, the truck was sitting low and riding nice. Even the wife was happy with the new look. If your family hauler is in need of a new stance, check out the install and get the know-how.
| After
From The Driver Seat
With the small amount of money that was put into this project, the owner is very pleased with the outcome. He traded some used stereo equipment for the 22-inch Cruiser Alloy wheels with Nexen 265/35R22 tires, and since he needed the spindles anyways, the price of the kit wasn’t too bad. The result is a truck that drives just like stock, and that’s not a big surprise. In fact, there’s absolutely no sacrifice to ride quality or comfort, and drivability stayed the same as well. The end result is a SUV that’s as functional as it is cool, which makes it the perfect family cruiser.
| 16. The final step was to remove the factory bumpstop from the frame.
Your Questions Answered
Time Spent Working:
8 Hours
Degree of Difficulty:
Shadetree Mechanic
Tools Needed: Assorted standard wrenches, assorted standard sockets, pick tool, ratchet, caliper hook, sledgehammer, plasma cutter, air hammer, die grinder.
Parts Used:
McGaughy's 2/4 drop kit
$367.22
Total:
$367.22
(price does not include tax, shipping, or installation)
| After a quick alignment and a week of settling time, the suspension was perfect. There were no issues with rubbing tires on our low-pro 22s, and it looks sportier to boot.
