Front Diff Drop Cradle ?

[jdmser]

I'm no suspension guru so be kind. I've been looking at other kits that drop the front diff and can't seem to see the problem with making one for the GM360. So far as I can see the major hurdle seems to be getting someone to make a custom steering knuckle/spindle. Why not make drop brackets for the UCA as well as the LCA? Then run the intermediate shaft under the oil pan in some dom welded to 1/4 mounting plates for the diff and disco. Can someone point out what I'm missing here? And I thought someone was having a go at this but, I can't seem to find anything about it now.

[v7guy]

The biggest issue is how tall do you wanna make it. You have to go below the factory subframe to make it work. That means a mighty tall ride height. If you're ok with that, build a way!

If your only goal is to just go sky high and put 42s on it, drop the diff below the subframe, drop the a arms straight down and use all stock parts and change wheel bearings every 6 months. Would be relatively simple and straightforward.

[Trail X]

You'd have to drop the whole subframe if you don't want to drop below it. Which isn't insurmountable, but it'd be a pain in the ass. A drop bracket for the UCA wouldn't be easy to design as a bolt on thing at all. It all snowballs until you decide you just want to go Jason's route and throw it all away and start over from scratch.

[jdmser]

Because the half shafts would hit the subframe?

[v7guy]

If you dip the diff anywhere from 2-8 inches (I believe it was), the CV has to go through the subframe.

Go take 5 minutes and look under the vehicle and you'll see what we're talking about.

Then when you consider putting big ole wheels and tires on it and the wear and tear on the stock parts and depending on tire size their complete inability to have any longevity... well, it all kinda snowballs from there.

I do think there might be some merit to lengthening the upper and lower A arms to get some more travel. But that's it's own bag of worms.