How to Lower an S-10 Truck
While a Chevy S10 truck is technically considered a mid-sized vehicle, it can be customized with a lowering kit. Lowering a Chevy S10 is one of the first, and most simple, customizations an owner can perform on the truck. Other customizations that truck enthusiasts enjoy making include new rims, taillights and windshield wipers. These modifications, along with lowering the body of the truck, are just some of the ways that truck owners make their Chevy S10s express their style and preferences. Lowering a truck is typically done for aesthetic, rather than performance, purposes. With a few materials, a few hundred dollars and a few hours, you can lower your S10 truck.
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Things You'll Need
- Jack and jack stands
- Ratchet and socket wrench set
- Impact gun
- Sledge hammer
- Flat head screwdriver
- 2-inch lowering springs pack kit
- 3-inch lowering blocks
Instructions
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1
Raise the truck off the ground with an auto jack. Support the truck while it is raised in the air with jack stands so that it is stable. Use a ratchet and socket wrench set to remove the wheels and tires from the truck.
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2
Locate the shocks which are situated on either side of the truck's rear axle slightly inside of each wheel assembly. Use an impact gun to remove the truck's rear shocks. Use a socket wrench to loosen the U-bolts holding the truck's rear spring plates in place. Remove the leaf springs which are located just in front of each rear wheel by using a socket wrench from both the front and rear perches. Discard both the used shocks and springs as they cannot be re-used with the new, lower assembly in place. Set all bolts aside for use in next step.
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3
Attach the new 2-inch lowering springs to the rear wheel assembly in the exact spot which you just removed the old springs from with existing bolts and a socket wrench set. Take care when assembling the driver's side rear spring plate as it is located close to the fuel tank and may require you to rock the rear axle back and forth gently but firmly to complete the task. Re-assemble the rear suspension by attaching the new U-bolts included with the 2-inch lowering spring pack kit to the stock lower spring plates.
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4
Fit your new rims to your tires and place the new wheels onto your rear axle assembly, over the rotors on each side of the truck. Use an air gun again to bolt the new wheels with smaller rims and lower tire walls to the wheel assembly frame so that the new wheels fit your lowered truck.
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5
Remove the front wheels and tires as described for the rear wheels in step 1. Locate the cotter pins in the castle nuts that hold the steering rod ends to the front spindles and remove the cotter pins. Use an impact gun to remove the castle nuts. Use a sledge hammer to tap the tie rod ends until they become free of the spindles.
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6
Locate the brake calipers situated on the outer part of the brake pads on the front wheel assembly and use a socket wrench to unscrew the allen head bolts holding the brake calipers on each wheel. Remove wheel dust caps from front, outward facing side of each rotor with a flat head screwdriver. Use a socket wrench to unbolt and remove the front sway bar endlinks from the lower control arms which are located behind the rotors and to the outside of each spring coil.
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7
Remove all cotter pins from front the top, bottom and sides of the sway bar endlinks and loosen front spindle bolts. Use a sledge hammer to gently tap the ball joints free from the front spindle. Remove the shocks with an air ratchet from your ratchet set. If you have trouble locating any of the cotter pins, refer to the detailed pictures in Reference 1 of this article as a visual guide to show you exactly where they are located on the front wheel assembly.
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8
Remove the coil springs and install the new, shorter ones to lower the front suspension so that it matches the lowered rear suspension. Install the new coil springs into the spring pockets and reassemble the front suspension, including new front tires. Remove jack stands and lower the truck off the jacks.
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References
Resources
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