Hey everyone I'm new to the forum, obviously. I have lurked for a few years but after searching all over to answer a question to no avail I figured it was time to register and ask someone.
I have an 88 extended cab, 4x4 with the 5.0L. bone stock in great shape. only 89K on it. my father bought it in 91' and I purchased it from him several years ago so it has been in our family for majority of its existence.
the issue: The truck very very rarely gets put into four wheel drive. usually just once in a blue moon to pull a camper out of a somewhat steep campsite or when i just feel like pumping some oil around the transfer case. mostly the truck is used to go to the bar on weekends, tow a camper a few times a year, and haul my motorcycles around. basically it is purely a toy. I would really love to lower the old girl. a lot for looks, a bit for the ease of loading my bikes and mostly because I've looked at it the way it is for the passed 22 years and am ready for a change.
what are my options (if any) for lowering such a truck with 4 wheel drive? I'd like something like a 3/5 drop and to keep the 4x4 fully functional. just cause I hardly use it doesn't mean it doesn't come in handy once in awhile.
definitely not trading it for a 2 wheel drive either, the sentimental value on this thing is quite high. love the look of a moderate lift with maybe some 33's but it would be pointless they way I use the truck.
here she is: hopefully this photo post thing works...


thanks for any insight!
-RC

 

I'm sure im wrong but i think the front drop radus arms should work for a 4x4, the rear is the essayist one to do just do an axle flip and notch the frame a bit the front i know 4x4s you can just use the lower springs to get them 1 inch lower. other then that i don't know if the drop brackets would work or not for a 4x4. there's not many people on this forum who has lowered a 4x4 I would buy a 2wd and lower that and keep the 4x4 at stock height.

 

Nice looking truck!

 

thanks for the reply man. so you are thinking that the 2 wheel drive drip arms might be close? getting another truck would probably be the best route. I've just had a bug up my butt about doing some work on the old girl lately so I thought I'd throw some lines out there and see if anything bit. thanks again man. I'll look into the differences between the 2 and 4 radius arms I suppose.

 

I'm guessing with some modification it could work not sure how handy you are with metal at all but if you can weld id imagine you can weld up some plates to make it fit the 4x4 truck. it would look sick lowered though id keep the runners on the side as well when you lower it makes the truck look like its lower to the ground then it really is

 

I'm quite proficient with a welder and metal fab. I just need to something to start with and work off of. So if the 2 wheel drive drop arms
Will be close that is a great start! Yeah I want to leave the running boards on. And just throw some old school white spoke steel wheels on when its low. I want to keep the 80's vibe alive with it. Thanks for the help!

 

Happy to help, if you do go that route please do a build thread i would be very interested to see how well it turns out

 

No you can't drop the front very much, it's a 4x4. There is no such thing as dropped radius arms. There are dropped I-beams, for 2wd. 4wd doesn't use I-beams.

 

Everything I looked up comes back 2WD only. Sorry.

 

lowering these 4wd trucks in the front past springs involve a great amount of creativity and time. You could try to notch the front frame rails but it will defiantly make the frame weaker. So goodluck and post alot of pictures