Big trucks don’t have to roll around like they’re on stilts. Jumpin’ logs and rollin’ with dogs is great for a four-by-four, but if you’re looking for a solid, street cruiser or trophy-trawler that carves corners, Ridetech’s new StreetGrip drop suspension kit may be just what you need.
Designed for two-wheel-drive 2007-2013 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pickup trucks known as the GMT900 platform, Ridetech’s new lowering kit not only drops the altitude for a better-handling ride, but also gives it the attitude to back it up. The complete kit drops the front of the truck up to four inches and the rear six inches to give it that low, ominous stance. There is also an optional front sway bar upgrade to take your truck’s turning to yet another level of performance.
A Kit Approach
Ridetech designs their lowering kits to have a significant effect on a vehicle’s ride height but engineers them to retain all of the suspension geometry to retain (or improve) the vehicle’s handling and ride. Instead of simply shortening springs and shocks to get the front end in the weeds, Ridetech has created a completely new spindle assembly that allows all the factory geometry while dropping the vehicle up to four inches.
Also included in the front-end modification, the front factory springs and shocks are replaced with heavy-duty HQ Series coilover units with a 1,000,001-mile warranty. Both the front and rear shock absorbers feature rebound adjustment so that you can fine-tune valving to suit your driving style.
The kit addresses the rear leaf spring assembly in a very time-tested way, but with an adjustable twist. The rear “flip kit” features adjustable, Delrin-bushed shackles to allow adjusting the rear ride-height between 5.5- and 6.5-inches. The nice thing about the Ridetech leaf spring adjustable shackles is they are bolt-on components and require no cutting of the frame. You will need to remove the bump stop bracket to allow for enough suspension travel.
For those who really want to turn up the dial on their 1500-series Silverado or Sierra, Ridetech also offers their front MuscleBar, which will increase the sway bar rate by 52% and reduce suspension bind with Delrin-lined bushings and performance end links.
The Ridetech StreetGrip suspension lowering kit for the GMT900 series trucks will fit standard, extended, and crew cab two-wheel-drive 1500 configurations. Minimum wheel diameter of 18-inches is recommended to allow for the lower control arm clearance, and like all Ridetech kits, all necessary hardware is included, making the swap a simple bolt-on upgrade.
If you’ve been looking for a way to help your 2007-’13 Silverado or Sierra around corners, the new Ridetech StreetGrip drop kit is just what you need. It’ll not only improve the ride and handling of your pride and joy, but it’ll also give you a stance that’ll stand apart from the competition as you cruise down the highway or show field.