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Performance Mode | GMT400 RideTech Suspension and Pro Performance Brakes

Switch Suspension, Ridetech and Pro Performance team up to turn a C/K into a slot car.

Written by Kevin Whipps, Photos by Switch Suspension

Lifted trucks are cool, and slammed trucks are sweet, but have you ever taken a truck built for the corners through an autocross course? If not, then you haven’t lived. It’s one of the more fun ways to spend an afternoon, and if it’s on your daily driver, it’s even better. Just think about how much fun it would be to canyon carve in a pickup. It’s a blast. 

But how do you get it that way? With the right setup, of course. And when Switch Suspension had a customer come in with an 88-98 Silverado that wanted it, they called up the specialists: Ridetech. Yes, they make airbag kits. But they’ve also been building performance lowering kits for years now, and the trucks that sport their parts prove themselves on the track all the time. 

But the suspension is just part of the equation. Speed kills, as they say, and without a good set of brakes, you’ll put that C/K into a wall. Fortunately, Pro Performance makes a set of 14- and 13-inch big brakes that bring older trucks into the modern era. By the time the whole thing was done, the truck was able to take an obstacle course with no problems at all. 

Here’s the truck when we started out: A super clean C/K standard cab that needed some extra performance.
RideTech’s New Suspension System for GMT400 Trucks re-engineers the design, rides and performs like a high-end sport truck.
After getting the truck up onto the lift and pulling the wheels, we get a first look at the stock suspension. It certainly leaves something to be desired.
Factory Set-up
First thing up is to disconnect the tie rod ends from the spindle. Once the cotter pin is removed, an impact wrench makes easy work of the castle nut.
The brake caliper and shock comes next and is unbolted first at the bottom
The caliper was unbolted and hung off the frame, then the bearings and spindle nut removed so the rotor could be set to the side.
Once the top of the shock is unbolted and pulled out the bottom of the lower control arm.
With the bolts at the top and bottom of the knuckle removed, it was time to take out the coil. A jack holds the lower control arm steady so the coil can come out smoothly.
Coil Removal
The McGaughy’s spindle is designed to handle a stock caliper, but to fit the bigger rotors, modifications have to be made.
With the help of a jack, the new lowered coil spring is ready for install. Between these and the spindles, the front end will go down around four inches.
Now the newly modified spindle is installed with the appropriate castle nuts and cotter pins. The RideTech shocks are installed at this point, too.
Before the new hub is installed, the caliper bracket has to be torqued down to specs.
Here’s the new hub on the spindle. This allows you to just slide on the new rotors, which makes taking them on and off a ton easier.
Once the rotor was put in place, the new caliper and pads were installed and torqued down properly.
Stay tuned to next issue for part two of this step-by-step tech as we knock out the back and do some testing on the street!

Source:
Switch Suspension
2340 W. Broadway Rd #105
Mesa, Az 85202
800-928-1984
Switchsuspension.com

Pro Performance
7931 E. Pecos Rd., Suite 174
Mesa, Arizona 85212
480-420-8175
Azproperformance.com

Ridetech
350 S. St. Charles St
Jasper, Indiana, 47546
Ridetech.com

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