| 2008 Chevy Silverado Suspension Upgrade right Side Angle
In the world of custom trucks, our watercooler talk typically involves a beer and a napkin with drawings all over it. Bouncing ideas back and forth with words like "I wonder if" and "what if we tried this", more trucks have been built in garages and atop shop lifts because someone thought an idea could be cool. When the crew at HOT Motorsports was talking with truck builder Mike Ungles and truck owner Nica Tirla about his new '08 Chevy Silverado, the idea of 'bagging it the easy way came up and then stuck. What is the easy way to 'bag a truck anyway? Contacting KP Components, front Slam Specialties airbags were ordered with the appropriate mounting buckets, as was the popular rear KP cantilever six-link with Watts link setup. Also on the order list was a weld-in step notch, rear Slam Specialties airbags, and Chris Alston Varishocks. Wanting to ensure the frontend did lay low, a pair of Ground Force 2-inch drop spindles were also to be installed.
With the parts in hand and the truck up on the lift, HOT Motorsports' Brian Doyen and Joe Conduff got crackin' on the suspension and in two days had the Chevy layin' low. This truck was to be driven often, and you may be surprised with the choice for an airbag setup, but with the engineering and reliability in the KP Components parts, the decision to cut it up was a no-brainer. Each part installed on this suspension is available off-the-shelf and besides some required welding, it was mostly a bolt-on affair. Capping off the airbag install, a set of Fesler Built three-piece wheels were added, but not before they were mounted inside Yokohama Parada SpecX tires. Combining stunning good-looks and better traction, the wheel and tire combo was a great addition to the truck. Take a look at just how easy the install was and if you're in need of an airbag system, give KP Components a call.
| 2008 Chevy Silverado Suspension Upgrade kp Components Suspension
From The Driver SeatThe KP kit that was ordered for this '08 Chevy was actually for the '99-'06 Chevys and it wasn't a direct bolt-on kit due to the difference in the frame of the '07+ Silverados. Some of the tabs had to be maneuvered and welded in place, as did some of the endlinks for the four-link bars. These minor setbacks weren't a huge issue as the guys at HOT Motorsports simply busted out the welders. Up front, the Chevy lays low, but out back, the 24-inch wheels tuck hard thanks to the six-link and wheeltubs. For an install that didn't take two weeks to finish, we were pleased with the laying-frame stance and nice ride of the Silverado. The Varishocks are topnotch and it's hard to ignore a kit that can be ordered off-the-shelf. As far as wheels and tires go, the Fesler Built wheels and Yokohama tires were a great choice for style and function.
Your Questions Answered
Time Spent Working: 21 hours
Degree of Difficulty: Intermediate (some welding was required)
Tools Needed:Basic hand tools, welder, plasma cutter, Sawzall, drill and bits
Parts Used:Ground Force 2-inch lowering spindle 6010
$299.00 (price from gcustoms.com)
KP Components cantilever setup
$729.00KP Components Watts link
$459.00KP Components Slam Specialties RE7 airbags (4)
$320.00KP Components front cup mounts
$189.00KP Components step notch kit
$189.00KP Components Viair 480C Compressors (2)
$507.26KP Components Varishock (4)
$736.00Assorted air line fittings and air line
$119.00
Suspension total: $3,248.26 (prices from kplinks.com and do not include tax, shipping, or installation)
Fesler-Built 902 three-piece black wheels 22x9-inch (2)
$2,238Fesler-Built 902 three-piece black wheels 24x10-inch (2)
$2,686Yokohama Parada SpecX tires 285/35R22 (2)
$578Yokohama Parada SpecX tires 295/35R24 (2)
$970
Wheel and tire total: $6,472.00 (prices from Superbuytires.com)
Total: $9,720.26 (price does not include installation)