If you're planning on slamming your truck to the terrain, installing a 99-06 silverado c notch is essentially a rite associated with passage. You can't just drop the trunk five or 6 inches and expect the frame to stay out of the way of the particular axle. Without one, you're going to spend your whole commute listening to the sound of metal banging against metal every time you hit the pebble in the road. It's annoying, it's loud, and honestly, it's not exactly great regarding the structural longevity of your GMT800.
The 99-06 Silverado (and Sierra, for that matter) is one of the most popular platforms for custom builds because these trucks are built such as tanks and appearance incredible when they're sitting low. But because of the way the frame is made, there's only therefore much room for your rear axle traveling before it "bottoms out" against the particular factory frame bed rails. If you're going for that aggressive stance, a c-notch is the main way to get your suspension vacation back.
Exactly why You Actually Need a C Notch
When you lower a truck making use of flip kits or even lowering shackles and hangers, you're efficiently moving the axle closer to the frame. On a stock 99-06 Silverado, you've got the decent amount of clearance, but as soon as you go lower compared to a 4-inch drop in the back, that gap goes away fast.
The 99-06 silverado c notch creates a semicircular relief in the particular frame rail directly above the axle. It sounds scary—cutting into your body usually is—but it's an essential modification with regard to a functional reduced truck. By "notching" the frame, a person give the axle an extra several inches of upwards travel. This indicates instead of the particular axle hitting the flat bottom associated with the frame, it tucks up in to the notch. It's the difference between a pickup truck that rides like a brick plus one that in fact feels smooth upon the highway.
Bolt-On vs. Weld-In Options
When you begin shopping for a 99-06 silverado c notch , you'll notice two main styles: bolt-on and weld-in. For most men working in their own driveway, the bolt-on kits are the way to move. These kits are usually made of heavy duty plate steel and are designed to sandwich the framework, providing the reinforcement necessary to make upward for the area you cut out there.
The bolt-on style is usually great because it's DIY-friendly. You don't need to end up being a professional fabricator in order to get it carried out. You just need an excellent drill, a few quality bits, plus the guts to take a found to your truck. On the flip side, weld-in notches in many cases are preferred by the hardcore custom made crowd. If you're planning on bagging the truck or going extremely reduced, a weld-in notch can be combined into the frame intended for a much solution, "factory-custom" look. It's a bit more permanent and requires some serious welded skills to guarantee the frame stays straight and strong.
The "Point of No Return" - Cutting the particular Frame
There's a specific sensation in your gut the particular first time you put a Sawzall or even an angle grinder to your framework rail. It feels wrong, but it's totally right. Many 99-06 silverado c notch sets come with the template, and We cannot stress this enough: use it .
You'll want to support the frame on jack stands (not the axle! ) create sure everything is level. A person mark the region, drill your pilot holes, and then make the cuts. The important thing here is patience. In case you rush it plus cut too much, you're in trouble. If you cut too little, the particular notch won't seat right. Once the particular chunk of frame is gone, a person slide the notch into place. In the event that you're doing a bolt-on kit, this is where you'll spend a great deal of time drilling through the thick frame steel. It's a workout, but as soon as those grade-8 mounting bolts are torqued straight down, that frame is usually actually often stronger in that specific spot than it had been from the stock.
Maintaining Power and Rigidity
A typical concern is usually whether a 99-06 silverado c notch weakens the truck. If you are using the cheap, thin package, then yeah, maybe. But if a person get a high-quality kit from a reputable manufacturer, the particular notch acts as a massive support bridge. These trucks were designed in order to haul and tow, even though you might lose handful of that will maximum payload capacity depending on just how low you move, an adequately installed notch keeps the frame from flexing or even snapping.
Most of these packages use 1/4-inch or even 3/16-inch steel. When you bolt or welds that onto the C-channel frame of the Silverado, you're basically creating a boxed section. Boxed metal is incredibly rigid. So, while you're removing an item of the authentic rail, you're replacing it with a structure that's specifically designed to deal with the load while allowing for that extra axle clearance.
Don't Your investment Lump Stops
As soon as the 99-06 silverado c notch is in, you aren't quite finished. You absolutely need to install low key bump stops. Most kits come with them, but several don't. The lump stop will be your last line of protection. Even with the particular extra room the particular notch provides, there's still a limitation to how high that axle may go before it hits the top of the notch.
A good polyurethane bump stop will catch the axle before it makes hard connection with the metal from the notch. This prevents that jarring "thud" and protects your suspension components through over-extending or compressing too far. It also helps conserve your shocks, that are likely already working overtime if you've dropped the pickup truck significantly.
Trip Quality and the particular "Daily Driver" Factor
One of the best items about adding a 99-06 silverado c notch is usually how it changes the daily driving experience. Before the notch, you're probably white-knuckling the controls each time you notice a bridge expansion joint or the pothole. You understand the hit is arriving, and you understand it's going to be rough.
Following the notch, that anxiety goes aside. The truck can actually use the suspension. It's a common misconception that decreasing a truck always makes it trip like garbage. It's not the decreasing that ruins the ride; it's the particular lack of traveling. By restoring that travel with a notch, you will get back again that smooth, Cadillac-like feel that the GMT800 platform is famous for, even if you're sitting five inches lower compared to stock.
Equipment You'll Requirement for the Job
When you're tackling this in your garage, don't expect in order to finish it with a basic socket set. You're should retain: * A heavy-duty jack and high-capacity jack stands. * An angle mill with plenty associated with cutoff wheels. * A Sawzall (reciprocating saw) with top quality metal blades. * An effective drill (corded is generally better intended for this) and cobalt drill bits. * Basic hand equipment (wrenches, sockets) with regard to the hardware. * A torque wrench to make certain those frame mounting bolts aren't going anyplace. * Safety gear—don't even think about doing this with out eye protection plus gloves. Metal shards in the vision are a quick method to ruin the Saturday.
Last Thoughts on the 99-06 Silverado C Notch
From the end of the day, the 99-06 silverado c notch are the differences between a "hacked" lowering job plus a professional-grade build. It shows that you worry about the method the truck works, not just just how it looks within a parking lot. It's one of those modifications that you don't see from the particular outside, but you certainly feel every solitary time you're behind the wheel.
Whether you're constructing a street truck to cruise on the weekends or even a daily driver that you want to look a bit meaner, the notch is important. It's a bit of work and the little nerve-wracking to cut the body, but once you're cruising down the road without that will dreaded frame-slap, you'll realize it had been the particular best money and time you actually spent on your Silverado. Just take your measurements twice, keep the blades sharp, and revel in the low life.