So the idea with Sluggo was simply to avoid an unsavory road scene rather than join the SCCA for parking lot-pylon-purging. Upgraded suspension, brakes, and wheels are like money in the mattress. Screw up and the good stuff you’re riding on could easily save your unworthy bacon. And whatever you put beneath the hood, you gotta counter with even firmer footing. At least that’s how I approached Sluggo-dude.
The motor makes nearly 500ft-lb of torque at the wheels and in a pick-up truck quickly illuminates the importance of an advantageous front-to-rear weight bias—something quite impossible for a vehicle with an empty bed and front/rear numbers of 57/43.
To compound the inherited traits, the supercharger system adds a minimum of 80 pounds right over the front wheels. Hmmm, pretty soon you’ll be drifting the bitch more than driving it. ow How quickly I learned to approach the throttle with caution in the wet or risk swapping ends right now. Part of this condition is endemic to vehicles that are light in the ass, and part of it is man-made.
CHASSIS
Lowering a vehicle brings its center of gravity closer to the ground. The lower the engine mass in the chassis, the better the car or truck will drive and handle—to a point. Most people slam their rides for aesthetics because stuff just looks cooler when the wheel arches and the top of the tire are closer together. A lunatic like me wants sleek looks, but those looks must have purpose. If the lowering job stunts performance in any way, then it shouldn’t happen at all. If the lowered body improves appearance and makes the whole function better, then who could argue with that?
The Silverado had to ride “smooth” and it had to handle with a big bite. Since the modular approach is often the most efficient and easiest way to do this (everything you need in one big box), we looked to Hotchkis Performance for its Total Vehicle System. The TVS includes specific front coil and rear leaf springs, front and rear anti-sway bars, and Bilstein dampers, all of it designed to work as a package. The 2/4-inch drop spoke to me. The larger anti-roll bars spoke to me. The idea yelled at me.
Tires and Rims: To hold unsprung weight to a minimum, I wanted to match the mass of the new rim and tire to that of the original combination. The OE 16x7 aluminum rim and Uniroyal 255/70SR tire came in at 57.0 pounds (30.1inch diameter). I searched the web, browsed forums, and finally landed on an 18x9.5 Weld Evo Axis 6 wheel (27 pounds) and 28.5–inch tall Goodyear F1 GS 295/45ZR tire (31 pounds), a combination that came within 16 ounces of the original roller.
