Belltech Coilover Upgrade Transforms This 1997 Chevy C1500 Front End

Chris Hamilton . April 08, 2026 . Tech .

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Finishing the Front End

Part two of our Belltech suspension install on this cherry ’97 Chevy C1500 dives straight into the front end. With the bed off and the rear end dialed in from part one, it was time to tackle the nose of this OBS legend. We ditched the factory front suspension and bolted in Belltech’s new coilover setup, which is their first-ever front coilover kit for ’88–’98 Chevy trucks. This is huge news for sport truck fans who remember the golden era.

Just like the rear, everything up front is engineered to perform. The coilovers offer adjustability, precision, and a tight stance. We also added Belltech’s beefy front sway bar to keep this rig flat and confident in the corners. With the suspension fully updated from front to back, it was finally time to mount up our rollers.

We went with 20-inch Billet Specialties TEC 5 wheels, 8.5 inches wide up front and 10s in the back, and wrapped them in Atturo AZ850 ultra-high-performance tires. These things grip like crazy and handle just as good as they look. The offset is dead-on for this body style, and the polished finish makes the whole build pop.

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After everything was torqued down and double-checked, we dropped the OBS to the ground and took it for its first shakedown. And let us tell you, this isn’t the same truck. The ride is smooth, tight, and responsive. Body roll is gone, bumps are soaked up with confidence, and it carves through turns like a street machine. Belltech knocked it out of the park with this new system, and if you’re looking to transform your C1500 into a true performer, this is a great option for your truck.

Let’s jump into the install and get this truck back on the road!