The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Driveline Lowering my 50 GMC 3100

I would like to lower the rear of my 1950 GMC 3100 1/2 ton pickup. Has anyone done this ( by removing spring leafs) and if so which leafs can be removed to successfully lower the truck . I have removed the smaller leaf which only lowered the truck a 1/2 inch. I would like the truck another 1” lower.
Thanks

That would probably depend on how many leaves are in the spring pack to start with. I removed leaves from my 1 ton when I got it but it started out with 16 leaves including the helpers. I ended up removing 8 leaves as I have no intention of hauling loads. You probably can remove every other leave but your not going to lower a whole bunch. John

I'd just add one comment...it is important for your front and rear axles to be in the same orientation as they were originally designed to be so the caster angle of your front end remains correct. You can, of course adjust this angle later, but I've had many friends who've altered the rear end only to learn it either made their steering unstable and prone to wander or more stable but much harder to steer. That caster angle ought to be somewhere between 2 and 3 degrees positive unless you have added power steering.

Removing leaves does not have near the effect on unloaded ride height that you might think. That does not do much to change the static load capacity of the spring. It does lower by about the thickness of the leaf plus maybe a little more. The difference is much more noticeable when you do add a load because the spring stiffness or rate is altered by removing leaves.

Great point about keeping a eye on the caster angle.

In 1953, a 1/2 ton truck which came with a side mount spare tire came with a lowering block on the passenger side between the spring stack and the axle. This lowers the truck on the passenger side to match the sag on the driver side due to the weight of the spare tire.
You can lower your truck in the same manner by fabricating and installing simple blocks between the springs and the axle on both sides.

Rmcea...I had custom 3" lowering blocks made for my '50 3100 Chevy. I decided not to use them instead I installed Posies 3" drop leaf springs. If you are interested in how the blocks were made send me a pm.