My truck has single leaf front springs. Seems a bit unusual. It handles OK and rides pretty well but I wondering if I should give some thought to springs with more leafs. Any thoughts?
1956 3100 three speed 6 cyl. Stock with a few upgrades.
I remember seeing single leaf front spring being offered years ago as a solution to lowering the front end of a truck.
'57 GMC 102, Original 347 V8, HydraMatic, 3.08 rear gear, added A/C, disk front brakes, HEI, AFB carb, '98 Honda Black Currant paint. T-boned and totaled 10/12 '52 GMC 152 Stake Bed, Original 228, SM420, added A/C, HEI, disk front brakes, '67 Chev 3.55 rear gear. Gets used as a real truck.
Has the height of your truck been altered, Mickey? Monoleaf springs are common and they can be made in original height or lowered. I have been told by a friend who worked at a spring shop that during braking the caster angle will be altered (made more negative) but I've never owned any monoleaf springs so I can't say for certain about this thought. With the stock 8 leaf springs I doubt the caster angle will change very much.
~ Jon 1952 1/2 ton with 1959 235 | T5 with 3.07 rear end
MickyP, you might not think your truck has been lowered but it looks a little low to me. Maybe it's the angle or that it isn't sitting on smooth concrete. The distance between the ground and the bottom of the door sill/running board should be about 13".
Looking at period pictures of '56 3100s, I think the front fenders and running boards should be just at or slightly above the center of the hubcaps.
According to the factory specs, the '56 3100 "platform height" is 27.82" unloaded and 25.95" loaded. No definition for platform height is given but I think it's from the ground to the top of the frame.
1950 Chevrolet 3100 (Ol' Roy)
1939 Packard Standard Eight Coupe (The Phantom) | 1956 Cadillac Coupe de Ville (The Bismarck) | 1964 Ford Galaxie 500 coupe |1966 Ford Mustang (Little Red) | 1969 Pontiac GTO (The Dishpit) I 1979 Ford F-100 | 1976 Ford F-150 (Big Red) | 1995 Ford F-150 (Newt)
Thanks Otto. I went out and measured from the bottom of the door to the concrete floor and it's exactly 12". Center line of the running board to centerline of the hubcap both 13". Dropping to the bottom of the running board would be about 12" .
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Last edited by MickeyP; 11/24/20258:57 PM.
1956 3100 three speed 6 cyl. Stock with a few upgrades.
That sounds pretty normal so probably not lowered. Maybe it's just sagged slightly in 70 years.
1950 Chevrolet 3100 (Ol' Roy)
1939 Packard Standard Eight Coupe (The Phantom) | 1956 Cadillac Coupe de Ville (The Bismarck) | 1964 Ford Galaxie 500 coupe |1966 Ford Mustang (Little Red) | 1969 Pontiac GTO (The Dishpit) I 1979 Ford F-100 | 1976 Ford F-150 (Big Red) | 1995 Ford F-150 (Newt)
I don't believe you can or should ADD leafs to your current mono leaf spring. If you want to add leafs you'd need to replace the mono with a new spring pack...
Mike B
Mike Boteler
1956 Chevy 3100 Resto Rod 1952 Willys M38 Army Jeep 1983 Jeep CJ7 Laredo 1984 Jeep CJ7 +++++ Silver Spring, MD
