The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The HiPo Shop New dropped axle

Just got my 3" dropped axle from Sid installed. I'm totally stoked as to how this truck rides, steers, and handles. I've had 2 MII front ends and I think this is as good or better than either one of them, and at about 1/3 the cost. Seriously.

I've captioned the photos on this link, hopefully it will be helpful to someone:

http://community.webshots.com/album/562048090uoVuBn

Lookin good!!!! Glad to hear how well it handles etc. I'm still thinkin that I don't need ps. Thanks for sharing!

Waldo,
How come the drag link had to be modified/shortened

JJ and 4

JJ and 4;
Ordinarily it wouldn't but I moved my steering box forward to give me a little more room in the cab.

Waldo,

Excellent reason.

Nice work. Like the ride height!

Looks good...just to be clear, did you do a mono springs and dropped axel? I just had Sid quote me a 3" for my 55 3/4 ton yesterday.

Thanks,

Keith

Keith, I was running monos with the stock axle before the swap but I didn't like the harsh ride and short spring travel. With the dropped axle I went back to my stock springs (minus 3 leafs).
The ride is nice and soft with plenty of spring travel and no bottoming. I forgot to mention in the photo shoot that I'm using a pair stock application gas shocks from Kragen's.

I'm keeping the mono's in case I want to experiment with an even lower ride height.

thanks for the clarification Waldo. It's what I'm doing on my second series and I'm glad you're happy with it.

Keith

Waldo, have you tried flipping the top spring over to get a "reversed eye"? That should get you another easy inch of drop for free.

Dave

Cool new stance, Waldo!

Dave, honestly I never thought of that. Sounds like it should work. I may just give that a try.

would that work? surely fitted upside down it would just push the spring the wrong way?
i.e no spring?

RUSTHATER,

I was thinking that also , so I am glad you asked. Dave have any photos of that?

Dave

Reversing the eye is an old school way to lower a leaf spring car or truck. The way I've seen it done is to reverse the arch on the spring using a press and spendng a couple hours reversing the arch a little at a time.

Could a spring shop de-arch a main leaf so it could be flipped upside down? Thus ending up with the reversed eye main leaf?

Absolutely. It's old school, people have been doing it for years. Check the H.A.M.B. website for a pictorial lesson on how you can do it yourself.

Dave

Try this link...

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=90824


Dave

or get a reversed eye main from the spring shop... probably less labor and safer.

Dave - thanks for that link to H.A.M.B., looks like that should work.

What about shortened shackles? Someone mentioned that somewhere. Can you just redrill your stock shackle plates, and how low can you go before problems develop???

Out of curiosity are you running 15" or 16" wheels? Could the same effect be used with either?
Thanks

An easy way to get shortened shackles on the rear is to just replace them with a pair from the front. You could redrill them also, shortening them up to the point of interference to the bolt that holds them together.

The holes in the shackle plates are tapered and therfore not as easy to re drill as one might think.

Why would they be tapered?

The threaded pins are tapered on the ends.

Yes, they are tapered. They only go on one way. Ya' know, shortened shackles would be a good aftermarket product for some enterprising machinist to make and sell.

Davealden,

First off welcome to the site and secondly thanks for the information.

Dave

You're right....I just looked at some NIB shackles tonite...they are indeed tapered. I learn something new everyday. Hopefully.

Dave

Thanks, Dave!

Nice truck.Good color,stance and oh yeah, the hubcaps.

are you running the stock steering box?

Was just curious...what is the new ride height with the stock springs minus 3 leafs....say from the bottom of the front bumper to the pavement and what is your tire/rim size? Thanks in advance.

Dave

Yes, stock steering box but relocated per the pictures.

Wheels are 6-lug 15". Tires are P215/75R-15

Pavement to bottom of bumper is 8 1/4"
Pavement to front fender well opening is 25"

I can easily go another 2" lower in front by putting
my de-arched mono-leafs back on but am happy with the
ride and the look for now.

I haven't tried that mainly because I haven't got the dropped axle yet- I have a 3/4 ton and an extra 1/2 ton axle. Sid had 1/2 tons but no 3/4 tons-He gave me a king pin to king pin measurement. It was 1-1/2" shorter than what I have. Possibly it shunk when he dropped it don't know but I'm up in the air. May send him mine to be sure. The subject comes up here often..an there are varying opinions but many swear the axles(1/2 and 3/4) are the same.

Thanks for tyhe info-


Keith