The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Lowering leaf springs

I have considered using eaton detroit rod ride springs how good are they and what about posies dual flex or mono leafs what is the best way to help the ride of my 48 chevy straight axle truck. I wish someon would make a bolt in front suspension crossmember that uses G-body suspension components as I do not wish to use the s-10 frame or mustang 2 suspension route. Thanks for your time any help will be appreciated.

"I do not wish to use the s-10 frame or mustang 2 suspension route."
Why not? Do you just want a straight axle?

I really don't like the mustang 2 because the idea of having a light weight junk car suspension under my truck seems unappealing to me. Plus I have seen cracks in a arms and all kinds of suspension and rack problems from trucks of my type with the mustang 2. The s-10 frame would be a great choice but I believe a better ride can be had. Full tilt street rods offers a corvette suspension but the price is out of my budget and then agin the suspeion is made for a lite weight sports car. I like the choice of the suspension from a G-body GM car (Monte Carlo, Cutlass, Malibu, etc.) these were heavy cars and rode really well. I also belive that the mustang 2 is old school technology and if we want to continue to enjoy the hobby we love we must force manufacturers to develope new products for our vehicles.

i have a pacer ifs in my 54 and if i had it to do over i would use one of the bolt in mustang II suspensions. the pacer is made for a heavy v/8 and i have have had it for more than 20 years but rides hard. the mII offered now have been completely reengineered and safer and better than rebuilding a junkyard part. ron

48 chevy truck dude,

I think you need to do some research about after market front suspensions. They are not junk, for the most part they are well made. FYI, a corvette is just as heavy as a 1/2 ton AD.

I have spent years doing research and have driven many trucks witht he following suspensions corvette, camaro, mustang 2, and 73-87 fornt suspension conversions as well as s-10 frame conversions. As far as all aftermarket suspensions being junk maybe not so (I was probably a little hasty) but several of the affordable aftermarket mustang 2 components have had short life expectancies. I have seen cracks in a arms, rack problems, tie rod end failures all within the first 30,000 miles. I have spent years researching the right way for me to do my truck. I continue to hope that the aftermarket will soon offer new suspension options for my truck the mustang 2 has become boring and dated. I want to move into the new age.

Well to answer your original question: "what is the best way to help the ride of my 48 Chevy straight axle truck".....several of the guys here (including myself) have taken a do-it-yourself approach to lowering and improving the ride of our straight axle trucks. I removed 3 of the original leafs (1,3,and 5 - 1 being the shortest leaf), ground all the ridges from years of use smooth, painted them and added poly liners between the remaining leafs. Lowered my truck about 1 1/2" and REALLY improved the ride. I've had IFS suspensions under old trucks before, and this is just as good, if not better.

This is just my opinion.I used a TCI frontend in my 55 and it has worked out very well. I realize that I could have went the junkyard route and did it up with a true M11,or Camaro frontend.However by the time you buy the used frontend then go thru it and rebuild it,cause its gonna be worn,you are not gonna save that much money.At the time I did my conversion,a friend of mine was a TCI dealer.I got the whole package including tubular A arms and power rack and pinion steering for $1600 cash.NO fuss no muss and she rides and handles just great.

When I bought my '47 1/2 ton it was lowered with mono-leafs in the rear. But the fronts still had what looked like the original front springs and I have been trying to figure out how the front was lowered.I was looking at a packet of receipts recently that came with the truck and found one for a Eaton Spring Rod Ride 3" drop. The truck feels like the whole bottom is going to fall off when I go over bumps or holes in the road. The truck has the original lever action shocks which I don't think absorb anything (therefore the awful ride over bumps)I plan to replace the shocks with modern tube style which I hope will add some 'shock absorption' to the ride. I am also going to try to contact the p.o. and ask if the Rod Drop is on the truck. (the reason for this is because there were receipts for some other things that are not on the truck)

48 chevy truck dude,
i got a 3 inch dropped front straight axle from Sid here http://droppedaxles.com/

then removed 1 leaf, the smallest, and it rides perfect. soffened it up just right.
in the future i will remove 1-2 more front leafs to drop it more, as waldo has.
it is the easiest, cheapest way to drop, and still have lots of suspension travel.
i believe if you were to go with a mono leaf drop, you will lose lots of suspension travel, and encounter bump steer.

leonard

Just a clarification on RRK's comments. Bump steer does not have anything to do with the method of lowering or raising, for that matter, it has to do with the position of the steering connecting link. If this link becomes shorter or longer as the suspension travels up and down, bump steer will be a problem. For that reason the connecting link should be as close to level as possible with the vehicle at rest. To explain it another way, the pitman arm and the drag link should be at a 90 deg angle to each other when the vehicle is at rest. This way as the suspension compresses and rebounds the arch that the axle end of the drag link is rotating around the neuteral axis of the drag link. Thereby having the least amount of affect on the steering.

If for instance the drag link is lower at the axle than at the pitman arm, when the suspension compresses because of a bump in the road the axle end of the drag link moves up and "become longer" as it travels in an arch. Thus having the affect of steerng the front axle.

thanks for the clarification lonnie.
i should have expalined it in more detail...you explained it very well.

leonard