The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The HiPo Shop The "proper" way to remove leafs for lowering?

In regards to lowering my 52 3/4ton in the front and rear... I have read a bunch of posts on here about removing leaf springs to lower a truck, and there seems to be different ideas on how to do it. I see people say to remove a couple of the bottom leafs, and I've also heard that you should remove every other leaf, as long as you leave the top few, you're OK. Can I please get opinions on how lowering by removing leafs should be done?

By the way, there are I think 9 leafs in each pack for the front and rear. Maybe more for the rear.

If I remove every other and take out about 3-4 leafs (and leave the top 2 alone), how much drop can I expect in the front?

Of course I would prefer to buy a drop axle and/or drop leafs, but I can't swing the $ right now.

Two local spring shop gave me the advise about leaving the two top ones and then removing every other one. The amount it lowers will depend on the strength of the springs and each set will be different. Mine did not lower much more then 1/2" or so, it does ride much better though, and thats what I was after.

joe

That's exactly what I did. Left the top two and removed every other. I think we took out at least 4. How about you?

on my 57 i currently have 3 of the original 6 taken out, all short ones.
in back, before i flipped my rear, i took out 4 of the original 7 leafs out, again all of the shortest ones. it did make the rear of the truck ride much better. since i flipped the rear i put all original 7 leafs back in.
up front, with me running only 3 of the 6, it is a little "soft", and will bottom out when a good size bump is hit.

from my experience, when i was first lowering my truck, the first leaf taken out only lowered it the thickness of the leaf, and after that, each additional leaf taken out lowered it the thickness of that leaf and then the truck started to "sag" from the weaker leaf pack.

i ran my truck for more than 2 years with 2 out of the 6 up front, with a 3" dropped axle, and 4 of the 7 leafs puled from the back. a
nd for about 8 months now i have been running the flipped rear with all 7 leafs back in and only 3 of the 6 up front.
hope this info helps you.
its kind of just trial and error. pull some leafs, bolt it all up, put the truck on the ground, look at where it sets. if you want it lower, pull another leaf, repeat.

oh yea, i also run nitrogen gas shocks. they really make a difference.

leonard

RAT, where did you get the shocks and how much were they? Got a part number?

Your '52 will heavier then mine in front so I can see how it would might get too soft. Mine weighs 3200 total and 1675 of that is on the front. Joe

Hmm... I really need someone that has a 3600 to let me know what kind of shocks they run. I've looked around but keep reading mixed reviews. I don't want to put the "stock" style shock back on because since it was lowered by removing leafs, then that's just that much less travel I'll have on the shock and put unneeded stress on the factory style shocks.

I also am looking to lower my 3/4 ton. Whats better, the dropped axle or the lowering leaf springs?

Rat Rod King, about how many inches did your rear end lower with the flip kit?

Thanks

Problem with drop axle amd stock springs, or even flipped springs, it still going to ride like a 3/4 ton truck!

Joe

hello. i got my shocks from CPP. here is the link.
http://www.classicperform.com/Store/1947_59_Trucks/CPP-Nitrogen-Gas-Shocks.htm

they are the length i needed in the rear because of my drop.

here are my fronts.
http://www.classicperform.com/Store/1947_59_Trucks/DT4809G.htm

you will have to figure out what your collapsed and extended range of the front and rear shocks are for your truck, and what ends you have, ( my ends are both eye ends ) and here is a link for doetsch tech shocks that you can get from CPP or summit.

http://www.shocksandsuspension.com/content.asp?id=1

right around 50 bucks each

leonard

the rear flip, with all 7 original leafs in the pack, dropped my rear around 7". you can look at my photo album and see what it lokked like when i first bought it, the where it is now. that is all with just a flip of the rear. i only have about 1" of travel before it bottoms out on the frame, but it aint that bad.

up front if you remove leafs, or get mono or dropped leafs, you are limited. thats why i went with pulling 3 leafs AND a dropped axle... i wanted low...

leonard

If I remember correctly, I removed three leaves from my 3600 & used late model half ton shocks.

Here are some before and after shots. The drop wasn't drastic but put it where I wanted it.

I have a question about lowering the front of my 40. I was going to get a dropped axle, with a 3 or 4 inch drop, but might have to wait until next year for that. SO I was thinking in the meantime of removing a couple of leaves from the front.

On a stock 40 suspension, does it work the same way? Should I leave the first two and then remove every other leaf? I don't know how many there off the top of my head.

I have a modern rear, so I can use lowering block for the rear.

I just want the front a couple inches lower. I've lowered plenty of old cars by cutting coils, but this is the first vehicle I've had with leafs in the front, so I'm not sure the best way to go about it. Also, I still have the stock lever shocks, if that makes a difference.

You got the right idea, buts its going to be trial and error. Each set of leafs are different along with the weight on them, so pull a few and see how it sets. You can new 1 3/4" u-bolts from any trailer shop along with center pin bolts. I have used allen head bolts for center bolts before in a pinch.

Be aware the steering wheel will be pulled off center slightly as you lower the front. I had a 3/4" steel rod threaded for left and right threads, then added tie-rod ends to it for a adjustable drag link. This let me center the steering box so it drives normal and steers correctly.

Joe