The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Driveline Rear end swap- leaf spring question

I am going to put a '55 rear end in my '53 and use the original '53 leaf springs. Since the center of the leafs or offset forward of center line of the wheel wells do I turn the leafs around to get them more towards center or do I make a plate to atatch to the perches to make up for the offset.
Any one with experiance or ideas would be appreciated..photos even better!
Thanks Chris

I know I have seen something about this on here before...tried the search without any luck. Anybody flipped the springs 180? Anybody??

I don't think swapping the springs will work. I usually weld a extension on the front of the perch with the locating hole in that.
The original rear end mounting is about 1 1/2" back from the spring center bolt. Because the tires and wheels look like they are set too far forward in the wheel opening originally I set the rear end back a little farther, about 2". The e'brake cables limit you from moving it back any more.

I am not to sure what you guys mean. We have all run into stuff like this and have answers but I don't have AD, I have TF. Are you using 55.1 or 55.2 rear. I'm sure you know that 55 was transition year from closed to open drive shaft. I guess I just don't know what this means "Since the center of the leafs or offset forward of center line of the wheel wells"??????????????? It does not matter where the center of the leafs are or where the wheel wells are, put the new axle tube in the same place as old axle tube and adapt spring mounting to it. Then no troubles with drive shaft length, axle to spring geometry, ebrake cables or anything else. Just curious: why changing from 53 to 55, would not another 53 be easier? Old one is broken, new one is free?

Up to 1954 has inclosed torque tube drive shaft. 1955 and later is open.
The way the axle is mounted to the springs on a closed torque tube set up puts the axle center line about 1 1/2" behind the spring center bolt. This means that when converting to an open drive rear end you can not set the spring perch, with the pilot hole in the center, right down on the spring center bolt. If you did the rear end would be about 1 1/2" ahead of where you want it.
Clear as mud I presume.

Very well said Dave and thanks for the reply.
I will probably do what you have done or drll new hole forward of the existing hole of the new perch.
Chris

53 panel , I made a plate up from some 10mm scrap I had , with a stud for locating the diff and a hole for the spring peg , desired set back , about 1 1/2" I think. I have a '55 rear under my '40. Same issue .

Dusty's option is not bad.
If you mount the spring pad directly to the spring it will actually raise the truck as originally their is space between the tube and spring. By using a plate between the pad and spring it will help keep the correct ride height.

I gotta see a pic. I think I am following the extension part to pic up the spring hole. I don't get how you make the Ubolts work. But I don't have to know that, you guys have helped him. I am a hanger-on without a cause. Just curious and love to solve mechanical issues. 10mm is 3/8 thick plate. I will study the AD rear ends as I get a chance on the interweb.

I've done a 1/4" plate with a short allen head cap screw tapped in to place at the right offset. I think I prebent the plate slightly too. It's been a while.

If I'm not mistaken, weren't the 54 1st series open driveline?

The '54s were still closed, but the '55 1st, which more or less a carryover '54 otherwise, is open drive.

OK I get the drilling a new hole forward on the saddles or adding an extension with a hole.
So I reckon I have to do the same on the lower plate that goes under the spring that the U bolts attach to, correct??
Chris

The lower plates are two piece.
The shock mount will be right under the center bolt so you will need to drill a hole in the center of it to fit around the bolt and nut.

So are you saying that I have to make some thing like the original setup with u bolts over that and the springs??? I was thinking that I would be using U bolts over the axle attatched to some kind of plate on the bottom of spring.?

You do need to use U bolts over the axle but you can use the stock plates under the springs if you have them. It is just that the shock mount plate will need to be drilled to fit over the spring center bolt. It does not even need to be drilled clear through, just enough to fit down over the nut.

Sorry to dredge up this thread, but does anyone who has done this swap have any photos they could share?

http://i629.photobucket.com/albums/uu14/kurtdh519/4-12-12016.jpg .....heres a pic of my s-10 rearswap I did on my 46 1/2 ton ive done alot of these,....ill steer you in the right direction, first off use the original springs, you'll save alot of headaches get yourself a set of s-10 bottom plates to put the u bolts thru (they have the bottom shock mounts built in) and you'll probably have to get a set of spring perches to weld on.....depending on what size width spring you have either 1 3/4" or 2 1/2" (SEE PIC)