Technical 1955 chevy PU suspension upgrades that made a HUGE difference

Just had to let anyone out there building or has a 1955-59 PU some of the changes that I made that has my dropped straight axle truck driving way smoother and tighter then ever.

(1) Posies Super Slider Springs (on the truck when I bought it). Lowered it nice but it swayed like a boat on the ocean. You had to hold on tight on the turns.

(2) Rear sway bar kit ($170) An hour and a half install and it changed the sway and tightness. This is a must have.

(3) I always read that you will feel the difference Bilstein shocks will make. Well they made a HUGE difference over the Monroes that were on there. The smoothest ride I ever felt in a truck.

These changes took this truck from a harsh noisy ride to the smoothest straight axle I've been in. Just needed to let others know about products that work / make a difference before you spend your hard earned cash.

 

Cool truck, nice stance (attitude) and super wheels. All good.

 

Good tips and LOVE the truck!

 

could you post a pic of the front spring, when the truck is sitting as it is now? just kind of curious how it all fits in there. Sure sits nice and low.

I wonder if a guy could relocate the spring center bolt, to move the axle forward an inch or two? something about how the wheel fits the fender when it's lowered

 

Yep nice truck, but the wheel base is to short!

 

Nice truck, don't think the front wheel fit looks all that bad, and you're lookin at it from the middle of the truck...glad you improved it where you like it better.
...here's my 55 front wheel shot...let's see yours at a strate shot...(BTW,..mine has a Nova clip, my truck had some goofy independant front susp. cobbled onto the orig. frame, so I saved it this way.) ...glad to know these can be made to be enjoyable with the axle....I gotta get back to work on my 55.

 

Nice truck.Whose sway bar?

 

I bought it from Jim Carter Truck Parts but it seemed everyone had the same one at the same price. One of the best parts I added to this truck. I can take a turn without feeling like I'm gonna slide all the way over to the passenger side.

 

I'll get a pic over the weekend. I think it's just the angle. Always looked good to me.

 

Did you install a front bar also. I have same setup on my 56 f100 except for the shocks. Works well.

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No front sway bar. I'm happy with the rear bar and the shock choice. Not sure if a front bar would be overkill on my setup.
Did you add front bar afterwards or same time as rear?

 

I'm very glad to see this, I have been saying for years that the beam axle front end is not the hopeless mess a lot of guys think it is. They can be restored and improved to work very well especially on smooth roads.

Would be interested in hearing about the results of a front end alignment. For easier more accurate steering you can cut the caster to the minimum but if you do, a steering dampener is a good idea to damp out wobbles. German cars were set up this way for years, at least as far back as the fifties. Mercedes had sharp steering even though their suspension was completely conventional, they did not even have ball joints.

 

I've got a really good question to throw in. How much better is the Chevy steer box compared to the Ford Gemmer box of that age?
Assuming the drag link, tie rod ends, and kingpins aren't sloppy, I've been told the Ford Gemmer box worm gear wears badly in the approx centered position due to the worm having been made from powdered metal back then, F100/F1.
From a guy that built a few '56 F100 trucks, he said the factory sector, Gemmer box, that you would find in a truck that had worked was worn enough that to drive it, you wheeled the truck three miles to make a mile of straight road driving if the road surface wasn't even. Slack from worm wear.
Were the Chevy trucks any better? I remember herding cats in a Chevy too, not to say that the other wear parts weren't well done, gone.
And is there a bump steer shake in the steering wheel because of leaf spring/drag link engineering? A tendency in many rods like my A.

 

I thought this was an original front end

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Great looking truck! Sits just right. I'm a big fan of the traditional build - i.e. not using a clip or an MII set-up. I don't mean to highjack your thread, just maybe add a little more info to it. I had Sid drop my stock axle 3", then took 3 leafs out of each front spring pack (shorter ones), then used Teflon liner between the springs. I went with the front sway bar from Chev's of the 40's, which also made a huge difference in the handling. I've had several MII set-ups and this truck rides and handles as good or better than any of the MII's I had. These are simple, easy, do-it-yourself mods that really work. There are other issues I had to address, such as bump-steer, which are easily corrected. Sid has all the info on this.

Again, nice truck. Hopefully this will inspire others to stay with the old straight axle!

 

Good to know you can add a sway bar to a dropped axle. One of the reasons I went for the rear was because I wasn't sure I could add one up front.

 

Really, if you're adding them, a front sway bar is a priority over a rear one.

Having said that, it's good to see a report on how your modifications have panned out. I hope people take notice.

 

Nice Troka! I have Monroes on my El Camino right now and they are crap. They leak and they are only 2 months old. The Elco had a front and heated springs when I bought it and so far I've installed a rear sway bar and it handles good. My next step is to install all new 2 inch lowering springs and KYB shocks, all of which I have and will install after the 4th of July. Bottom line, a good suspension is important and you get a much better ride.

 

Wasn't sure an "off the shelf" sway bar would work with my other changes so I went with the rear. So yes REALLY I was glad to see it's not a problem.

 

When buying Bilsteins, what size should I get for my 59? Any links to exact ones that will fit? I plan to do sway bar and take out a few leaves. No drop axle just yet. Long live stock suspension!!! [emoji3]


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cool tips, I am wanting both front and rear sway bars. And I dropped my frot 3" and then used stock Monroe quality gas shocks rides rough. I want to try some lowering shocks will check to see of /b.Stien makes those. thanx for this great info

 

Just took the truck for it's first long ride. 2 hours riding around the country area with some old railroad crossings and winding roads. I didn't want to stop driving it. I would drive this truck cross country without hesitation now. It use to beat me up on a cross town ride.
I find the rear sway bar gives just enough light body roll that I'm not going for the front sway bar. You don't have to hold the steering wheel tight on any turns/curves anymore.
Bilstein shocks are freakin awesome. SOOOOOO glad I spent the extra cash on them.

 

Rear sway bar (super easy install, under 2 hours) and Bilsteins. You won't want to get out of the truck.

 

I have a 55 that I am installing a IFS kit in mine to make the ride even better.
Greta trucks.
Vic

 

I have #55-R145 front and back. 19" open 12" comprerssed. I'd like 17" - 11" front but I just beat on them over railroad tracks and some woop de dos with no problems. I got them from Posies in PA.

 

How thick is the sway bar?

 

7/8"

 

Love your truck. 55/56 Chevy are my favorite. Glad to hear it's driving so nicely. Gonna remember this if/when I get one of these!!

 

Serious thought about the IFS before these changes. I won't even consider it now.