Technical 55-59

Hey guys I’m still working on my 56 Chevy truck. A little update. I have a dropped axle and stock leaf springs that has the bushings replaced and gone thru by a local spring shop. With the Chevy 350 in it the leaf springs are flat if not dearched. Kingpins have been replaced also. I also have the bilstein shocks from Posies. I also have the steering arms from Sid. I had horrible bump steer but I replaced the old white walls with new radial tires and it was night and day difference. It’s still not what I’m expecting but I really don’t want to do a Mustang. Do you guys think if I replace my front leafs with the dual leafs from posies it would make a huge difference? Thank you hope you guys can give some advice

 

I have driven my '54 3100 on the interstate for the last 30yrs with the stock front end, 5 days a wk. Put on a good
set of radials which made a huge difference in handling, and had an experienced alignment shop set
up my front end. We adjusted toe-in several times to get it right, and camber, replaced tie rod ends
and have a good set of shocks on it. It tracks perfectly, wears great, and is easy to steer. I lube it every
1000 miles and have had zero issues. Perhaps I got lucky, but I wouldn't change a thing. Bob

 

That’s awesome to hear. I have the heavy duty tie rod on there also. That’s exactly what I want for this truck. I want to be able to get in it and drive over to the beach if I wanted. Which is a 2 hour drive one way

 

Have you talked to Sid about it? I know he is on vacation right now, but should be back soon. My 58 with a 3” dropped axle and steering arms from Sid drove great with no bump steer at all. Is your link coming off the steering box going to the steering arm running parallel to the ground or frame? If not, that may likely be your bump steer issue and the steering arm on the spindle may need more bend.

Oh, and my stock springs were pretty flat as well for reference.

 

Yea I talked to Sid a while back. My steering arm is pretty level. I don’t really have bump steer much anymore after replacing the tires. It just doesn’t handle or ride good. I understand it’s a old truck with a axle and leaf’s but I’ve ridden in one that rides a lot better then mine

 

These are the springs. They are sagged more now from sitting

 

Pictures of the steering linkage, taken from a few different angles, might help us help you figure out the steering.

 

The springs are sagging too much and not doing any springing action.

 

Any data on caster and camber? (not that I could judge, but you should know)

 

Those springs have no arch, so they can't work!! You need to replace those with stock-spec springs! Also, that looks like a manufactured 'dropped' axle rather than a Sid's dropped stocker. I would check that over very carefully for caster and camber. Good luck!

 

Springs need to be re-arched or replaced. Spring liner between leaves will help once the springs are working. Sort out the springs then get a good alignment. Do you have the shims between the springs and the axle? They are used to set
the alignment.

 

as long as the springs are not bottomed out (hitting the frame or bump stop), they'll still work as springs...they don't know how much arch they have.

 

Yep, a buddy of mine has an F1 with a dropped axle that the springs actually arch in the wrong direction. It does still rides pretty good too.

 

I haven’t had it aligned yet but I do have the 6 degree shims that Sod told me to use. The spring shop lowered my leafs 3 inches when they went thru them.

 

Detroit Eaton Spring made a spring for my 34 Ford and it has held up well considering it has a blown hemi in it now... This company has been around a while...

 

I hope you don't drive Hwy 58 to get to the beach!!

Why would you try to correct a problem before getting alignment checked? Doesn't make sense at all.

Stay off of 58 until it's fixed!

 

Because if my springs are the issue I don’t want to align it with these springs and then have to change the springs and have it realigned. But not sure. Just trying to get all of it figured out lol

 

These are the Posies front springs, no radiator, any fluids in engine/trans and no shocks, but you can see how easy it moves. Should do even better with the extra weight added.

 

Ok I will take the shocks off and try that when I get my truck back. Also correction I actually did get it aligned. The camber and Tow are in specs