Technical Lowering the rear of a F100

So, I have been looking at the 1956 F100 project I just drug home. It has a 9” of unknown origin.

If anyone has any idea what this rear may have come out of, speak up. I am guessing later big car. I haven’t had a chance to throw a tape on it yet.

It has a leaf pack of 10. Looks like someone wanted to do some severe logging. The leaf pack is on top of the rear end also. Plenty of ground clearance.


My thinking is to remove every other leaf and maybe carry a total of 5. Flip the axle, and maybe add lowering shackles. Trying to do this without blocks if possible.

Someone raised the front shackle bracket. Not sure why. The spring isn’t centered from the factory, which seems odd to me.

It appears to have the stock shackles.


What combination worked for you?

 

Might just flip it first and keep the leaves to haul loads better. Flipping it is typically around a 6” drop in itself.

 

I used lowering shackles from Mid-Fifties along with moving the front hanger to the top of the frame rail. I remove all but 5 leaves, cleaned with liners. It sat good, as in my avatar, and rode well. Never carried much weight though. I also Notches the frame. Not sure I wold move the axle to above the springs.

 

It’s waaaaaay up in the air.

 

Might also talk to Sid. His sits pretty good and he makes shackles, spring hangers, etc.

 

Oh, and those are some cool wheels...

 

They are for sale if you have a 78 Cutlass….

 

Had some of those Cragars on a 40 coupe in 1986.

 

The type of bearing ends and sizes of brakes will get you some information as to what it started under. The flat washers on the center section shows that it has been apart before.

 

Yeah and the tag is missing….eventually I’ll tear into it. It’s got some sketchy cobbled up welds on the saddles.

Alchemy, they can be yours again……

 

You need taller tires, I had 215/85 lt 16 on my '54 panel.

The go to 9" for those were F100 from 67-72 I think, just had to move the pads. What's the bolt pattern on it and are you going with a stock front end or the one that was pictured with it.

 

Oh, those tires are just rollers. I’ll be waiting to buy my tires til It’s almost ready to drive.

 

On my Effie, I reversed the spring eyes and took out a bunch of leaves. Having about 5-6 left sounds about right.

My axle is still under the springs and with this set up it sits pretty good in the rear. It’s really low in the front so there is a rake. It has 235/75/15’s and fills up the opening. If I went any lower in the rear I’d have to notch the frame for clearance. I like the thought of possibly 2” lower on mine and I would use longer shackles if I do it, and notch the frame.

I think flipping the rear end would make it really low in the rear and I’m not after that look for my truck.

What you have there for U bolts is not stock F100. The F100 U bolts are rectangular over the spring and the threads point down allowing a plate to bolt up under the rear end that has the lower shock mount incorporated in it.

 

I figured that the awesome 90s Cragars weren't your first choice. .

I'm kinda weird when it comes to lowering stuff, I like them lowered but mainly to take up the wheel well. I'll fill it up with tire (tall 16" skinny radial or bias) and lower it just enough to set the tire in nicely. Usually it doesn't need notching.......vehicles don't always need to scrape asphalt.

My .02

 

Yeah the Dana rear is gone and the u bolts are all 1/2” in diameter. There has been a lot of modifications to the frame and the suspension. The leaf springs are 2” wide, so those are probably original.

 

Here's my old panel.

 

here's an idea that worked on my 54 International pickup;...knocked the rivits out of the front spring hanger,(or the rear hanger, don't matter) flipped the shackles so they hang down instead of up, remount front hanger with grade 8 bolts, then you can mount the rearend on top of the springs, usually without a C notch in the frame and use a lowering block to suit your needs,...

 

Axle flip and notch

 

C notches are pretty common these days. I would think it would be good insurance, even if not necessarily going that low.

 

I did the aftermarket shackles and pulled out some leaves and it ended up like this. I used a ‘67 truck 9” not flipped. The rear tires are 235-75 R15 on custom offset wheels. Close to bottoming but it only rarely hit. I put air shocks on the rear to help when towing or hauling something heavy, worked fine. The front was a dropped stock axle with a CPP Disc conversion (it was my only tow vehicle). I fought that front end for all of the years I owned it. I should have done a clip when I first got it but, I was trying to stay “traditional”
I miss my truck.
.

 

Looks like same rear I got for my 52 merc pickup it came out of a 1966 ford f1

 

I realize you are just gathering ideas, my only suggestion is before you do anything would be to at a minimum, mock up wheel and tire combo you’re going to use.
You mentioned it’s close to being a driver, so get all that done, get the tires on it you’ll be using, makes it easier to figure out how much in front and back you need to go and what it takes to get there.

 

I did a flip kit on my late model truck and it was way too low. It was doing the “Carolina Squat” as the kids say these days, so I raised it back up with 1” lift shackles. Had to do a C notch as well.

I’d do the flip and then see where you are before doing anything else. Like Jeff said, it’ll be like 6” drop.

 

This looks good

 

I dearched the rear springs. lower about 3" in the front and 4" in the rear.

 

I flipped my axel took some leafs out and notched the frame. I used a mid 70's Toreno rear end to match the lug pattern of my front suspension.

 

Man, that looks nice. This one already has an OT front end under it. That ship has sailed. Outside it will look 100% traditional.

What size front tires did you end up running?

 

The fronts are 205 or 215s, just a size or so smaller than the back. I had 6.70-15 and 8.90-15 bias plies on it for a while but when I was fighting recurring death wobble everyone told me radials would help, they didn’t. Good thing someone updated your front end. Much better for driving in today’s world.

 

Contact @Chris for details on lowering this....

 

Flipped the 66 Lincoln axle, reversed the shackles, notched the frame and removed a buncha leafs... I clipped the front with a 75 Z-28 clip. Drove like a dream!