I did a search and didn't see anything. I was wondering if anyone has lowered a 52 chevy 1 ton PU? I'd like to know the different ways yall have gone about it. I was thinking of trying to keep the 8 lugs F&R. motor
How drastic are you willing to get? Keeping it basically stock, you can start by loosing those tall 17 inch wheels and replace them with some lower profile 16 inch wheels and tires. Then re-arch the springs. After that you have more challenges. I've considered z-ing the frame. You could also channel the body down over the frame. Since you say you want to stay 8-lug I presume you want to preserve come carrying capacity and the stock suspension. If that's not the case you can use an S-10 frame and suspension or you can build your own frame. Both make it possible to get it down real low. Not many people actually try to lower one of these 1-ton trucks so don't be surprised not many people can tell you how they did it.
Thats what I was afraid of. I have access to a 52 3/4 ton frame down w/ non split 5 lug rims. I just liked the thought of the 8 lugs.
I have a 54' Chevy PU I'm going to try and lower 3inches, can't afford a dropped axle for the front, so I'm just going to pull out some leaf springs in the front, 2, or maybe 3 by using the take one out then skip one and do the same, for the back just put 3 or 4 inch blocks. Its on 7.60's with 15" rims. Hopefully the front leafs wont bend backward. Anthony
1/2-ton suspension is completely different in the rear than a 3/4- or 1-ton. Lowering blocks don't work when the axle is under the spring. While removing leafs will drop the front of your truck, you loose load capacity and roll stiffness. I do not recommend doing it on a truck you plan to drive.
Hey OldSub can you reverse the top leaf in the front to get it lower ?? And as for the back on a 3/4 ton, a flip kid should solve that!
first question is "are you hauling or just driving?" your going to find limited wheel choice with 8-lug wheels. check out www.stovebolt.com
Dodge made some 15" 8 lugs. I had a set on my former 66 F250 and my past 53 1 ton dump. There were a crap load of springs on the rear so you could look at going down from there but again, it would end up having the capacity of a 1/2 ton not a 1 or 3/4 ton. Watch any newer rims as there are steering clearance issues you'll have to watch out for. I put on some on my '53 and they wouldn't turn because they hit the steering. You could do a Jeep style rear axle set up with the spring below the axle like a 1/2 ton but you'll need to watch for a C notch to keep from bottoming out in the rear. Not sure what you'd want to do with the front. 3/4 tons are 8 lugs, 1 ton are 8 lugs, and 1/2 ton are 6 lugs. Old Sub has it right. If someone is trying to sell you any Advance Design truck with 5 lugs, you'd better count again or check for the modifications.
If by reversing the spring you are suggesting flipping the top leaf upside down and re-arching it, I've not tried it but don't know why you could not do it. There is not a lot of room so it will have limited impact. As for a flip kit, you would also need to c-notch the frame because there is very little suspension travel available. There are lots of ways to get one of these things down lower if you don't mind spending time and money. There are no easy cheap ones. My avatar is my '54 GMC 1-ton Hydra-matic dually. These last few days I've installed a GM 14-bolt rear axle with 3.42 gears and modern brakes under my spare frame for this truck. I'm also swapping in a Cadillac 500 and TH400. Today they are about six inches too far forward, and about that much too high in front. No one sells parts designed to make this a simple bolt-in operation and it is not going fast. I plan to use this one to pull my car trailer so preserving strength and durability is much more important than lowering. I finally concluded lowering my 1-ton any significant amount was defeating the purpose of the heavier truck, so I'll stick to lowering the 1/2-tons.
There isn't much that you can do with the stock 52 one ton to get it much lower except remove a few of the leaves in the springs and put a low profile wheel/tire combination on it. If it has the same one ton frame that the cab/chassis for flatbeds has that frame is straight all the way back and heavy as all get out. But then you could do like two of my buddies have done and shorten the bed at the second upright and then set it on a later car type frame. This truck used chevelle front and rear frame sections with rectangular tubing in the middle for frame rails. No running boards with the bottoms of the fenders cut off even with the bottom of the cab. The other one was built In Waco in the early 70's on a shortened 55 Chev car frame. I'd have to dig out photos and scan them though.
I'll have to do some research on it. I'm getting it today. Maybe take some pix for yall. Thanks for the info so far. I like that no running board look w/ the cut fenders. All I plan to haul in this truck is motorcycles and gear. Maybe a bike trailer. It still needs to be somewhat stong springwise. The 1ton frame doesn't seem like it is going to work out. Thats a little overkill and way too tall for what I'm looking for.
I like the 8-lug stuff, too. Dude's right - the 8-lug stuff from the dawn of time until now, regardless of make, is all the same bolt pattern - it's the depth of the wheel that makes the difference to clear steering. I have an almost 5:1 gear ratio in my '50 Ford F2. I wanted highway gears, and came to find out a Dana 60 with 3:73 gears out of a '68 - '73 F250 or F350 not only was 8-lug, but also was the same width, and bolted right in, as all Ford truck rears will made before 1973, when they were all widened. I realize this is Ford stuff, but hey, a Dana 60 is a Dana 60, and if it's the right width, maybe you'd find the info useful... ~Jason
Update I ended up getting a 50 1/2 ton frame down. I think I'm going to use this chassis by extending it to fit the LOOOOONG bed. Seems to be pretty easy to lower compared to the 1 ton. I've got that hemi indi motor and an alum 833 tranny. But I need a bellhousing. Anybody have one? or know where to get one? Thanks. Abomination, that is a 326 poly btw. I'm tryin to sell a 41 plymouth and throwing that and the 3 sp in w/ it.
Check out mine ive done ifs/irs all jag xjs, works great and really low , a bloke in our club the BHRA.org.uk ha done the same with a 1 tonne 3800, same principal jus not quite as low , pics are in my albums
That is a GMC frame. Look at the crossmember and compare it to your Chevy frame and you'll see how it is different. This difference is important because it changes the location of the radiator mount, and the front sheet metal all hangs off that mount. Ideally you want the radiator mount from the GMC to make everything work right.
i have tried two ways so far- part out an '86.5-'92 toyota supra and build a frame or use whatever you have and build it the like the picture in your head, here's my newest.
The Jalopy Journal
