why cant you use a mono leaf with a 3" droped axle? my truck rides like shit with a stock axle and mono leaf up front. ps i'm not going to clip it. is there a way to make it ride better up front and not break the bank? billy
You can but it won't ride any different than it does now. I was running that combo on my '53 - it rode pretty stiff. I changed it back to the stock spring stack minus 3 leafs, put poly liner in between the leafs and now it rides better. You'll have to do other mods if you run the dropped axle. Go to droppedaxles.com and you can read all about it.
what do you mean rides like shit? stiff? bouncy? does it ride like shit compared to stock, or compared to your new car?... 50+ year old trucks will ride like old trucks... i have posies dual leaf springs and a drop axle w/ generic gas shocks and was pleasantly surprised by the ride- not refined by any means, but nothing to complain about...
HELLMET, What have ou done vs. stock to get your truck in that config? Just Mono's front and back? or something else? Please advise.... The truck looks bitchin sitting like that... Thanks, Robert M.
You can run a mono leaf and a 3" drop axle or a mono leaf and a 4" axle like my truck. It will not make it ride any better. If you do put add a drop axle you are going to want to do a drag link flip and you will want to move your brake line (with a 3" axle you might not need to) so the drag link will not rip the brake line off. Here is where mine site with the mono leaf and a 4" axle. The cross member is well below the scrub line (as are the rocker panels) and drags over speed bump and hits high spots in the road.
HELLMET, Did you take the bump stops out? If so does the axle hit the frame when you go down the road?
Ah.... If I only read a touch into things... HELLMET, Sorry for my lame question. Your truck is sitting like that with "only" mono's in the front. Cool. What happened with the rear? I am thinking a touch higher than that but still would like to know what you did? Dave, Thanks for the info. I am thinking that I want the next truck to sit a bit higher. My 59 in High School was super low in the front with leafs out as well as a 4" axle.... A bit too much for me this go around... Thanks, Robert M.
Robert, If you are only looking to drop the front 3" you might want to do a drop axle as it will keep the stock smooth ride. The mono leaf if a little stiff and the axle winds up very close to the frame.
The car and truck shop in Orange,CA sells lowered multi-leafs which has the same drop as your mono but you get a better ride. And you can always remove a leaf or 2 if you want to go a little lower.
My '55 sits just a little lower than that with 4 leafs removed from the front and Posies 3" springs in the rear with 2" shackles.
I will add...what do you mean by rides like shit? stiff? bouncy? tracks funny? I notice you have what looks to be bias ply tires. I had bias ply tires on a 49 caddy and that car would track all over the place. I thought the suspension was shot. The bias plys were shot so I put on some new radial tires and BAM it was like a brand new car. Also, on cold mornings it would seem like the bias ply would have flat spots that would make the car ride like crap to.
Oh yeah. Radials were the best thing I ever did on mine. And should add: sits about 3/4 to 1 inch off the stock front bumpstops with the current setup as described above.
With my mono leaf the front sat fully on the bump stops so I had to take the stops out. I got my my mono leafs used so there is a chance that someone in the past dearched them.
Dave, So how far off the frame is it now with the bumpstops gone? Does it hit the frame all the time or just on big bumps or not at all? Thanks. I'm still trying to iron out exactly what I'm gonna do with mine. Sid's 4" drop axle for sure though!
It hits the frame on bigish bumps. I have a piece of leaf spring sitting on the top side of the spring because my u-bolts are to bunged up to fully tighten down on the thin mono leaf. When I take the extra piece of leaf out I am sure it will help some but it is still going to hit on the big bumps. Even when it does not hit the frame the ride is bouncy and stiff nothing like the stock springs. If you do not have your heart set on having your truck as low as possible you should think about making the stock spring reversed eye and dearched as the multi-leaf springs just have a smoother ride then the monos. That was what I had planned to do mostly because I could have done it for free but the mono leafs fell into my lap. If you do the mono leaf and the 4" axle be prepared to drag your cross member going down the road and on speed bumps and driveways. Some people get stressed out when there truck hits the ground but personally I kind of like it. It make every trip and adventure.
Plymouth Volare/Dodge Aspen torsion bar set up. Have run this set up for about 175,000 miles in last 18 years. Adjustable and power steering. I guess by now this "76 technology is old too! Rodshop
Thanks for the info. I do want my truck as low as possible while keeping the straight axle. No clip and no bags!
terd- when i removed only 2 leaves from the front, the springs got soft in a hurry... it sat nice but wanted to bottom over medium+ size bumps.. mine actually sits an inch or so higher w/ the new posies dual leaf, but i think they will break in some and the ride is firmer and inspires a bit more confidence over the rough stuff...i'm thinking of of de-arching if they don't settle in enough... i used 1' thick mini bump stops front and rear... not much, but at least there's something between metal if need be... dave K is right about the second cross member- that will definitely be the lowest spot... w/ the drop axle, drag link, and steering arms will need some adjustment- the tie rod flip puts the rod ends right in the tire bulge( at least w/ my G78 bias plys
Just finished (have'nt even wiped the greasy finger prints off yet) installing 3" Drop Axle and 3" blocks in the rear. Got it all from Sids @www.droppedaxles.com I removed 3 leafs from each corner. She's sittin on 640-15 firestone bias ply tires. The rides not the best but who gives a S@#T it looks good! If I wanted something with a smooth ride I'd be rollin a new caddy.
yep, taking out alternate leafs after the top one will lower with fairly good ride. use gas shocks too. after doing lowering then measure height jacked up with suspension hanging and then on ground. then get aftermarket info on shock lengths that best fit your measurements. I have used Tokico shocks with great results. can always cut down bump stops or mount shorter ones. But, if you want a good ride you will have to upgrade to later style suspension, plus you get disc brakes, etc.
Thanks for the pic and all the info! I'll be doing mine pretty soon, I could use all the info I can get.
What mono leaf drop are you running? The stance of your truck is similar to what I’d like to achieve on my 56 fleet side.
Posies Super Slider springs are way better then the monos I had in it. Also Bilstein shocks will change your life!! You will see a HUGEEEEEE difference with them.
Do you remember the part # on those Bilstein shocks ? I plan on doing the Posie's Super Sliders on my 57.
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