Went to Bowling Green Hot Rod Reunion. I saw many of the straight axle g***ers using up to maybe 4"-6" blocks to raise their front ends. These had some real long u-bolts. Are they safe like this, running 120+ MPH? Any replies appreciated. If this is safe, I would like to apply something like this to my Willys g***er.
I use to build alot of 4wds , Blocks up front was a huge no no . I dont consider it to be a smart thing to do and would never personally do it myself. Just my opinon
why not? we have done something similar, but have welded them to the frame. Cars are all fast and safe at 125mph. Will go straight as an arrow, too.
its no fun when the lowering block fails at the speed traps, just to have a fake g***er look. don't do it.
I have always heard it is not safe but I have a question......why are they safe in the rear of a car when that is the axle receiving all the power? Wouldnt the power from the engine got to the rear equal or exceed the stress or whatever on the front axle?
the front axle is more subject to twisting and binding while driving in a straightline i think you could get away with it if it got past tech there are safer ways of doing the same thing cheaper isnt allways better
I have had them shear the locator pin off on jeeps, and have seen it happen on lifted trucks too. it also applied additional leverage to wrap up the spring. have custom arched springs made to get the stance you want. there is an outfit here in st louis that makes a simple pair of car springs for about 150. and DO NOT reuse the u bolts!! buy new they are cheap insurance.
It's way safer to either have the springs re-arc'd, or weld a mounting point o the frame to raise the perch location. It's cheaper to use the blocks, but I'd never use them front or rear.
we used blocks welded to the frame to change the perch. We have re-arched springs, but that only goes so far. Using a dropped beam axle requires a bit more to get the desired height. Works fine and safer than using elongated shackles.
I can tell you that it was done that way in 1967. I bought a 38 Chevy coupe almost identical to this one. It came fro Iowa or Idaho? It was a g***er that had blown the engine. It had the raising blocks on it. Jim Marlett's early drag racing site has a 38 Chevy coupe on it also with the same deal. I believe that one was from Kansas. I had reservations at first but in the short time that I had it running it was fine. I blew the first engine at the track and "Uncle" wrote me a letter before I got it tagged with a new engine in it. I never did drive it on the street.
And if you are using a I beam axle, you can have it undropped as an option by Sid at www.dropped.axles.com He has done several including this one which is a '47-'55 Chevrolet PU for Project Wildthing Street/G***er.
Yeah Bob , i used a 3 inch steel block welded to the frame as a new perch i can see how that would be fine . He is talking about lift blocks between the axle and the springs . No way would i try that one. Like this .......blocks between springs and axle . Pardon the tractor tire picture but its the same idea lol
I wouldn't - I have seen the cast aluminum blocks crack into pieces, sheer the centering pins, and break the u-bolts. You are adding a lot more force to the U-bolts and springs because of the leveral the blocks add. The tech guys at the local drag strip here won't let you run with lowering blocks front or rear if your car is fast.
those blocks between the springs and the axle certainly can't be safe. Just look at the photo and you can imagine how the u-bolts can twist/break and the entire set-up could come apart.
Those blocks between the spring and the perch are really scarey, especially when used to raise instead of lowering. Bad enough when they're steel, but even worse as aluminum. The taller they get, the more leverage they put on blocks and U bolts.
Tommy,...the car pictured belongs to a friend of mine ,Ray Slagle,from Maryland; it was built somewhere close to Peoria, Illinois in the mid sixties and raced on the strip for years with the blocks between the spring & axle. Those blocks are not very tall; maybe 3 inch. That car has 1000's of street miles on it in the last 30 years set up as is with no problems, but he doesn't drive it 100+ mph either. (if this is considered unsafe, why are there numerous NSRA safety stickers on the windows?) ...I built my own 37 to look a lot like my buddy's 38.
yep, the blocks between spring and axle are what I was talking about. Looks unsafe to me, but I saw several @ Bowling Green like that. Thanks for all the replies guys, keep 'em coming.
Yeah i see it all over the place. I am surprised at the number of Chevies built this way back in the day. It was popular. I always wonder what ever happened to mine. I like your 37. You have to love a g***er with 5 spokes.
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