hi, i need some help with my front end. i have the complete front end and crossmember out of my buddys hot rod. he went MII. this front end had all the good stuff already; super slide spring, drop axel, reverse eye etc. all the componets to lower it. now after final installation, i find i am under scrub line and need to raise it up. 1 1/2 to 2 inches is what i want. it has been suggested to put a spacer on top of the spring pack. my spring pack goes up into the original 47 crossmember and is almost flush at the bottom. if i space it, there wont be much of the spring left inside the crossmember. somehow this feels wrong to me. is it safe to space it that much, or do i need another approach. damm, everythings done and painted, but i will do what is needed. any ideas? thanks, pkj
does the car look too low? i would think that stuff would make it sit about right. i can't imagine you would have scrub line problems. you don't also have one of those dropped front crossmembers also? or is the front crossmember stock? better post some pictures
no the crossmember is stock. this front end set up is being used on a differant frame set up under a roadster i am building. i double Z'ed the frame and did not acount for full engine wieght, plus a couple of other things. so right now if i have a blow out the frame will touch, plus i dont feel like i have enough clearance, so i want to raise it. thanks, pkj
Does the spring have reversed eyes? If so, try using your original main leaf (if you have one) to raise it back up 1" and try a 1/2" spacer. If you don't have an original main leaf, I'm sure you could trade with someone who wants a lowered one.
well , that's a completely different from i thought after reading your first post. i assumed it was under a `47 Ford with a `47 ford frame. ditch the drop axle and install a stock un-dropped one
The spring is held into the crossmember by two very stout U shaped bolts. If your components are all painted and finished, and IF IT DOESN'T SHOW, I wouldn't be too concerned about putting a 1 1/2" spacer on top of the spring pack and using two longer U shaped bolts to tie everything together. One thing to be aware of, is that there is a bolt thru the center of the spring pack to hold it together, and there is a clearance hole in the crossmember for the head of the bolt. (this also provides a bit of safety to keep the spring from shifting to one side or the other in the crossmember.). When you make up the spacer, the best bet is to drill a hole thru the center of it, and insert a round rod (I think its about 5/8" diameter but check yours and see) Let the rod extend about 3/8 of an inch out the top side of the spacer and make it short enough that it is about 3/4" up inside the spacer on the side closest to the spring.-Then reach down into the hole and weld the rod in place in the spacer. That way the extended side of the rod will locate in the crossmember hole and the cavity side will fit over the top of the spring pack bolt.---I have done this before a few times, with no resulting problems. Or---buy a new main leaf without reversed eyes.
i think i will give the spacer block a shot, thanks brianangus. for my situation right now, that would be easiest, but did not know if anyone had done it. if this doesnt work out i will go the other route on swapping spring or axle. thanks guys
pjk---Its hard, isn't it--to build a rod and guess beforehand how much the springs are going to compress to give your final ride height. It seems that over the years about half the cars I've built ended up setting too damn high and had to be lowered to get that "just right" stance, and the other half ended up setting too damn low and had to be raised up a little. -----Brian
pjk---I think its neat that you live in Waycross Ga. About a hunnert years ago I sang in a little country band, and one of the songs was "Millers Cave", a song about some good old boy that shot his wife and her lover, and then went to hide out in Millers cave and got lost in there. Is there really a Millers Cave in Waycross, or near it?---Brian
The Jalopy Journal
