I am wanting do really drop the rear of my 53, using blocks and removing leaves for about 5 inches drop. I have a live axle from a 55 underneath, and axle hop is really bad. I figure it will be worse once lowered, so I was thinking of attaching a bar from the rearend to the rear eye of the spring, is there a way to do it without it binding up? i would just use ******* bars, but ground clearance could be an issue. any thoughts, comments, verbal berating?
Removing leafs isnt going to make it any better, but you probably already know that. Why dont you have your springs de-arched? You can also make some upper links as if it had a 4 link to keep your axle from wrapping up. Thats what i would do.
Can you relocate the spring hangers to the outside of the frame to get the drop you want without removing leaves? If you moved the springs hangers up high enough on the frame rails (or flipped the rear shackle) you could probably even get rid of your blocks. Check out the hangers on most any modern pickup truck (hell even some old ones) and see if that gets the gears turning. Hope this helps! Ed
shackles are already flipped up, and if i were to move the springs out, i would go ahead with my five link air bag setup. im lookin at cheap and easy solutions. thanks for the suggestions. keep it coming
I think you could just put in 3 or 4 inch blocks and not remove any leafs? Your not using air bags now so I ***ume you are going to drive it this low all the time? I think it would work ok with just the blocks. I used the Walton Fabrication leaf springs with 2 inch blocks and it dropped about 5 inches and I dont have any wheel hop. If you do a search on here you will find a ton of threads on this topic.
old racer trick to help get rid of wheel hop with leaf springs was to clamp the front of all the leafs together no clamps in the rear making it almost into a latter bar. wheel hop on a leaf spring car is caused by the axle w****** the spring up as the tire bites then when it starts to spin unloads the spring and reapts.
I have the same spring wrap problem on my S2D. Last night I bolted on a pair of helper/overload springs on the front side of the spring. I'll let you know how it works tomorrow.
54BOMB "I think you could just put in 3 or 4 inch blocks and not remove any leafs? Your not using air bags now so I ***ume you are going to drive it this low all the time? I think it would work ok with just the blocks. I used the Walton Fabrication leaf springs with 2 inch blocks and it dropped about 5 inches and I dont have any wheel hop. If you do a search on here you will find a ton of threads on this topic." i have an open driveshaft, so the soft torque tube springs wrap up bad now, the added leverage will make it worse. do you still use the tube or is it now open? i might look into different, stiffer springs with less arch.
Update: I got the overload springs installed and they work great. No more hopping and vibration from pinion twist. They don't hang down very far at all so no clearance problems. Total cost $25
Hi, Any pictures of the front end? Are the lower arm modified? or it is just sitting without front coils? Thanks Vinnie
53sled I ran my 54 for the last few months on 2 leaves springs (removed 5 on each side), 2 inches blocks and ******* bars and I confirm it is really awfull (even with bags on top of the leaves). I'm considering using a 4 link set up or put all the leaf back and dearch'em and install bags on top of the axle.
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