how much drop can i get from removing leaf springs from rear of my 38 ford truck, and which ones can i remove. just wanting to get it level. probably already some info on forum, but wanted something specific to truck. thanks in advance.
Removing leaves is asking for a broken spring. You can get springs with less arch from various hotrod parts suppliers. Do you have a spring shop in your area? It doesn't cost much to have springs re-arched. Reversed eye main leaves will give about an inch drop. You also may be able to change to a different length shackle bars. Your truck looks like it's sitting about right as it is.
I'll gladly give my opinion, but I'm afraid that unless someone has an identical truck that has performed the same modification that a definitive answer might not be forthcoming. In Clarence (see the very old pic in my avatar) I took out 3-4 of the shortest springs on each side. That lowered the frame/body to almost level. However; it also made the frame bump the axle whenever I hit anything more severe than expansion joints on an interstate highway. I wound up putting them all back in. My winter project this year is to move the axle to over the springs instead of under them. I'll be "C" notching the frame when I do that. As it sits now Clarence is too high in the rear and possibly too low in the front. It has an Aspen/Volare front and original springs with an 8" Ford rear. I've got the torsion bars cranked too low in the front. I'm afraid that if both front tires went flat at the same time that my crossmember might drag. Not a scrub line infraction, but just an illustration of where it's sitting. Note that in the avatar the lights had just gone green at MoKan and I was at WOT coming off the line, therefore making the rear squat and raising the front. Also this was when the leaves were out of it. In answer to your question about which leaves to remove I can make two suggestions: 1. take the shortest leaves out until you reach the point you're aiming at, or 2. take out every other leaf until you reach the point you're aiming at. Once you get the U-bolts loosened it's not that hard to remove/add spring leaves until you're happy. As I said I took out the shortest leaves. Perhaps someone has more experience than I have and can do better, but my advice is to use some other method of lowering.
i dont like the space between fender and tire. dont want too much just a little. im sure i can find a spring shop in lubbock.
Well; while I was typing that book two others answered. Agree with the broken spring comment. While the leaves were out I broke the right main spring while at Bonneville. A welder in Wendover welded it back together but it didn't last until we got home. Fortunately, the keepers that hold the spring packs together held the spring together long enough to get home, although it was low on that side and "dogtracked" a bit on the way home. Fortunately I had acquired extra springs over the years and had another main leaf to replace the broken one with. Also, be careful if you order new reversed eye springs. My friend Johnny did that on his '56 big window truck for the front springs. After installing the new springs the truck sat higher than it did before. Your 77 year old springs have sag in them that they didn't originally have and new springs won't have either. Of course re-arching your existing springs and/or reversing the eyes on them won't have that tendency.
thanx for comments guys. i wont b removing springs after all. sounds like best bet is to get them re-arched. im a newbie in something this old, so all info is appreciated.
My own truck I removed 3 springs, leaving about 7 behind and installed 2" lowering blocks as well as shortening spring hanger 1". My truck is IHC but likely sprung about the same in that era. I also did not reinstall the 7 leaf overload springs. The truck just does not get loaded down with a ton of grain anymore
looks like removing springs works for some guys, mine has a***** load of them but i think ill do some more studying on re-arching them before i do anything.
when I got my '41, main leaves front and back were broken on both sides. Replaced front with C.E. '40 w/reversed eyes and rear with C.E. rear leaves. For 18 yrs I've run 1 leaf removed from each rear spring and 4 of 11 leaves (every other) removed from the front with no problems. So far I've put about 150K miles on it.
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