Yet another lowering question... this time with pics

[QuakeMonkey]

Last year some time Roothawg asked about lowering a 49-52 Chev rear end with blocks and Choprods posted this reply:

If the 3 aint enough-[stock spring leaves?] remove the "J hanger" at rear and use a short straight shackle set[trailer store] attached THRU the frame [with some 1-1/2"tubing] to hold the upper bushing that will knock off two inches additional without getting the shock plate lower than rim edge. You may need a pinion angle "shim" if you do this.......

Now I've never seen this done so I'm kind of confused. At the moment I have 4 inch blocks on dearched leaf springs with reversed eyes. However I also have some big ass whitewalls so I want to get the rear down a little lower if possible. The plan is to notch the frame but the rear spring mount idea posed by Choprods intrigues me. What I don't understand is how the spring would travel without hitting the frame. Or is the shackle solid mounted like the front spring mount? Help me out here fellas!

Here's a shot of my current set-up at the rear mount.

[QuakeMonkey]

OK another try at the pic...

[QuakeMonkey]

And again...

[QuakeMonkey]

Now is this what Choprods is talking about?

[Slide]

I don't know for sure if that's what he's talkin' about, but that's the way I read it.

I have been looking at this on my 52, which currently sits high enuf in the rear that most of yall could park under my rear bumper. I will say that there are some clearance issues with the diagram you show. The frame rail curves down toward the back of the car, so you have to be careful of the fact that the longer shackles create a larger-radius arc that might cause the rear spring to hit the bottom of the frame.You could probably put another c-notch back there to allow for the clearance, but...

this does not significantly change the position of the rear eye on the spring on these Chevys. You'll only get about a 1/2 inch more drop at the rear eye, which translates to 1/4" at the axle. That's alotta work for almost no payoff.

IMO, you really shouldn't ever use more than 2" of lowering blocks on a drive axle. If you already have 4" blocks and de-arched springs, and that's STILL not low enuff, you are in for a lot of work. You either need to mount your springs to the inside vertical edges of the frame, which will require you to eliminate the spare tire well, and relocate your fuel tank (and the filler neck!). Other options would be other type of suspensions like a triangulated 4-bar or NASCAR-style truck link. On either of these, unless you use coilovers or "bagovers", you'll hafta modify your rear floor section under the rear seat. There's not enuff room for both shocks and springs.

Oh, you should never mount leaf springs without shackles on at least one end. No, not even then!

[Slide]

To clarify a little of my understanding of what Choprods was saying:

What he was talking about would help on vehicles that have the rear eye of the spring mounted underneath the the frame-mounted bushing. These Chevys have the shackles upside-down from this, so you ain't gainin' squat when you do this to one of these cars.

[QuakeMonkey]

Yeah, I wasn't sure if that's what he meant either. Looking at the clearance above the rear spring eye now is kind of close. But the other thought was as you suggested, to mount the rear shackle inside the framerail-- it could be a lot of work for little gain though.

[Slide]

You could always find somebody's old cracked Hemi block and toss it in the trunk. That oughtta be good for at least a couple inches!!! http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

[bigfive]

what really sucks is, this one of the hardest cars to get to lay.... usally what i do is a 2,3,or 4 link in the rear with air bags. the last one i did was a 50 and i did a full step notch and 4 inch blocks... still didnt really lay? but he didnt want to pay for a link set up.

[DrJ]

You could bag the frame shackle mount part you need to do that off a '55-59 Chevy truck front shackle.
It mounts like that.

[burger]

[ QUOTE ]
You could bag the frame shackle mount part you need to do that off a '55-59 Chevy truck front shackle.
It mounts like that.

[/ QUOTE ]

DrJ... I didn't quite follow that last post. Have you given up on grammar & punctuation?


http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif


Ed

[jerry]

he's talking about getting the spring shackle mout of of a chevy truck of the 55-59 chevy truck.it is riveted to the truck frame.


jerry

[DrJ]

[ QUOTE ]
he's talking about getting the spring shackle mout of of a chevy truck of the 55-59 chevy truck.it is riveted to the truck frame.


jerry

[/ QUOTE ]

Yea, What Jerry said.

I guess I shouldn't use "bag" as a hunting term like in "Bag a Buck", when people are talking about lowering cars..
Bag has a different meaning then. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif

[Slide]

bigfive- you got any pics of the links you're talkin bout? I have to do something to get the rear of my 52 down. S'prized yall can't see the thing on the horizon all the way from Cali! http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif

Reason I'm askin' is that it don't look like there's enuff room for both shocks and coil/air springs under there...unless I re-do a bunch of the floor--or use coilover$/bagover$. I really don't want to get into all that, but I don't want it to lay, either. Just get it low enough to look kool goin' down the road.

[bigfive]

slide... check your PM

[SLAMIT]

I was thinking of going with a reversed eye dearched spring pack and taking all the leafs out except the main one and using 2 inch blocks as well as airbags between the leafs and frame on my 49 fleetline.

I also was thinking to use a panhard rod to make sure that with only one main spring the axle will track straight.

I already had to cut out my trunk floor due to a poor repair by the previous owner. Should set the inner wheel wells on the tires which puts the rear bumper at about 2 inches from the ground.

will need to noth the frame a little but should be minor work to do it right. I am also using a Chassis Engineering rear leaf hanger kit

[Rocky]

I used 4" blocks in the rear of my old 52... This is about as low as you wanna go unless you're willing to "C" the rear frame rails and raise the driveshaft hump.

[Ragtop]

[ QUOTE ]

Oh, you should never mount leaf springs without shackles on at least one end. No, not even then!

[/ QUOTE ]

Confusing? You would not want to put shackles on BOTH ends of a spring!

[bigfive]

you only want shakles (hang down ) on the back of the leaf springs. enless you want it lifted

[Slide]

Sorry I confused everybody. (When I re-read my post it didn't sound like what I meant...kinda like when I'm talking to my wife! http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif) Yes, the shackles on rear leafs of all the passenger cars that I know of should be on the rear of the springs.

[Roothawg]

I'm glad this came back up....If I get my shop built in the next month maybe I can get back on the Fleetline.

[bigfive]

the 54 im doing now will completely lay body. i cut the hell out of the front. nothched the botom a-arm so the cross member goes through the a-arm. plus 2 inch dropped uprights. the back will have a full step notch(or bridge) and im gonna use the og leaf spring shackles in front for a 2 link with a pan hard bar.
when its done i'll have pics. i'll try to do a tech article for the hamb.