lift blocks on the front of a straight axle gasser, yes or no?

building a 67 international gasser with a front end out of a 60 ford. i have been looking at a lot of pics to see how they are getting height. a friend and i have been talking about lift bocks in the front. i am skeptical but i do see some full on show cars with blocks in the front. in one sense it scares me, but i also think that it would work just fine

 

I would go with higher arch springs. It is illegal in some states to run blocks on the front.

 

one of the biggest no no's in the 4x4 crowd....

 

I work at a suspension shop and have seen some crazy shit involving lift blocks. We have had guys come in with blocks stacked on blocks. That is some dangerous shit there.

 

possible? yes. smart? no.

 

all day on the rear but not on the front... get arched springs or fab up new mounts to raise the spring...im thinking if you did the mounts you would want to do the same on the front of the spring as the back to keep the geometry right...

 

G'day, I have seen the results of front blocks first hand. Cornering forces can cause the blocks to roll out or even collapse. We couldn't tell for sure with what was left of the front end. So please do not run them on the front. Just too dangerous. ms

 

thank you for the replies, i knew in the back of my mind that this is a no no but just wanted to hear it from other people. i will make my mounts accordingly and maybe look thu the junkyard at other leafsprings if i want to go higher, thanks again.

 

If you decide its your only option the only relatively safe way is to use some 2X3 tubing, cap the ends and WELD IT SOLID to the axle and be sure you check your U Bolts and blocks for wear once in a while, at any sign of failure REPLACE THEM.

 

i am amazed at how many gassers i am seeing on the internet and in my magazines that are running blocks. the 2x3 welded to the axle sounds like a good idea. i could get the same height as a block with an add-a-leaf and brackets.

 

its not hard to do it right. i had cast aluminum blocks on my REAR. driver side broke while shifting into 4th at the last hamb drags, all the sudden the rear pitched sideways at about 75 mph. the locating pin came out and only half of the block remained. If it happened on the front I imagine I would have gone into the wall.
but hey, it makes you look cool.

 

not sure if looking cool is worth all that

 

ok so if i weld them using 2x3 that would be ok to do? i know first hand about breaking the cheap lifting -lowering blocks. the only bad thing i can see happening is losing or breaking a block but if it is steel and welded in what other problems could happen?

 

it could loosen or break, just like anything

 

If it was me doing it, I'd be more comfortable finding a way of lowering the mounting points of the front spring. Welding on blocks or whatever it took to do it. I've known some 4x4 guys that had horrible handling issues after playing around with blocks between the front axle and spring, even as fairly low speeds.

 

If done right, they are no more dangerous than bolting the springs directly to the axle. What I mean is, on the last 4 F350 4x4 duallies I've owned, I stacked 1" thick x 3" wide solid stock 3 high in a pyrimid, welded those together and drilled for centering pins and pinned through the springs too. I've got several hundred thousand miles of 4 wheeling and heavy construction towing and weekend high speed cruising without any problems whatsoever. So it isn't a no-no in the 4x4 world. The reason I did it like this is to retain a stock ride that you can't with aftermarket spring packs or even spring hangers. Now, just sitting a hollow block up there without pinning it is asking for trouble. Steven.

 

and some experts think model t mechanical brakes are just fine. but hey, every single 4x4 magazine and oem company must be wrong.

 

I run 1.5" on my Henry J. Made them of solid steel and double set screwed the pins. I wouldn't trust the alum blocks. Solid steel don't give like the alum blocks. Good luck all around, look foward to seeing it on the road.

 

x2 !!!

 

i think this is the route i am gonna take.

 

Never ever use blocks on the front it is very dangerouse and as stated earlier illegall in some states

 

No way Jose !!

 

Not every OEM thinks it's wrong. My Peterbilt has 4" blocks in the front. People got on the bandwagon saying it's wrong because so many people were doing it wrong.

I guess my spacers between my duals is wrong too. I hear that everyday. Mine bolt onto the rear hub holding the inside wheel on and then the outside bolts onto that spacer with it's own lugs. I argue this with anyone saying no. Ever check the front setup on a dually? All it is is a 4" spacer. So I don't think it's any more strain on the bearing or the lugs. Been running these 2" spacers on 4 trucks with no problems yet. I'm just trying to say that there are exceptions to every rule if designed properly.
Steven.

 

The biggest issue is LEGALITY. Before anyone does this check with LOCAL AND STATE LAWS/REGULATIONS. Just about every state has a law about any form of block or modification to front spring mounts and or blocks. Even if welded, as someone suggested, they are still considered ILLEGAL. There are ways to make them "fairly" safe, but definiatly not something one should consider.

 

This was a common practice back in the day. There wasn't a handy dandy speedway mail order straight axle kit that was in the reach of the ordinary builder. Lots of guys swapped in solid axles and threw some blocks in to get the right height.

IMHO it is nowhere near as dangerous as has been stated. Any actual experience or just a bunch of hearsay thats coming from the 4x4 world? It's all about how high, how much weight, and what type of driving style. Does your truck weigh a ton still? Do you plan on participating in autocross? Think about it. These hot rods/gassers are not made to stop with anykind of serious performance. Small diameter drum brakes and skinny front tires dont usually equal ferrari like stops and if you got yourself a gasser with a straight axle and if your putting into turns hard enough to make this a failure point, you have other problems.

There is a HUGE difference between putting blocks on a 4x4 up front. Skinny bias plys versus torque from the axles and big mud tires. 6000lb vs 3500lb or less? There is a difference and blocks have been run up front on cars a million times and I have yet to hear anyone with an actual bad experience from it. Personally I would NEVER do this on any mud or off road 4x4 trucks. Too much torque and pressures being exerted on the axles. Anybody ever run blocks in the back on a 4x4? Can you say axle wrappin' mother f'er.

Saying this I would definetly not recomend going over 3 inches. That said I say go for it. I would recommend using 1.5 inches no taller at that point you really oughta take other measures to raise the truck.



P.S. If my memory services me correctly 70's highboy 4x4 f250's have 1.5 or 2 in lift blocks up front from the factory.

P.S.S. Anybody seen the yellow panel truck gasser that has been in about a million magazines runnin like 3 inch block? There was a lot of controversy regarding his usage of them. That was the first time I'd heard this in the hot rod world. 46 Ford or Chevy I dont quite rember.

just my 2cents but then again I'm a young hot rodding punk.

 

Thanks 54fordgasser. That's all I was saying. If done right, it's no different than anything else. Talking about blocks in the rear of a truck, F250 & F350 trucks have had either 2" or 4" blocks in the rear since early 80's. My new F350 has 4" rear blocks from the factory. IMHO, the 3" stack I built for the front is way safer than what is on the rear. Steven.

 

Had this discussion at the show in Ocean City this weekend. Owner of a cool Falcon was a 4x4 guy and against it.

On my 39 Hudson moving the front mount is a complete change as the the forged C shape shackle goes through the frame. I will try steel blocks 1.5".

Have this link saved from the few years I have been gathering ideas.
http://www.hotrod.com/features/history/articles/hrdp-1207-how-1960s-straight-axles-were-built/

.......and the image highlighted below.

 

look at my willys picts.and you will see blocks under my axle.my car was a old gasser car.

 

I always say decide on a theme and stick with it. Blocks definitely fit the "theme" here...

 

My 37' was built in the same theme as the very early gasser days [ 59'- 60' ] when they were setting level, just like you would drive on the street as many were

Plus the higher the front gets the more air gets in there and that is not too good for a stable car in the lights

My car was pretty light so I took some leafs out of the front springs to get it to set level , along with the custom made dropped tube front axle

You should do that last after the car is done so it will not change after putting in light parts while you are doing the building

DND