OK...so what am I missing here...there have got to be thousands of guys out there using lowering blocks on their Fords, so why am I having such a hard time finding what I need? I'm trying to fine tune the ride height on my car. car...'57 ford, oem 9" case, 2" wide 6 leaf springs. Wanted 1 or 1 1/2" drop. What I am finding is speed shops I've checked with don't even carry them. Most of what I'm finding online@ Jegs, Summit, Etc are the extruded type which may be ok, except they are 2 1/2" wide, and that as I see it presents the problem. First, my new rubber isolator pads/sheet metal retainers aren't going to fit over the 2 1/2 width, and the extruded shape would put the outer thin walls out over air, not over the springs. So, what am I missing here, other than a Bridgeport to make what I need.
I think I would do a search and spend a little time reading comments and complaints about Jamco before I got involved with them.
I lowered my 57 wagon with blocks from http://www.butchscoolstuff.com/. Great service no complaints. Plus he's an alliance vendor!
I got my 3" blocks from Jamco (no issues, BTW) , and I also bought a 2" set at PepBoys , of all places (our local one has a speed shop) . Both in 2" width, BTW. That being said, I would have no issues buying them from Butch's. His stuff seems good to me.
Most of what you are going to find in the catalog speed shops are going to be for late model trucks not '57 Fords ( or Chevys and etc.). You can make your own with a drill press and some T-6061 aluminum plate. I used to make them all the time for the local fellas from 1/2 plate and 3/8 plate either on a milling machine ( Bridgport) or drill press depending on what was handy at the time. Buy your plate from drop at your local metal supply and they will be cheap as dirt. Avoid the cast or extruded ones like the plague unless you got a mini truck with the stock banger in it.
They would be a bit heavier and more expensive possibly unless you can find a drop aka left over piece but you should be able to find 2 inch wide bar stock in the thickness you want at a metal supply or machine shop. OR--- you can order a 1 ft piece of 1-1/2 x 2 aluminum for 19.85 plus shipping from Metal Depot and make your own. http://www.metalsdepot.com/catalog_cart_view.php?msg= They also have steel.
Good idea on the bar stock/drill press. I could probably even salvage the centering pin out of my old springs. Butch's shortest are 2", btw. ideally I'd like 1 1/2, but 1" will work also. In fact, if I stay at 1", I can even use the new Ubolts that are on it that I ordered with my new springs. As they are now, they're actuall too long, with 1 1/4 of thread below the nuts. Thanks, Rich
Made some for a '50 chevy p.u. from square tube steel, heavy wall, allowed relocation of the locator pin also to center the tire in the wheel well.
Just use an allen bolt for a centering pin, drill and tap the block and screw the allen bolt in. Sometimes you have to shave the head of the bolt a little bit, a lathe works well but so does a bench grinder. leave the original centering pin on the springs and drill a hole to accept it in the bottom of the block.
Don't even have to drill/tap, just drill and put the allen head in with a lock-nut, as easily accessible from the end.
I made a set of blocks for my t-bird, pretty straight forward. Even if you find aftermarket blocks, chances are the locator pins will be too small for the 9" ford leaf spring pads. I made mine from heavy wall tubing, plate and tubing for the locator pin. I went to the local spring shop and got a set of longer u-bolts made, I think I had less than $40 into lowering the rear end.
Paul We had discussed using both tubing and solid stock, alum or steel. Has to be tapped with solid stock. It can be done either way, depends on stock and tooling available.
If I were planning on making them from solid stock, as mentioned awhile ago, I'd use aluminum, as a lot lower addition to unsprung weight.
I'm another fan of using thick wall tubing for making lowering blocks. All of the above tips have merit but there is another thing to consider. The U-bolts will probably be too short and you will need new ones. I buy mine at the local big truck garage. They make up springs and suspension parts for big rigs and they have various lengths of U-bolt stock. It comes as a rod that has rolled threads on both ends and they put it in a jig and bend a perfect U shape. Costs less than $5 with nuts and washers.
When I swapped in the nine inch Ford in my 38 Chevy I wanted to lower it as well as move the rear end to center the wheels, I used heavy wall square tubing that I had in my iron pile that happened to be the same width as the spring and that was enough drop to meet my needs. Since I don't do rear end swaps on a daily basis (this was my second in 71 years) I just hung the rear end on the springs, rotated it until the angle was the same (complemented the engine angle) and welded it in place. I found out that once the springs were compressed the angle changed, so.............I cut my lowering blocks at an angle to get the pinion angle correct. In your case that won't be an issue but something that I wish I would have taken into account when I was setting it up.
I made some out of 2 pieces of 1" square stock welded together. Center holed and whatnot. Shoeboxcentral . Com has them purpose made for the narrow old leafs in different sizes though.
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