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Technical Lowering the 48. What steel?

Discussion in 'Traditional Customs' started by hotrodmano, Feb 20, 2019.

  1. hotrodmano
    Joined: May 3, 2011
    Posts: 412

    hotrodmano
    Member
    from Norway

    What steel should I use when making new lowering arms/shackles for my 48. I run stock transverse leafspring.
    Cut out from an old leafspring, or is it sufficient with solid steel with some dimentions?
     
  2. alchemy
    Joined: Sep 27, 2002
    Posts: 20,406

    alchemy
    Member

    Just make shackles from mild steel.
     
    olscrounger and hotrodmano like this.
  3. Longer shackles on a transverse set up sounds odd for some reason
     
    warhorseracing likes this.
  4. hotrodmano
    Joined: May 3, 2011
    Posts: 412

    hotrodmano
    Member
    from Norway

    Well. maybe shackles is the wrong therm (Im a bloddy forringer :) ) but its the steel that connects the leafspring and the axle. The axel slips a bit further up when I swap the steel for longer ones. Its been lowered already but need an inch or so to get that correct stance.
     

  5. Shackles secure the axle and limit side to side movement in a transverse spring set up A longer shackle would seem to allow more side movement causing a possible handling issue.
    A panhard bar could correct this
    Could you possibly remove one leaf from the spring set up?

    Don’t take any negative or doubtful comments here personal. We see so many bad suspension mods we sometimes knee jerk to quickly
     
  6. 47B2D7BF-7F6A-4C19-A69D-918017D42023.jpeg
    Looks like SoCal has them
    I would say same thickness mild steel would work. Try to find some non Chinese steel if possible
     
  7. Blade58
    Joined: Mar 5, 2012
    Posts: 363

    Blade58
    Member
    from apopka ,Fl

    you can opt to remove several intermediate short leaves to lower try 2 first
     
    olscrounger likes this.
  8. J'st Wandering
    Joined: Jan 28, 2004
    Posts: 1,772

    J'st Wandering
    Member

    I have longer shackles on the back of a '35. Came that way and figure that it is the old school way. It rides o.k. but the back end feels a little loose in the turns. I am not making any plans on changing it. I would think that it will bottom out more if you pull out some leaves.

    Neal
     
    olscrounger likes this.
  9. alchemy
    Joined: Sep 27, 2002
    Posts: 20,406

    alchemy
    Member

    I'm pretty sure a 48 has panhard bars, so the longer shackles should be OK.
     
  10. adam401
    Joined: Dec 27, 2007
    Posts: 2,856

    adam401
    Member

    I'm doing the same thing on my 34. I cut a stock set and welded in extensions to mock up the correct ride height and shackle angle. Now Im going to replace them with something more solid.

    Vern Tardel sells a 2" lowering shackle kit for 32-48 that would have been perfect for me. When i went to buy a set a couple weeks ago they were sold out so I'm just making a set.

    I saw a cool video on YouTube about making a broach from tool steal to make the square holes. I think I'm just gonna drill and file mine though.
     
    Cosmo50 likes this.
  11. FYI, These will not work for a 48...they have a larger eye on the spring and the shackles are different. You could probably get them to work, but they are not a direct fit.
     
  12. seb fontana
    Joined: Sep 1, 2005
    Posts: 8,442

    seb fontana
    Member
    from ct

    Correct..
     
  13. hotrodmano
    Joined: May 3, 2011
    Posts: 412

    hotrodmano
    Member
    from Norway

    Dont worry. Im all about critics, as long as it is some hold in it he he. Thanks all for the input guys. Yes, it has panhard bars so movement sideways is limited.
     
    anthony myrick likes this.
  14. I forget the last straight axle fords got panhard bars.
    Post some pics
     
  15. 19Fordy
    Joined: May 17, 2003
    Posts: 8,025

    19Fordy
    Member

    I used 3/8 thick mild steel on the rear because that's what I had available. However, 1/4 or 5/16 mild steel is fine.
    Keep in mind thicker material will require longer shackle pin length. Plus you want to make sure you have no clearance/interference issues. Use Loctite on the nuts. I would not recommend making them from an old leaf spring. Dimensions will depend on how much lower you want your car to be. The longer the shackle,the more roll and sway your car will have. That's not good. I also used brass bushings but you can buy bronze oilite style bushings also. https://www.google.com/search?q=oil...hrome.0.0l6.7847j0j4&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
     

    Attached Files:

    Last edited: Feb 22, 2019
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  16. 1946caddy
    Joined: Dec 18, 2013
    Posts: 2,059

    1946caddy
    Member
    from washington

    How would you know if it's Chinese steel or not?
     
  17. A couple ways
    New steel has markings and your supplier can help ya
    Cut the shackles from some vintage steel. I keep old chassis sections around for parts like this. You could easily plasma cut parts like this from an old frame.
     
  18. Actually with a spring in front (on the front axle) or spring behind (on the rear axle) longer shackles was a common way to lower one.

    You just use mild steel. cold rolled is best (in my opinion) but hot rolled will work. Back when I was a kid we used to tack a piece of plate across the shackles once they were installed on a longer setup to stabilize them. Kind of makes 'em look like an H. ;)
     
    anthony myrick likes this.
  19. 19Fordy
    Joined: May 17, 2003
    Posts: 8,025

    19Fordy
    Member

    Here's an interesting article about the quality of Chinese steel.
    You really can't tell the quality of steel by looking at it's external appearance.
    I guess your best bet would be to go to a welding shop in your area and ask for a piece of 1020 Cold Rolled Steel made in the USA - if they know the supplier. You could also use a piece of steel with a higher carbon content as long as you don't heat treat it.
    https://www.reddit.com/r/AskEngineers/comments/4b5jir/people_say_chinese_steel_is_poor_quality_what/
     
    Last edited: Feb 22, 2019
  20. Mr48chev
    Joined: Dec 28, 2007
    Posts: 33,861

    Mr48chev
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Remembeing some of those lowered in the back 46/48 Fords from when I was a kid side sway in the shackles is pretty well traditional. One sedan here in town in particular swayed quite a bit going down the street. Can't remember much about it except it could do a burnout on the street next to the swimming pool and it had a bad butt wiggle.
     

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