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Building lowering blocks ???'s

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by Scotty500, Jun 24, 2010.

  1. Scotty500
    Joined: Aug 17, 2006
    Posts: 43

    Scotty500
    Member
    from MPLS

    I'm going to build myself some lowering blocks for my 53 Pontiac. My question is how big do I make the alignment hole and is there a stud that needs to built on top of the block? and if so how big is that? If you have any thoughts or ideas on building these would be great. Thanks
     
  2. Cheaper and quicker to just buy a set.....
     
  3. jasone
    Joined: Jun 2, 2006
    Posts: 431

    jasone
    Member

    ^^^^yeah, what he said...local auto parts should be able to get you a set for less than 25 bucks.
     
  4. indyjps
    Joined: Feb 21, 2007
    Posts: 5,377

    indyjps
    Member

    theyll probably be nicer than the ones Ive seen for sale, most are poor looking castings but the hold up fine, even when used to lift 4x4 trucks.

    measure the hole in your spring or on your rearend housing, get a dowel that size, cut an aluminum bar, drill for the dowel, ream for press fit, insert the dowel.

    whats the reson for building your own?
     

  5. johnny bondo
    Joined: Aug 20, 2005
    Posts: 1,547

    johnny bondo
    Member
    from illinois

    we made some for the early chevys because the ones you buy were too wide. the stud on the top were just some bolts that we drilled and tapped a hole for, and then welded the head on the inside.
     
  6. I had our 9 year old son make the ones for my 52 pontiac (slave labor). I wanted 3" and the only ones I could find locally and mail order at that time required me to buy and stack 2" and 1". I think the steel was $4, the longer u-bolts I bought from a trailer supply for less than $10... and I know MY lowering blocks were made in the US and not some chinese crap.

    I measured the locating/centering pin with a mic, cut down a bolt on a lathe, drilled a hole in the block and welded it from the backside.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Jun 24, 2010
  7. Scotty500
    Joined: Aug 17, 2006
    Posts: 43

    Scotty500
    Member
    from MPLS

    Thanks Johnny you're right I've got 1 3/4" wide springs so all the ones I've looked at for sale are to big.
     
  8. jcmarz
    Joined: Jan 10, 2010
    Posts: 4,631

    jcmarz
    Member
    from Chino, Ca

    All you have to do is check the swapmeets or ebay. I found some on ebay for $20. They are 2" cast iron blocks. They are OG. Don't mickey mouse it, take your time and do it right.
     
  9. 40hemicpe
    Joined: May 12, 2007
    Posts: 976

    40hemicpe
    Member
    from anaheim.ca

    dearch your springs instead.
     
  10. large-stache
    Joined: Aug 9, 2009
    Posts: 92

    large-stache
    Member

    Make sure you use heavy wall rectangle tube. The bolt for the locating pin will be fine. Cap the ends to keep the tubing from collapsing/bowing in the middle. I agree with not running the cheap cast/Chinese made junk, O have seen those split. Building them yourself will allow you to get the size you need, and the satisfaction of having made your own parts.
     
  11. pecker head
    Joined: Nov 8, 2006
    Posts: 4,237

    pecker head
    Member

    I built a set last weekend for 51 chevy truck ! 2 1/2 square tubing & bottom 2 leafs removed = 4 1/2 inches when done . I drilled 5/16 holes in top and put 5/16 allenhead bolts in the top with locking nuts , the heads fit perfect in the rearend springperches ! then 1/2 inch holes for the spring bolts ! As for as im conserned this is doing it right !
     
  12. I made 2" lowering blocks. I didn't like the cast aluminum/iron ones that are on the market (they aren't solid, didn't feel confident regarding their strength). I made each block out of two pieces of 1" thick solid steel bar. I drilled one for the pin in the leaf and I drilled the other and installed a bolt that was welded into position and then ground down to the correct height for the pin into the rearend bracket. I then welded the two pieces together to form a 2" thick lowering block. They work great.


    One other thing ... I read somewhere that it is not a good idea to use a lowering block that drops the vehicle more than 2". Something about leverage stresses when accellerating and braking, and you also need to keep "scrub line" in mind as well.
     
    Last edited: Jun 24, 2010
  13. terrarodder
    Joined: Sep 9, 2005
    Posts: 1,101

    terrarodder
    Member
    from EASTERN PA

    I used 2" heavy wall tubing, drilled and tapped for a 5/16' allen head bolt, since then I had the main rearched and took three leafs out of the spring and got almost as low to pass scrub line. Rides better too.
     
  14. 53sled
    Joined: Jul 5, 2005
    Posts: 5,817

    53sled
    Member
    from KCMO

    no it won't. get some u-bolts from the cheap set maybe, but not a cheap block. when they fail, it is bad. Steel is real.
     
  15. 296 V8
    Joined: Sep 17, 2003
    Posts: 4,666

    296 V8
    BANNED
    from Nor~Cal

    Way better to build your own.
    When I make them I stand the rec. tubing on end and use a Allen head bolt for the stud in the cap ….. hole in the other cap.
    Narrow if necessary for odd ball size springs.
    Easy to build in pinion angle change if needed.
     
  16. oldcarfan
    Joined: Jan 7, 2010
    Posts: 315

    oldcarfan
    BANNED
    from missouri

    dont really knwo why you want to bother. bought a 3 inch lowering set from oreillys auto for 24.99. solid piece of aluminum with the holes perefctly centered, plenty stout and look great painted black.
     
  17. Nice! Gotta get them started young!:D
     
  18. I've made my own, because I can! I've used tubing but have always had access to aluminum bar, so that's what I usually go with. For the locating pin, I once used an allen cap screw, just turned the head to the right outer diameter, threaded the block accordingly and it was done. I didn't have any suitable dowel pins around.

    Bob
     

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