Features Easy drop on 1961 F100 Unibody

I had been researching lowering F100's here for about a month straight. Front end clips, swaps, drop axles, flipped axles, removing leaf springs, mono leafs, cement bags, low-inflated tires, etc... Tons of info just on F-100s. The HAMB is such a great resource.

After all that, I ended up just lowering my 61 Unibody by removing 2 leaves from each wheel. It dropped it a perfect 3 inches. I didn't use a drop axle and I didn't flip the springs on the rear. It still floats down the road, steering is the same, potholes are bumpy, but it's great. I've put about 100 miles on it like this without any trouble so far. What do you think? Is this an acceptable way to do it? Or will my suspension explode?

 

Looks great! Good work!

 

Cool Uni...would have to own that truck if I lived in Tx

 

That is the way hotrods have been done for years. Looks perfect.

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Trim/remove the bump stops, it will be smoother over pot holes.

 

Looks great, I would personally like the front drooped a bit more but that is my own personal taste and has absolutely bearing on how yours sits. Looks great.

Something that may help with the potholes is some helper bags. Air/Ride suspension (been around since the '50s that I know of) makes bags that sit on top of your springs, you could inflate them just enough to help with the potholes, wouldn't noticably lift it and maybe it would improve your ride a bit.

 

Did you use shorter shocks or stick with the originals? Exactly which leafs did you remove? tops, bottoms, centers? I think it sits good. Thanks

 

I would drive that critter. looks nice.
and yeah, what "2" leafs did you yank out of the pack?

 

I will trim the bump stops, thanks for that.

I didn't switch the shocks yet, but plan on adding some sport shocks to help with ride assist. If you're counting from the top of the leaf springs, we pulled numbers 2 and 4. I'll post "before and after" photos of the springs.





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Truck looks great, nice work.

 

If you don't trim the bump stops, there is no need for a shorter shock as you haven't altered the travel, only the static height. If you do trim or remove bump stops, then a shorter shock will most likely be in order or the stock length shock will become the bump stop, whir is Not good.

 

Hey there. Do you have any pics if before and after of the leafsprings?

Thx

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Very much improved stance! HRP

 

Hey Chris I need pics of spring packs too - I'm another of your unibody brethren!

 

Looks good! Glad it steers well.

 

What's the size on those tires it looks great I wanna try it ! I have a 61 unibody, just joined and that's the easiest and cheapest way to do it from all the threads I've read .


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The tires are G78-15's (bias ply) I found them barely used on Craigslist. The truck steers a LOT easier on bias plys than with radials.

Here are the before and after leaf spring photos. Starting from the top, we removed 2 and 4 on all four wheels.
Before Font:

Before Rear:



After Front:

After Rear:



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This may be a silly question, but I dont know the answer.
What should I be torquing the u-bolts to, after I pull the couple springs per side? Thx

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Love it! Might try this with mine.

 

I did the same thing to mine


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Looks great 61Daily!

 

Chris - nice looking truck!

 

Nice truck.. nice stance. Im in the same boat been researching here on the hamb. Lot of info just havent decided which route to take.

 

I'm actually putting a few springs back in mine because the former owner pulled out 4 springs! Was not enough spring to support the bed lol. So I'm putting 2 back in. Then gotta pull 2 out of the front

 

That is exactly what I want to do to my 58. I wonder, does it put too much stress on the main leaf (photo 3 after front). Anyone have any insight on that? Thanks for the photos!

 

I love a Unibody! Killer stance now...awesome work.

 

Bump

 

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I am glad I stumbled on this thread. I just bought a 59 F100, and gotta drop it.

It seems lowering F100's have evolved many times over. This is exactly what I wanna do. Effective yet cost efficient. What more is there.

Thanks....

 

It looks good...Is the front bump stop resting on the axle in the after shot?