Info wanted. My truck currently rides on the stock front suspension,and stock rear springs fitted with a mitsubishi rear axle ( 6 stud) fitted above the stock leaves. The engine is a four pot two litre turbo diesel unit with a five speed box to improve milage, which is lighter in weight than the six cylinder,I need to lower the truck both for aesthetic reasons and to reduce the overeall height by a couple of inches to fit under a standard UK garage door. I would like to soften the ride slightly. I do not wish to clip the front end or fit air bags.. I was thinking along the lines of the removal of 2 or 3 leaves from the springs front and rear, and fitting some 2 or 3 inch lowering blocks at the rear. Has anybody used the 3 and 4 inch dropped axles from Nostalgia Sid?, if so do these require any further momifications to the steering arms or the pitman arm or linkages? Any comments, advice especially oictures would be appreciated. Many Thanks.
Install a Mustang 2 suspension under the front end. It will handle like a sports car. Those old suspensions were never designed for todays speeds and roads. As the rear goes.... you can install lowering blocks with those original springs and lower it as far as you'd like without sacrificing ride.
...in the rear, remove all but the 5 longest leafs, use 3 inch blocks, it'll ride nice and sit nice. Still not too soft that you can't haul stuff.
Thanks guys, appreciated, Any info about lowering the front end? Please. An indipendent set up could be used at a later date, but i'm looking for a quick fix solution so I can use the truck for what remains of our summer.
Hi, Since you are in the UK, look for a Series II Jaguar front clip. Will give you an independent front end with power steering. You'll need to get a LHD rack but that's fairly easy to get. Custom car did an article on the swap a few years back and I have the article scanned in if you need it. I did it to a 49 F1 pickup without any problems and I have also done it to my 50 chevy sedan. Takes less then a weekend to put in. Alex
My 48 has the stock axle with a couple of leaves removed on the front. It was a quick and nasty lowering job that was supposed to do for a couple of weekend rod trots before the truck was torn back down to install an independent front end. It got the truck down but I can't suggest doing it that way as it rides pretty rough and doesn't handle worth beans. You didn't say what size of tires you have but lower profile tires would bring the truck down a bit and a dropped axle would bring it down some more. More than one vendor sells front leaf springs that will help lower it some more but between the axle and springs you are getting into a cost area that is approaching installing an independent front suspension.
Quick fix?? 2 guys can have an independent M2 suspension installed in 2-3 days easy. I totally rebuilt and lowered a stock front end on one of these and I can tell you those front ends are not for todays roads and speeds. Don't waist time on your stock front end.
thanks once again guys, plan "B" looks like the favoured option, I will drive it stock front an lowered rear for the time being, modifictions in the winter months, any thoughts on a jag rear for a matching set up?
check with the guys on www.stovebolt.com lots of info there. where are the pictures? never seen one with that kind of running gear sounds cool!
did a search and came up with this thread,some one said use 3 inch lowering blocks to lower the rear of a 47-53 chevy p.u the springs are 1'3/4 wide i'm haveing trouble finding them? anybody knows who sells them for these specific trucks. appreciate any help
What is this, the guy asks how to lower it and almost everyone tells him to put independent under it? I lowered my 53 half ton and it rode great with the stock axle
i put a 4 inch dropped axle in my old truck. and de arched leafs in the back. dropped it about 4 or 5 inches all around. looked good, drove like shit. if you like driving a tractor do it. i would do the subframe... hunter
I did a 50 pu years ago. Took out 3 leaves but did every other one, not 2 next to each other. You waill aso have to rework the bump stop to a shorter one. The one I used was from a 56 or 57 truck. Admittedly not the best ride but not too bad. I do have a MII but for a temp fix I would do the leaves again. jerry
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