Just checked the scrubline on my rearend (1951 Ford Tudor) (don't know why I haven't done it before; I've had the car about 10 months! I guess I just kinda learned what the scrubline was). Anyway, it looks not-good, if not dangerous. The u-bolts are hanging down past the bottom of the rims for sure, and the shackle is DAMN close. My idea was to remove a leaf or two and cut the U-bolts down. Will this work? Eventually, I'll be doing a tower notch & 4-link, but until I get the $$$ and develop the welding skills, I thought this could be a temporary fix -- I'd like it to be safer until I get around to doing the real fix. If it will work, do I remove leafs from the bottom (smaller ones) or the top (bigger ones)? Thanks in advance!
Ok.. I'm stumped on this.. would you educate me as to what the scrubline is? you refer to the rim line? I've got a 31 chev with some hefty lowing blocks and the only consideration I did was to make sure there was 4" between the ends of the u bolts and the ground.. in conn,, its a requirement that nothing can be below 4" on the underside of a car... what is the scrubline? be kind.. Its a term that I had not heard.. joeg
Sorry.. I forgot to add... you should always remove spring leafs from the smaller first... else you will destroy the graduated spring tension across the larger leafs... ie.. if you remove larger ones first.. the step dimensions between the small leafs (left on).. will be large and possibly cause the spring to snap or bend. (ok whats the scrub line?) joeg
The scrub line is basicly an imaginary line that determines what would rub the ground in case of a flat tire.... obviously you don't want anything to rub the pavement except the whhel and tire. Typically, I've seen it drawn in magazines from the point the tire touches the ground to the bottom of the wheel on the other side of the car on the same axle. I tried to tuck most everything under an imaginary line drawn from the bottom of the wheels on opposite sides of the car. I have had two flat tires at the same time before... Hope this helps... Andy
Andy.. thanks ever so much.. you know,,, I actually never did line drawing that way..or even considered what would hit if I had a flat... but it makes sense... guess what I'll be doing first thing tomorrow morning? seeing if anything hits if I get a flat tire (or two).. thanks joeg
Make sure you really check the front. If something drags in the back you can still steer. If you have a tie rod or something below scrubline up front and you blow a tire, the ground is going to steer for you, and probably not the direction you want.
Okay -- so -- Scrubline in the back is not as big a deal as the front; and remove the smaller leafs first, right?
Anything more then a 3" block is scary.Blocks are scary enough at 3" I took the 3 bottom leafs outa my shoebox and it sits good with 4" tall springpads(which in turn is the same as 3" blocks,but way better)
I'm not sure now on what are ''blocks" or "springpads".. but I've got 4" lowering blocks on my 31 chev.. ride is fine.. of course I have some ladder bars to help keep the rear straight. But I have to admit.. I find it scary also.. but rear end seems to be doing ok.. (of course the lower end of the U bolts are below the scrub line by about 1-2 inches.. oh well... (and you can also see what happens when you decide to build your car yellow.. then change your mind at the end..). I'm in the process of repainting all the yellow undercarriage black like it should have been ! Here are some pics of my 4" blocks... joeg
Joegib, You have your shocks mounted to the block(s), and that looks scary to me. Everything is being held in place by the u-bolts, and to my amateur eyes, that seems like a lot of forces coming together in an arrangement that isn't particularly solid. You can probably get away with it, but it's a kludgy arrangement.
I dont like big blocks...I would change springs, spring set ups, hangers and shackles, anything before adding alot of block....I am not a big fan of spring wrap
I was thinking the same thing. Kinda scary, and if you do ever have the unfortune of testing out how low your scrubline is: A flat happens, once the ground grabs your u-bolts, it will rip the block/shock out real quick, then, your car will be grinding in who knows what direction. It will really give the ground a better grip on spinning you wherever it wants to take you. I'm not trying to be a dick, I just don't want to see anyone get hurt by something avoidable. Tito
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