As some of you have seen, I am building a '53 "Hot Rod". IFS has been installed, the brake line problem has been taken care of and now.....
I have a 8.8 out a 01 Explorer, and needs to be installed in the rear. I want the truck to ride pretty low.(6" to 10" of clearance from the bottom of the running boards) I know I need to put the rear end on top of the springs. I know the original springs won't work. I have seen that late 90's Dakota springs are a good choice but, What do I need to find to make this work and, do I need to call my buddy that can weld anything and get him to weld new holders?

 

Why will the original springs not work?

 

Why cant you use your stock springs? Not uncommon to use them with an axle flip. You get about 4" of drop with an axle flip. Keep in mind you'll be looking at C-notching the frame to go as low as you want to go. For more drop, you can add-in extended length y-hangars, and move the front mounts up the side of the frame rail (to the top of the frame) for another 2"-3" of drop. Then you can remove some leaves from the stock spring too.

 

I was thinking about just mounting it to the original springs but I have a feeling it's going to only have about 1 inch of suspension:/

 

Because they are too stiff? Or is that about all the room you have for travel? I have 3 leaves removed from the rear springs on mine. Much softer and rides pretty nice. Can't say how much, if any, that it lowered it as that was done before I got the truck.

Here it is with a few other rear suspension mods...

 

That ride height looks GREAT!! and all you did was mount the axel to the top of the springs? (and I assume c notch)

 

Negatory.

Axle is still BELOW the springs like stock. Rear Tires are 275/60-15s. Here's what I did-

Added in Mid-Fifty's Extended Y-Hangars for the rear of the spring, and relocated the front spring mounts upward on the frame. (not flush but close - mirrored from the distance left in stock location) This is easy only requiring you to re-drill a new set of holes. My rear leaf springs have 3 leaves removed too. And that's it.

My frame is untouched (not C-notched) and I still have my exhaust over the top of the axle too.

 

What front end are you using?

Here is a picture of what I have now...
I will be running 18" Rims, so I will need to be lower that what yours is, but if I can do it cheaper I'm all game for that!!!

[IMG]<a href="http://s361.photobucket.com/user/bigschott93/media/1953%20F-100/IMG_0518.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i361.photobucket.com/albums/oo59/bigschott93/1953%20F-100/IMG_0518.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo IMG_0518.jpg"/></a>[/IMG]

 

This is the Forward mount on the rear spring. Note that is it NOT flush, but close to the top of the rail. You cannot go flush as the top bolts will be interfered by another brace within the frame. The bracket was basically moved up about 1.75 inches.






Now here's the rear or spring frame bracket. My bracket was all chewed up and the stock Y-hangar (connects the leaf to the bracket -swivel point) was trashed. Both pieces were bought from Mid-Fifty. The Y-hangar is either 1.5 or 2" longer than a stock Y-hangar... (memory is fading).




Now something I haven't done but may consider doing is reversing the spring eyes which should give you approx 2" more drop or you can reverse the front spring eye and flip the front spring bracket (the one i moved upward) upside down getting 1"-2" drop. Just be watchful of your pinion angle. Doing the two things I did didn't seem to disturb the pinion angle much if any at all. Will have to re-measure when I'm all done.

 

At this very moment the front end has STOCK replacement springs and a 3" dropped '57-'60 front I-beam. Actual drop is 4.25" when compared to a '56 stock axle. (1st pic) In my honest opinion is WAY too much. You'll see in the next pic the really low clearance of the i-beam to the floor. Not what I'd call real safe, especially around high manholes/obstacles in the road or if one were to get a flat tire. I cannot even get a 2x4 flatwise to slip under the lowest point on the axle! The last axle pictured is a Stock '56 axle dropped 3" that I'm gonna put into it, essentially raising the truck 1.25" from where it is now.

 

I am going to use the same mid-fifty rear hanger and extended y-hanger as in your last pic here.

Did you use the poly bushings that came with the brackets?

My y-hanger has the brass bushings in them where they mount to the stock bracket. Mid-Fifty told me that the poly bushings will fit where the brass ones are now. Have to knock out the brass ones.

Not that I don't believe them, just want to confirm it.

thanks

 

Have you given any thought to a 4-link setup?

 

These frame brackets are direct replacements and don't lower the truck any. Mine were just trashed and I couldn't locate good used or new stock replacements. With the Mid-Fifty's rear brackets you must press out the brass bushing in the Y-hanger and use the poly bushings supplied as there is no way to use the stock style pins. (No way to secure them) So the supplied bolt and poly bushing is the only option. If you were to use the supplied bolt (if it fit) into the brass bushing in the Y0-hanger, there would be no way to grease it anyways. If your frame brackets are still good and the new pins fit good, I'd just use them. You'll have to use the poly bushings on the spring end of the Y-hangar either way as there is no way to use a stock pin or will be able to grease the brass bushing in the spring either. Also recommend using a locking nut rather than the nut and lock washer that they supplied with the Y-hanger. The frame brackets did come with locking nuts on the main bolts.

Hope this answered your questions. If not, ask more!

 

I may at some point in the future but, for now I'd like to put money into just getting this thing back on the street.

For the rest..... This has been some GREAT information!!!! Thank You!!

I do have one last question....

I purchased U bolts and the spring perch and accessories for the axel to be bolted on top of the springs... Can I use U bolts and have the nuts pointing UP or do I need to purchase something else?

 

My rear brackets are good, but I wanted to use all poly bushings (no brass) frt and rear.

So I bought a pair of Posie's superslide springs and the Mid-fiftys frt and rear brackets.