I got a 56 that i want to drop. It has a volare frontend and 8" rear. I want to put 2" drop spindles on front and wasnt sure about the rear. Shackles or put rearend on top of leaf springs. Any suggestions.

 

Rear end on top of springs will get you the most drop (at least 5 inches) but you may need a C-notch to get enough travel space. I've put the axle over the springs on two Bonus Builts and did not have to C-notch but I don't carry heavy loads and I used different rear springs. If you plan on dropped spindles I think you will want the axle over spring setup or the rake may be more than you like...

 

I have a volare K-member but not the dropped spindles on my '53.I have a 9" rearend but I've removed three of the leaves (every other one) from the rear suspension on both sides of course and I like my ride height just fine. I don't carry any real loads though. Just an option.

 

A word of caution on the dropped Volare spindles...the clearance between the end of the lower control arm and the disc brake rotor is VERY tight. Be sure that when you install the spindles that you check this clearance...have weight on the front wheels and turn the wheels from stop to stop. Every Volare IFS that I have seen that used the dropped spindles required the lower control arms to be modified to add clearance. They may look OK when the front end is on jacks but with weight on the wheels and especially in a hard turn there is a strong likelyhood that the control arm will contact the rotor. Needless to say this is not a good thing.

 

Thanks for all the tips. New to the site and love it. Lots of knowledge on here.

 

Definitely put the axle on top of the springs. A simple c notch is required. Just cut off the stock mounting pads, flip the centering bolt in the springs. Drop the rear shackles, slid the rear in on a jack, reconnect the spring shackles. Place the mounting pads back on the springs, set the rearend on the pads and check position with a tape measure.
I like to use big C clpamps to hold the rearend to the springs so I can load the springs to set the pinnion angle. When set tack and weld the pads inplace.
Now you will have a tire clearence issue with the rear fenders. The 60-61" rearend you have will make wider fenders needed. Glass ones are availible or you can have the stock one widened by about 2".
When I set trucks up in the buildup to be low, I have the rearend narrowed to
56", install a set of 3" wheel wells in the bedsides and then you can run a 10" wide wheel with about 5" backspace and still run the stock rear fender.
And they are correct about those spindles. It's mentioned in the instructions for the spindles, but you will need to grind the lower A arm at it's end, around the ball joint, to clear the spindle and rotor. This must be checked or you will put a hell u va groove in your rotors.