Opinion on these springs.

Will I have enough suspension travel with a 2.5 drop on the front and a 4 drop on the rear?

In the long run for a DD should I keep the front at stock height and drop the rear 3 to even out the rake?

Im not interested in a drop axle, its to much work for a driveway project.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1957-58-59-60-FORD-F-100-MULTI-LEAF-SPRINGS-/151021835155?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item23299a5393&vxp=mtr

 

My 64 may have 2.5 total travel up front. It appears to be stock so I would be hard to imagine lowering it 2.5 without it being on the bump stops.

You should consider low profile tires. My truck has low profile tires on it in my avatar. They lowered the truck 1.5. Tires are less the the $900 for the springs. And easier to change. You will want to stay with narrow tires or the steering will get very hard in the parking lots.

I do not like lowered look so I went back with close to the stock size tires.

 

If you want to keep the price down, get the eyes of the the springs reversed.
I have only done the fronts, and plan to do the backs in the future.

I currently have a 460bb, so with the weight, it drops a bit more.
I do not have the stock rubber stoppers, travel is still good, never bottomed out.

 

I just spent a boatload of money on my L78-15 wide whites. Im very happy with that size tire and have no plans to change them.

At 50 years old I have no idea what the oem ride height was. Im sure there is some sag in the springs.

Im going to give them a call and see what they say.

 

Literally sitting in Tulsa spring shop while my buddy sets up an alignment for his pump truck. Guy quoted me about 500 or so to De arch the front springs if I brought truck in and little less if I brought springs in (but then said I'd have put them back on and see if truck sits right and if have bring one side back in). I told him I've seen the springs for 500 new with the drop. He just said it's labor intensive

 

Its pretty easy for posters to throw out advice like have the springs de-arched or have a reverse eye put in.

Its another issue altogether finding a shop that can do that kind of work.

I know of none here. Theres probably shops in Atlanta, but that means leaving the truck on jack stands in the driveway for a couple days. Im not comfortable with that, I don't want a neighborhood kid playing around and getting hurt. We have a bunch of kids around here.

I didn't even think about it but a guy did a suspension swap and was giving away his old springs. I should have taken those and had the eyes reversed. If that opportunity comes around again I am going to jump on it.

 

Here is the way I did mine on my 64' using the stock springs. See post #12 lowering a staight axle ford f100? | The H.A.M.B. I now have 1.5"-2" between the bump stops with air shocks in the back. Costs almost nothing..

Any lower would require a drop axle and a C notch.

 

How would the rear sit without the air shocks?

Im not comfortable with my rear suspension being supported by the shock mounts, they aren't made for it.

 

Jim, that looks great, I'm thinking about making this my weekend project. Did you use the same technique for the front and rear (flipping one of the leafs)? I love the look, nice and low, but not too crazy.

Also, what did you use to clamp the leafs back together ?

Thanks,
Seth

 

It sits about the same without the air shocks. The air shocks just add the ability to adjust for a load to reduce bottoming on the bump stops.

 

I removed the bottom leaf both front and rear and inverted the second leaf as shown in the forum post. Use a threaded rod and nuts in the center and run the spring pack together, using C clamps to hold the pack together. Remove the threaded rod and replace the spring pack center bolt. My back center bolts were old and tired so I purchased new ones at NAPA for a couple of bucks each.

 

Im confused.

it looks like you retained the bottom leaf and its unclear which leaf you inverted.

If the bottom leaf is leaf #1, please explain what you did.

 

I consider top leaf as #1, therefore I invert the next leaf down on the pack. Please see the #12 post in this thread lowering a staight axle ford f100? | The H.A.M.B. for diagrams and further explanation.

 

Jim,

Thanks for the info! I'm gonna do mine tomorrow. Last question, what air shocks did you use, and did you just swap them with the old ones? Or did you make new mounts?

Thanks,
Seth

 

Swapped out the old for Monroe MA727 air shocks. Monroe had a nice rebate at the time I purchased the shocks so I was able to get new front shocks and rear air shocks for under $70 shipped. I did have to modify the mounting at the axle in order for the shock body to clear the frame. I used Grade 8 bolts and set it up as shown below.


Good luck with your springs Seth.