Using a torch to lower
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Postmaster
Joined: Apr 2004
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From: Santa Clarita
Using a torch to lower
A few friends of mine had a discussion about ways to lower a truck. A couple guys came up with using a torch and heating only the rear portion of the main leaf spring. The heat acts like re-arching your springs? Anyone heard of this method or tried it?
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Postmaster
Joined: Apr 2004
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From: Santa Clarita
I'm not planning on doing it myself, however my friends truck's springs need replacing anyways, He was going to try and heat them to lower it since he's going to replace them in the near future anyways. I was just wondering if its possible and if it will actually lower the truck? I recall doing it to coil springs and sometimes they would get lower, but sometimes they'd keep going lower than you wanted to. There isn't much control on the heat portion of the springs...or one side would be lower than the other and you keep going back and forth trying to find a balance. Then your too low and need to replace the springs... LOL... He's just looking for a fast way to slam his truck. Never heard of it done to leafs...
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jun 2004
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From: Minnesota
Move the axle to the top of the leaf spring, if it is on the top put a lowering block in.
Originally Posted by imlowr2
I'm not planning on doing it myself, however my friends truck's springs need replacing anyways, He was going to try and heat them to lower it since he's going to replace them in the near future anyways. I was just wondering if its possible and if it will actually lower the truck? I recall doing it to coil springs and sometimes they would get lower, but sometimes they'd keep going lower than you wanted to. There isn't much control on the heat portion of the springs...or one side would be lower than the other and you keep going back and forth trying to find a balance. Then your too low and need to replace the springs... LOL... He's just looking for a fast way to slam his truck. Never heard of it done to leafs...
Post Fiend
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 7,493
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From: Erie, pa
Originally Posted by edsf100
Yep, it's going to lower her, but like you said, back and forth touch without beers should get her done.
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Logistics Pro
Joined: Oct 2002
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From: Valley Center, CA
Ed, don't do it. It could fail while you're going down the road and cause an accident.Quick and easy is very seldom the way to go. Good luck, Jag
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Joined: Oct 2004
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From: Durham NC
Old down and dirty "getto" lowering method, but I'm with FF in saying don't do it! First the heat changes the temper of the spring which could leave them soft which would continue to bend with each bump, or very brittle which could result in a very serious accident should the leaf break at speed. Second there is no way to control the amount of bend, he could find his truck sitting on the frame in a matter of seconds or one side higher than the other side. He can remove leaves and/or re-arch the main leaf (even reverse eye it) at no cost but labor to lower his truck.
Post Fiend
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From: Iowa
Originally Posted by AXracer
Old down and dirty "getto" lowering method, but I'm with FF in saying don't do it! First the heat changes the temper of the spring which could leave them soft which would continue to bend with each bump, or very brittle which could result in a very serious accident should the leaf break at speed. Second there is no way to control the amount of bend, he could find his truck sitting on the frame in a matter of seconds or one side higher than the other side. He can remove leaves and/or re-arch the main leaf (even reverse eye it) at no cost but labor to lower his truck.
Hotshot
Joined: Oct 2004
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From: Durham NC
One other issue with the torch method: since heating the spring causes it to bend in the opposite direction from the arch you can run into spring bind from the changed geometry or interference between the spring and the shackle which will produce a very harsh ride at best or a broken spring at worse.
Hi Dewayne! welcome back (to the board at least I assume you're still deployed.).
Hi Dewayne! welcome back (to the board at least I assume you're still deployed.).
Last edited by AXracer; Sep 19, 2005 at 05:43 PM.
Posting Guru
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From: Michigan
Both my first and second cars (51 ford tudoor and a 37 pontiac tudoor) were lowered by heating the springs (this was in 1957/58) never broke a spring but never had any susp travel. I was a 16 year old kid and thats how we would lower our cars.
Advance forward about 40 yrs, bought a 54 mercury car, guess what heated springs only this time who ever did it removed a couple of the leaves on one side to make the rear level.
Reversed eye rear springs have replaced the heated rear and if I ever get my 56 back on the road I will replace the front coils with dropped spindles and 2 inch shorter coils, plus disk brakes.
Advance forward about 40 yrs, bought a 54 mercury car, guess what heated springs only this time who ever did it removed a couple of the leaves on one side to make the rear level.Reversed eye rear springs have replaced the heated rear and if I ever get my 56 back on the road I will replace the front coils with dropped spindles and 2 inch shorter coils, plus disk brakes.
Last edited by merc546; Sep 19, 2005 at 05:49 PM.
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Postmaster
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From: Santa Clarita
LOL...... You guys are too late.... LOL.. I stopped by my buddies house after work today and noticed he applied the torch to his rear springs. (sorry, I'm still laughing) The right side is about 2 inches lower than the right side, He keeps heating the spring up to make them even, but they keep saging more and are no way near being level. LOL... Looks like he'll be putting an order in for new springs. May have to take my camera to his house for a good laugh. I guess he should of read these posts before sparking up the torch. LOL.... Maybe I can get him to post on methods of lowering the front end to match the rear. ROFL.....