suspension questions
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Senior User
Joined: Jun 1999
Posts: 154
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From: Campbell U S A
suspension questions
I'm going to lower my '56 F100 with stock style suspension. Problem is I have no reference to judge how far to lower it as it isn't stock right now. P/O removed some of the leaves of the original front springs and they are now fatigued and sagged a bit unevenly. It sits with that "old stink bug look"; tail end up in the air and the front end down. I want to get a flat stance that is low, but not into the weeds. What have you done to yours and how does it stand now? Maybe even heights at the bumpers? Mid Fifty has dimensions in their catalog. The bed height is 24.2 inches and mine is 28 inches. The height at the cab is supposed to be 75.5. Estimate mine is 73 or so. And the last thing is, what tires and wheels are you running?
Craig in Campbell :+
Craig in Campbell :+
Cargo Master
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 2,759
Likes: 70
From: Elk River, MN
suspension questions
When I bought my 56, it was a low rider. The front had a 5" dropped axle and stock springs, the rear springs had a S shape at each end to lower it even with the front. A dropped axle sells for around $300-400 new, but you get to use stock front springs instead of deleted leafs. After 6 years of being a low rider, I raised it back to stock height so I could run larger tires and change to coil front suspension. I sold off all the old parts already, but you might try running an add in the classifieds on this site looking for used parts. Lots of 53-56 have been modified with updated front suspension, so parts like dropped axles are out there. I run P235/70R15 tires on Torque Thruster
wheels.
wheels.
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Senior User
Joined: Jun 1999
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From: Campbell U S A
suspension questions
Thanks Pat. I've got P275/60R15's all around on mine. They look good right now, but I don't think the rears are going to fit under the fenders when I drop the rear end. I'll most likely change them out for something a bit narrower with some new wheels. I've got two different brands of five spokers, Keystone and something unknown, and they're chromed steel.
Any thoughts about how high your bumpers were?
Any thoughts about how high your bumpers were?
Cargo Master
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 2,759
Likes: 70
From: Elk River, MN
suspension questions
Only problem with my low rider was trying to get a floor jack under the dropped front axle. The axle center to ground was 4", so I had
jack towards the outboard edge where the axle kicked back up. Also
the rear spring with extra bends near the end would kiss the bottom of the pick up box if I put anything over 100 pounds in the box.
jack towards the outboard edge where the axle kicked back up. Also
the rear spring with extra bends near the end would kiss the bottom of the pick up box if I put anything over 100 pounds in the box.
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Senior User
Joined: Jun 1999
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From: Campbell U S A
suspension questions
That's pretty low. I'm thinking the front end of mine is fine where it is and I want the back end to be close to even with it. That way I won't have bump steer going on and I can still get a jack under it. I'm headed to Sac Vintage this weekend, so I'll bug them a while about it. 
