add a leaf, junkyard style.
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Senior User
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 250
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From: South Western Ontario
add a leaf, junkyard style.
I went to my local spring shop to get a forged add a leaf. He told me that he would do it since well basically hes done it before. $280. Cleaned, disassembled. new main leaf installed, clips ubolts. WHat I was wondering is could I go to the wreckers and get a pair of leaf springs,2 leafs total, ubolts and clips and install myself. What I am trying to get is a higher rear end. approx going for 3 or 4 inch lift. Any help would be appreciated by someone who has done work on leaf springs before.
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Joined: Aug 2009
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From: NoGa.
Back when I was racing E Production MGB's I went through the same sort of thing.
Sort of.
I wanted stiffer springs ... but I wanted to LOWER my ride height. At that time ... nobody was making a comp spring set for MGB's. I went to local spring shops and they wanted ALL the money in the world.
So I had to make my own.
I lowered the car using lowering blocks ... and added individual leafs from a spare set of leaf springs until I got the stiffness I was looking for.
But I'm not sure that y'all are trying to increase stiffness ...
On our beloved Fords ... can't you increase ride height with longer U bolts and blocks (metal) between the axle and the spring ... or maybe longer spring shackles?
Or a combination of both?
Sort of.
I wanted stiffer springs ... but I wanted to LOWER my ride height. At that time ... nobody was making a comp spring set for MGB's. I went to local spring shops and they wanted ALL the money in the world.
So I had to make my own.
I lowered the car using lowering blocks ... and added individual leafs from a spare set of leaf springs until I got the stiffness I was looking for.
But I'm not sure that y'all are trying to increase stiffness ...
On our beloved Fords ... can't you increase ride height with longer U bolts and blocks (metal) between the axle and the spring ... or maybe longer spring shackles?
Or a combination of both?
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Senior User
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 250
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From: South Western Ontario
copy that, except I have never seen an auto zone around here but I will check to see if there is one around, thanks. I try and stay local when buying parts or material for my truck, that way if its a peice of **** or just dont work I dont have to go all the way to CHina to give them crap or get a new part.
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Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 291
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From: Lockport, IL
Sorry, missed the Canada thing till now. Autozone is just a generic auto parts franchise, I'm sure you have something similar.
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Fleet Owner
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 21,437
Likes: 76
From: Gilbert, PA
Here is a bunch of lift blocks for under $100 http://www.summitracing.com/search/?...20blocks&dds=1
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Cargo Master
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 2,298
Likes: 26
From: NJ
Don't do blocks. They are a cheap ghetto way to get lift and result in poor ride and handling. To properly gain ride height you need to either get springs to achieve that ride height or modify your shackles. If money is tight and 3"-4" is sufficient, go with the Sky shackles. Great beefy shackle and results in a good ride quality and no axle wrap problems (like forum155pl, he likely broke his ujoints as a result of extreme angle from the exaggerated axle wrap blocks induce).
http://www.sky-manufacturing.com/new...uct.php?id=180
http://www.sky-manufacturing.com/new...uct.php?id=180
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Senior User
Joined: Dec 2006
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From: South Western Ontario
Cadunkle, Are you saying that the sky jackles are better than adding a forged leaf as well or just the ghetto blocks. I know that the f350 s and 3500 series trucks use these blocks right out of the factory. So there must be a way to properly use them or they would not come on 50000 dollar trucks.
Cargo Master
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 2,298
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From: NJ
Cadunkle, Are you saying that the sky jackles are better than adding a forged leaf as well or just the ghetto blocks. I know that the f350 s and 3500 series trucks use these blocks right out of the factory. So there must be a way to properly use them or they would not come on 50000 dollar trucks.
Why would Ford stack blocks on a $50,000 truck? Think about it, $50,000 truck that they put some $10 blocks on instead of spending $100 on a better/proper shackle saves lots of money over thousands of trucks. Factor in that the trucks that sit lower and the trucks that sit higher share the same shackle adn only difference is blocks and u-bolts... More money saved vs. two different shackle designs.
Oh, another option for cheap (free) lift is to flip the factory shackle, which I believe will get you around 2" of lift, maybe slightly less.
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Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 335
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From: Spokane washington
ford uses the blocks from the factory mainly for a axle snubber.. that's why they have a funky thing hanging outta the inside of em..
I think that a 2" lift would be perfectly fine with lift blocks.. ive seen guys use blocks for 6" lifts, and ive seen those very trucks haul some pretty darn big loads..
I dont see how you can flip the factory shackle with the bracket in the way (teach me, ive always wondered)
I think that a 2" lift would be perfectly fine with lift blocks.. ive seen guys use blocks for 6" lifts, and ive seen those very trucks haul some pretty darn big loads..
I dont see how you can flip the factory shackle with the bracket in the way (teach me, ive always wondered)
Fleet Owner
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 21,437
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From: Gilbert, PA
Hometown Pride you have to ask your self. Do you want a harder ride and more weight carrying capacity or the same ride, 2-3" of lift , no extra weight capacity? If you like your ride and do NOT need extra weight capacity, then blocks are for you. If you want more weight capacity and dont mind a harsher ride, then an add-a-leaf is for you. If you decide on a block i reccomend taking out your stock block and getting 1 block to replace your stock one and the additional lift you are looking for
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Senior User
Joined: Dec 2006
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From: South Western Ontario
Thatputs it pretty clear DieselBrad. I an looking for a harsh ride with extra cpacity as well as the lift. leaf spring it is, Can I use one from a f350, if I can where do I put it on the top or the bottom of the stack?