Lowering CRAZY IDEA...

[1950DodgeC]

I just thought I would throw this out there because I see alot of people lowering their cars and just wanted to get feedback on this.

Instead of buying drop spindles, why cant you Flip the original spindles and rotate them to the opposite side? I have seen this done on other vehicles with success.

I realize their will be a problem with the shock location.

I also realize the flip and rotation would drop it roughly 6 inches.

I am sure someone thought about this already or tried it, Any Comments or suggestions????

[claybill]

easiest to cut the springs one coil. it does improve ride and lowers 2in.

been there..

bill

[dezeldoc]

I have my spindles off right now and you would not gain anything from it, (unless you are talking about the uprights, the part the spindle hooks to witch would not work at all) plus the steering arms would not bolt up. better to just cut a coil.

[Don Coatney]

Why does everyone want to lower there car? Something wrong with the stock height?

[jd52cranbrook]

To me you answered your own question in your second sentence.

"stock height"

If I can, and I think it looks good, I would like to be a bit off of "stock"

[Olddaddy]

Well, my opinion, and opinions are like free advice, worth what you paid for them.......is cutting the springs. I've done it every way there is to do it and that seems best. It drops the ride height, but maintains all the stock steering and brake relationships. It doesn't pinch anything like lowered spindles can do, although the Fatman uprights do work well, but pricey. The all around easiest way is to run shorter tires on 15" rims. And I don't know why people want to lower their cars, coolness is in the eye of the beholder I guess.

[tankwilson]

wouldn't your camber be all mess up????

[62rebelP23]

i find that with radials on my 52 i couldn't lower it much and not lose driveability. maybe with bias plies it rides higher, but radials set it down low enough for me. mines a 4dr anyway, why lower a 4dr?

[Grandadeo]

Our ol' buddy Normspeed cut 1 full coil on front of his '53 Momad. Then he pulled it apart and cut his spare set of coils 1 half coil and put it back together. He also put lowering blocks in the rear leaf springs. Now it looks just right, and gets lots of looks where ever he drives. Of course my excellent computer skills prevent me from attaching a picture of it but if you poke around here I'm sure you'll find one for reference.

Lee

[LAKOTA169]

Back in about '63, I had a Pontiac that I lowered. Used clamps on the springs. Was low enough that the lake pipes would hit the curb if you got too close. Added 15" Buick Wildcat wheels that brought it up a bit. Car rode smooth without bouncing like I would see on cars that had heated coils. Could go over railroad crossings without making the record player skip. On my son's custom '55 Merc, he ordered 2" lowered springs from Eaton. Had the same spring rating as the stock springs.

[jd52cranbrook]

That's a nice Merc..

[49plymouthdotcom]

Plymouth realized the '49 sat too high and lowered it:

"Despite all the horizontal visual "cues" designed into the car, it still had a rather high, boxy appearance and sat too high off the ground. This problem was cured early in production by shortening the front coils and flattening the rear springs, to achieve a 1in drop in front and a 1-1/2in drop in the rear."

Quoted from Jim Benjaminson's Plymouth book

IMO "cured" is subjective. They lowered it to change the viewers perspective of the car. Many folks still feel that these are still too high and boxy. The '49s I've seen lowered really look good to me in a "nailed it" sort of way. They look more sporty and less "Drivin' Miss Daisy".

.

[NatesSedan]

Praise the lowered~!

[Joel Torres]

cutting springs and lowering block is the safest way to go air bags suspension is the best for a caddy ride with the switch to go back to stock for driveway and lay her down when its time to hang out

oh im not a vato but i look like one sometimes my friend just put that on the pic

[49plymouthdotcom]

cutting springs and lowering block is the safest way to go

Why do you think that cutting springs and using lowering blocks is the safest way to lower a car? What about dropped uprights or dropped spindles and de-arched leaf springs? You can get front springs that are shorter but still provide the proper suspension.

[Justin Slingsby]

Lowering blocks are not the safest way to go. If you put in too big of a block the leaf springs will be outside of the outer lip of the rim. What is the car going to land on when you get a flat at 60 MPH? The springs.

Dearch your springs by taking them to a shop that specializes in it. Usually any truck shop that deals with heavy suspension can dearch your springs. Have them make you a new main leaf to make up for the difference in arch. While you are at it put in new urethane bushings in the perch mounts and new hardware. That is the safest way to lower leaf springs.

[1950DodgeC]

I decided to go with 2500 Airbags in the front and have a set of brackets that I will modify a little to make them work better.

the rear I was going to take out a few leafs and use airbags on the top of them..

[Mr.Chaos]

I use the ground as a parking brake. 2500 bags up front 2600 on the rear with full 4 link.

[40desoto]

Can you provide any pictures of your full 4 link rear?  Im assumimg you also notched the rear frame.  

How did you get your front lowered?

[Dave72dt]

I use the ground as a parking brake. 2500 bags up front 2600 on the rear with full 4 link.

If you happen to  blow a line or bag on the highway, does that turn the bottom of your car into a giant skid plate and how much good will brakes be with little down pressure  on the tires for braking?

[derek_m]

Grind rivets off spring plate on control arm and reattach spring plate to bottom side of control arm. I plan on doing this next weekend.

[Lumpy]

So....yes, what about camber? Does it stay within adjustable limits?

 

k.

[derek_m]

^^^ill have to post up after i do it when i find out. honestly though, my car is a fair weather driver around town so im not too concerned, wont see many miles. 

[fstfish66]

would love to see pics of this and   the difference in  ride height with just  moving the spring  plates to the bottom of the A arm,,,

[Don Coatney]

Here is another means to lower a car

 

http://kalecoauto.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=7&products_id=13&zenid=UPG15xkwet1iVRq0uOKvP0