Lowering Thread..... thinking outloud.

[belvedere666]

Has anyone tried lowering the back end with the leaf springs from a donor car?

i've seen cars with posies dropped leaf springs but, logistically, what would be the requirement for a leaf spring to "drop"?

say you were to take the leaf springs off of something like a '87 chrysler new yorker (just an example) and add longer shackles?

i dunno, thinking out loud.

[Andydodge]

This is a common hotrod trick however the main thing is that you need to make sure the front & rear spring eye/shackle are also included as later model springs tend to be wider then those pre mid 50's........say 2.5-3" wide instead of 2" wide...........if you take the original springs to a spring shop, they can modify them a couple of ways to "lower" them........they can reverse the main leaf eye, which drops the car 2-3", they can remove a couple of leaves which could also drop the car depending on how many leaves were removed or they could (depending on the car) make a new slightly shorter main leaf and or shorten the rear spring shackle both of which  will drop the car........using aluminium or steel lowering blocks will also drop the car, 2-3" blocks being the most common..........hope this helps......regards, andyd 

[belvedere666]

i put a set of 3' blocks on the car to find out that these old plymouths have narrow springs and the blocks wouldn't allow the U bolts to sit right. while i was putting other things together on the car yesterday, i decided to take them off and possibly invest in another set that would fit better. in the meantime though, my brain hasn't shut up. i can't help but think that there's a car out there with a compatible leaf spring that already has less arch to it.

[deathbound]

I think the stock springs are 1-3/4" wide, blocks are available in that width. I was able to modify the 2" wide aluminum blocks I had to fit my stock U-bolts with Posies lowered springs (which I also removed 2 leafs from). Watch eye to eye dimension & locating pin dimension on any springs you consider.

Here are a few threads:

http://p15-d24.com/topic/36989-lowering-the-rear-of-my-48-biz-coupe-and-have-questions/?hl=%2Bnew+%2Bways+%2Blower+%2Bthe+%2Brear#entry382572

http://p15-d24.com/topic/35853-lowering-the-rear-50-coupe/?hl=%2Bnew+%2Bways+%2Blower+%2Bthe+%2Brear#entry366465

http://p15-d24.com/topic/33585-new-ways-to-lower-the-rear-end/?hl=%2Bnew+%2Bways+%2Blower+%2Bthe+%2Brear

Edited May 2, 2015 by deathbound

[martybose]

I've been thinking about putting a set of Posie's rear springs on, but have a concern.  I currently have 1-1/2" lowering blocks on a set of dying OEM springs (one side lower than the other), and the Poisie's springs are listed as being a 3" drop from stock.  While I'm sure that my current setup is more than just the 1-1/2" drop that the blocks represent, I'm not sure that it would be as much as 3", and I don't want to drop lower than where I'm at now.  Does anyone have an on-the-ground dimension for a loaded stock spring so that I could figure out where I'm actually at?

 

Marty

[pflaming]

PM Mark Haymond in Fresno, Ca. He has a very nice coupe and lowered it, then raised it a little to clear street challenges.

[Don Coatney]

This might or might not help. My car is not lowered. Taken after new rear springs.

 

Right side.

 

 

Left side

 

[pflaming]

Are these measurements with you in the car or out??

[Don Coatney]

My arms are not that long

[DonaldSmith]

I've heard of cars having one more leaf on the left side, to compensate for the weight of the driver. 

[martybose]

PM Mark Haymond in Fresno, Ca. He has a very nice coupe and lowered it, then raised it a little to clear street challenges.

Exactly the reason I'm concerned.  Although granted the rear springs don't affect it much, i can hit the oil pan on the "road" into the ranch if I'm not careful, so going lower isn't an option.

 

Don, were your new springs supposed to be "stock" or dropped?  My car with dead stock rear springs and 1-1/2" lowering blocks is more than an inch lower than yours, although of course the tire height hasn't been factored in.

 

Marty

[Don Coatney]

Stock rear springs from Espo. Nothing lowered on my car.

 

http://www.springsnthings.com/

[Plymouthy Adams]

I've heard of cars having one more leaf on the left side, to compensate for the weight of the driver. 

a true hemi car of muscle car era would have an extra leaf in the passenger side to assist with the torque when throttle is applied in measure dosage, ie WOT

 

if and when mixing and matching springs..it is not just take this one to that ..the key is axle positioning and front hanger and rear extension length for the shackles to work proper..the pin in the springs center the axle to the opening as determined by the front hanger.  The shackles MUST be able to move rearward and be present to that disposition and YET not over extended to the point the bind metal to metal.   Measure and order all springs are based on the eye to pin from the front and also pin to rear eye for shackles..this is critical before relaying any concern for weight, drop or other riding characteristic..