lowering blocks

[Jims50chrysler]

Made some progress on my 50 today got the front end back together more or less and put the car back on the ground, so far I have cleaned and painted everything inside the inner front fenders, cut 1 coil and made the brackets to relocate my front shocks...I will install these when I get the new shocks this week. Once I got the car on the ground I measured from the rocker behind the front wheel to the ground then I measured from the rocker ahead of the rear wheel to the ground and it appears that a 3 inch lowering block is what is needed to level the car, does anyone know of a source for 2 inch wide lowering blocks or will I have to go with the 2.5 inch blocks from speedway?

is it necessary to leave the metal "wrap" on the leaf springs or can I remove it?

any suggestions are welcome

Jim

[martybose]

You won't be able to use any spacers that you buy from Speedway, as they only sell 2.5" wide, which is what Chebbys use, but our Mopars are narrower (1-3/4", if memory serves).

I bought my lowering blocks from the Night Prowlers (www.thenightprowlers.com), you can contact the owner at garyglasgow@tiadon.com.

Marty, running FatMan dropped front spindles and Night Prowler 1-1/2" lowering blocks on my Mopar .....

[Jims50chrysler]

Marty your memory does serve you correctly unfortunatly that brings my measuring capabilities into question....they are 1-3/4

I will contact night prowlers

Thank you

Jim

[Jeff.P_46]

Hi Jim,

You can also make some out so 2"x3"x3/16" rect. steel tubing, 5" long pieces.

You will need to drill the locating hole for the leaf spring center bolt and will also need to install a 3/8" socket head cap screw (allen head) on the top to locate the top of the tubing with the axle spring mount.

Jeff

[bob westphal]

I bought my 3" blocks from Hot Rod & Custom Supply at http://www.rodncustom.com/index.htm

50 bucks plus shipping complete with U bolts and all.

[Suddensix]

I have Fatman dropped spindles on my P18. When I installed 2" lowering blocks in the rear the car bottomed out going over every little bump in the road so I had to remove them. The rear springs and shocks were new at the time. The car now has a slight rake but looks cool to me.

[Plymouthy Adams]

I have Fatman spindles on the 41 Dodge..no blocks in the rear..the rake is the look I like and thus will stay as is...it is not severe but you do see it...

[Guest rockabillybassman]

I've got 2" blocks from the same place as Bob Westphal. The trouble with making your own blocks is you've got to source or make U bolts.

[Young Ed]

There is a trailer/trucking place here in town that makes them. I had a set made for my old trailer I think they were 6 each. We had 1 made for the 50 chevy to replace a missing one and I think the price was up to 8.

[Plymouthy Adams]

keep in mind that you are doing exactly the ting most of the 4WD trucks are doing in reverse..they going up..we being going down..they over, we be under slung..principle is the same so they have a nice selection of extended length U-bolts for a fair price and on hand...

[Young Ed]

Tim I looked all over and never did find one for my trailer. That thing is way over built. If I recall the bolts were 5/8s stock with a 1/2in thread. I have still never found dust caps for the bearings. I was just thinking the other day I should try to weld some up.

[Plymouthy Adams]

Ed..is good you have a source to have them made..would not think that be done in my local area....

[martybose]

I have Fatman dropped spindles on my P18. When I installed 2" lowering blocks in the rear the car bottomed out going over every little bump in the road so I had to remove them. The rear springs and shocks were new at the time. The car now has a slight rake but looks cool to me.

I wonder if the P18 is significantly different that the P15, because with my 1-1/2" lowering blocks I routinely go over speed bumps exiting my condo complex with no issues.

I can't help wondering if maybe the shocks might be what is bottoming out; I did that when I first remounted my front shocks many years ago.

Marty

[Norm's Coupe]

When we were kids my brother had a 53 Belvidere 2 dr HT. Real nice car and it was lowered all the way around. Not sure how much anymore, but it had to be at least 2". That car would bottom out on some bumps and also drag on sharp inclines. That was in 1960. He didn't have it lowered too long before he raised it back up again to stop bottoming out and dragging. That car would drag doing 5 MPH in driveway inclines and on the street before he raised it back up.

[bob westphal]

I have the 3" blocks on my car and lowered the front 3" by heating the coils(yeah, I know, but that's the way we did it around here back then). I'm also using 195 tires in front with 225s in back. I have no bottoming problems what-so-ever. However, I did cut 2" off the snubbers.

[Suddensix]

I wonder if the P18 is significantly different that the P15, because with my 1-1/2" lowering blocks I routinely go over speed bumps exiting my condo complex with no issues.

I can't help wondering if maybe the shocks might be what is bottoming out; I did that when I first remounted my front shocks many years ago.

Marty

When we checked you could see where the front of the pinion had been slightly hitting the floor just before it kicked up to go over the diff. Although we really had to look closely to see where it was hitting when inside the car it sounded like the rear end was coming right through the floor.

[Jims50chrysler]

Well I have taken Jeff p's advice and decided to make the lowering kit..I sent an email to Kriss at hot rod supply, he was very helpfull but once I found out the cost of shipping was 50% of the price of the parts I could not part with the money for a part that I can make, The blocks are 90% done and we have a spring shop about an hour west of here that said they will make the U bolts to my spec for $8.00 each that includes nuts and washers I will pick these up next time I am going through.

It was an easy decision to make once I looked into it $90.00 or $32.00 but it

sure would have been nice just to purchase the kit and bolt it in, it is tough living up here in the wilderness where all your supplies have to be shipped in

Jim

[38plymouth]

Well I have taken Jeff p's advice and decided to make the lowering kit..I sent an email to Kriss at hot rod supply, he was very helpfull but once I found out the cost of shipping was 50% of the price of the parts I could not part with the money for a part that I can make, The blocks are 90% done and we have a spring shop about an hour west of here that said they will make the U bolts to my spec for $8.00 each that includes nuts and washers I will pick these up next time I am going through.

It was an easy decision to make once I looked into it $90.00 or $32.00 but it

sure would have been nice just to purchase the kit and bolt it in, it is tough living up here in the wilderness where all your supplies have to be shipped in

Jim

I need to make a set for my car, do you have to box the ends for strength?

[Jims50chrysler]

I doubt you have to box them, but I did ...I think they look better boxed and the extra strength won't hurt.

Jim