I have small problem
 

I have a 71' 2wd lwb gmc serria (v8 350)

I have leaf in the rear yet i wanna drop the truck on maybe 20 in rims or so. ne one know of a way to lower the rear besides flip the leaf from top of axle to bottom???

thanks tons!!!

---den:c2:

Re: I have small problem
 

Easy enough . Use lowering blocks of the appropriate desired drop. JMHO, Dean

Re: I have small problem
 

the leaf should already be on the bottom of the axle ... use blocks like rsrxion said ... cheap ... easy ... fast.

Re: I have small problem
 

Lowering blocks won't work without using the flip-kit. You really can't do much without using a flip kit. My GMC came with a leaf spring frame. Since I had decided to bag it, I bought a coil frame and swapped everything over.

Re: I have small problem
 

I thought the leafs were mounted under the axle tubes on these rear ends?

I'm more familiar with coil rears ... that why I ask.

Re: I have small problem
 

Here is what I did, I have a GMC with leafs. First all, i flipped the rear end, it only lowers it about 4 3/4 inches. The front will sit perfect with a set of drop spindles and drop spring 2.5 inch drop springs that is. The rear crossmember directly behind the cab may need to be notched. Mine did because I also pulled a leaf. I could still put 20s on it with no problem. They look pimp down like this.

Re: I have small problem
 

nope!! my leaf's are above the axle. it does have the stiffer *tow* package on it via glove box.

jkaylor68gmc: have ne pics???

THANKS ALOT TO EVERYONE!!!

Re: I have small problem
 

Leafs above the axle + blocks = lift, not lower. You need a flip kit.

Re: I have small problem
 

Which flip kit did you use? I have leafs also and need a drop, thanks.

Re: I have small problem
 

haha, i know, yet where to get a flip kit???

Re: I have small problem
 

If you can weld go to Tractor Supply's trailer parts section and buy the 3" rearend perches and u-bolt setup for around $30.. Forget paying close to $100 for a simple U shaped piece of metal !

Re: I have small problem
 

awesome. thanks!!

Re: I have small problem
 

If your going 20's you may as well step notch and bag it to make the rims look at home on the truck.

Re: I have small problem
 

I need some help please.... I have leaf springs but do not think they are factory. The brackets that hold the leaf springs are welding onto the frame. The leaf springs are under the axle. The rear end looks to be flipped because I cannot see the drain plug on the bottom. Is there a way to tell if I have a flip kit on it? The rear end and drive shaft line up at an angle, not straight. The truck sits really really low. I would be happy with a 2/4 drop. I see to put leaf springs plus blocks will raise it. But would the be my safe cause of my rear end and drive shaft being at an angle facing down? I will try to post some pice this weekend. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Re: I have small problem
 

how about lowering springs and drop shackles. ECE sells them. you should be able to get about 3in of drop without doing a axle flip. ondrew

Re: I have small problem
 

Flip kit doesn't turn the rearend over... it 'flips' the relative position of the axle and spring (see pic below). Also, the plug on the rearend is not a drain plug, but rather a fill plug, and so it's supposed to be on top.

Re: I have small problem
 

Have the springs dearched. Any decent spring shop can do this kind of work. Basically, they take the spring pack apart, use proper heating techniques to change the arches of each leaf, then reassemble the packs. While doing this, they can also swap out or eliminate individual leafs to change the overall spring rate, and then can re-roll the eyes on the ends if needed (on a spring that had a big arch, when you dearch it significantly, the eye-to-eye distance gets too long, and so you end up with your shackles at a steep angle, which is not what you want).

It's been 20 years since I had springs done, but IIRC, RAy's Fort Worth Champion Spring did them for about $120/pair, and turnaround was a day. If you decide you want extreme lowering, you'll want to combine this method with the flip... plan on a signficant frame notch to go with it.