Leaf springs and lowering the truck

[71CHEVYSHORTBED402]

71 Chevy 1/2, short/fleet Custom Deluxe 2WD

I'm going to remove the leaf springs, and it was suggested I have them checked for proper specs. I thought I could have this done with the leafs off.......but (please bear w me, I'm green).

Just got off the phone with a guy who comes HIGHLY recommended by suspension shops. He says "they don't tell you what the specs are supposed to be". I think I'll call BS on that one. He can barely speak English and was difficult to understand. At any rate, he says to bring the truck in assembled, and he can arc the springs to the height that I want. I really didn't expect that at all. I've heard you can remove leaf springs to lower the ride, but that doesn't seem like a good idea. He also says there's a chance the leaf heights vary anyway. Seems logical, the truck is 46 years old.

I've pondered dropping this a touch. Maybe 2" front and back. Sounds like drop spindles for the fronts is a great method. My question is, what are your thoughts doing what he's suggested for a rear drop? Other concerns?

If true, this will involve a change of plans. I'd probably "restore" some of the leaf spring parts, slap the leafs back on, only to have them removed again after the bed is back on, in order to judge desired height.

[GASoline71]

I used longer shackles and removed the overload springs on my rear leaf springs. Gained a drop of about 2" to 2.5".

Gary

[Redline novdog]

Sounds like he's old school. We used to re-arch for lift. If you want to lower the springs will get longer,hope the shackles/travel will take it!

[71CHEVYSHORTBED402]

Originally Posted by Redline novdog

Sounds like he's old school. We used to re-arch for lift. If you want to lower the springs will get longer,hope the shackles/travel will take it!

Good point

[71CHEVYSHORTBED402]

Originally Posted by GASoline71

I used longer shackles and removed the overload springs on my rear leaf springs. Gained a drop of about 2" to 2.5".

Gary

I have a "dumb" question, what are "overload springs"? There's currently 5 leaf springs a side. Fairly sure that's stock.

[Mike C]

The mostly "flat" thickest leaf on the bottom is the overload. The rest of the springs sit down on the overload. The leaf is almost 3/4" thick so removing it lowers the truck 3/4" and doing ECE shackles another 1 1/2" for a 2 1/4" drop.

The 5 leaf setup should be the HD rear spring option on your SPID. The bas setup was 4. At least that's my experience with my HD optioned truck and the donor '72 I used the 5 lug housing from.

I don't believe in rearching springs as it is not a long haul solution. I did a flip on mine and it brought the rear down almost 7". I pulled the overload as well not for my drop but because my CalTrac bars interfered with it (or vice versa actually.)

If you don't want 2" drop or 7" drop, then just suck it up and buy the ECE drop springs.

2 1/2" spindles and 2" springs in the front, flip in the rear.

[71CHEVYSHORTBED402]

Originally Posted by Mike C

The mostly "flat" thickest leaf on the bottom is the overload. The rest of the springs sit down on the overload. The leaf is almost 3/4" thick so removing it lowers the truck 3/4" and doing ECE shackles another 1 1/2" for a 2 1/4" drop.

The 5 leaf setup should be the HD rear spring option on your SPID. The bas setup was 4. At least that's my experience with my HD optioned truck and the donor '72 I used the 5 lug housing from.

I don't believe in rearching springs as it is not a long haul solution. I did a flip on mine and it brought the rear down almost 7". I pulled the overload as well not for my drop but because my CalTrac bars interfered with it (or vice versa actually.)

If you don't want 2" drop or 7" drop, then just suck it up and buy the ECE drop springs.

2 1/2" spindles and 2" springs in the front, flip in the rear.

This is good information...Thanks. Not sure what you mean by "flip in the rear" though. Edit: I'm looking at Early Classic Enterprises right now, assuming that's what ECE is. Flip the rear might mean "coils instead of leafs"?

The SPID reads:
"HEAVY REAR SPRING"
"R SUSP-LEAF SPRING" (Suspect this is for the four leaf springs).

[dell72]

"flip" meaning placing or "flipping" the rear axle on top of the leaf spring pack instead of under it like it was stock.

[volksworld]

flip the rear...its a kit that positions the rear axle on top of the leaf springs instead of under them...so its a large drop which may require the frame rails to be notched so the axle doesnt hit...25 years ago we ran a race class that required "stock" suspension...so we had to have the original leafs de-arched to lower the car...done by a local spring shop and i dont think there was anyone under 60 in the shop...disassembled the springs,heated them in a furnace till red and beat the hell out of them on a steel table with a bfh...not exactly a science, and completely dependent on the skill of the old guy with the hammer...which is probably why you got the answer that you did...(p.s. we won the point championship that year)... springs are rated by how many puunds it takes to compress them one inch...intercomp makes a leaf spring rater but its over a grand...so the average spring shop probably doesnt own one,as their main business is big truck springs,not race cars...the shorter leafs are the ones that prevent axle wrap-up and wheel hop so if you're gonna remove a leaf ,remove a long one( found that out the hard way)... got my rears from eaton detroit spring...tech guy very knowledgeable,might be able to call and pick his brain as to what your rate should be...they supposedly can custom build whatever drop you'd like but shipping leaf springs aint cheap

[71CHEVYSHORTBED402]

Originally Posted by dell72

"flip" meaning placing or "flipping" the rear axle on top of the leaf spring pack instead of under it like it was stock.

Ha............I was wondering why some leafs were underneath. Thought it might be just a production option. Good information and thanks.......Congrats on the victory.

[Mike C]

Yup, all your questions answered. ECE is early classic enterprises and they make great stuff. The flip does just that putting the axle on top of the springs rather than underneath.

My flip kit is made by DJM and I got it through Summit. It is hard to find but on the website for the 2 1/4" springs. Nice thing about the flip is it is easily reversed if you change your mind. But 7" may be lower than you want to go. I love how my truck came out and wouldn't change a thing.

FYI, I used 4 front shocks (2 f and 2 r) and relocated the rear to the unused more vertical hole on the mount by drilling it to take the new shock stud.

[71CHEVYSHORTBED402]

7" is too much for me. I'm not even sure I'll drop it. My thinking is, should the leaf springs need work then it might be a good idea, a fresh start so to speak. ECE appears to be very reputable. I'll give them a call, see what they have to offer. My initial thought for a drop is somewhere around 2/2 to 2/4. Thanks for all the info. It's appreciated.

[71CHEVYSHORTBED402]

Just spoke to ECE. Nice and helpful. At any rate, they offer these options for rear leaf springs:

1. 1.5" drop shackles. Not sure how $.
2. New leaf spring kit drops it 4". About $480 with the u-bolts.
3. A combination of the two. About $480 with the u-bolts.

That's more of a drop option than I expected, and it's supposed to work with the existing hangers. My only concern is he couldn't say who builds the leaf springs ("different vendors"). Obviously fewer springs (he thinks 3..............stock is 5), but he says they're rated at least as high. I'm really considering option 2 or 3. I feel I need to get new or have the existing arced, especially since I'm adding moldings. The rear frame is off 1/4" on the RH.

[WarMonger]

Go with a DJM flip kit. Much cheaper and you can get 5" in drop really easy.