55.2-59 No C-notch

[FAKKY]

Posted this in my build thread --- then relized most of you arent on my build thread. So after a quick search cant find much info -- but I know someone knows.

I went without a cnotch. I also hop to not have to do a cnotch. But how big of an issue is this clearance wise (fully compressed rear on jack)





Obviously It will be fine for DD around street - but not sure on potholes/speedbumps and probably cant ever tow with it.

If it does become a problem - options ?

1) Airbags ?
2) Beefier/new custom leafs with a 1-2" raise of rear ?
3) HD shocks overrated ?
4) other ?

[jwhotrod]

how much space do you have at ride height? the common logic is to have 2-3" at the axle, if you have that to the bump stops you will be fine.

[FAKKY]

Not sure ...... got the wheels and brakes off and in middle of welding on spring perches so dont wnat to drop the axle just yet ....... but about 1" right now fully compressed but no load in rear (tools whatever).

I would guess 5" ..... but I'll shot back on that one. could go with a 2" bumpstop instead of a 3" also.

[mr48chev]

You are going to have exactly what you see there that 3/4 of an inch or so. If the weight of the truck is resting on the jack that is. The axle isn't going to drop away from the frame when you put the wheels on and set it on the ground/shop floor.

If you put any kind of load in it you will be riding on the bump stops.

[FAKKY]

Originally Posted by mr48chev

You are going to have exactly what you see there that 3/4 of an inch or so. If the weight of the truck is resting on the jack that is. The axle isn't going to drop away from the frame when you put the wheels on and set it on the ground/shop floor.

If you put any kind of load in it you will be riding on the bump stops.

Oh yeah ... doh

So ideas on how to "help" .... I dont mind living (for now) with tighter bumps on potholes etc ...... but thinking I can probably get a bit more travel weith a mix of ideas above etc....

eg ... if I have 1" now.
But removed the 2.5" pads to say these 1" bump stops ..... https://www.4x4parts.com/i-18914466-...ump-stops.html
That would technically give me 2.5" travel.

Problem at that point is that the rear diff would be close to making congtact with floor.
Can you get rear springs made ..... else airbags that would add an additional 1-2" in rear ....... to bring total to say 4.5" travel.
I dont mind a little rake .... front down .....

[duramax55]

fakky you can get spring re arc to give you what you want

[FAKKY]

Originally Posted by duramax55

fakky you can get spring re arc to give you what you want

Thanks !
I was always told that more articulation/travel was better when lifting trucks than just putting in lifting blocks etc .......

I found this company which looks neat ..... on the air over leaf route .....
https://www.ridetech.com/product-cat...ts/components/

Emailed a few spring companies this morning too.

[mongocanfly]

Before airbags came along I ran air shocks on the rear of my lowered 86 C10....they worked good...I had removed 2 leaves to lower it and the air shocks made up for the loss of load capacity
The would lift the rear several inches

[mr48chev]

Your axle is below the spring so it is never going to beat on the frame and break it like mine did without a C notch. It can't get to the frame meaning unless you put the spring on top of the springs you have no need for a notch.

Thinner snubbers will give you more travel and probably enough on smooth roads if you don't intend to haul anything besides a couple of lawn chairs and a cooler.

I'm thinking about a pair of low buck bags to use as "load levelers" on my 48 this time with an onboard compressor off a Cadillac with the level switch mounted at the rear.
That way I can maintain a set static ride height hopefully without a hassle.

[FAKKY]

Originally Posted by mr48chev

Your axle is below the spring so it is never going to beat on the frame and break it like mine did without a C notch. It can't get to the frame meaning unless you put the spring on top of the springs you have no need for a notch.

Thinner snubbers will give you more travel and probably enough on smooth roads if you don't intend to haul anything besides a couple of lawn chairs and a cooler.

I'm thinking about a pair of low buck bags to use as "load levelers" on my 48 this time with an onboard compressor off a Cadillac with the level switch mounted at the rear.
That way I can maintain a set static ride height hopefully without a hassle.

The thing with airbags Im not sure of ....... is everything I read is that they are really intended to add load capacity when removing springs etc. eg remove a couple of leafs ..... add a bag.

Worried if I dont remove the leafs .... and add a bag .... it will be like riding on bumpstops 24x7. I.e Hard.

[joedoh]

chances are, you are going to be hitting the snubbers if that is your clearance right now. you can get shorter snubbers, ridetech sells some that are about 1/2 inch tall poly buttons.

I would drive it around, a lot of times you can spend a lot of time worrying about something that can be apparent with a 5 min road test. I am not saying it wont bang around, only saying its Schrödinger's axle right now, it could bang and it could not bang, you just dont know yet.

Originally Posted by FAKKY

The thing with airbags Im not sure of ....... is everything I read is that they are really intended to add load capacity when removing springs etc. eg remove a couple of leafs ..... add a bag.

Worried if I dont remove the leafs .... and add a bag .... it will be like riding on bumpstops 24x7. I.e Hard.

only if you fill them up so much that they have a high spring rate. the spring rate on airsprings doesnt start getting high until they are over half travel, so you can lift a 1/2"-1" and still have a great ride. its easy to think you are adding spring rate by adding an airspring, but remember that the airbag is taking some of the spring rate off the leafs as it lifts, so it should stay around the same as it was. if you plumb the system to be leak free you can use a gas station to add air through a schrader valve.

[FAKKY]

Originally Posted by joedoh

chances are, you are going to be hitting the snubbers if that is your clearance right now. you can get shorter snubbers, ridetech sells some that are about 1/2 inch tall poly buttons.

I would drive it around, a lot of times you can spend a lot of time worrying about something that can be apparent with a 5 min road test. I am not saying it wont bang around, only saying its Schrödinger's axle right now, it could bang and it could not bang, you just dont know yet.

I think your right. Was just trying to get ahead of a problem before I weld down the spring perches ......

Originally Posted by joedoh

only if you fill them up so much that they have a high spring rate. the spring rate on airsprings doesnt start getting high until they are over half travel, so you can lift a 1/2"-1" and still have a great ride. its easy to think you are adding spring rate by adding an airspring, but remember that the airbag is taking some of the spring rate off the leafs as it lifts, so it should stay around the same as it was. if you plumb the system to be leak free you can use a gas station to add air through a schrader valve.

I carry around a portable tire inflator - assume that would work too .... especially if at lower PSI. I think at full weight I have around 6.5" max from top of leaf to top of frame.

Looking at the install instructions ... https://www.ridetech.com/instructions/19002003.pdf

PART#

TYPE Capacity
@100psi
Compres
s Height
Ride Height Max.
Height
Max
Diameter
Bolt Pattern

7076 Rolling Sleeve 800# 3.5” 5”-6” 9” 4” .750SAE/.125npt

I guess if it sits 6" .... but can go to 9" ...... then that would give me around up to 3" of lift ...

[joedoh]

Originally Posted by FAKKY

PART#

TYPE Capacity
@100psi
Compres
s Height
Ride Height Max.
Height
Max
Diameter
Bolt Pattern

7076 Rolling Sleeve 800# 3.5” 5”-6” 9” 4” .750SAE/.125npt

I guess if it sits 6" .... but can go to 9" ...... then that would give me around up to 3" of lift ...

i think you would be better off setting it at 4 or 4.5 inches slack, and lifting 2-3 inches from there. if you set iit at 6" slack and lifted 3 inches you will definitely have a high spring rate, 9" is full extension.

sleeve bags have the best ride characteristics. I have owned about 20 bagged cars and trucks, built more than 10 of them myself, and had all types of rear suspension setups. leverage setups, bag over axle, bag over leaf, bags with 4 links 3 links 5 links and 6 links, parallel links, triangulated links, small bags big bags, convoluted double convoluted and sleeves. by far and away a large margin, sleeve bags rode the very best. they dont do everything well, you cant use them in angled applications like double convoluted bags, and they are 1/8 npt so not the fastest actuating bags, and they need limiting straps (or shocks, or leafs in your case) because they will literally lift so much they will pull themselves apart. but in the right application they are heavenly, lots of lift and excellent ride.

[FAKKY]

Thanks guys
Good info ... appreciated.

[_Ogre]

i can't see exactly what you did to lower your truck, it looks like stock springs over axle
if you hit the bump stops hard it, the rebound can move the back end side to side
i have stock springs under axle, approx 7" drop with a 3" c-notch
i was hitting my small bump stops hard and it felt like the back jumped over 6 inches
air shocks fixed my bump stop problems

[FAKKY]

Originally Posted by _Ogre

i can't see exactly what you did to lower your truck, it looks like stock springs over axle
if you hit the bump stops hard it, the rebound can move the back end side to side
i have stock springs under axle, approx 7" drop with a 3" c-notch
i was hitting my small bump stops hard and it felt like the back jumped over 6 inches
air shocks fixed my bump stop problems

Thanks.
Yes stock leafs running over new 8.8 explorer rear.
I'll probably end up going bags over leafs mostly due to both exhaust coming through the drivers side axle out the rear .....

Probably have to fab some brackets though.

[mr48chev]

I was looking at a pair of low cost bags yesterday to use as leveler units along with the springs. I'm not sure if the exhaust will clear if I do that though.

I keep looking at a trailer I have that I made using the 70 C 10 I rolled back in 1989 thinking that the rear suspension out of it would work pretty well. The trailer is going to get scrapped when I don't need it for storage anyhow.

[FAKKY]

These guys look reasonable and have brackets and make your own kits etc
If anyone is looking

https://airmaxxx.com/tapered-sleeve-...-airmaxxx.html

[mongocanfly]

airmaxx is the brand I have on my 13gmc...but a different one than you showed

[joedoh]

firestones are only 80 bucks, they dont have that neat aluminum top plate though.

[FAKKY]

Originally Posted by joedoh

firestones are only 80 bucks, they dont have that neat aluminum top plate though.

$80 for 1.

This is $118 for 2.

[joedoh]

DOH! how did I miss that>

edit: and thanks, I have an older ART s10 airbar here in the shop and only one firestone for it.

[FAKKY]

Originally Posted by joedoh

edit: and thanks, I have an older ART s10 airbar here in the shop and only one firestone for it.

Are Panel trucks considered a 3/4 ton ?
Still researching on the leaf option as well ....


Looks like i can get my existing leafs rearched locally for $450
or I can buy new and have them rearched in MO for around same price.

He was working off these springs...... a bit stronger than the 7 leaf I have now ...... but I wanted to make sure Im not giving him the wrong leafs before I drop $500 .. as that would be on me

https://www.truckspring.com/products...ng-22-241.aspx

I measure 52" (26/26 ) 2" wide on my current panel ....

[_Ogre]

Originally Posted by FAKKY

Thanks.
Yes stock leafs running over new 8.8 explorer rear.
I'll probably end up going bags over leafs mostly due to both exhaust coming through the drivers side axle out the rear .....

Probably have to fab some brackets though.

if your running stock springs with stock location axle... why are you worried about it?
unless your springs are shot, it should ride like a stock truck
you have not lowered anything in back

[FAKKY]

Originally Posted by _Ogre

if your running stock springs with stock location axle... why are you worried about it?
unless your springs are shot, it should ride like a stock truck
you have not lowered anything in back

Dont remmeber how much clearance there was with the stock axle.
But right now I've got max 1/2" to bump stop I could cut the bumpstops to 1.5" from 2.5" and and gain a max 1.5" travel to the bump.

Like everything else just trying to improve evything so not something i hate. I just tacked down a 1" bead on one leaf and will do the other by end of day. Then tomorrow finish a tiny bit of wiring .... and take it for its maiden voyage around block just to test ........ but no speed bumps around here close unless I go on the main road -- and shes not ready for that (asides from being unlicenced)