Most inexpensive way to lower?

[jeffrow62]

I'm new here and this is my first post. I'm restoring 1949 Chevy 3600 and have a question concerning lowering the truck in regards to air ride suspension.

The truck is pretty solid, I paid $900.00 for it. Engine still runs original, 60000 miles on it.
I really want to leave it stock mostly but one thing i want to do Is lower it. Put some white walls on it, with some moon rims. Lowering would be nice, I'm just looking for a cheap way of doing it. thanks !!
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[Boss hawg]

They make an air over leaf air bag. That should get it down some and you would still be able to leave the original suspension in place I would think.... Don't quote me on that, just a suggestion as far as the cheapest way and leaving everything original.
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[mr48chev]

There is cheap lowering and there is spending a bit of money and doing it right.

If I had to do my I beam setup over again I'd ship the front axle off to Sid's and have him drop it and then put lowering blocks in the back along with tires that are a bit lower profile than stock. http://www.droppedaxles.com/CHEVY_AXLES.html That's 300 plus any repairs that the axle needs plus shipping both ways unless you buy one of his cores.

Then a set of lowering blocks for the rear and you have a nice driving lowered truck.

[Boss hawg]

My bad I thought he said in regards to air suspension.
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[sweet70beast]

The absolute cheapest way to lower it is to take a few leafs out of all four corners. You will be sacrificing payload but it will lower it. I did this to my 53 Suburban and I like where it is sitting. It still has the stock front axle but an S10 rear axle. I took 2 leaves out.

[focusedontheprize]

You are running a 3600?

Can't you just flip the shackles in the rear?

As for the front, I would consider Sid's dropped axle.

[NEWFISHER]

If you can fabricate, the cheapest way is to clip the front end or chassis swap with an S10, build your own cups and rear tower, source your bags and build your own manifold. Find a semi truck wrecking yard and grab as much stuff like air tank, lines, valves etc. Follow some of the builds in the bagged trucks sticky. There really isn't. A "cheap kit" out there and each person has their own way of installing theair systems.

Remember that when building cheap and building safe, you need to build safe and sometimes saving some cash wants to come before doing it right. I see a lot of these type of questions on this and other boards and I can't help to think 1) you pay for what you get at times 2) what's the cheapest way to raise my children? You wouldn't short cut them, why shortcut the vehicle theymay someday ride in?
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[mr48chev]

The absolute cheapest is to remove some leaves from the springs as Sweat70Beast said but that often ends up with less than desirable ride and handling.

Also, shorter tires. These photos show my truck with two or three leaves removed and 205 70 14 tires which is a bit extreme but got the front end down.




I will say that with the leaves removed it rides terrible and steers even worse though. It was something I did quick and nasty to go to one show in 1989 and ended up being the way the truck has been ever since due to a few circumstances that I won't go into. the photo at Bonneville in 1998 was taken on a 2000+ mile one week road trip to Bonneville, Pleasanton
California and back home.

[jeffrow62]

Thank you everyone ! This web site rocks ! I have learned boat loads already!

thank you all again ! jeff

[dubie]

i've seen guys flip the front and the rear axle on top of the leaf springs and do c notches for clearance. That'll drop the truck about 5" right away. Some guys have racked up thousands of miles on this set up and love it. Mind you, this was on the 55-59 models so I'm not sure if you could do this on yours or not. But it only costs you time and very little material

[jeffrow62]

No your fine ! thank you !! I'm just getting ideas ! any way that works and like people said are safe too. I'm leaning towards the dropped axel. just for cost reasons, thanks again !

[jeffrow62]

thanks for the info!!....I've been working on motorcycles for years, café racers, this is my first build with an antique car.. so far I'm loving it...

[jeffrow62]

thank you !

[jeffrow62]

I think this is the route I'm taking for now... thank you very much !!

[zenchal26]

I have 3" drop axle 3" monos up front 6" monos in rear. Nice stance rides suprisingly well no bump steer and a whole lot cheaper than bags. On a 57 though.

[Coach529]

Rear axle flip and notch in the back and a Sid's 4" drop in the front, along with a couple leaves removed.

$800-900 for Sid's Axle and full meal deal with freight

Flip and notch less than a $100 if you can weld.

[mr48chev]

Originally Posted by dubie

i've seen guys flip the front and the rear axle on top of the leaf springs and do c notches for clearance. That'll drop the truck about 5" right away. Some guys have racked up thousands of miles on this set up and love it. Mind you, this was on the 55-59 models so I'm not sure if you could do this on yours or not. But it only costs you time and very little material

I have a friend who did that on his Ford F-1 that we all called Hound Dog. He drove it all over the PNW that way.

You do have to build mounts to mount and locate the axle above the spring and it will take some serious engineering and thinking out. I've never actually sat down and figured out exactly how to do it and make it work and make it safe and drive good.

What Coach529 did to his above would be best with an I beam but it isn't cheap.

[nebdrummer]

Yep. 3/4 ton truck. Flip the rear shackles and get it down to the 3 largest leaf springs and cut in a c notch. Honestly, it's the best ride I have ever had in any vehicle.

You could do this for 5 dollars in bolts/nuts/locks , 20 dollars in some new u-bolts/nuts, and the proper tool age for cutting the c notch. I still have my old u bolts laying around if you need some.
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[nebdrummer]

Here's where it sat with that all done. Minus the c notch.. It hit on the bump stops pretty good. It was an annoying ride home from Minnesota.


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[jeffrow62]

I'm having some trouble guys. I am newbie so I don't know all the slang. What exactly is a "C"notch. In laymans terms. Jeff
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[jeffrow62]

Looks awesome!
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[jeffrow62]

That's what I'm looking for!!
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[jeffrow62]

Nice looking ride!
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[nebdrummer]

C notch is a notch cut in the frame in the shape of a c to allow the axle to travel further up in the frame. Just allowing for more clearance basically.
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[Coach529]

Originally Posted by jeffrow62

I'm having some trouble guys. I am newbie so I don't know all the slang. What exactly is a "C"notch. In laymans terms. Jeff
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