Redneck lowering kit....

[red71cheyenne]

I don't know why you boys all go out and spend all that money...I got mine lowered today for free! All you need is a bunch of big rocks. On a serious note, how do I compensate for a load like this? Would air shocks help? I have a coil rearend. Jeff.

[67sub]

I've found the best way to compensate for a load like that is a one ton truck.

[WRMZ71]

Originally Posted by 67sub

I've found the best way to compensate for a load like that is a one ton truck.

Not trying to be a smart a$$ but I agree. Theres just somethings you can't haul. You wouldn't try to haul all the rubble away from the twin towers in a voltswagon would you? I don't even think air shocks would be able to handle that amount of load. In some situations they can help.

[72armyswbtruck]

Yup, you run the risk of flatening your springs be it leaf or coils
The best way to help is by adding load helper spings other wise known as overload springs.

[davidh]

This is where all you 3/4 and 1ton guys who get no respect shine! take it away! the load of rocks that is.

[zeeklu]

I would put some of the rocks inside of the cab to even the front out.JK Chris

[thejoker]

From what I've read about air bags, they may be the way to go. That's what they have on the big rigs so they obviously can tote a load.


JKR

[vtblazer]

Originally Posted by red71cheyenne

On a serious note, how do I compensate for a load like this? Would air shocks help?

If you maxed out air shocks to level a load like that, your running the risk of tearing the mounts right off the axle housing.

You could install a set of 3/4 ton springs though, that would be a start.

If you decide to do springs you'll need new shocks too 'cause 1/2 ton shocks won't controll the rebound of 3/4 ton springs.

[stllookn]

I don't care how you load it...that is one nice looking truck!

[Castiron9]

Just get yourself a LONGHORN

[matthufham]

i'll admit, i've loaded my truck like that for the fun of it, didn't drive it though.

[jc]

whats the problem!!
the bumper isnt touching the ground yet.

drive on! slow n steedy and leave tons of stopping room

heaviest load ive carried in my 91 1/2 ton was 3800 lbs of concret
it was about a 10 mile trip that took 45 minuets one way
i use to clear a 1 ton load in that truck quite often
that was the pertiest work truck i every had
all my 67-72 trucks retired and only go out for a stroll once in a while.

[jc]

how much wieght you think is in that red 71

[red71cheyenne]

Originally Posted by jc

how much wieght you think is in that red 71

It had to be close to a ton. It took me and my 6'3" son to put about 5 of those rocks in. One we had to get another helper. The bumper wasn't on the ground, but she was not happy with all that weight. I had to do the slow and steedy thing too. Luckily it was only about 5 miles away.

May have to look into the airbag idea, joker. That or the 1 ton. Of course, I think the wife would shoot me if I came home with another truck!

Thanks for the help fellas, Jeff.

[qksilver]

If you were a true SOUTHERN red neck you wouldn't have that problem. You and 2 buddies in the cab would level it out!

[CPNEJR]

i say either put heavy duty airbags or put a 3/4 ton suspension under it

[Southpa]

I've been using heavy duty coil-over shocks for quite a few years now. They really help with heavy loads and I've hauled everything from sand to sailboats with my truck. I think the heaviest load I've carried was about 3000 lbs of salmon heads (another story ). The shocks are tough to install, gotta really lift the back end to slip them in. But they DO take a lot of the pressure off your main springs.

There were also auxillary leaf springs, that mount upside down on the coil spring rearend, available as an option for 67-72's. Tough to find these days.

[rkarr]

Dude, that looks nice! keep the rocks in the truck, then call Early Calssic and get some drop spindles... It'll look great! (you might need drop springs as well)...

[special-K]

I skipped down to here.Has anyone suggested Air-Lift air bags?They go inside your coils and ad up to 1500# load capacity,safely and reliably.The go inside the coils and you give as much air as you need.You can ride like original or haul big loads.Air-shocks are bs,period!Shocks were never meant to bear the weight of a load.They cancel-out your suspension and put the load on the shock mounts.No wonder they blow-out all the time.If they don`t blow the mounts break.In the`70s I was down on them when they were the first thing guys bought and put a Hi-jacker sticker on the rear 1/4 glass.Then,put L60s on back and leave the mushy stock suspension,great handling.Within a little time you`d see the car back down with no mags on back and the guys whining,"I blew-out an air shock."

I thought one tons were for soccer moms to go out with the girls to the tea room while the kids are in school or tie-wearin`executives to take to the office.

[vtblazer]

Originally Posted by special-K

Has anyone suggested Air-Lift air bags?They go inside your coils and ad up to 1500# load capacity,safely and reliably.The go inside the coils and you give as much air as you need.You can ride like original or haul big loads.Air-shocks are bs,period!Shocks were never meant to bear the weight of a load.They cancel-out your suspension and put the load on the shock mounts.No wonder they blow-out all the time.If they don`t blow the mounts break.

The inner bags sound like the best all around idea.

[Robert1970C20rstbukt]

I'd try to get a set of the factory overload springs first. Then if I couldn't find them, make some! That's what a real redneck would do. JCWhitney sells a set of coil spring overloads in their catalog for about $30. They are just coil springs that use a big U bolt to hold them on the axle tubes and when you load your truck down they rest on the bottom of the truck's frame. I don't know how good they work so I haven't bought 'em. I'm still trying to get a set of the factory springs, hadn't had any luck yet. I did find a way to kind of stiffen the springs up though. I went to AutoZone and bought a bunch of those spacers that you twist between the coils with a 1/2" drive breaker bar. You have to jack the back end way up in the air to separate the coils so they go in easy. I have 6 spacers in each spring, and there's about 6" of clearance from the top of the tire to the top of the bedside. I have a homemade steel plate toolbox in the bed with maybe 300lbs of chains, boomers, tools, etc right now when I took this pic.

[Longhorn Man]

I have to agree with castiron.
if I remember corect I had around 3000 pounds in mine and that just leveled it out. Wasn't even on the overloads yet.
I had a 307 short block one small block head one TH350 500 pounds of longhorn bed tied on top 1 completet rolling 72 longhorn frame (cut into bite sized pieces) 6 rims and tires for said 72 longhorn, all my normal junk in the tool box... I'm sure I had more ion there too.




She road REAL good like that.



Now, I will not hesitate to overload a pick up, but as it's been implied already, not a real safe thing to do. Just going a few miles on side roads... not too bad, only done once in a while, not too bad, but, if you do it on a regular basis, you are askin for trouble.
Even if you upgraded the springs to HD 3/4 ton parts, you'd still have the smaller breaks, car tires, and the worst design in axle retntion in history. (not that they've chainged it).

I've seen axles bend from too much of a load, bearings get damaged, naturally seals go bad, rear axled actually bent, frame damage, shocks ripped off, tires blown out, and a few where the driver was doin too fast with too much a load. (totalled)
All those were from the idiot fleet drivers that bring there junk to our shop.


overload it, but I wouldn't go much more than you got, and only once in a while, and don't get stupid on the street like that.

[PICKMUP]

I have a complete set of the factory overloads for a coil rear truck---cheap! No shipping.

[wibilly]

heres my 1/2 ton w/ a load of green hardwood slabs. she'll carry a load. this is a TRUE redneck truck.

[chevymad]

I've got the airbag kit on my coil sprung 70. The bags have brackets that mount them behind the rear axle. I've also got 3" drop springs all around. The airbags will compensate for whatever I put in it. I've never pumped them up over 50 psi. That seems to be enough to pack most anything.

Before I lowered it, I used to have a set of Napa variable rate coils on the back. They packed just about anything. I hauled 30 sheets of sheetrock 40 miles no problem. I hauled 12ft wet 2x6s stacked all the way across and up on the back window no problem. The only limiting factor seemed to be the tires.

And before I got the truck, Dad hauled 400 gallons of water in a bed tank. That was the heaviest thing i've ever seen in one. Crazy, I don't have any idea why he did that. Bumper was 6" off the ground.