Flipping rear hanger

[Jayo73]

I know this question or how to is here some where but the search bar seems to not work this morning. Want to flip the rear hangers for better suspension movement for autocross, dragrace, and street driving. It's a '82 sb under construction for l96/6l90 swap and will not be hauling or towing. Before teardown it had axle flip kit with 3 leaves up front was 2 1/2 drop spindle and one coil cut. The most it will ever see in the bed would be mountain bikes. Happy Thanksgiving everybody

[Ziegelsteinfaust]

When you flip the rear hanger it lifts the rear something like 4 inches. So if you flip your rear axle you get a 6 inch drop, and combine both your now at 2 maybe 3 inches of drop.

A spring over axle like cars run increases traction or bite off the line. Which I always do when I lower trucks any amount, but its my personal preference. Last 2 trucks I have built I swapped in longer leaf springs, and gmt400 trucks have 63" springs for better travel.

So depending on goals you have. You may have to flip your axle, flip the rear shackle, and even flip the front shackle to get desired ride height.

Long springs give more even spring rate then shorter ones, but shorter ones work better under very high power. Due to less swing which can pull the slip yoke out of a truck. Lifted diesel trucks when the juice is turned up can be susceptible.

Shorter springs work better for ultimate street handling, but sacrifice ride. Like C30 length leafs.

Flatter springs are less jittery the arched springs.

Longer shackles allow the spring to grow or contract easier during compression or rebound.

Like Uncle Cooper says. Tires live on a spectrum.

And so does suspension. To little, and it rolls like a USN carrier. To much, and your wearing a mouth guard to save your teeth.

As far as load carrying. Depending on how much work your doing or planning to do. Remove the bed, and add helper bags. Run the line to you license plate or gas door. Then a simple bike hand pump can fill them up for when you throw to much stuff in the bed.

[Jayo73]

Okay thanks I had seen somebody on here or maybe another Forum I don't know had flipped his rear shackles and it looked like he had moved them forward and up but I just didn't know for sure and it sounds like maybe he had to cut part of the brace out of the bed I'm not sure

[Ziegelsteinfaust]

It is a popular mod on the F100's with the Crown Vic swap. The film the front hanger for a 4 inch drop or something.

When you move a leaf springs mounting point. Such as just a rear shackle. 2" of movement equals 1 inch of axle movement up or down roughly.

A couple of 1/2 tack welds will hold each of the hangers on so you can test ride height. In your drive way.

If you decide to move the hangers. Read up on how to align or set up leaf springs so you can get the most of what you wantnout of it.

[HAULIN' IT]

Originally Posted by Jayo73

Okay thanks I had seen somebody on here or maybe another Forum I don't know had flipped his rear shackles and it looked like he had moved them forward and up but I just didn't know for sure and it sounds like maybe he had to cut part of the brace out of the bed I'm not sure

May have been mine? I don't post many pictures anymore since photobucket made the mess they did...not really sure how to do it another way, but you can check out a few pictures here: http://www.67-72chevytrucks.com/vboa...d.php?t=699412 & look through the previous posts I uploaded photos in. Hope this helps, Lorne

[Jayo73]

Do you recall how you did this mod? I did notice there is another set of holes foward about 2 inches or so your help would be much appreciated thanks.

[HAULIN' IT]

That's been a bunch of years ago! I did some research about the ideal placement. A book "Doorslammers" had some good information & also one of the performance spring companies at the time (don't recall the name & haven't seen them in quite a few years) had good drawings/charts of the ideal placement of the shackle as well. I just figured it from there. You can see in the one picture right behind the shackle is a rusty line, this is the original placement of the rear hanger...so yes, they are moved forward a couple inches.

As far as bed floor crossmembers, ect. I need to advise you, I moved the one above the rear hanger to clear the opening through the floor for the fuel cell. Im sure it would have been moved back which may leave you in a problem if the crossmember is still in the stock location. You can just barely fit your finger between the hanger & the bed floor

As Zieg mentioned, the truck actually goes up quite a bit when this is done (my shackles are "lowering" shackles turned over so that raised it up a little more than the stock ones would, however part of the theory was "long & strong" shackles so that is what I used) until you do the axle flip.

12+ years later...my advice would be look into "sliders", something like this https://www.speedwaymotors.com/Speed...ders,2151.html to end up in an ideal situation. Lorne

[Ziegelsteinfaust]

I would recommend against sliders on a trucks. Do to excess bearing or friction material wear.

Trucks have room for long shackles, and that can negate the benefits of sliders with none if the longevity issues.

Sliders are cool on lighter cars, but get tore up pretty quick on a car.

They are easy to fix, but just be aware of it.

[Jayo73]

Thanks for the input from everybody that chimed in. I'll figure it out one way or the other.