Lowered rear leafsprings-Has anyone tried them?

[StormVet91]

Has anyone tried or have any experience with lowered rear leafsprings versus lowering blocks or flip kits?

[WoodButcher]

Nope, never heard of such a beast. have you a link or picture?
I have trouble coming up wit a shape in my head. If they were inverted you would no longer have spring but a hanger with no give at all. Our springs don't stretch, they work with compression, the weight trying to straighten them and the steel resists.

[StormVet91]

Yea Wood, they do exist. Ther are a few companies online, that offer them in 2" drop and 3" drop. Normal springsteel just as any leafspring material and process is made of (other than the composite ones), and apparently are a direct fit, simple bolt in job. Im thinking, instead of goin through the hassle of changing the position of the rear end and repositioning it over the top of the leafsprings, with lowering blocks, U-bolts, and flipkit, and the whole redesign, which ive done to plenty of my vehicles over the years, that this maintains the original manufacturing design and geometry, without the hassle and price of flipkits, with the desired effect. But this is the first time I've heard of this, and being available, over all the years I've been lowering my vehicles. I've tried just about everything in the past, with other vehicles I've owened, = cut springs, lowered springs, lowering blocks, shackles, spring clamps, heating springs, tortion bars, body mounts, hydraulics, etc. You name it!
But you know, now its the 21st century, and theres a new type of industrial revolution going on as to where people are trying just about everything that hasnt been tried before, to come up with a new source of design and ways to secure a stable level of making money and residual employment in any industry. But really, I would love to know more about these and chat with anyone who has any experience with them.
What I've seen, a few sites that offer them, and the brands that supply them are as follow:
Westernchassisinc.com
Carid.com
Andy'sautosport.com
Autopartswarehouse.com
JCWhitney.com etc.

Brands include:
Belltech
Groundforce
Westernchassis etc.
.

[Lumpy]

Lowering should be no theoretical difference from raising, only the direction changes. You look out for the clearances, keep things safe. Perhaps the primary difference is the extremes. You can raise to extreme and your clearances grow LARGER. As you lower toward the extreme, your clearances grow SMALLER.

Either way, you are designing and building a custom suspension and steering that is different than EVERY other vehicle out there.


Lump

[StormVet91]

Yea thats true lump. Other things to consider: Is the camber angle on the front wheels, and the angle of the drive shaft, where the rear of the driveshaft meets the rear end. Normally the angle can move up or down to some degree, but at extreme degrees, alot of vehicles that have been lifted, may require angle shims on the rear end to angle the rear end up, and reduce pressure and friction to the universal joints. Also ride quality is an issue, when modifying your suspension that you have to consider. When lowering, certain methods decrease the distance between the control arm and the rubber stops, and when you hit a bump or take an impact, your control arms could reach your limit of travel and slam into those rubber stops, what someone might call "bottoming out"! But yes, very important are the clearances when lowering or lifting any vehicle, between the dimension of your wheels and tires plus thier offset and backspacing and between full turning radius. Also other things like the position of your exhaust routed over the top of your rear end, parking brake cables for lifted vehicles, and steering column shaft extension. Some vehicles are relitively easier than others.
Alot of times you see a lowered car at a stop light, or going down the road, and the rear wheels are so cambered outward on the bottom of the wheel. Thats because the car has rear struts and the camber is either not adjusted or maxed out and cannot be adjusted any further for the lowered level of the rear suspension. Most likely has an independant rear end. Some cars just shouldnt be lowered. But in the case of the Astro and the Safari, it has a solid rear end, which is ideal for this.

[WoodButcher]

Cool, learn something new every day.
http://westernchassisinc.com/1982-04-ch ... f-springs/

Another example where they can sell you less for more. Really though they must have scales and such to test the load capacities before they start the trial and error stuff like some carpenter I know,,,,,


My white wench still rides like a buckboard when it's empty.