Leaf springs

[BMJs 67]

I'd be specific with this question if I knew the correct name for what I have, but since I'm not sure, I'll start with this,,,,,What is the correct name for the crazy looking rear shackle set up I have? I don't have a picture of it so I will try to describe it. The leaf passes through what I would describe as a rocker of some sort. I'm assuming it has something to do with softening the ride but am not sure. I would like to drop the rear a couple inches, but I don't see a good way to do it with my current set up. I have access to a set of standard 1/2 ton leafs and shackles which would make doing drop shackles pretty straight forward. Also, it appears that flipping the front leaf hanger will drop it a bunch, am I looking at this correctly?

[heep70]

They are called Flex-O-Matic rear suspension.

http://www.fordification.com/lit/images ... y3_p03.jpg

[BMJs 67]

Thanks!

Am I correct in thinking that if I go to a standard leaf and shackle that it would be easier to lower the rear a couple inches? I don't want to go too low because I occasionally haul some stuff and because I only have half a coil out of the front. I don't want to be dragging the rear with the nose of the truck up.

[BMJs 67]

I was under the truck again last night contemplating the options. Flipping the front hanger looks pretty straight forward but it looks like doing so will drop the rear quite a bit. Any ideas on average how far flipping the front spring hanger will lower the rear?

Thanks again for all the info!!

[FORDification]

Depends on where you re-attach the bracket to the frame. The higher it's mounted on the frame, the lower the truck will sit. If you mount the bracket so the bottom of it is about flush with the bottom of the frame rail, you're probably looking in the neighborhood of 4"-5".



When I bought my choptop, the previous owner didn't want quite that much lowering, so he just slid the bracket up on the frame a little, lopped off the overhang, and welded the bracket to the frame, since the upper two mounting holes were now gone.



You can see the difference between the two, in where the spring eye is located. The second example would've been about 3" or so of drop.

(Yeah, it was a crappy welding job...if I hadn't decided to mount the chopped cab on my 4x4 instead, I'd have rewelded those mounts.)

[BMJs 67]

Thanks again for the input. The more I think about it, the hanger flip will be the way to go, that way I can keep my
Flex-O-Matic.

[Calvin Gunter]

You can also do a half flip which is what I did.I don't have close up pictures of the hanger but the end result is in my pics.When I did my dropped I beams and hanger flip my rear was actually lower than the front which i didn't like so I let the front hanger drop about half the distance and loved it.ezernut has pictures of the half flip he sent me but I didn't save them.Maybe shoot him an email and he can send them to you also.Good luck with those aggravating rivets in the frame,they're no fun!,Calvin

[seattle67]

Here is a good link showing an example of the "half flip" that Chris did on his truck. You can compare it to the "full flip" in Keith's picture.

http://www.fordification.com/forum/view ... ip#p220917

[BMJs 67]

That's exactly what I was looking for. Thanks a bunch!!