Body Lean

[73F100Shortbed]

just if I could gain a couple extra inches I wouldn't mind (go ahead and sig that you pervs)

Ok, but what about fixing the truck first?

 

[LEB Ben]

Ok, but what about fixing the truck first?

hardy har har...But you can't tell me there isn't a guy in the world who wouldn't accept a couple extra inches with open arms...strictly talking about lift of course.

 

[DNFXDLI]

The upgraded power is gonna make it happen more....don't forget you have the transmission and rear end multiplication of torque....and over the years springs sag more and the constant twisting of the driveline is going to push one side down and lift one side up....I have personally seen an old Duster with a 440 in it pop the door at a racetrack.

 

[1985 Ford F-150]

I can feel the front end of my 76 lift up on one side when I go through the gears. It lifts the drivers side up and squats the passenger side. I know my springs are shot and it leans on the drivers side. I would think a 3/4 ton would have stiff enough suspension to not do that. My 85 does it too but its a half ton.

 

[DNFXDLI]

I can feel the front end of my 76 lift up on one side when I go through the gears. It lifts the drivers side up and squats the passenger side. I know my springs are shot and it leans on the drivers side. I would think a 3/4 ton would have stiff enough suspension to not do that. My 85 does it too but its a half ton.

Even Class 7 and 8 trucks can suffer from it...next time you see a loaded one take off, watch the frame and suspension twist...air springs look pretty cool when the rigs take off as the pinion tries to walk up the ring gear...you see the air springs extend then drop back as the torque is released.

 

[1985 Ford F-150]

Yeah ive seen big trucks do it alot. Theyre alot heavier and have a ton more tourqe than a pickup. My dad always told me that it was from a rookie drivin that was bein too hard on the throttle and lettin the clutch out too quick.

 

[Mil1ion]

Here's something to think about.

Most roads are domed in the middle to allow for water run off to the curb, they are not flat across.
Perhaps this is the reason why vehicles suspension specs are what they are and that over time the right side sags.

Evey notice Gm/Chevy trucks?

Coming up behind them.... the box on the rear left corner looks like it is higher than the the other corners.

 

[73F100Shortbed]

Also a reason why cars pull slightly as well depending on the road.

 

[jcduerr]

my bed leans slightly towards the passenger side

 

[Mil1ion]

Every time I see an old GM truck from the back I think of Wayne Gretzky and his Jersey tucked into his hockey pants on one side.

 

[Alvin in AZ]

The only person that's really going to know what's crooked on your Bronco
is the same person that gets their lazy butt under it and figures it out.

If it turns out to be the springs...
Pull both leaf packs and compare 'em.
Paint one side of one set so they won't get mixed up.
Take 'em apart...
Clamp them together with a C clamp then remove the bolt.
Want 2" of lift?

Re-arch the "flatter" pack to be a ~3" more curved than the "good" pack
then re-arch the "good" pack to match the new curve.

Do 'em one at a time (of course) and all you'll need is a ~10 pound sledge
for the 5/16" thick leaves. The trick is to get a nice even curve that matches
the others. You noticed they separate themselves when the center bolt is
removed. You'll want that much difference between them plus a little.

I used a 2 foot chunk of RR rail as the anvil, laid on its side. I hammered that
sucker down into the ground -sideways- in a few different spots before I was
done with mine but mine included the 5/8" overload leaves too.

This ain't rocket science.
Since they will have the same yield strength as they had before so, yes,
re-arching them cold will make them back like new.

Old hotrodders were known to take leaf springs with the eyelets and re-arch
them from a frown into a smile. Heck, now days a guy can't add 2" of lift? :/

Question is...
Am I ever going to talk anyone into re-arch their own leaf springs?
I've typed this stuff out a half dozen times and so far, every time, new
springs were purchased instead. :/

Alvin in AZ

 

[LEB Ben]

Alvin good info...for the record it's my red truck not the Bronco. Also, I have your info on t'other site saved when I brought up the topic of re-arching about 8 months ago, luckily I can still view it. There definitely won't be any new springs purchased. But before I do as you suggested on Red, I'll try my hand at doing it with springs from the parts truck. So in about 6 weeks, I'll come back to ya with a few more questions.

 

[Alvin in AZ]

UTfball68 wrote:
> ...for the record it's my red truck not the Bronco.

Oops.

> I have your info on t'other site saved...

Cool. Does it get more grandiose with every re-telling?
Someday it'll be a 6 foot rail and hammered level with the ground more than
a dozen times.

> But before I do as you suggested on Red, I'll try my hand at doing it with
> springs from the parts truck.

It'll be cool for you to mess with the parts truck first.
Might even decide those springs are in better shape or something.

The re-arching part is easy tho.
A long time ago I realized, while hammering the dent out of a bumper, that
I could hit that dented sucker a lot harder after I put ear plugs in. YMMV

-------------------------------------

While I had my springs apart I did a bunch of other stuff too.
Used a little hand grinder to clean up some of the grooves and smoothed
them out with a flap disk. Actually ground off the sides, near the ends of
my crooked ass overload leaves.
You can see it here...
http://www.panix.com/~alvinj/file12/zerks.jpg
Drilled and tapped them for zerks instead of adding plastic pads. (1/4-28)

The clamps are held in place by peened steel rod (~7/16") the holes were
drilled to be very close to the rod's size, something I got from a printer or
typewriter or something. The holes are deeply countersunk.
http://www.panix.com/~alvinj/file12/clamp.jpg

And of course I had to decide how I was going to do all that as I went
along. That really is the time consuming part, sifting through all the ideas
and settling on certain ones.

Putting clamps on the nose of the overload leaves was a top priority. The
dangged things were always crooked and didn't take long for them to work
their way crooked again after I hammered 'em straight too. The clamps,
along with the re-arching the overloads to match the rest of the pack...
act like hick torsion bars.

Important when climbing a steep spot. See it?

The whole thing turned out great, much better than I was hoping for.

Alvin in AZ

 

[Jolly Green]

I guess all the other guys nailed this one already with some good items to check out.

The only advice left to offer is this.

Stop picking up fat chics in your truck. I didn't think they could jump up into that old highboy to begin with.




J/K-man. I know your girl is tiny!

 

[LEB Ben]

OOOOOOOOOOO...I'm telling Bailee, I believe she'll want your address to come kick your azz. You've never seen such a fury of 115lbs of blue twisted steel...haha. For the record...I think the fat chicks in town are getting more athletic, I swear I've seen more and more live stock getting in lifted trucks lately.

 

[bucks77ford]

OOOOOOOOOOO...I'm telling Bailee, I believe she'll want your address to come kick your azz. You've never seen such a fury of 115lbs of blue twisted steel...haha. For the record...I think the fat chicks in town are getting more athletic, I swear I've seen more and more live stock getting in lifted trucks lately.

I think I'll stay out of this one. Not only would I hate getting my ass kicked by Ben, but Ben's girlfriend would probably be worse.

 

[Jolly Green]

OOOOOOOOOOO...I'm telling Bailee, I believe she'll want your address to come kick your azz. You've never seen such a fury of 115lbs of blue twisted steel...haha. For the record...I think the fat chicks in town are getting more athletic, I swear I've seen more and more live stock getting in lifted trucks lately.

I ain't no big guy, myself. There's no question she'd whoop me.

Even though I have my own 185 pounds of blue twisted steel--just like Tred Barta!

 

[LEB Ben]

I think I'll stay out of this one. Not only would I hate getting my ass kicked by Ben, but Ben's girlfriend would probably be worse.

HAHA...yeah, I figure if she can keep me in line...she can hold her own. It's funny seeing a 5'2" 115lb girl who can take (me) a 6'5" 320 lb guy. But even Bailee knows not to mess with me mum...geezus...my mom is still legendary for lifting with my highschool football team and lifting more than most of the guys. She also is idolized for the one time I cam up behind her, put her in a bear hug, and she flipped me over and pinned me...talk about a big hit to the ego...and I was 19 at the time...hahahahaha.

 

[bucks77ford]

HAHA...yeah, I figure if she can keep me in line...she can hold her own. It's funny seeing a 5'2" 115lb girl who can take (me) a 6'5" 320 lb guy. But even Bailee knows not to mess with me mum...geezus...my mom is still legendary for lifting with my highschool football team and lifting more than most of the guys. She also is idolized for the one time I cam up behind her, put her in a bear hug, and she flipped me over and pinned me...talk about a big hit to the ego...and I was 19 at the time...hahahahaha.

Geez, what's in your water down there in NC??? Can you send me some?

 

[LEB Ben]

Geez, what's in your water down there in NC??? Can you send me some?

Remember the Beverly Hillbillies...we're fortunate enough to have a bunch of Elly Mays runnin around. Country girls...gotta love 'em. Not afraid to work on a truck or shoot a gun...but doll 'em up a little and you got a frickin model. Yeah we're lucky.