Removal of Springs For Better Ride

[gwsut]

Seems like there's been several threads lately about solid axles and springs, lets do one more. I would like my 59 short box Fleetside to ride a little better. Since the heaviest thing I am planning to haul will probably be a cooler, I don't think I need all the rear springs to make it qualify as a 1/2 ton rating or payload. I want to retain a near stock height. So my question is : How many leafs and which ones should I remove to improve the ride without lowering the truck other than maybe a very small amount? The truck presently has stock suspension front and rear - springs on top of the axles and I plan to leave it that way. Anybody have actual experience ....any suggestions? Thanks. Gary

[mr48chev]

I'm not sure in your case if you need to remove leaves or just take the packs apart and clean the leaves up so that they slide easily on each other rather than binding against each other. I've got to do that on a set of springs I have for an OT project roadster but progress on that will come too late to do a tutorial that will help you .

Basically it involves taking the pack apart and smoothing out any indents where the leaves wore into the leaf you are working on and then putting a bit of a bevel on the tips of the leafs so they won't dig into the one above them again. Then lubing the springs so that they slide against each other easily.

[Stevetoxic]

I have a similar problem, fitted new Posies springs (3" drop) all round.
Front sits and rides nice, rear is way to stiff - bounces you out of the seat down a country road.
Thinking of removing a couple of the leaves - short ones first ??

[LordDevlin]

Originally Posted by Stevetoxic

I have a similar problem, fitted new Posies springs (3" drop) all round.
Front sits and rides nice, rear is way to stiff - bounces you out of the seat down a country road.
Thinking of removing a couple of the leaves - short ones first ??

So are you saying that you did install posies all around? Or just in the front?

Did you find that the posies actually gave a 3 inch drop right away?

Often these trucks have extra overload springs in the back, you could remove those if they are there. The back has more springs than the front to begin with regardless of overload springs.

[gwsut]

Lord Delvin,
No, the springs on my (your old) truck are the stock original just as when you had it. I replaced the front shackles and bushing pins, disassembled the front spring pack and glass beaded each leaf. I painted and re-assemble the spring as original but placed poly liners ( plastic strips the entire length of the spring) between each leaf. Now the front ride decent with only a slight "buck" on dips in the road. I went back in and placed a 6 degree caster shim (thick end to the rear). I am doing the rear now, new shackles, bushing pins, cleaned the leaves and they are now in the paint booth. I am thinking on removing 2 leaves. The shortest one (on the bottom of the pack)
and one about mid way. I will use poly liners on the rear springs also. If I get the ride I want and even if the truck sits to low, I could spacers like lowering blocks but only on top of the axle to achieve the stock height I desire.
Gary and his 59 Apache the "Funkin Punkin"

[Stevetoxic]

Originally Posted by LordDevlin

So are you saying that you did install posies all around? Or just in the front?

Did you find that the posies actually gave a 3 inch drop right away?

Often these trucks have extra overload springs in the back, you could remove those if they are there. The back has more springs than the front to begin with regardless of overload springs.

Yep, Posies front and rear.
Fitted the front first and they made a huge difference to ride and comfort so thought I'd order a set for the rear, these were a disappointment - looked nice enough with the drop, but ride quality did'nt improve like the front did.
Did'nt get the full 3" drop straight away, but after a few weeks it was'nt far off 2.5" - 3.0"

edit - when a buddy followed me down the road he thought it was hilarious to see 5" or 6" of daylight under the rear tyre's as I bounced down the road !!

[gwsut]

Must have been one helluva rough road !!!!!!

[Stevetoxic]

Originally Posted by LordDevlin

Did you find that the posies actually gave a 3 inch drop right away?

Before -


After -

[LordDevlin]

Thanks for the pics... truck looks great. Bit hard to tell the drop in the second pic but it looks sharp. Thanks for posting.

[_Ogre]

nice truck stevetoxic

[Coupeguy2001]

Steve, Great looking truck!
Are you running traction bars? Sometimes ones that don't slide or slap cause the spring to work in rebound only and eventually the bars break.
Another thing, are you sure the driveshaft isn't too long now? If the driveshaft used to slope down to the axle, and is now semi level, you could be bottoming out the shaft.
Another thing, did you install shorter shocks? I know the original shocks have a lot of travel, but it's worth a look.

Also, from what you described, the springs aren't flexing. Could there be something wrong with the shackles not working and are bound up?
Sometimes, the threads get water in the grease, and rust in place, not allowing the springs to get longer when compressed.

[uber cool]

Steve Im in the UK too, where did you buy the springs from, Mines in need of a hit with he lowering stick too.

[Stevetoxic]

Originally Posted by uber cool

Steve Im in the UK too, where did you buy the springs from, Mines in need of a hit with he lowering stick too.

I ordered them direct from Speedway mate, arrived in a couple of weeks.
If I was ordering them again I would probably ask Steve Lang to get me a set.

http://www.speedwaymotors.com/Posies...ngs,21685.html
http://www.speedwaymotors.com/Posies...ngs,21681.html

[uber cool]

ok thanks

[LordDevlin]

Originally Posted by Stevetoxic

Yep, Posies front and rear.
Fitted the front first and they made a huge difference to ride and comfort so thought I'd order a set for the rear, these were a disappointment - looked nice enough with the drop, but ride quality did'nt improve like the front did.
Did'nt get the full 3" drop straight away, but after a few weeks it was'nt far off 2.5" - 3.0"

edit - when a buddy followed me down the road he thought it was hilarious to see 5" or 6" of daylight under the rear tyre's as I bounced down the road !!

Been driving my truck more and seem to be having this same problem. Havent had anyone following me to check and tell me with the wheels are coming off, but I sure to feel like I'm riding a horse, bouncing like crazy after hitting bumps. Im tall and I worry I am going to hit my head on the headliner. The rear springs are two leaf springs, with axle on top.. i expect they are posies as well. They ere installed on the truck already so can't say for sure.

What did you do to fix the problem?