Lowered leaf spring question

[Series1Utiline]

Nice looking truck. I agree with your front tire change plan.

[ScrooLoose]

Volksnut
Gooood looking set up. I too agree with the larger tire plan.
Did you install lowering springs in the rear also?
If not what did you do to the rear if anything?
Nice Truck Man.
Thanx.
SL.

[Volksnut]

Volksnut
Gooood looking set up. I too agree with the larger tire plan.
Did you install lowering springs in the rear also?
If not what did you do to the rear if anything?
Nice Truck Man.
Thanx.
SL.

Thanks, the truck was lowered when I bought it by removing leafs, the fronts were shot, the rears I might be able to reinstall 1 leaf to bring it up a bit?

[Series1Utiline]

You can add leafs the same as you can remove them but each time you go through that process, you'll be replacing the straps that hold the springs together (unless you have the bolt-on style).

[Seanreisk]

Unrelated comment - I love the patina on your truck.

I hate Craigslist ads that say a tri-color truck with bondo and cancer has great 'patina'. But yours is sweet.

[Volksnut]

Unrelated comment - I love the patina on your truck.

I hate Craigslist ads that say a tri-color truck with bondo and cancer has great 'patina'. But yours is sweet.

I take no credit on that, all natural.

[nutz]

yes sweet ride
what size wheels are you using
planning on the same maybe one rim size bigger
thanks paul

[Volksnut]

yes sweet ride
what size wheels are you using
planning on the same maybe one rim size bigger
thanks paul

15x8 rear, 15x7 front

[nutz]

cool thats what i was planing on
love the wheels was going to do the same .. but maybe 16s

[Volksnut]

Either way, make sure to check the height of the pitman arm hole center (for the drag link) to the center of the steering arm (thickness) to confirm those points are roughly level with the truck on the ground. What if it isn't? Modify drag link, shorten pitman arm?

[Volksnut]

pitman

Either way, make sure to check the height of the pitman arm hole center (for the drag link) to the center of the steering arm (thickness) to confirm those points are roughly level with the truck on the ground.

What if it isn't? Modify drag link, or shorten pitman arm?

[Series1Utiline]

It depends how far off it is but most heat and bend the steering arm that is mounted to the spindle.

[Wildergarten]

It depends how far off it is but most heat and bent the steering arm that is mounted to the spindle.

Scary to me unless it was oversized in the first place.

[Series1Utiline]

Oversized?

[Wildergarten]

Oversized?

Bigger than it needs to be so that it can suffer what is likely to be an uncontrolled and abusive process (as compared to what a factory can do) without subsequent cycle fatigue and catastophic failure (not a good thing when it comes to a steering arm). I wouldn't call the curled steering arm I've seen on a D200 "robust"; it was a far cry from what's on a W truck.

These are forgings. They have a defined crystal structure. When one heats only part of a forging and then bends it, the steel is annealed and then stretched or compressed depending upon how it's done. Either way, there is likely to be a zone across the arm with a different crystal strcuture than the rest of the forging. That induces an area within which internal stresses are distributed such that the material can work harden into micro-fractures. So I'm leery about forging forgings unless I can keep the temperatures reasonably uniform through the part, forge, relieve stress, reheat, quench, and temper (reheating to a lower temperature followed by a final quench). It's a process unsuited to the impatient metal worker lacking both adequate heating capability and temperature measurement instruments.

[Series1Utiline]

Ha. These are low carbon forgings typically in 1018 that therefore have a great deal of tolerance with heat from bending and welding. Just not an issue and is done everyday. Forged axles are stretched 2-3" and are able to do so without pre or post heat cycles for the same reason.

[JLeather]

The popular option (if you can find one) is a W100 pitman arm. It's ~6" long vs. the stock 7.5" and works well for trucks with about a 2-3" drop. If you don't get a shorter pitman arm you'll get very bad bump-steer. The drag link needs to be close to level when the truck is on the ground. Modifying the drag link does not do anything, it's all about where the ends are. Bud Thorpe usually has some W100 pitman arms for sale.

There are also places that will make you a custom pitman arm based on the spline count and taper you need. I would not bend a stock pitman arm, although a very competent weld shop could cut/shorten one. An angled cut near the middle so you get plenty of room for the weld and stay away from the ends where the stress is highest.

[Wildergarten]

Ha. These are low carbon forgings typically in 1018 that therefore have a great deal of tolerance with heat from bending and welding. Just not an issue and is done everyday. Forged axles are stretched 2-3" and are able to do so without pre or post heat cycles for the same reason.

Cracks happen. This guy stretches axles, and magnafluxes every one of them: https://www.droppedaxles.com/ford-dropped-axles-0

Even back in the '60s, all factory forgings were done under controlled temperature profiles traceable to the NIST. The finished parts were subjected to destructive initial testing, prototype testing, and failure analysis sufficient to satisfy management, insurers, stockholders, lawyers, Ralph Nader...

So to me, it doesn't matter if these are "low carbon," "not an issue," or if it "is done every day." I would never own that liability without having taken such measures and neither would my insurer. I feel fine in modifying even critical components as long as any possible failure carries with it a likely warning with which to take emergency action without injury. For example, I would modify brake lines on a vehicle with a dual master cylinder, but not on one with a single. On the other hand, there are parts that can fail without warning to produce an instant fatal catastophe (of which a steering arm is a good example). I wouldn't fabricate or modify those kinds of parts and won't encourage such. I used to do that sort of thing as a young man but, having somehow lived through it all withoug going to jail, I won't expose my family to that kind of risk. It wouldn't bother me a bit if somebody can isolate that risk, such as driving only on private land as is done with race cars, but this is a public matter where others at risk aren't willing parties to the choice to incur said risk. Even NASCAR has their rules. In those cases I prefer buying manufactured parts frome somebody who has qualified for coverage. So I guess we differ.

[Volksnut]

The popular option (if you can find one) is a W100 pitman arm. It's ~6" long vs. the stock 7.5" and works well for trucks with about a 2-3" drop. Bud Thorpe usually has some W100 pitman arms for sale.

Where do we find Mr. Bud Thorpe?

[Hobcobble]

The popular option (if you can find one) is a W100 pitman arm. It's ~6" long vs. the stock 7.5" and works well for trucks with about a 2-3" drop. Bud Thorpe usually has some W100 pitman arms for sale.

Where do we find Mr. Bud Thorpe?

https://www.61-71dodgesweptlineparts.com/

John