individual leaf spring removal in truck?

[rigrunner]

read all the post i can find on lowering my trucks front end. my question is can a leaf be removed from the spring pack without removing the entire pack from the truck and ifso how?

[junior]

IF ONE LEAF WERE REMOVED,IT WOULD PLACE A BURDEN ON THE REMAINDER LEAF SPRINGS.IT CAN PROBABLY BE DONE,BUT WOULD BE A PAIN IN THE REAR AXLE. WOULD REMOVING ONE LEAF SPRING LOWER THE TRUCK MUCH? ARE YOU GOING TO USE THE TRUCK FOR HAULING KIND OF/SORT OF HEAVY LOADS?

[rigrunner]

cruiser only no heavy hauling at all. seen alot of post where 2-3 springs are being removed thought id askabout the process of doing it. i have around 9 inches of space between the top of tires and fender lip looks like the trucks going up hill.

[soopernaut]

My guess is that you would have to remove the spring pack. The very least you will have to pull the axle and unclamp the spring pack. There are metal clips on them that would need to be pried open. I suppose it is possible to remove springs without removing the axle. You could try it.

[rigrunner]

thanks but i think ill leave it to someone who know what they are doing. i dont wanna loose any fingers in the process lol

[MountainMoparRobin]

thanks but i think ill leave it to someone who know what they are doing. i dont wanna loose any fingers in the process lol

to remover the springs the least amount of work you can do, is to leave the main spring attached to the frame, but their is no way around taking the U bolts off at the straight axle, be prepared (anouther source of transportation) to make a run for U bolts, they sometimes snap when taking off the nuts. You'll need a way to raise the existing frame and body up high enough to remove the springs also, you won't be able to put the jack under the straight axle and raise it, for it will put pressure on the springs and none will come out, you'll have to raise it by the frame, doing this the springs will expand. even with all things considered with problems you should have it done in 6 hrs max, 2 if no problems

---

[F6866]

The previous owner of my 71 utiline took two leaves out of the front springs to lower the truck to a more appealing height with no ill effects. You will need a new center pin of the correct length, and possibly new u bolts depending how far up the u bolts are threaded and if you are lucky enough not to break them.

[MountainMoparRobin]

theirs many pictures of the drop on here I even took a tape measure to the before and after, if you use penetrating oil you may not break the U bolts, I can't think of why you would need a new center pin, theirs also pictures on the business website of droping the front end of the 68, its a good time to replace the bushings too thought if you take it down, but if your trying to have a fast turn around time then forget the bushings, you'll also see many people who have posted pictures of their drops, using the same method, KEEP IN MIND THOUGH, as mentioned previously its not recomended, but all of us who have done it, know that it is done with us exceptling responsibility.


---

[weezer]

thanks but i think ill leave it to someone who know what they are doing. i dont wanna loose any fingers in the process lol

to remover the springs the least amount of work you can do, is to leave the main spring attached to the frame, but their is no way around taking the U bolts off at the straight axle. You'll need a way to raise the existing frame and body up high enough to remove the springs also, you won't be able to put the jack under the straight axle and raise it, for it will put pressure on the springs and none will come out, you'll have to raise it by the frame, doing this the springs will expand.

**NOT ALLOWED**

OK, I got the u-bolts loose with PB Blaster and everything hanging down but the lower spring(s) won't pop off the bottom of the pack. What next? Do I just keep trying to wedge them off? More PB Blaster? ( I love the smell of that stuff!) Is that center pin holding the spring pack together? How does it come out? It just spins with the air wrench. The bottom three springs are not clamped to anything that I can see. Am I missing something?

[ledman70]

Yes, that bolt goes all the way through the springs. There's a nut on top to take off, then after the end clamps are removed the pack will fall apart. I just did this to my 70...pulled the 2nd and 4th springs from the top and it dropped my truck about 4 inches. Mine had 6 springs on each side to start with. There are pics under member builds.
Jeff

[weezer]

OK. Confession: I am an idiot. I have been attempting to take the center pin out thru the top of the springs. When I took the nut off and the two clamps, yep! They really did fall apart! Thanks! Glad I asked before I broke something.

[rigrunner]

Once you get the clamps loose and the springs fall apart, can you reuse that clamp to put them back together? This is my question, will the clamp be too big to put it back together or do I buy another one, or do I reuse it? Going to attempt this in the morning. Need help fast

[weezer]

Ha! Success! I got the springs apart, removed 3 leafs, got them buttoned back up and WOW does it look great! The drop is around 2'' as measured from the top of the tire to the bottom of the fender lip. Actually looks like more. Really put it on a rake! Drove the truck around the block and didn't notice any bumpsteer but it did seem to want to "wander" a bit. Probably could use a good alignment shop. As far as re-using the clamps, I didn't. The little tabs that go thru the slot and bend back over the clamp to lock it in place just would not stand all that bending back and forth and I wound up snapping most of them off. Next I'll go after the rear springs to m ake it more level.

[rigrunner]

did mine today. took out the bottom 2 got 2 inch drop. need shocks now and my exhaust is to close to the axle to go any lower.

[ledman70]

I broke the folding tabs off on my clamps, too. What I did was use my exhaust cutoff wheel to cut back into
the clamp a little further and made a new tab. Had to hammer the clamp flat, first. This not only gives you a new
folding tab, but when you reinstall the clamp, you can visegrip it to the spring then hammer it around to make it a little shorter, which you need anyway.
Jeff

[rigrunner]

great tip. gonna get my exhaust on the driver side redone to clear the axle then im gonna take another spring out. 2 inches wasnt quite enough.

[paffuffnic]

I want to lower mine too, but the 440 in it is from a passenger car with a center sump, which is of course right over the axle. The pan already has an indent where at one time the asxle came in contact with the pan....so, before lowering, I am going to have to find a rear sump pan.

[wally426ci]

Bookmarking this. After attending a hot rod show yesterday, I'm thinking of pulling out a single Leaf or 2 max.

[DavidWymore]

Bookmarking this. After attending a hot rod show yesterday, I'm thinking of pulling out a single Leaf or 2 max.

After reading and looking at mine, I would say two leaves is max. I've not yet studied it enough to decide which ones.

Taking to many out will probably cause wierd things to happen under hard braking due to axle wrap/bump steer. I think the 4x4s have a shorter steering arm, and going to one of those might be the cure for the bump steer. There's also the chance of things bottoming out, etc.

[wally426ci]

I was thinking of the bottom most leaf (shortest) and then maybe the next if need be. just to level the truck out, not to slam it.