Lets see lowered beam trucks..

[b00sted]

I do nto care to cut my truck up so I would love to see soome beam trucks lowered...

I would like to know ho wmuch lower it is and what size tire you are using. I want to run the stock rims painted or course...

[b00sted]

Anyone?

[mr48chev]

Not lowered the correct way I would want to say but it's about as low as you can go with a stock I beam and the spring below the axle.



14 inch rims with 195 60's I think in this photo.

Missing a few leaves out of the springs and it rides terrible and doesn't drive all that great. That was originally a quick and nasty lowering job to go to one event and then get torn back down in 1989 and It's still together that way 100K later.

If you want to do it right a dropped axle and mono leaf spring would get it down pretty low with some smaller tires.

[57 3100]

here is my 57 chevy.
3 inch dropped axle from Sid at droppedaxles.com.
1 leaf pulled out of the front pack and in the back 2 inch shackle kit with 4 of the original 7 pulled out.
running 15 inch wheels with 225-70-15 tires.
i still want to lower it a bit more all around, so in time i will pull another leaf out of front and see how it looks, or get lowered multi leafs.
right now it rides really good. have had it up to 80mph and no shakes.
leonard

[mr48chev]

That truck looks right on the money 57 3100. From experience, I don't think I would pull out another front leaf. I don't know how many I took out of my truck but it was about one too many as far as ride and handling goes. But that will change when I build the new chassis with a MII suspension. I've fought that I beam since 1989 and want a lot more comfort and handling next time around.

[57 3100]

thanks for the comment mr48chev...
i do like the old skool factor the straight axle brings, but would also like a more comfortable drive and get it down lower one day.

leonard

[Dave K]

4" drop Axle with mono leafs

[57 3100]

Dave K,
how did you lower the rear of your truck, and what rear housing are you running ?
thanks.

leonard

[Dave K]

Running the stock axle flipped with a notch in the frame. In the pictures above I have a load or rock in the bed so it is sitting where it will sit when I add 2" drop shackles. Here are some pictures when it was under construction.

[Dave K]

Sits like this with the flipped axle and no load in the back

[57 3100]

thanks for the info dave, that is how i want my 57 to set.
i have a c-notch kit that i still need to install, but i like the way yours is, its got about double the room my kit has. might go your route when i get to it.
thanks again.

leonard

[CAL 58 GMC]

Originally Posted by Dave K

Sits like this with the flipped axle and no load in the back

Looks great! Just the way I like them, nice and low!

[Dave K]

I had to raise the bed floor about 3" to clear the notch. The nice thing with the big notch is I can still haul 1100 pounds or more without hitting the axle on the frame.

[57 3100]

cool.... if i go with a big notch like yours, i may just raise the wood in that area, and keep it lower in the other areas. something different.
i just need to finally take the dive and do it. i love the look of the lower trucks, but hate to take mine off the road long enough to do the install.

leonard

[57 3100]

did you make your notch's or did you purchase ? if so, where did you get them ?

leonard

[Dave K]

I think the notch was one of these kits

http://www.rollpans.com/product.asp?idno=8075

You will also need to flip the E-brake hardware like in the second picture below so your driveline will not rub.

[Dave K]

On the ground with no bags

[57 3100]

Dave,
thanks for the tip on the e-brake conversion...

leonard

[JMR5]

Here's my 59. which is still lowered the way it was when I purchased it, which is 3 leafs in the front and 3 leafs in the rear with the 2" shackles. I'm running old school bias ply tires in size L78. Leonard and Dave K, what did each of you do to address your steering? The steering on my Apache is a bit screwy because the angle of the drag link makes it so that the truck steers better to one side than the other. I've seen the articles on heating up the steering arms and bending them to correct the angle of the drag link, but was curious to know if there are other options.http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h1...y/IMG_0577.jpg

[57 3100]

JMR5, you truck looks cool man. nice stance.
i have a 3 inch dropped axle from Sid at www.droppedaxles.com
yes, you want your drag link parallel to the frame/ground or you will get bump steer.
i didnt have to do anything to my pitman arm but did have to shorten my drivers side steering arm where the drag link joint connects. if you step through my photo album under my signature you will see pics of the mod. i cut a small portion out and re-welded the eye back on. i didnt have a set of torches to heat and bend, but i do have a tig welder, so thats why i did it that way.
i also took a short section out of my drag link because it was too long. that mod is also in my photo album.
you want to unhook your drag link, get the front wheel pointing straight, get your steering wheel/box in center, (count the total turns from max left to right, then divide that number in half to get the steering wheel centered), then see how much you will need to take out of your drag link.

hope this explains it well enough. if you need any other help, let me know.

leonard

[Dave K]

Originally Posted by JMR5

Here's my 59. which is still lowered the way it was when I purchased it, which is 3 leafs in the front and 3 leafs in the rear with the 2" shackles. I'm running old school bias ply tires in size L78. Leonard and Dave K, what did each of you do to address your steering? The steering on my Apache is a bit screwy because the angle of the drag link makes it so that the truck steers better to one side than the other. I've seen the articles on heating up the steering arms and bending them to correct the angle of the drag link, but was curious to know if there are other options.http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h1...y/IMG_0577.jpg

Your truck should not have bump steer at that height. You might have something else going on. Do you have enough caster? Is your front end aligned? My front end is kind of loose but my truck drives great as long as I keep plenty of caster shims under the axle.

[b00sted]

Dave,

Anything special to do to the front with the 4" drop? Is all I need the drop axle? I love the stance of your truck...

[Dave K]

Mine has a 4" drop axle and 3" drop mono leafs. You will also need to flip the drag link (sid make the mod steering arms to make it easy http://www.droppedaxles.com/CHEVY_AXLES.html )

You will also need to move the brake line so the drag link will not tear it off. Easy to do just drill a hole a little higher on the frame.

[57 3100]

Originally Posted by Dave K

You will also need to move the brake line so the drag link will not tear it off. Easy to do just drill a hole a little higher on the frame.

maybe because mine is only a 3 inch dropped axle, but i didnt have to move my brake lines.

dave, did your mono leafs give you a true 3 inches of additional drop ?
how much travel do you have between the axle and frame ?
would you happen to have a pic of that area ?

thanks.
leonard

[Dave K]

Originally Posted by 57 3100

maybe because mine is only a 3 inch dropped axle, but i didnt have to move my brake lines.

dave, did your mono leafs give you a true 3 inches of additional drop ?
how much travel do you have between the axle and frame ?
would you happen to have a pic of that area ?

thanks.
leonard

Yes they gave at least 3" but there is very little travel and the axle slams into the frame on medium+ bumps in the road. My monos might be kind of tired and desprung because I got them used. I am going to put a notch in the frame at some point.

I will take a picture of the spring to frame clearance when it stops raining .