lowering the back by heating

[short chevy]

Got some 3 inch drop spindles for the front. but realy dint want to spend the money for the flipkit on the back of my 81. Thought about heating the top of leaf spring a little. up by the rear shackle. im not going to haul nothing heavy. maybe later on put some air shocks. anybody ever do this, if so what was the out come or do you a cheper way out

[75stepside]

i think it would be easier to just remove some of the leaves...

???

[short chevy]

no its a easer to heat

[75stepside]

good luck.

[mudgutsandglory]

you dont have to buy a flip kit, you can do it yourself, thats how im gonna do mine. im just gonna by new perches and u bolts, and do it myself. you just wanna make sure and get the perches lined up with the old ones, and keep the pinion angle reasonable. i actually use the ubolts to hold it all together while i weld it up.
later
Dan

[boxrodz]

I've only seen pics of someone who heated the rear portion of the leaf spring to accomplish a lower drop. The deformed spring did lower the truck, but it was very compromised. Safety factors aside, the springs were ruined. For under $100, you should be able to do a flip kit to match your front drop.

[Slonaker]

I saw a truck done that way locally. The ride appeared to be quite choppy and bouncy. What is a flip kit from Summit, $90? I'd say it is worth it.

Slonaker

[1FaastC10]

there's no nice way to put this.

stop being cheap before you kill someone. heating a spring is not only dangerous to yourself, but whoever happens to be with you, or anywhere near you when it fails. no question that it will fail.

[75stepside]

Originally Posted by 1FaastC10

there's no nice way to put this.

stop being cheap before you kill someone. heating a spring is not only dangerous to yourself, but whoever happens to be with you, or anywhere near you when it fails. no question that it will fail.

[short chevy]

Thanks for the input everbody. Yall have talked me out of it.Its not that Im cheap. Its hard to to give 90 dollars for what looks like some 30 dollar brackets. Im going to build my own brackets. I found some thick channel in the garage last nite. Ill let yall know how it turns out.

[jermasaurus]

Just remember that when you move the axle up that high, you will have to move it back a little on the leaf springs to compensate, or shorten the driveshaft. I agree that the parts you get do not look like they are worth the $90. If I knew that I could buy spring perches I would have.
When I did mine, I used the DJM kit and the axle was WAY to close to the bump stops. So I put air shocks on it, which raised it about an inch, and the ride quality is ten times better.

[1FaastC10]

c notch would've been the way to go, or shorter bumpstops. ditch the air shocks, and i bet the ride improves 10 fold again.

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by 1FaastC10

c notch would've been the way to go, or shorter bumpstops. ditch the air shocks, and i bet the ride improves 10 fold again.

I agree.

[boxrodz]

Originally Posted by short chevy

Thanks for the input everbody. Yall have talked me out of it.

Good move.
Good luck in your fabbing.

Originally Posted by jermasaurus

Just remember that when you move the axle up that high, you will have to move it back a little on the leaf springs to compensate, or shorten the driveshaft. I agree that the parts you get do not look like they are worth the $90. If I knew that I could buy spring perches I would have.
When I did mine, I used the DJM kit and the axle was WAY to close to the bump stops. So I put air shocks on it, which raised it about an inch, and the ride quality is ten times better.

Jsaurus, did you remove the stock bumpstop (rubber bumpstop and the riveted bracket)? If so, you should have about 3" travel between the axle and the frame (less the thickness of the snubber).

[8t5Silverado]

http://www.macsspring.com/website/we...pkitsframe.htm

$82.14 for a flip kit. Free shipping for orders over $100.

[Slonaker]

Originally Posted by short chevy

Its not that Im cheap.

I am. I'm a cheap b@st@rd.

Slonaker

[jermasaurus]

Originally Posted by boxrodz

Jsaurus, did you remove the stock bumpstop (rubber bumpstop and the riveted bracket)? If so, you should have about 3" travel between the axle and the frame (less the thickness of the snubber).

At the time I was finishing up, it was very late and the only tools of destruction I had were an air chisle, propane torch, and drill...the ordinary tools. So- no I did not remove the bump stop brackets or the rubber pieces.
I agree 100% that It would be a better alternative than the air shocks and I do plan to do a c-notch and go lower. But, you know how it is when you just want to be done and it's late...I just figured that I will notch it and the brackets will come out all at once

[1FaastC10]

ironicly, you had exactly the tools you need to remove it.

[78' Silverado]

Id just buy a kit man. I got mine from Sport Truck Direct. Didnt take me long at all! Spend the money and get it done fast. No worries on if your fabs were wrong...or if yu got the right angle...and if u fab wrong you wont have to fab again. Its just more easy imo. Go for the kit....theres my 2 cents.

[jermasaurus]

Originally Posted by 1FaastC10

ironicly, you had exactly the tools you need to remove it.

Ha, thats what you would think, all three batteries for my drill suck, the air chisle is from the 50's or somthing, and by "getting late" I mean everyone was going to sleep. You can just come over and notch it for me

[pissonNOS]

what i dont understand is they say heating is not good for ur springs? why is it ok to powder coat your leafsprings then?

[1FaastC10]

Originally Posted by pissonNOS

what i dont understand is they say heating is not good for ur springs? why is it ok to powder coat your leafsprings then?

heating the springs takes the temper out of the steel, and makes them brittle. they will break where you heat them. powdercoating doesnt get nearly as hot as a torch does.

[N2TRUX]

Originally Posted by pissonNOS

what i dont understand is they say heating is not good for ur springs? why is it ok to powder coat your leafsprings then?

There is a HUGE difference in the temperture that it takes to powder coat a spring and heat a spring to the point that it will bend. If you heat a spring that much it will loose it's tempering. That means it is no longer "spring" steel and is now just steel. Guess what happens when you repeatedly bend steel back and forth? It breaks! I'm pretty sure that's not a good thing....

[N2TRUX]

Dang Jeremy, brilliant minds do think alike. Look at our post times....

[1FaastC10]

haha... i guess you're right Ken, great minds to think alike.