Using wood to raise a bed????

[36chevy]

Hey guys I really happy to be here after a long break from Old chevy Pu's. I just bought a nice little 57 but I not sure I like how high the rear as compared to the front. The guy I bought it from raised the bed with wood 3 or 4 inches. Has anyone every seen this before? I am tryin to figure out if I need to remove the wood to lower it or can i just lower the extension on the rear leaf. When I was a kid we used to lower our leafs with blocks. On this truck they have the leafs mounted above the rear end. Any advice on what steps I should go about would be greatly appreciated .

[skip99]

almost looks like you could put the springs back where they belong if you mounted them under the axle, and then lose the 4x4s..?

[slugo10]

Wow! Bet it rides rough.
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[mknittle]

Those shackles are scary long. I bet they effect the handling?

[36chevy]

Anyone one have a pic of where the leafs should be mounted I assume under the rear. Are thoes shackles only to raise the leafs?

[Kim57]

It looks to me like he used the shackles to lower the truck and then used the wood to gain clearance between the bed and springs.
The bed looks to high in the pics. The steps should line up with the cab.
Kim

[36chevy]

So shackels are typically used to lower the rear? If I cut thoes shackels in half the rear would be higher?

[bretcopsey]

Originally Posted by 36chevy

So shackels are typically used to lower the rear? If I cut those shackles in half the rear would be higher?

Not that I have seen-but in this case, yes. In my opinion, the "proper" way for the PO to have lowered the rear would have been to put the leafs under the axle. Instead, he went with the long shackles which required additional clearance from the bed=landscaping timbers

Also, hard to tell from the pictures, but I bet your shocks are close to bottoming out as it is currently set up.

I'd look into moving the leafs under the axle, and deleting the shackles/wood block combo. I'd also go over the rest of the truck pretty well to see what other types of "engineering" went into the build.

Overall, it is a nice looking truck!!

[36chevy]

landscaping timbers .. you guys are killing me!!! but I get the point. 1.) remove the shackles2.) put the leaf under the rear 3.) reconnect the leaf to orginal mounting point.

Is there sopposed to be rubber inbetwwen the bed and frame? Or does it just bolt straight on?

[OrrieG]

He probably raised the bed after he found out the length of the shackles allowed the rearend to move sideways causing the tires to hit the fenders. Shortening the shackles will increase the ride height, its a simple lever with the front spring hanger as the fulcrum. I have always put at least a thin piece of rubber between the bed cross braces and frame to reduce squeaks.

[bretcopsey]

There is a mount kit available.

http://www.lmctruck.com/icatalog/ca/full.aspx?Page=32

[mr48chev]

That looks like the 15.00 back yard lowering job.

From the appearance of the whole deal the shackles were used to lower it with the wood blocks to raise the bed to clear the shackles and the too deep reverse rims.

Before you make any changes you will have to get a pair or rear rims that will get the tires inside the fenders and then do the shackles and then pull the blocks out and set the bed back down where it belongs. Along with that you will have to modify the rolled rear pan to clear the bumper brackets.
It's a good looking truck but I think with a bit of work you can turn it into a great looking truck that looks like it is supposed to.