Can you remove leaf springs to lower the rear?

[1975stepside]

My truck rides better when there is half a load of firewood or a couple engine blocks in the back. So, I was wondering if I can lower it about 4" by removing leaf springs? If so which ones and how many? Thanks for any advice!

[gchemist]

Not recommended. Most truck drivers do remove the smallest/thickest leaf. Any more and you risk too much.

You can lower 4" by using arched leafs. The leafs are arched for a 4" drop. I have a set. I'm afraid to install them. The rear may end up lower than the front! I may have to try anyway.

[N2TRUX]

gchemist is correct. You can lower it 3/4" or a bit more by removing the thick overload leaf. If you start taking springs from the pack they will eventually sag with out support.

[andresco50]

I love my ride with 2 removed leafs in each side is a little bit soft I have maybe 1 1/2'' of drop

[dooce]

the PO of my truck did it to level the rake out. i hate the way it rides. maybe he took out the wrong leaf? idn, but i have lowering leafs on order now to fix the problem.

[piecesparts]

I have a local spring and axle shop, that can take springs and rearch them to what you want. The trick is to not weaken the spring rate, or you take the chance of throwing the alignment of the driveline out of synch.

[slugish]

Yea ,I have dearched springs as well done by a spring shop ,along with hangers & shackles. They recommended dearching as opposed to buying lowering springs / hope this helps / the co. has been in business for 40 or more years with a top notch reputation.

[xtreme80]

I took out the second from the bottom (not the overload), and it dropped it about 3/4 of an inch... for about 3 months. As of now it's at about an inch and a half drop and probably gonna sag more than that. Even with the C-notch I'm on the bumpstop. Time for a new set of springs!

[three80three]

So let me get this right if I pull the one right before the last one out it will drop lower than it would if I just pulled the bottom one out ? Or should I just pull the the very bottom one out and leave the other ones in because my brother has a z71 and he pulled the shortest one on the bottom out and he's low but not dragging the ground.

[superwade57]

Be careful pulling the bottom spring out if You have any kind of power. I have a swb with a flip in the back and I took out my over load...now it wheel hops something nasty. Actually broke the spring perch welds off my axle tube. I'm putting my overloads back in and welding my new perches under the axle to eliminate the flip kit. I think thatt overload acts similarly to a traction bar since its so thick. With out it the springs Just wrap way to much?

[three80three]

So if not the bottom one which one is a good one to pull out because I have a 383 stroker motor and I'm pretty sure its gonna put out some power and I don't kneed the wheel hop but I wanna lower the rear end so which one should I pull out?

[c10454]

How many leaves are in the pack? Mine have 8 plus the overload, I think most have 3-4 depending on the year for a 1/2 ton.

[three80three]

I cant remember I think its 4 but do to the fact that I can't afford to take it to a shop I just want to knkw the most sufficient way to do this without messing up anything.

[comegetsome2003]

Buy some drop shackels....I've pulled springs out before on a ton of vehicles.....mostly for high school kids(myself included when I was young) who didn't have much money for lowering kits......as I've gotten older ride quality has become a nessecity with a family....if you already have shackels looked at a set of drop hangers or a flip kit....either one will get you where you wanna be and still ride good

[three80three]

I'm gonna check into some drop hangers and see just how much they are but I may still need to do it the cheap way, thats why im trying to determine how to do it without buying anything if I can