Will this work?

[Charley Davidson]

May have found an easy way to lower my truck in the front, after removing the bumper I could get a real good look at the frame rail and spring mounts. Looks to me like I could cut out the cross member and make a new one that sets back much farther then cut the frame rail either at an angle to give clearance for the leaf spring and relocate the shackle.

Or cut the frame even with the new cross member and weld on a new section extending forward but raised about 3 inches higher.

Look over what I have and give me your opinion/advice

 

[Old Dude]

If you go with your 2nd choice, your bumper won't line up right unless you fab up drop down bumper brackets.

Imhop, the first choice may be your best choice. The only weight the front of the frame will carry is the bumper, right? However, can you remove a spring leaf or two? Just a thought.

 

[Crossfire]

Lowering front.

With the straight axle wouldn"t it be easier to take a couple of spring leaves out,or maybe some dropped spindles. I saw ont the other day the guy had taken his axle and put it on top of the springs,but don"t think that would handle very good.

 

[Sam_Fear]

I don't think taking leaves out of the front of a full truck is a good idea. You hit the brakes hard and the springs get serious torque put to them - they might end up in an S shape. You might flip one leaf - that flattens them out a bit without loosing the strength.

 

[Charley Davidson]

If you go with your 2nd choice, your bumper won't line up right unless you fab up drop down bumper brackets.

Imhop, the first choice may be your best choice. The only weight the front of the frame will carry is the bumper, right? However, can you remove a spring leaf or two? Just a thought.

Not sure if you looked at my earlier pics in my build thread but I think the bumper is gonna stay off, at least the original one. The springs on this truck look weak or fairly flat so I'd rather not remove any but may flip one.

With the straight axle wouldn"t it be easier to take a couple of spring leaves out,or maybe some dropped spindles. I saw ont the other day the guy had taken his axle and put it on top of the springs,but don"t think that would handle very good.

From what I have read on the Dodge truck forum flipping the axle is kinda a no no on these, I have seen drop spindle axles and they look very nice but I would have to send it off to have it done and it's $300 +

I don't think taking leaves out of the front of a full truck is a good idea. You hit the brakes hard and the springs get serious torque put to them - they might end up in an S shape. You might flip one leaf - that flattens them out a bit without loosing the strength.

I may have them re arched or even new ones made, I think it's fairly cheap either way.

I'm leaning towards cutting the frame straight off in front of the new cross member then building a new spring perch 3" higher, my only concern is if it will change steering geometry causing bump steer or if I'll have to modify the steering linkage/pitman arm Seems it would cause the axle to roll/shift forward a little but may be not enough to notice.

 

[Torch]

springs

Go look at a 1980-1994 f250 4x4 with leaf springs in the front.
They use a tapered leaf flat or reverse arch spring.
A continuous thickness leaf in an eliptic spring gats stiffer until it goes flat then it stops getting much stiffer.
the tapered leaf uses the triangular geometry so that no matter which way the leaf is flexing it is always getting stiffer.
it gives a softer ride for being more supple at a flat or slightly negative arch but has a greater rate then the old style springs.
It gets stiffer faster and that's what it's all about lol

You would gain drop simply from the reduced spring thickness and also from the switch from eliptic to reverse arch.
I think it would be far simpler to get the f250 4x4 springs mounted up or buy a drop axle than it would be to do what your talking about doing.

Truck frames..ladder type frames are designed to flex. they are not made to be stiff which is why if they are ever factory boxed like on a jeep, it is only around the engine.
The way trucks are used... the way the frames flex when you pull a trailer or idle through a field and where they flex is considered in the design.
It is why they are riveted and not welded.
if you move that crossmember make sure it's good.
If the frame cant flex evenly it may damage the body mounts or even crack or bend the frame if you take it off road if you box it in... dont stop right at the body mounts stop before or behind. The end of the boxing will be a stress location when the frame flexes, it's not a good idea to have multiple stresses converging on the same point

 

[Sam_Fear]

Wow. I wasn't getting what you want to do. You want to raise the front mounts, but not the back? That will mess with a lot of steering geometry.

Axle angle would change - changing caster forward by several degrees.
Axle centerline arc would be tilted probably causing bump steer.

If your going to go to the trouble of cutting the frame, sub in a IFS front clip (not Ford truck).

 

[Charley Davidson]

That was the answer I didn't want to hear but was looking for.